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HouseAugustus

Nero, Adrius, and Virginia by PhantomRin

"Hic Sunt Leones" - The Motto of House Augustus, meaning "Here Be Lions" in Latin

House Augustus is a prominent Martian Gold family. It has existed since the time of The Conquering and is in its 14th generation as of the beginning of Red Rising. At the beginning of the Saga, they are the leading family of Mars, possessing ArchGovernorship of the planet.

Standard[]

A golden lion on red

Involvement[]

Note: Years are based on the Official Red Rising Wiki Timeline.

Pre-Saga[]

  • 0 PCE

A member of House Augustus falls in the Conquering and beheads the ruler of the Indian Empire, taking a rug and blood stained desk as trophies.[1]

  • 649 PCE

The 13th generation of the gens Augustus begins with the birth of Nero au Augustus.[2][3]

  • Between 649 & 656

The younger sister of Nero is born.

  • 656 PCE

Nero's Father and Julius au Bellona have a dispute, resulting in an attempt to poison all of House Bellona by Augustus during dinner. The plan fails, and the ArchGovernor Cylus of Mars declares his forces loyal to House Bellona. The Augustus Fleet is besieged above Agea, where the majority of the Augustan ships are either destroyed or captured. ArchGovernor Cylus then slaughters all of House Augustus, sparing only Nero and his sister and raising them in his court, not wanting such an ancient house to die out. Cylus gave seven-year-old Nero grapes to quench his thirst as Agea burned around them.[4]

  • 676 PCE

Nero asks ArchGovernor Cylus for his permission to take the hand of Julius au Bellona's daughter, Iona au Bellona, in marriage. Cylus accepts, hoping the marriage will put an end to the Augustus-Bellona feud. On the night of their marriage, Nero beheads Iona, stuffs her mouth full of grapes and delivers it to the Bellona Estate of Eagle Rest. Enraged, House Bellona makes for Agea to ask Cylus for justice, only to find Nero as the new ArchGovernor after he arranged a coup with the Sovereign's daughter, Octavia au Lune, against House Cylus. House Cylus was then culled and removed from all official records.[5]

  • 681 PCE

Nero au Augustus provides aid to Octavia au Lune as she kills her father and takes his place as Sovereign.[6]

  • Between 681 & 720 PCE

Nero falls in love with and marries his Second Wife, and their first child is born, Claudius au Augustus.

  • 720 PCE

Adrius and Virginia au Augustus are born to Nero and his Second Wife.[7] Thinking him weak, Nero forces Adrius to undergo the Exposure. Adrius defies the odds and survives.

  • 726-727 PCE

The second daughter of Nero and his Second Wife dies in her womb after Nero refused to intervene medically. Rife with grief, Nero's Second Wife commits suicide by throwing herself off the cliffs of their Estate.[8]

  • 730 PCE

In a scheme to gain his father's favor over his elder brother Claudius, Adrius asks his father for money in order to invest in the Silver stock market for his future. Adrius instead uses this money to pay Karnus au Bellona to sleep with Claudius' girlfriend. His honor insulted, Claudius challenges Karnus to a duel, which ends in Claudius' death.[9]

  •  Between 730 & 736 PCE

Leto is taken on by Nero as a Lancer, then Ward, and set to become the heir of House Augustus, becoming Leto au Augustus.

  •  Unclear Year

Nero marries his Third Wife, who takes a liking to Adrius.

Nero took a young Virginia on a politically fueled trip to Mercury, where she became more curious about the Jungles than discussions with House Votum. Accompanied by Nero's chief Politico Pliny and Votum scientists, Virginia watched a Zebracore being eaten by a Bush Hydra before both were consumed by Sarrisa Ants.[10]

The Unnamed Younger Sister of Nero marries and gives birth to two daughters and a son over the years.

Virginia and Adrius spend most of their childhood separated, with Virginia under the watchful eye of House Telemanus, where she came to care for them as her own family.

Red Rising[]

  • 736 PCE

Nero au Augustus visits the lowRed mine of Lykos with Pliny and Leto to witness the punishment of a young Helldiver and his wife, Darrow and Eo, with the intent to distribute the footage to other Red mines as a demonstration of what will happen to those who break the rules. During her whipping, Eo sings the illegal Reaping Song, a tale of one day overthrowing Gold's rule. As a result, Nero sentences her to death once she has finished singing. Nero departs for a meeting with a member of House Arcos, likely Brutus. The footage of Darrow's whipping and Eo's lament are edited by Nero's Greens and shown to the mines. Before long, the full version is hacked and distributed to the public by the Sons of Ares. Nero later discloses to his daughter, Virginia, that there will be riots because of Eo's song.

  • 737 PCE

Nero's Third Wife convinces him to rig The Institute in Adrius' favor. Nero then bribes all Proctors except Fitchner au Barca, promising them high positions in The Society such as rumored Olympic Knight positions.

Mid-year, Virginia is horseriding at the Ishtar Stables where she witnesses a Gold teenager fall off his pony. She calls him a pixie and rides off. Soon after, she passes the entry tests for The Institute. Adrius being Premier, he is able to skip the selection process for the Institute Houses, with him belonging to House Pluto. Virginia is selected by House Minerva, she is their firstDraft and it is probable she is picked sixth out of one thousand.

Virginia finds that Pax au Telemanus, one of the sons of Kavax, is also in House Minerva. Virginia then makes an agreement with Tamara of House Diana to have their Standards stolen and retaken by each other repeatedly, earning them both Primus for their own Houses within the first week.

While Adrius makes his plans for domination, House Vulcan leads an attack on House Pluto on the third day. Desperate for escape, Adrius collapses the House Pluto tunnels with housemates inside in order to stay in the game. Trapped for a month, they resort to cannibalism in order to survive. This is when Lilath gives Adrius his moniker of The Jackal. Once free, House Pluto, under the command of the Jackal, begins to dominate the South of the Institute. Proctor Minerva warns Virginia of her twin's growing influence.

  • 738 PCE

In a scouting mission lead by Virginia into the Highlands southwest of Minerva Castle, she comes across two House Mars highDrafts, Darrow au Andromedus, and Cassius au Bellona. The three have a brief conversation, where Virginia earns her nickname of Mustang due to the horse she rides. Darrow and Cassius then attack her, attempting to steal her horse, but Virginia calls for her backup and chase the two into a lake. Thinking the two of House Mars unintelligent, she falls into Darrow's trap and takes Mars' Castle while Darrow, Cassius, and Sevro au Barca make their mark on Minerva and steal their Standard.

Virginia and her forces take Castle Mars with ease. When Darrow and his company return to the taken Castle Mars, Virginia berates them for the rape and mutilation caused by Titus' faction. The other House Mars Factions then attack Virginia's forces, in which House Mars drives Virginia and six of her fighters into Castle Mars. After negotiations with Darrow, Roque au Fabii, and Antonia au Severus-Julii, Virginia leaves Castle Mars with her soldiers. Fitchner informs Darrow that the Jackal is the son of the ArchGovernor.

Cassius leads an assault on a Minervan warband up to Castle Minerva's gates, in which 20 horses are killed and left in the muddy fields beyond the castle walls. Two days later, the entirety of House Mars, lead by Darrow, ride for war against House Minerva. Darrow challenges Pax to a rematch, who loses. Darrow's Howlers and House Diana's best soldiers cut their way out of the horses and siege Minerva Castle while the other half of House Diana scale Castle walls. House Minerva falls in minutes, but Virginia manages to escape into the Northwoods with the Minerva Standard. Several House Mars soldiers of Titus' faction and Darrow, follow after her. Darrow witnesses her hiding in the mud, but lets her go, not wanting her to be raped and mutilated by Titus' old band.

Two nights later, Virginia finds an unconscious Darrow in the Martian Highlands, bleeding badly from a massive open wound in his stomach. She takes him back to a temporary cave home in the Northwoods where she tends him back to health, and he comes out of a coma after four weeks.

New Lancers[]

  • 738 PCE
  • 739 PCE
  • 740 PCE
  • 741 PCE
     

Golden Son[]

  • 741 PCE
  • 742 PCE
     

The Second Moon Lord Rebellion[]

  • 742 PCE
  • 743 PCE

Morning Star[]

  • 743 PCE
     

The Solar War[]

  • 743 PCE
  • 744 PCE
  • 745 PCE
  • 746 PCE
  • 747 PCE
  • 748 PCE
  • 749 PCE
  • 750 PCE
  • 751 PCE
  • 752 PCE
  • 753 PCE
     

Iron Gold[]

  • 753 PCE
     

Dark Age[]

  • 753 PCE
  • 754 PCE
     

House Augustus's numbers are currently dwindling; Nero notes that after Claudius' death, his family consists of two nieces, a nephew, son and daughter, and that's it.[11] As of Iron Gold, Virginia and Pax Augustus are the only known living members of the Augustus family.

They have a lasting feud with House Bellona, spurred on by Nero au Augustus' acts and the killing of his son, Claudius au Augustus.

Members[]

Biological[]

  • Nero au Augustus - Former ArchGovernor of Mars and Primus of House Augustus, murdered by Adrius during Darrow's Triumph
    • Claudius au Augustus - Eldest and favored son of Nero, killed by Karnus au Bellona as a result of a scheme by Adrius
    • Adrius au Augustus - Former ArchGovernor of Mars after his father; son of Nero and twin brother of Virginia. Executed for his crimes against Mars and the nuclear bombing of Luna
      • The Abomination - A Clone of Adrius, as an insurance plan to carry out his intentions should he die.
    • Virginia au Augustus - Current Primus of House Augustus, reigning Sovereign of the Solar Republic; daughter of Nero, twin sister of Adrius
      • Pax Augustus - Son to Virginia au Augustus and Darrow O'Lykos
  • Unnamed Sister of Nero - Younger sister to Nero. Killed in Pliny's coup.
    • Unnamed Nephew of Nero - Killed in Pliny's coup.
    • Unnamed Niece of Nero - Killed in Pliny's coup.
    • Unnamed Second Niece of Nero - Killed in Pliny's coup.

Marriage[]

  • Darrow O'Lykos - Husband to Virginia and father of Pax, previous lancer of House Augustus.
  • Iona au Bellona - First wife to Nero, killed in a coup to seize the ArchGovernorship of Mars.
  • Unnamed Second Wife of Nero - Second wife to Nero, Mother of Cladius, Adrius and Virginia. Committed suicide after her second daughter died in the womb.
  • Unnamed Third Wife of Nero - Third wife to Nero. Convinced Nero to rig the Institute in Adrius' favor. Survived the purge of House Augustus.[12]
  • Unnamed father of Nero's nephews and nieces - Likely killed in Pliny's coup.

Adopted[]

  • Agrippa au Augustus - adopted into House Augustus in the first century PCE after the Genetic Accords.

Employees[]

  • Pliny au Velocitor - Politico and advisor to Nero, killed by the Augustus bannermen for betraying House Augustus.
  • Leto - Ward and heir of Nero; replacement for Claudius. Killed by Karnus au Bellona with Adrius' secret help
  • Roque au Fabii - Former Lancer of House Augustus, killed by ceremonial suicide after losing the Sword Armada to Darrow
  • Victra au Julii - Former Lancer of House Augustus
  • Tactus au Valii-Rath - Former Lancer of House Augustus. Killed by Lorn au Arcos
  • Kavax au Telemanus - Primus of House Telemanus, father to Daxo, Thraxa, Xana and Pax au Telemanus. Client of House Augustus
  • Niobe au Telemanus - Wife to Kavax, mother to Daxo, Thraxa, Xana and Pax au Telemanus. Client of House Augustus
  • Holiday ti Nakamura - Dux of the Lionguard and Client of House Augustus, former member of the Sons of Ares and the Howlers. Gray
  • Theodora - Client of House Augustus, Leader of the Splinter Operatives and former valet to Darrow. Killed by the People's Tribunal. A Rose Pink
  • Screwface - Founding Howler, Client of House Augustus
  • Felix au Daan - Client of House Augustus and bodyguard to Darrow
  • Rhonna O'Lykos - Niece of Darrow and Lancer of House Augustus. Howler, Red.
  • Alexandar au Arcos - Lancer of House Augustus. Eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos. Howler, Gold.
  • Alfrún - Personal bodyguard of Nero. Killed during the Gala Massacre. Obsidian
  • Jopho - Personal bodyguard of Nero. Killed during the Gala Massacre. Obsidian

Bannermen[]

Allies[]

Enemies[]

References[]

  1. Golden Son, Chapter 4
  2. Golden Son, Chapter 28
  3. Morning Star, Chapter 63
  4. Golden Son, Chapter 28
  5. Golden Son, Chapter 28
  6. Golden Son, Chapter 28
  7. Golden Son, chapter 33 indicates that Virginia was first allowed to visit the Telemanus estate and meet Kavax's children following the death of her mother, which occurred when she was already six years old according to Morning Star, chapter 28. Dark Age chapter 20 establishes that Virginia has known Daxo for at least twenty-seven years as of early January 754 PCE, indicating that she turned thirty-three at some point during 753 PCE.
  8. Morning Star, Ch 28
  9. Golden Son, Chapter 51
  10. Dark Age, Chapter 26
  11. Red Rising, Ch 44
  12. Dark Age AMA, https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/ci3x72/i_am_pierce_brown_writer_of_the_red_rising_saga/ev20sam?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
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