House Avent

House Avent maintains two parallel branches of the Imperial family kept deliberately separate from one another. The succession does not follow primogeniture; the reigning Emperor hand-picks a successor from among the children, who are themselves chosen and approved by the High College. The house's members display nearly identical physical characteristics -- ivory complexion, rich red hair, and emerald eyes -- the result of millennia of controlled inbreeding. The Emperor has more than a hundred children, some kept in crystal creches on secret Legion bases throughout the Empire. The High College manages the house's reproductive program to prevent genetic mutation. Some children of the house are designated afterlings -- those not permitted offspring by the High College.

A dynastic prophecy holds that through continued breeding the God Emperor will be reborn, and that his second reign will mark the rebirth of old Earth. The dynasty explicitly traces its lineage from the God Emperor William, whose blood is claimed to run in the veins of every Avent sovereign.

House Avent has ruled the Sollan Empire for more than ten thousand years without interruption, its lineage traced directly from the God Emperor William who founded the Empire on Old Earth. The Emperor's ancestral seat is Avalon, and the house holds the title Kingdom of Windsor-in-Exile.

At the Imperial Triumph on Forum following the Battle of Nemavand, Emperor William XXIII awards Hadrian Marlowe the Grass Crown. The Emperor subsequently proposes that Hadrian marry Princess Selene and join the Imperial House, a proposal Hadrian accepts under political pressure. The Imperial Council, presided over by High Chancellor Prince Hector Avent, investigates the knife-missile attack aboard the Tamerlane; Director Breathnach of Legion Intelligence is arrested for orchestrating the assassination attempt. Prince Hector confirms that the Council opposes the proposed marriage between Hadrian and Selene.

At the Colosso games hosted by Crown Prince Aurelian, Empress Maria Agrippina publicly humiliates Hadrian Marlowe and orchestrates his forced combat with the Maeskolos Irshan. Prince Alexander publicly defends Hadrian against the Empress during the incident. Emperor William XXIII privately apologizes and orders Hadrian to leave Forum for the Imperial Library on Colchis. Prince Alexander accompanies Hadrian to Colchis for his education.

Decades later, Emperor William XXIII visits Nessus during a tour of thirty frontier worlds, arriving aboard the gilded frigate Radiant Dawn. He publicly bypasses Magnarch Venantian to acknowledge Hadrian Marlowe first, stating he is in Hadrian's debt. Prince Alexander travels with the Emperor to Nessus, brought along for seasoning and identified by Lorian Aristedes as the Emperor's apparent heir. The Emperor orders Hadrian to travel as apostol -- Imperial envoy -- to the Lothrian Commonwealth on Padmurak to secure their military support against the Cielcin.

Emperor William XXIII is the reigning Emperor, addressed as His Imperial Radiance. His full ceremonial title encompasses sovereignty over the Arms of Orion, Sagittarius, Perseus, and Centaurus, and includes the titles King of Avalon and Lord Sovereign of the Kingdom of Windsor-in-Exile. He claims direct descent from the legendary King Arthur and privately considers the Arthurian legends Imperial heritage. He is described as a philosopher-king figure -- tired, world-weary, and wise. He has spent more than a thousand years on the throne. He knows of the Quiet and is visibly shaken to learn Hadrian Marlowe does as well. At the time of his Nessus visit, the Emperor has not yet named a successor.

Empress Maria Agrippina is the Emperor's consort, styled Mother of Light. She orchestrates the public humiliation of Hadrian Marlowe at the Colosso games and proposes his banishment or indefinite imprisonment. Her ivory complexion and flaming red hair are so similar to the Emperor's that they resemble siblings.

Prince Hector Avent, brother to the Emperor, serves as High Chancellor of the Imperial Council. He presides over Council sessions and is described as so similar in appearance to the Emperor that they might be clones.

Prince Aurelian Avent is the Crown Prince and firstborn son, born on the day of his father's coronation more than a thousand years ago. Because the Imperial succession is hand-picked rather than hereditary, Aurelian is unlikely to inherit despite his title. His advanced age means his reign would be short if chosen. He hosts the Colosso season opening at the Grand Colosseum on Forum.

Princess Irene Avent is the second child of Emperor William XXIII.

Princess Selene Avent is a daughter of the Emperor, designated an afterling princess. The Emperor proposes she marry Hadrian Marlowe as a political alliance. She is described as dutiful, faithful, and kind. She defends Hadrian Marlowe during the Colosseum incident.

Princess Titania Avent is named after her grandmother, the former Empress Titania Augusta, who ruled for more than five hundred years and was on the throne when the Cielcin razed Cressgard.

Princess Vivienne Avent is described as shorter and more confident than her sister Titania.

Prince Alexander Avent served as squire to Hadrian Marlowe and accompanied him on campaign. He publicly defends Hadrian against the Empress at the Colosso games and accompanies Hadrian to Colchis for his education. He is the one hundred seventh child of the Emperor and his apparent heir. He travels with the Emperor on the Nessus visit for seasoning.

Prince Ricard Anchises Avent, the forty-seventh Prince of the Aventine House, has strong aristocratic features and thick red hair worn long in the Mandari fashion.

Prince Philip Avent, the fifty-second Prince of the Aventine House, employs the Jaddian Maeskolos Irshan as a personal gladiator and is instrumental in arranging the forced Colosso bout.

Prince Faustinus Avent is among the Emperor's children Hadrian Marlowe meets. High lords on Vorgossos previously noted that Hadrian resembles him.

Prince Matthias Avent is listed among the Imperial children.