House Augustus

The Standard of House Augustus from the comics

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

House Augustus is the ruling Gold family of Mars in the 8^th Century PCE, having supplanted House Cylus as the ArchGovernors of the planet in 696. They control most of the Martian helium-3 mines, the 5^th Fleet of The Societal Navy, and a number of pharmaceutical subsidies. They have several estates across Mars, including at Caragmore, Dawn Reach, and in the capital city of Agea.

They are the chief rivals of House Bellona, with whom they have a long standing feud that has lasted for decades.

Standard

A golden lion on red.

History

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

Pre-Saga

House Augustus was founded sometime prior to The Conquering by one of the Gold families of Earth's colonies on its moon Luna. The progenitor of House Augustus participated in the Gold invasion of Earth, where they decapitated the ruler of the Indian Empire before taking a rug and blood stained desk from the room as trophies. Over the subsequent centuries, statues of Augustans were constructed in public squares in Luna's capital city Hyperion.

At some point in the 1^st Century PCE, House Augustus adopted a man named Agrippa into their ranks as a result of the Genetic Accords. Agrippa later found himself in conflict with Silenius au Lune's son Oceanus, and the two exchanged formal rites of Parley.

When the colonization of Mars began in the mid-2nd Century, House Augustus bribed and killed their way into owning most of the governmental contracts for the mines, and gained considerable political influence while their pockets swelled. This led to them becoming one of the four most powerful Gold houses on Mars, matched only by House Bellona, House Arcos, and House Cylus.

In approximately 658 PCE, Trajan au Augustus was assassinated by Nefeli and Spiridon au Arcos as a result of their efforts to escape Spiridon's debts, resulting in Nefeli's execution by the incumbent Rage Knight and Spiridon being taken to the Temple of Jove to stand trial.

In 669, the 13^th generation of the gens Augustus began with the birth of Nero au Augustus. Two younger sisters would be born at some point over the next 7 years.

In 676 PCE, Nero's father had a dispute with Julius au Bellona, leading House August to attempt to poison the entire Bellona household during a dinner. When the plan failed, the two families went to war with each other. ArchGovernor Cylus backed House Bellona, and with his aid the Augustan fleet was destroyed and captured around Phobos, while the family's estate in Agea was besiged. The war ended with House Augustus defeated and all but Nero and his youngest sister put to death by ArchGovernor Cylus. Having been spared due to the sitting Sovereign Ovidius au Lune wanting to ensure that a house of the Conquering would continue, Nero was given grapes by ArchGovernor Cylus to quench his thirst as Agea burned around them.

After the war, Nero -and presumably his sister as well- was raised in Cylus's court. Over the next twenty years, Nero cultivated a reputation for honesty and honor, but all along was conspiring to avenge his dead family. He attented The Institute of Mars in 685 or 686 PCE, where he became ArchPrimus and graduated as a Peerless Scarred.

In 696 PCE, he conspired with Ovidius's daughter Octavia to take Cylus's place as ArchGovernor in exchange for backing Octavia in a future coup against her father. As part of his plan, he offered a marraige proposal to Julius au Bellona's daughter Iona. Aiming to heal the divide between Augustus and Bellona and strengthen Mars, ArchGovernor Cylus agreed to the match. Once the wedding was over and the newly weds were out of sight, Nero beheaded Iona, stuffed her mouth full of grapes and sent it to the Bellona Estate of Eagle Rest while Olympic Knights carried out the extermination of House Cylus after Octavia convinced her father to make Nero the new ArchGovernor. When House Bellona arrived to demand justice for Iona from ArchGovernor Cylus, they found Nero sitting in the ArchGovernor's seat instead.

Five years later, Nero fulfilled his end of the bargain with Octavia and supported her faction when she overthrew her father and took his place as Sovereign. At some point in the next decade, Nero eventually fell in love with and married his unnamed second wife, giving her an estate at Caragmore as a wedding present.

Nero, Adrius, and Virginia by PhantomRin

In 712 PCE, Nero's unnamed second wife gave birth to their first child Claudius. Eight years later, they welcomed a pair of twins, Adrius and Virginia, in 720 PCE. Although it had not been deemed necessary by the Board of Quality Control, Nero chose to put Adrius through The Exposure, viewing him as weak compared to Claudius. Despite the odds, Adrius managed to survive, and was brought back to the household to be raised alongside his siblings.

In approximately 726 PCE, Nero's wife became pregnant with their second daughter. Late in the pregnancy, the doctors informed them that there would be complications with the birth and recommended medical intervention. Nero refused, declaring that if the child was not fit to survive birth, then it did not deserve life. The loss of the pregnancy devastated his wife, who eventually committed suicide by throwing herself off the cliffs at their Caragmore estate.

Following her mother's death, Virginia was sent to visit the estate of House Telemanus, where she came to care for them as her own family.

At some point in the next few years, 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. To satisfy her curiosity, she was given a tour of one of the jungles by a team of Votum scientists and her father's chief Politico, Pliny au Velocitor. During this tour, she witnessed a Zebracore being eaten by a Bush Hydra before both were consumed by Sarrisa Ants.

In approximately 728 or 729 PCE, Claudius presumably attended The Institute and graduated as a Peerless Scarred.

In 730 PCE, Adrius schemed to gain his father's favor over Claudis by arranging for his elder brother's assassination. Under the guise of investing in the Silver stock market for his future, Adrius acquired money from his father which he then used to pay Karnus au Bellona to sleep with Claudius' girlfriend. His honor insulted, Claudius challenged Karnus to a duel, which ended in Claudius' death. After Claudius's murder, Virginia and Adrius were separated for the rest of their childhoods to guard against assassination attempts. Virginia was fostered with House Telemanus, while Adrius remained with their father in Agea.

At some point in the next six years, Pliny a young Gold named Leto to Nero's attention and convinced him to take the young man on take on as a lancer. Using Leto's resemblance to Claudius, Pliny also persuaded Nero to adopt him as his ward and heir, through whom Pliny intended to rule House Augustus as a puppet when Nero eventually passed.

During this time, Nero married a third time to an unnamed woman who took a liking to Adrius. In the same period, Nero's sister married and gave birth to two daughters and a son.

Red Rising

In March 737 PCE, Nero visited 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 sang the illegal Reaping Song, leading Nero to order her execution once she finished singing. After the execution, Nero departed for a meeting with a member of House Arcos, likely Brutus, while his Greens distributed edited footage of the whipping and execution to the mines. Within a day, the full version was hacked and distributed to the public by the Sons of Ares. When Virginia expressed curiosity about the song, Nero informed his daughter that there would be riots because of it.

Around this time, Nero was approached by Octavia's daughter Anastasia, who convinced him and others to back an attempted could against her mother as they had backed Octavia's coup against Ovidius decades before.

In November 737, Virginia and Adrius took and passed the entrance exams for The Institute. In early 738, Nero's third wife convinced him to rig The Institute in Adrius' favor, leading him to bribe and threaten all of the Proctors in order to ensure that his son would end the school year as ArchPrimus. When they arrived at The Institute in March 738, Virginia was selected by House Minerva, and Adrius by House Pluto.

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.

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.

The Book of Lorn

Following the conclusion of that year's Institute class, Nero accepted Darrow, Tactus au Valii-Rath, Roque au Fabii, Quinn, Sevro au Barca, and the Howlers as lancers of House Augustus. At the urging of Pliny, Nero subleased the contracts of Sevro and the Howlers to House Krakova of Pluto sometime before January 739.

In October 738, House Augustus engaged in trade talks with House Votum, leading Nero to visit Heliopolis on Merwith Kavax au Telemanus. When Scorpio au Votum fed Nero lion show him up after Nero caught a desert gazalle, Nero sent Darrow to deliver a box of grapes as a response to Scorpio's insult.

In February 739, Nero gave his blessing for Darrow to begin training with Lorn au Arcos in the Willow Way.

At some point betwern 739 and 740 PCE, he reassigned Quinn to Ganymede.

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

Known 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.
• Trajan au Augustus - relation unknown. Assassinated by Nefeli and Spiridon au Arcos.

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.
• 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.
• Gaius - Lancer of House Augustus in 725 PCE.
• Boetia - Lancer of House Augustus in 725 PCE.
• 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.
• Mario cu Tennyson - adjutant of House Augustus, Copper.
• Elarus - Grower of House Augustus, Brown.
• Alfrún - Personal bodyguard of Nero. Killed during the Gala Massacre. Obsidian
• Jopho - Personal bodyguard of Nero. Killed during the Gala Massacre. Obsidian

Bannermen

• House Codovan
• House Corialuses
• House Corvo
• House Julii
• House Norvo
• House Telemanus
• House Volox