House Solaris is one of the two cadet houses of House Chantris, and its leader has rights to the title of Baron or Baroness. Currently, the house has fallen on hard times and unlike Karanis, is effectively managed by House Chantris, with the Baron or Baroness serving in an advisory role to the larger House.
IC Leadership
Baroness: Lorana Solaris (indefinitely inactive) - Official advisor to the Duke Chantris from House Solaris, with a seat on the Council of Houses
Lord Proxy: Pascal Solaris - Proxy to the Baroness when unable to serve, and responsible for management of internal Solaris affairs
House Theme and Character
Like the rest of the descendants of Chantris, the Solarises are dedicated scholars. They set themselves apart, however, in having a more martial bent than their Chantris and Karanis cousins. It is traditional for all scions of the House to take at least one tour of duty with Amber's military, commonly serving as marine officers in the Royal Navy. Within House Chantris itself, Solaris runs the merchant marine.
Solaris has a decades-long commitment to charitable works. The House has built soup kitchens and a trade school in New Lyonesse, teaching useful skills to low-income families, and has often managed transport of emergency aid to afflicted areas. On an individual level, too, members of House Solaris tend to seek positions where they can do good in the world, and more than one has proudly claimed the title of 'paladin'. While they serve with distinction in any military role, members of House Solaris dive with greatest fervor into battle against cruel or oppressive regimes. More peaceable members of the House serve proudly to broker peace treaties and diplomatic unions, defusing potential wars before they begin.
House History
Once upon a time the great and noble duchy of Chantris produced a young son of the house, Otto, cousin of the heir. Otto was an extraordinary and heroic military figure who served the realm and was made a baron by Oberon, thus creating the family Solaris. He married Persephone, daughter of Duke Karm, and begat many children. The eldest of these was Melchior, and when Otto died heroically in battle at an advanced age, Melchior succeeded him.
Melchior married his second cousin Laura, the daughter of Otto's cousin, duke Chantris. Melchior was Navy, and as stuffy and formal as they come, with a barrel chest, a giant moustache, and very blond hair. His children addressed him as "Your Lordship" and had to obey strict etiquette in his presence even on 'vacation' at the country estate, Fidelity. His wife, Laura, was always, "Your Ladyship," in front of him and by habit but sometimes, "Mamma" or "Aunt Laura" in absolute private.
Eventually, about 80 years before game opening, Melchior died in his sleep and the house passed on to his heir, Godfrey. Laura remains at Fidelity as the dowager baroness, a largely-retired social doyenne, once famous for her remarkable beauty and preferring to have it fade out of the limelight. This does not prevent her enjoying her summer estate in Montevalno when she is at liberty, but for the most part she guards the family's reputation and moral backbone from a backseat position while lending grace and charm to the country seat.
Godfrey, like his father, went into the Navy and rose to command the Amber Navy's Lyonesse flotilla as commodore. He then retired (after Lyonesse sank into the water). As Baron, he married Anthea Bayle, and settled down to manage the barony. He never did manage to have children with Anthea before she died in her sleep. He was distraught — some in the family think mad — and was 'resting' for a long time while his mother and sister managed the barony's affairs for him. Eventually he returned to Amber, served for a short time under Corwin's rule in an ambassadorial role under Random, then retired to Fidelity once more. Since then, Beatrice and Laura managed the baronial affairs until a new heir could be named.
For a while, though she is not a Solaris by name, cousin Adellaine Karm was handling house business. Eventually, however, family business was put in the young hands of Taran Solaris, nephew to the baron, and a possible candidate to be declared heir. He was declared Lord Proxy, but died in battle before he could take the title of Baron. Currently, his younger sister holds the title of Baroness, and is aided by their cousin Pascal as Lord Proxy.