The Ravencourts are ancient noble family dedicated to the service of Pharasma. They are originally Taldan, but have a strong streak of Azlanti blood that they try desperately to preserve. The family's progenitor, Simon Whitemane, was a Field-Marshal of the Knights of Ozem. At the end of the Shining Crusade when the Shield of Aroden shattered, in the wake of Tar-Baphon's defeat, the shards of the shield were entrusted to the surviving leaders of the Crusade.
Those shard-bearers went out into the land and raised families devoted to defending the land against the darkness that had claimed it. The shield-houses have been the Watcher-Lord of Lastwall's silent supporters in maintaining the peace of the land so that the job of holding back the darkness could be made easier. The Lord keeps his sights on the borders, the shield-houses, like the Whitemanes, the Ravencourts and the Rivenholds, keep watch over the populace, quietly among them like watchdogs in a herd of sheep. The shards of the shield became symbols of devotion to their charge to never again let Ustalav fall into darkness.
At least that is how it was supposed to be.
Of the original guardian houses, the Whitemane family and the Ravencourt family have merged by marriage. Many other houses have fallen or forgotten their oaths. Many shards have been lost.
The House of Ravencourt now seeks the remaining shards. Five are accounted for, three of which are in the possession of the Ravencourt family. The rest are scattered.
Kane is the firstborn of the second daughter of the previous generation, Lady Mercy, who was cursed by a member of the Whispering Way during her days as a Shard Seeker. She thought the curse had been broken. It passed to her son.
Kane should have been born a man, but he was not. His blackened, lanky form gave many nightmares. There was talk of exorcising him at birth, killing his body to cleanse his soul. His mother saved him, promised to watch over him and raise him in the church under the watchful eye of the priesthood.
He grew up dedicated an zealous. The family had fought monsters for ages, so having one among them was difficult for many, but Kane changed many minds. He swore the oaths and observed the rites, passed all the challenges and was even knighted by the Matriarch of his family in preparation for him to take up the tasks of his blood, but he knew that the world would never trust him as they did his cousins. He would never be a shard-seeker. Instead, he decided to take up the mantle of his forefathers.
He joined the Last Watch.
They called him the Dark Lady's Angel. He fought many battles casting back the creatures that sometimes sought to breach the wall. He became an effective scout and a trusted companion, always willing to throw himself in front of a blow meant for another.
Then their commander was promoted. The new commander had no love for any with tainted blood. He explained to Kane that his choices were retirement or brave death in combat.
Kane wasn't ready to die.
His severance pay bought him passage on a boat. He needed to go somewhere that was more accepting, and the family had heard rumors of a shard that had surfaced in lands outside of their influence.
