History

The d'Ortonnaise family history can be defined with a single pair of words: Ithanian reactionaries. Though the family has been around since the foundation of the greater Ithanian nation, there seldom was a year when agreement remained between the homeland's leadership and the d'Ortonnaise. This led to over three centuries' worth of history filled with defiance, revolutionary thought and political involvement, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

Pre-Cataclysm
The family holds no records from its pre-cataclysm history, apart from the foundation date of circa 40BC, the date of the Ailor emancipation within Ithania. Though some heirlooms, traditions and legends remain from these decades, the years are mostly shrouded with obscurity. Presumably, the d'Ortonnaise were simple farmers, most likely involved with Dullci plantations in Hivre Dusois.

Hivre Dusois
The first family record dates back to 12AC when the family acquired a group of plantations in Hivre Dusois. A steady century of growth followed during which the d'Ortonnaise expanded their land holdings and eventually migrated to the more urbanised Hivre Castellajoux to settle into politics. In 72AC, the matriarch Marie-Claire I was granted a marquisdom in Castellajoux, inducting the family into the classe noblesse. By that time, the family owned a vast amount of land in both Hivre Dusois and Hivre Castellajoux, which also meant a considerable backing to their title in wealth and influence.

Slavery Debate
During the reign of Aolouxianne II, the d'Ortonnaise entered a disagreement with Elven integration in Ithania. Insofar, the resident Altalar and Cielothar enjoyed similar rights to the Ailor and could maintain political and governing positions in the various Hivres. After the bestowal of the title "Grand Marquess" on the matriarch, she cast her glance to the south where Daenshore was still a state in the process of forming and organising itself.

In 82Ac, the d'Ortonnaise made a considerable investment in Daendroc plantations in an effort to expand the Ithanian sphere of influence southwards. Though this also meant the first d'Ortonnaise plantation to employ slaves en masse. In the court of Lapalaise, a series of debates ensued where the more liberal rivals of the house argued against slavery based on humanity's past and the birth of Ithania. The d'Ortonnaise, instead, understood slavery of Elves as a just retribution for centuries of human enslavement.

Fading Political Power
The following decades marked a steady decline in d'Ortonnaise political sway and influence. Aolouxianne III was stripped of her Grand Marquess title in 115AC which was reduced to a simple marquisdom and the family grew ever towards the more reactionary side of Ithania politics. The ever-frequent incursions from the south and north also contributed to the beginning of the d'Ortonnaise anti-pacifism sentiment which at the time was simple critique in art and lobbies against the lack of proper self-defense.

Vladimir Kade and Regalia
When the Regalian conquest became ever more realistic, the d'Ortonnaise took a strong and firm stance against it, quoting a "resistance at all costs" and often casting absolutes of "destroyed culture" and talking about the "end of Ithania proper". The family lost all its political favours and was pushed to the brink of Ithanian court. The Grand Sovereign stripped the matriarch Eleonore I of all her titles in 142AC quoting the unjust enslavement of elves and the defiance of high court. When the Kade forces arrived in 150AC, the d'Ortonnaise were a simple remnant family of old with considerable wealth and a very opposing attitude to the invaders. Which, by irony, soon changed.

Matriarch of the Tradition

 * Vuldretrada (Valerie I d'Ortonnaise) (c. 40BC - ??BC)
 * Adelgarda (Adrienne I d'Ortonnaise) (??BC - ??BC))
 * Madelgarda (Maedelyn I d'Ortonnaise) (??BC - ??BC)
 * Theudeldra (Theodorique I d'Ortonnaise) (??BC - c. 1AC)
 * Liodrada (Eleonore I d'Ortonnaise) (c. 1AC - ??AC)
 * Hermengarda (Marie-Ermine I d'Ortonnaise) (??AC - ??AC)

Pre-Regalian Matriarchs

 * Marie-Thérèse I "La Fondatrice" d'Ortonnaise (?? - c. 48AC)
 * Aolouxianne I "La Audacieuse" d'Ortonnaise (c. 48AC - c. 60AC)
 * Marquess Marie-Claire I "La Belle" d'Ortonnaise (c. 60AC - 77AC)
 * Grand Marquess Aolouxianne II "La Diligente" d'Ortonnaise (77AC - 91AC)
 * Grand Marquess Aolouxianne III "La Politique" d'Ortonnaise (91AC - 118AC)
 * Marquess Sylviane I "La Rusée" d'Ortonnaise (118AC - 133AC)
 * Marquess Eleonore II "La Petite" d'Ortonnaise (133AC - 145AC)
 * Ethanie I "La Déshéritée" d'Ortonnaise (145AC - 161AC)

Migration to the Archipelago
The matriarch Ethanie I, after driven to the fringe of Ithanian politics, decided to transfer most of the defunct wealth from the unprofitable plantations in Ithania to invest in settlements around the Ithanian migration belt in the Regalian Archipelago during the Gem Boom. Rochevrais was the first-ever d'Ortonnaise-funded settlement in the Archipelago founded in 155AC. It was soon followed by a series of townships and a rapid multiplication of family wealth and holdings.

Ennoblement & Regalian Integration
The family received a baronial title from the Emperor in 172AC to govern the already-settled lands in Loiree. A dozen years later this title was expanded to be a county proper. The barony of Rochevrais remains the ancient title first carried by Eleonore III in the Empire, though the since-used titles have been the county and later duchy of Courteaux.

Re-birth of Slavery
Under protection of the Regalian Empire, slavery could thrive in the Loiree region and the d'Ortonnaise milked every inch of it. From 155AC onwards plantations popped up in the barony, later the county and duchy. These plantations catered for the need of southern goods in the Archipelago, including the most famous d'Ortonnaise product, the Courteaux sugar.

The archipelago's climate was neither ideal nor best-suited for the southern plants, though the difference in logistics costs and the unrest still present within Daen (which at the time was in the middle of a three-ways war between Ailor, Orcs and elves) warranted extreme costs for any plantation product not imported from the south of the archipelago or Ithania.

Clergy involvement
From the conversion of the matriarch Hermengarda to Unionism around 12AC to the migration towards Loiree, the family took a rather passive role in regards to religion and the Sancella. However, in 188AC, the first d'Ortonnaise reverend assumed office in Loiree marking the beginning of more than a century's worth of symbiosis between the family and the Sancella that was only shaken by the 11th creed.

Drachenwald Crisis
By the advent of the crisis, the d'Ortonnaise were already holding a duchy title and considerable regional sway. During the events, family members represented an anti-war sentiment with moderate military intervention provided in favour of Imperial Troops and many family members serving as mediators between the different sides.

Regalian Pessimism
The subsequent recession following the crisis challenged the already reactionary-leaning family. As Ithania grew ever more pacifist, the family inter-married with the newly developed Leutz in Brissaud and took on a more militiant, pro-military stance. This culminated in the Chrysant War which saw the first full-scale deployment of d'Ortonnaise troops an family members in leadership positions.

The pessimism also meant a change in attitude within Ithania proper and forgiveness demanded that the d'Ortonnaise pick up court and restore their connections in Castellajoux proper. This was done over the span of a few dozen years under the matriarchs Aolouxianne V, Eleonore IV and Ethanie II.

Recent History
The d'Ortonnaise took their fair share in the Ranger Crisis and the Elven War, though mostly motivated by the capture of further slaves to bolster the Loiree plantations. The 11th Creed nullified all previous efforts overnight and destroyed most of the family's economy, leaving Courtaux in a state of chaos and completely defenseless against the Vultarin intruders unleashed by the Lord Protector. The family evacuated to Ithania where the reactionary d'Ortonnaise were welcomed with open hands.

Many of the family's military leaders were commissioned straight-away into the Citoyen armée raised to expel the Daendroquean intruders. To the family's pleasant surprise, they were welcomed back to the Ithanian court and over 150 years' worth of oppositions and disagreements were forgotten for the sake of co-operation. The family remained seated in Ithania under the Varran Wars and the Bone Horror Crisis, only returning to Crown City politics after the abdication of the matriarch Ethanie II and the ascension of Adrienne III.

The family's arrival in Regalia was neither silent nor subtle. Members jumped straight into the heat of politics and action and the d'Ortonnaise emerged as sole controllers of the Sancella curia for four months, as well as the most prominent military house amidst all, fielding the 1st Reconnaissance on land and their scouting fleet on water. The d'Ortonnaise entered formal service under the Imperial Court with the beginning of 306AC during the Dragon Crisis when Adrienne III was appointed State Diplomat and Principal Secretary of the Black Hand.

Post-Regalian Matriarchs

 * Ethanie I "La Déshéritée" d'Ortonnaise (145AC - 161AC)
 * Baroness Eleonore III "La Pensante" d'Ortonnaise (161AC - 182AC)
 * Countess Adrienne II "La Ambitieuse" d'Ortonnaise (182AC - 203AC)
 * Countess Sylviane II "La Cruelle" d'Ortonnaise (203AC - 221AC)
 * Countess Aolouxianne IV "La Diligente" d'Ortonnaise (221AC - 244AC)
 * Duchess Marie-Thérèse II "La Têtue" d'Ortonnaise (244AC - 260AC)
 * Duchess Aolouxianne V "La Just" d'Ortonnaise (260AC - 272AC)
 * Duchess Eleonore IV "La Charismatique" d'Ortonnaise (272AC - 292AC)
 * Duchess Ethanie II "La Forte" d'Ortonnaise (292AC - 305AC)
 * Duchess Adrienne III "La Subtile" d'Ortonnaise (305AC - present)