House of Drake
The House of Draconius, more commonly known as House Drake, is one of the oldest noble Achaean families in the Northwest, and one of the three noble families that aided in the original foundation of Illikon. Centered in Illikon but owning a fairly large portion of land outside the city, House Drake is master over numerous other lesser families of knights, who serve as their vassals and tend to their tracts of land outside the Northwestern capital.
Heraldry
The heraldic animal of the Drake family, and one they bear with pride, is a red dragon. Specifically, it is segreant, standing on its hind legs with both forelegs raised and its wings spread behind it, though this does not stop the Drakes from using dragon motifs of all kinds throughout their armor, architecture, and more. The Drake family heraldic colors are red, gold, and white.
Ancestors
According to the history of House Draconius, the family is much older than it seems. The Drake line is derived from an ancient, high-born Achaean family; they are related to House Draculea, with whom they still maintain fairly close ties, in spite of the distance between their territories. When this ancient family bred with a line of noble red dragons, they started a new house: Draconius, or simply Drake. Taking up the symbol of the red dragon, the Drake family proudly boasted of their draconic bloodline, particularly as they became known for their handsome, noble features and heroic feats of strength. The Drake family fathered many local heroes, particularly in the wild Northwest during the foundation of Illikon, all of whom made great leaders and powerful warriors. Today, the Drake house maintains the belief that draconic blood runs strong through their veins.
Present Day
The Drake family continues to live on in Illikon, though their high status has fallen somewhat in recent years.
Patron
The current patron of the family is Lord Warren Drake, a noble - if stern - man who wishes to return House Drake to its former glory. Unlike former patrons and his late brother, Warren does not persistently tout that his family bears dragon blood, instead trying to maintain his family's reputation through noble deeds and loyalty to the city.
Sole Heir
The primary issue Warren faces with maintaining his family's status is the fact that he has no male heirs, a problem he attempted to fix by adopting his brother's bastard son, Sir Tom Drake. Unfortunately for the house, while Tom Drake - the sole heir - has proven himself to be strong, brave, unfalteringly loyal to Illikon, and arguably chivalrous, he also has a tendency to bend or break the rules set by any individual, show little or no respect for his superiors, and mingle with the common folk more than his noble peers. His reputation for having a violent temper, a smart mouth, and a bad habit of womanizing is aiding in dragging down his family's reputation, in spite of his heroic deeds and his title of the Demon Slayer.
