August 06, 2026

All Around Lore - House Cavendish's Origins

Darkovia Noble Crest Beast Preview

The poll to decide which Greenguard Noble House would be featured in a Boss Release concluded a couple of weeks ago with House Cavendish getting the most votes! We'll be visiting Birgitta Spire, located on the border of night and day just outside of Darkovia, to overcome a magical trial! Here's a sneak peek of the Witch who joined Mother Moon and Father Forest.

In the sections below are the slightly modified content of the Lore book that will be featured in the actual release. I had text like this prepared for all of the Noble Houses in the poll. Don't fret if the one you voted for didn't win. All of them will be shown in-game eventually! We'll have more Crest Beast Poll in the future!

Witch Queen Talia

Long long ago, just when humans learned how to walk, they sentenced one of their own to a lonely death, lost in darkness. She wandered through a forest made of claws and teeth, wolves and death… until she fell to her knees and crawled.

Crawled and crawled through thorns and mud until…

Wept and begged the stars until…

"Do you stop being human when you die?" One of the creatures of the forest found her, but it was too late. Its sisters began to gather.

"Then she is one of us." They all agreed. "Poor thing."

"Shall we bury her in the stars?"

"Wait." Their Queen raised a hand, sensing movement. The corpse began to move. 

Reaching towards death as her sisters cowered, she pulled life from cold, bony arms.

It was a baby girl, born under the serene gaze of the full moon. 

"Darling, you're allowed to cry. Did your mother not have the time to teach you?" The Queen cradled the newborn, and caressed the child's cheeks. She lifted the baby to her neck, offering [][][] [][][] [][][][][]. "My name is Talia, little one" Tears finally began to flow, and the Witch held the girl for seventy nights. 

"As much as I'd like to call you my own, this forest and its children feast on humankind." 

Wrapping the baby in a crimson blanket, Queen Talia carried her back to the world of men.

She raised her hand to the sky, lit the clouds with fire until they blazed with daylight, and sent the lost child to a village on the back of the western wind. The baby would appear like a blessing, and be cherished until…

Loved and doted on until…

Ate berries and rabbits until…

The baby, now a girl, returned to the forest wearing a red hood.

"Queen Talia, I've missed you so much," The girl brought her savior gifts from afar. Her basket was laden with flowers, silks, and gold soaked in [][][][][]. "You and your sisters can live both inside and outside the forest now. You'll be happy. I'll make sure of it."

The Queen gazed upon the girl the same way the night adored the moon. Her sisters were dancing with glee, but Talia fretted.

"You rotten, wicked little girl! Go home! The forest is no place for you! It eats humans alive!"

Dismayed, the girl left the basket behind and obediently followed Queen Talia back to the mortal world. The forest watched quietly. It howled as the girl's crimson hood slowly drifted away until…

It decided to follow her.

They spoke and laughed until…

Hunted and cried until…

The girl, now a young lady, a little prettier, and a little more tired, returned to the forest. She wouldn't stop coming back.

"Talia. Who [][][][][][] [][] [][][][][][]?" The young lady kept asking, but only received silence.

"Talia," The young lady tried again the next night. "The forest told me that my [][][][][][] [][][][] because she was completely [][][][][][][] of [][][][][]."

Queen Talia pretended that she was sleeping. The forest rumbled, barely able to contain its wrath.

"Talia… Did you send me away on purpose? Did you already know that- 

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Father Forest begged Queen Talia to send Mother Moon to the stars. Even if it meant that they'd be separated forever, their children needed the night. They'd die without her.

With a heavy heart, Queen Talia lifted Mother Moon and placed her in the night sky. The creatures of the night would thrive in her loving light until…

They became hungry…

They became arrogant…

Talia Cavendish and her sisters left the forest. Their compassion led to the supremacy of Vampires and Werewolves. 

The blessing of Darkovia's Eternal night must one day end. Such is the duty of the bloodline that started it in the first place. For this reason, Birgitta Spire was built.

Lore Keeper Muusa's Intervention

Talia Cavendish's magic can twist words and ink generations after her death. I may not succeed, but let me use my spells to drag the truth out of the dark.

During Talia's time, magic was a terrifying mystery to mortals. Those who were born with an affinity for it were scorned and exiled. These Witches were no longer considered human.

Talia's "sisters" considered her to be the most skilled and wisest of their coven. That's why they called her Witch Queen Talia.

When the coven found that baby, Talia knew exactly what it was.

The baby, now a girl, returned to the forest wearing a red hood.

"You rotten, wicked little girl! Go home! The forest is no place for you! It eats humans alive!" Talia scolded, but her arms trembled around the girl's shoulders, reluctant to let the child go.

The girl, now a young lady, now a little prettier, and a little more tired, returned to the forest. She wouldn't stop coming back.

"Talia. Who killed my mother?" The young lady kept asking, but only received a silent embrace in response.

"Talia," The young lady tried again the next night. "The forest told me that my mother died because she was completely drained of blood."

Queen Talia covered her ears. Father Foreset snarled from afar, barely able to contain his anger.

"Talia… Did you send me away on purpose? Did you already know that I'd kill the humans that exiled you and your coven?"

"You used her!" Father Forest accused. Darkovia became filled with a cacophony of howls and roars. 

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I could only muster this much, but we aren't at the most important part yet. Let me push it just a little further…

"This is how nature keeps her kind in check. She won't survive… but your child will." Talia promised Father Forest.

It wasn't enough.

"You forget, Witch. 'Father Forest' isn't just a name." 

Darkovia's trees and shadows peeled back, and the sun began to scorch the exiled taking shelter in its darkness.

"If you don't save her, then I will die with her." 

Talia cradled the baby, the girl, the young lady in her arms. She was as cold as the day she was born.

Holding back tears, Queen Talia lifted Mother Moon and placed her in the night sky, and changed the laws of nature. The creatures of the night, the Moon and Forest's children would thrive in her loving light until…

They became hungry…

They became arrogant…

They found other ways to propagate…

Talia Cavendish and her sisters left the forest. Their compassion led to the supremacy of Vampires and Werewolves. 

The blessing of Darkovia's Eternal night must… There must be an answer. That moon is just a corpse, its light fueled by those who come to love its children. We can't let Darkovia's cycle continue until…

Afterthoughts

Ah. That's it. I wish I could have made the details clearer but you must understand, this knowledge can't be shared with the Vampires or Werewolves. Not yet.

Mother Moon and Father Forest are such mysterious figures. Even if Talia encountered them directly, and possibly facilitated Darkovia's eternal night... darkness obscures too much of the past. They could have been gods with physical bodies, or perhaps they're personifications this story substitutes for forces of nature. Regardless of what's true, the Vampires and Werewolves would join forces to tear House Cavendish apart if they knew. Then, they'd eradicate each other. It'd be an extinction event.

Unless, some of them are aware, and keep their kin ignorent. Imagine, looking up at the moon, knowing it's a corpse.

If the moon is dead, then what is making it shine? 

...Who is making it shine?