The Avari

The Avari were an imperial ruling faction active from 1257 to 1365, founded by five individuals who bound their lives together through the Curse of Ravana and built the greatest empire of their era, only to destroy each other through the same power. The name means “the greedy ones” in an ancient dialect, a title they chose themselves.

Founding and purpose

The four founding members, Lucien Alvaro de Castillon, Severin Falkenrath, Leopold von Lachsenhausen and Victor von Lachsenhausen, officially adopted the name Avari in 1257 with dark humour. Elias Castillon joined as a fifth member at the 1282 Ravana Ruins ritual, not as a founder but as Lucien’s son.

Their purpose was the acquisition and maintenance of power: territorial control, economic leverage, and ultimately immortality.

History

Formation (1233–1257): Lucien Alvaro de Castillon and Severin Falkenrath met at Bellum Castle in 1233, established the Bellum Castle Trade Route in 1241, and met the Lachsenhausen princes at Glaceus Arena in 1243. The four formally named themselves the Avari in 1257.

Absorption of Lachsenhausen (1258–1264): Using the Bellum Castle Trade Route as economic leverage (manipulating exports and exploiting trade dependency) and installing Leopold von Lachsenhausen and Victor von Lachsenhausen as rulers after King Aldric of Lachsenhausen’s death, the Avari absorbed Lachsenhausen into their empire through political and economic means rather than conquest.

The Ritual (1282): Severin Falkenrath brought all five Avari to the Ravana Ruins, presenting the energy within as a gift. It distributed automatically, one share per person. All five received immortality. Severin’s plan to kill the others and consolidate all shares began that day.

The Golden Years (1283–1320): The Avari ruled efficiently. Their immortality inspired reverence and fear. Leopold commanded; Victor negotiated; Severin built intelligence networks; Lucien orchestrated; Elias observed.

Corruption (1321–1365): Immortality degraded them all. The empire unravelled internally before it collapsed externally. See Timeline for the full sequence of events.

The brothers’ deaths showed that the Avari could bleed, which is what made the revolt of 1362 possible.

Collapse (1361–1365): Severin Falkenrath killed Leopold von Lachsenhausen and Victor von Lachsenhausen at Mount Kings (1361), then Lucien Alvaro de Castillon in the Bellum Castle tunnels (1362). Elias Castillon denied him the fifth share in 1365 by going over the Seaborrow Cliffs, so that the land caused his death and took the share.

Members

Name	Role	Shares	Fate
Elias Castillon	The conscience.	1 → 0	1365, fell from the Seaborrow Cliffs, Vulcan Islands
Leopold von Lachsenhausen	Military command.	1 → 0	1361, Mount Kings
Lucien Alvaro de Castillon	Architect. Strategist.	1 → 0	1362, Bellum Castle tunnels, stabbed by Severin Falkenrath
Severin Falkenrath	Intelligence. Manipulation.	1 → 4 → 0	Fused into the earth, ~21st century
Victor von Lachsenhausen	Diplomacy. Economics.	1 → 0	1361, Mount Kings

Shares of the Curse of Ravana, from first holding to last.