Lore:House Dufort

Castle Navire

House Dufort knights in Cyrodiil during the Three Banners War

House Dufort is a Breton noble family that rule the Duchy of Systres, from their seat of power in Castle Navire on High Isle. They are perhaps the premier shipbuilders of Tamriel. Vessels from Dufort Shipyards can be found in every navy, and their craft is well known and ranked among the finest. Due to "integrated business concerns", they share a mutual reliance with their rivals of House Mornard, with much of the Mornard's trade being done on Dufort vessels.^[1] House Dufort provides war ships for High Rock, and their merchant vessels House Mornard utilizes to trade at every significant port across Tamriel.^[2]

History[edit]

Records and oral traditions of House Dufort indicate that family's history began in Camlorn around 2E 70. They were a minor family with no ties to nobility. Justin Dufort was a young man born as a farmer that yet displayed a natural skill toward martial endeavors. The family scraped together enough gold to convince a knightly order to take him on as a squire. Justin proved himself and earned the rank of knight, performing countless feats of valor and bravery. One such feat was rescuing the daughter of Camlorn's duke from bandits who hoped to reap a rich ransom. Instead, they fell to Justin's sword, earning the knight the favor of the duke and a small fortune in gold as thanks for saving his beloved daughter.

From that point forward, the family's influence grew. In 2E 125, Ylbore, grandson of Justin, traveled to the Systres Archipelago. By this point, House Dufort was known as a prosperous merchant family seeking to turn their fortune in a new direction. Ylbore's instinct panned out as trade between Tamriel and the Systres Archipelago grew. His wealth increased enough that he was able to send for the rest of his siblings. In short order, the Dufort family became known as a premier shipbuilder, refurbishing facilities that had fallen into disuse after the creation of the All Flags Navy.^[2]

By 2E 110, a patriarch of House Mornard, was instated to be the Imperial Governor of the Systres.^[3] As time passed, both families of the archipelago worked together to turn High Isle into a thriving settlement. Thanks to Dufort ships, Mornard trade flourished into a vast network with operations in every significant Tamrielic port from Northpoint to Falinesti, as well as in Summerset. As Mornard influence grew, officials back in High Rock decided that the Systres needed legitimate noble claims to truly prosper, and would eventually be granted noble titles, with House Mornard becoming Dukes of the Systres as vassals of the Gardner kings of Wayrest and lieges of the Dufort Barons.^[2] Once House Mornard gained oversight of the archipelago, they increased their own wealth and power a thousandfold. Already operating mines on Amenos, the duke awarded his house exclusive mining rights to the island and also took control of the prison facilities located there.^[3] House Dufort, meanwhile, provided the fast ships Mornard required to get their goods from market to market, and even secured a contract to provide warships for High Rock. The partnership turned into a rivalry between Mornard and Dufort as Mornard's power and influence grew.^[2]

High Isle

The first Baron of House Dufort was known as Harabant Handless until he was elevated to a barony. He was known to have fought in a battle called the Battle of Meadow's Fort. Meadow's Fort was a smaller holding built by Harabant in Oldstone Wood. Harabant's famed sword, Redheart was broken during the last hour of the battle. Despite this, the great warrior defeated the dread sorcerer Fellbore by hurling the blade and driving it through his heart. Harabant lost his hand from the wounds suffered in the battle and subsequently became known as Harabant Handless. It was said that he had the blade of his greatsword melted down and crafted into a hand to replace the one he'd lost. Many of his subjects attested to his irritability and were bruised by that very hand. Years later, the duke replaced his ancient hold of Meadow Fort with the mighty Castle Navire to the west. It stands to this day, a place of great renown and worthy of such an illustrious family. The hilt of Redheart was never found. The small hold has long been overgrown. It is said to stand as mute testament to events that shaped the very nature of High Isle.^[4]

The following years saw the partnership of the two houses devolve into a rivalry, attributed by some to the madness of Baron Densil Dufort,^[2]^[5] which was only exacerbated by the start of the Interregnum in 2E 430. House Mornard and House Dufort's jockeying for power in the court of Wayrest eventually came to a head in 2E 478, when Duke Ruffe Mornard seized a full third of House Dufort's lands and exiled its leadership to Amenos, claiming sedition against the crown with a raft of forged documents and forced testimony. The Gardners viewed the coup with suspicion but were unable to interfere due to troubles with an ascendant Camlorn.^[6]

In 2E 563 the Knahaten Flu reached the Systres, slaying commoner and noble alike. Duke Avrippe Mornard ordered the archipelago sealed off in 2E 565, causing trade to stagnate, which caused Duke Avrippe to fall into disfavor in Wayrest's court. When King Ranser of Shornhelm attacked Wayrest in 2E 566 Duke Avrippe allied with him, forsaking ties of vassalage, but King Emeric of Wayrest managed to bring together an alliance to defeat Ranser. Once matters on the mainland were settled and Ranser had been defeated Emeric turned his eyes to the Systres, stripping Duke Avrippe of his titles and exiling him to Cyrodiil. The duchy was granted to House Dufort, while Avrippe's son Leonard was left with a county and rule over the island of Galen and their operations in Amenos.^[2]^[6]^[7]