The Great Families of the Lunar Empire

Our Goddess set forth her virile Moonson to be her representative on Earth, and he was obliged by responsibility to accept the offer of co-rule with Yelmgatha, and then to pass the Ten Tests and prove himself Emperor of Dara Happa. As the Sun on the Earth, the incarnation of bright Yelm, it is thus the case that any child of Moonson is in their own right a descendant of Yelm twice over- firstly, they are a first-generation child of Yelm via Moonson himself, incarnate as Emperor, and secondly, they are also descended from Yelm, a great-grandchild of the Sun through the Red Goddess and her own son. As this is so, it is therefore simple and inevitable and factual that these children are not merely noble in their own right, but also more noble, possessed of greater purity, than the majority of Dara Happan nobles. 

Thus, it is only right and true that the Imperial Families should have precedent over all but the absolute purest of old nobles. When this was understood, there was much outcry, and some said that the Red Emperor should be castrated. This was Rufus, the first Mask. By means of their virtue and their depth of learning, a representative of this cause, the Scissor Caucus (the first one- there were others) was able to enter into the depths of Glamour and demand this of the Red Emperor, that if he was gracious and righteous and just, he would refrain from producing these children and thus blotting out Old Dara Happa. 

This representative prepared to contend with Goddess, or with her representative, but, it is said, TakenEgi laughed. He threw aside his robes, and he challenged the representative to sterilize him right then and there. The representative drew a knife, and purified it further with fire, and sliced into the Red Emperor, like you would with a pig, or perhaps a bullock. The Red Emperor laughed, and squatted, and picked up what had fallen away, and pressed it to his flesh, and was whole again. He challenged the representative to geld him again, and this time the representative cut further, like you might cut down a tree. The Red Emperor winced, it was said, and squatted, and picked up what had fallen away and rolled a little, and pressed it to his flesh, and was whole again. 

The representative blasphemed, it is thought. Certainly he invoked many gods both familiar and not so. The Red Emperor told him, "to your knees, rash man,"* and the representative could not disobey. The Red Emperor, still in deshabille, then placed his hand upon his organ, twisted slightly, and pulled, and revealed what lay behind his serpent. 

"You are no man," the representative wept, "Oh, you are the Sun Dragon come again, and all is lost, all will drown in blood." The Red Emperor laughed wildly, set his axis virial aside on a table, and said, "Do you doubt that I am a man, whatever else that I may be? My mother has said it, and the lords of the Ten Tests have said it, and so it is the case that I am a man, for none but a man may pass the Ten Tests and be Emperor of Dara Happa." He lowered his voice. "Indeed, if you would have an Empress of Dara Happa instead, then waste not your time with worries about emasculating, but go forth and proclaim this doctrine." He winked, it is said.

What happened to the representative after that is not known. Some believe that after this instance the representative changed name, face, body, soul, and gender, hoping to achieve some understanding of this mystery. Others think that he slew himself, unable to understand the Moon Cosmos. Still others believe that he became a favored bedwarmer of the Red Emperor and lived out his life in an apartment in Glamour, in the palace. 

Regardless, the Scissor Caucus disbanded, for they knew now that the Red Emperor had powers they could not withstand, but the Red Emperor in turn quickened children with the old families, so that they too could become part of his imperial affinity. Those that accepted this, like the Assiday, remain important. Others faded into genteel poverty or died on their horses in the Fourth Wane. 

So it is the case that the ruling noble families of the Empire, the satrap families and the rulers of the greatest cities, are all themselves part of the extended imperial family. But it is also the case that the children the Red Emperor had were themselves founders of noble clans, who propagated in their own right. So too has there been balance between the new families and the old, in accordance with their grasp of the Way. 

 These, then, are some of the clans that the Red Emperor has grandfathered:

Clan Glamour: one living (divine) member, various semi-divine children, no ongoing lineages. Descent from the First Inspiration.

Clan Hwarin-Ony: extinct, cadet branches without clear Solar authority remain important in Sylila. Descent from the Conquering Daughter.

Clan Valar-Telor: clan without portfolio, closely affiliated with Great Sister and so largely resident in Karasal and Oronin. Descent from Valare Addi.

Clan Vakthan-Ilart: extinct, formerly rulers of Oronin. Descent from Vakthan Liberator of Carmania. 

[...]

Clan Eel-Ariash: One of the Three Fifth Wane families, founded by Hon-eel, current rulers of Oronin. Descent from the Black Eel as well.

Clan Molari-Sor: One of the Three Fifth Wane families, founded by Hon-eel, current rulers of Oraya. 

Clan Yanoario-Ilart: One of the Three Fifth Wane families, founded by Hon-eel and Yanoario the Queen Father, who knew the Addi secret, current rulers of Doblian.

Clan Errio-Unit: Rulers of Sylila, often use the old style of names personally. 

Clan Taran-Il: Rulers of First Blessed, descended from Flower Poem. 

Clan Wylua-Oor: Rulers of Darjiin, uncertain descent.

Clan Rastar-Ilning: Rulers of Karasal.

Clan Tharkalist: Effective rulers of the Silver Shadow. Youngest imperial clan. 

 There are and have been others. 

The New Style of Names

The first of the two names of the clan is what serves as the name of address for members of the clan. Thus, to address the Fourth Inspiration, whose name in full is Aroni Jaranthir Eel-Ariash, you would refer to her by her preferred personal name of Jar, followed by the first part of her clan name, Eel. And so, Jar-eel, the Moonsword. This is the system that has been in place since the Second Wane at least.

The old style, still used frequently by the Errio-Unit and the Assiday today, makes use of the old gender suffixes attached to the personal name, and the clan name is spoken in full, "Odenad-es of the Errio-Unit".

 

 

* Or "Rashoran" in some versions, suggesting that the hapless representative was unprepared for this stage of Illumination.