Elernel Dynasty

The Elernel dynasty is the most prominent and oldest Lardburgian noble house and the royal house of the Archduchy of Reyllea, Archduchy of Coenia, and Carn. It is the only Lardburgian noble house to have a good degree of power in Rathnir. Its members are considered to have a divine right to rule the Lardburgian and Carnian people, and of course Lardburg and Carn themselves.

Etymology
The term Elernel was first coined by scribes in Carn during the Carnian Age. It comes from the merging of two ancient Carnian words, Eller, meaning man (as in mankind) and Nelloth, meaning leader or ruler, forming the phrase Eller que Nelloth, meaning Ruler of man.

The Epic poem Daeraennién, which was unfortunately mostly lost to time, contains what is essentially the motto of the house: "Quer sind threll ce still d'Elernel", meaning "All shall belong to he who calls himself Elernel".

- Lord MUDr. Everthorne Lant
Lord Lant is generally considered to be the first member of the Elernel dynasty. The term was however only coined after his death, first mentioned in the Daerennia. He was the founder of clan Lant, one of the two great clans of Lardburg, and along with Kerplis, he founded the fortress of Lantstein, which for centuries served as the cultural home and royal palace for the Lardburgians. He became good friends with Bivoy the Lard, and decided to help him take the position of Caeron from Kerplis, who was at this time the head of clan Carn. Kerplis however supported Bivoy's claim, so when a different lord, Derius, objected instead, the War of Lardburgian succession started. Lant ruled during this time as provisional Caeron, but mostly acted as a figurehead while the war raged on. Eventually, Lant decided to adopt Bivoy as his son, legitimizing Bivoy's claim, which, along with a great defeat during the siege of Lardburg, forced Derius to surrender. After Bivoy's ascension to the throne, Lant, who was by this time ancient, living to a full hundred years of life, spent his last days roaming the royal gardens of Lardburg in peace.

- Caeron Bivoy "the Lard"
Bivoy the Lard was the first of the dynasty to accept the title of Elernel. His reign is usually considered the golden age of Lardburg, and it was a time of great peace and prosperity. Bivoy was a great patron of the arts, and he ordered Kerplis to rebuild Old Lardburg, which was recently destroyed in the war. He is famous for holding lavish tourneys and feasts, but also for reviving some of the traditions and practices of the great ancient city of Carn. He is credited with kickstarting the Carnian renaissance. Before his mysterious disappearance, Bivoy spoke to Kerplis and adopted him, making him the third member of the dynasty and officially cementing him as his successor.

- Caeron Kerplis Everthorne Elernel
Kerplis became Caeron after the death of Bivoy, and took the name Everthorne, Lant's first name, as his second name. He lead the people of Lardburg to Rathnir, where he established the cities of New Lardburg, New Lantstein and New Carn and continued trying to rule righteously, like his good friend, mentor, and adoptive father, Bivoy. Kerplis is the current Caeron of Lardburg and Gidesh of Reyllea, and has adopted both Pontéos and Petrolinek as his sons and heirs. After he stepped down as Caeron of Coenia, he helped found the Empire of Aldovir and served as Steward to the first emperor, Jabberdrake.

- Caeron Peter "the Great"
Petrolinek was adopted by Kerplis as his son and secondary heir. The two were great friends in life, though Kerplis was much older than him, and they both fought together in both the Lant-Carn skirmishes and the War of Lardburgian Succession, where their lifelong friendship was cemented. As a gesture of good will, Kerplis adopted Petrolinek as his son, granting him a spot alongside Bivoy in the afterlife, and forever blessing his name. Peter lost the election for Caeron to Bowph, but he believed that he was cheated, as he did not get fair representation. He, along with the League of Free Lords, started the War of Lardburgian Independence, where he defeated Bowph and was proclaimed the Caeron of Lardburg. This event started what would become known as the Lardburgian Schism.

- Caeron Bowph "the Defeated"
Kerplis adopted Bowph as his son shortly after he was elected as Caeron of Coenia. The League of Free Lords, lead by Derius and Peter, was discontent with the state of affairs in Lardburg, and decided to revolt. Following the Siege of Lardburg, where Bowph and his forces were defeated, the Caeronate split into Lardburg and Carn (New Carn), which would become known as the Lardburgian Schism. Bowph abdicated as Caeron in October of 2021.

- Ponstanténe "Pontéos" Kerpólléan
Pontéos became a part of the Elernel dynasty when Kerplis decided to adopt him as his primary heir. Being a member of the Pontinne dynasty already, it was also decided that he would be the first member of the new Elernel-Pontinne cadet branch. He is also the first member of the line of Lant who is not considered a Lardburgian and does not hail from Old Lardburg.

- Jovenos
Through his link to Ponstanténe, Jovenos is also technically a part of the Elernel Dynasty. His link seems to also be slightly mystical in nature, as the Man with the porcelain mask himself was said to have communed with him and Kerplis to tell him of his future - and a strange prophecy relating to the original Elernel.

- Caeron Daria
Daria (Formerly simply Drach, Drachenstien or DrachCiv) was crowned the Caeron of Carn following the abdication of Caeron Bowph, after a landslide victory. As someone who had good relations with Kerplis previously, the retired former Caeron and Ashire of Aldovir adopted the young Daria formally, making him his third adopted heir and the first member of the newly formed Elernel-Dariae Branch.