The Akiva Family

The Akiva Family descendes from the first Noble House of the Southern Islands, the Fargrays, after Aki Fairgray wed the Seguardian princess Jehiva. They have since ruled for generations on Gabrea. The Akiva Stronghold is found on Mount Ada.

Customs
The Akivan (and subsequently the Gabrean) flag is a red salamander and volcano on a white flag. The flag represents the legendary Giant Davidian first defeated in the fires of Mount Ada by Aki Fargray himself. Their motto is "Nothing withstands the flame".

Although the Akiva Stronghold and therefore the ruler of Gabrea was seated on Mount Ada, they kept three other fortresses within the islands of Gabrea, Ocronorth, Foco, and Nist.

The Akiva family accepted the first Shea missionaries to their kingdom, though there has historically been no official religion. The modern aristocrats do study Shea teachings as well as those of the Next.

Deceased Akivas are either cremated in Mount Ada's bloodcrypts or scattered from the southeasternmost point in the Seguardian way.

Traits
Phrases like "of fire" and "of the Sun" can refer to Akiva features: deep red hair and red eyes. The family themselves are known to be comfortable in warmer areas, like the high plateaus of the Lavart mountain range or the steaming vents in the depths of Mount Ada. Those with the signature Flame gene are known to be able to radiate heat at will.

Before the Next and the Shea, many Akiva rulers sought the help of diviners, espers who interpreted the elements. When Gene Akiva I's neck-wife became pregnant with their second child, his advisor Noelle warned him that she had seen "Power to save or end this world". The Father of Fire was at first greatly concerned about his son's upbringing, though this later disappeared once he deemed him incapable of doing anything meaningful.

The Akiva Dynasty is a known sequence of polygamists. Though there is only one neck-wife, who can birth noble heirs, there can also be several wrist-wives, whose children still become ascribed aristocrats. There are then even more ankle-wives who are kept more as concubines and whose children are not born into aristocracy. If the Gabrean ruler is a queen, the titles are the same using husband.

Davidians
When Aki Fargray first began excavating Mount Ada for its stardust, they discovered a cavernous labyrinth in its depths. Though rich with eternium ore, the maze was home to davidians, semi-sentient amphibious beings, which had grown large in size due to exposure to the stardust deposits. Their leader, the great Davidian, was slain by Aki Fargray and the rest of their species subdued and domesticated to serve as battle mounts for Gabrean riders. Davidians were most useful on the island battlefields, able to climb sideways and upside-down, as well as dive into the rivers or oceans.

Origins and Conquests
The Fargrays were the first Noble House of Gabrea and the Southern Islands, having been the ones to accept the Crystal of Doubt from the Next. Generations later, Prince Aki Fargray slayed the great Davidian and established the Fargray Stronghold on Mount Ada, extending into the caverns below. His marriage to the Seguardian princess Jehiva was one of many to end the Seguardian War, making her his neck-wife where they ruled as King and Queen of Gabrea, forming the Akiva name.

Endian Marriage
While it is not commanded by law, Akiva rulers have historically alternated between marrying aristocrats with predominantly pure Seguardian or pure Endian backgrounds, so as to maintain the balance of