Ceres, the major city of the House of Cereus
Ceres is one of the Alera's major cities, located on the fertile and arable Amaranth Vale. It is located in the southern portion of the Vale. It is governed by aging High Lord Cereus Macius, assisted by his children, including his daughter Veradis, a healer.
The colors of both the City and High Lord are Brown and Grey.
The city is notable for a group of abolitionists who hang slavers.
Also, Vorello’s Pool is a fancy al fresco dining garden where Isana, Bernard, Amara, and many other notables dined:
- "Vorello’s Pool was one of the most beautiful places Isana had ever visited. Centered around a crystalline pool in the base of a rocky grotto, the whole of the dining house had seemingly been built from the trees and vines planted within the grotto and growing as living partitions, bridges, and stairways. Tables were arranged upon rocky shelves around the pool at varying heights. (Cursor’s Fury chapter 12)
The House of Cereus[]
House Cereus Flag
As the seat of the House of Cereus, the Ceresian city and surrounding regions/territories bear the Color of their High Lord: Brown and Grey.
Flaming Sword[]
"And a citizen, bearing a sword that blazed with emerald fire suddenly streaked from the ground ... the armored, white-haired form of Lord Cereus."(Fist Lord's Fury)
Cursor's Fury[]
The city hosts the Dianic League summit as well as Isana's family reunion. Ceres is a major target of High Lord Kalare's plan to take over the realm. Numerous targets who were in the city at the time were assassinated on the Night of Red Stars, including High Lady Rhodes & High Lady Phrygius. High Lady Placidus Aria and High Lord Attica’s daughter were captured & held as hostages by Kalare's forces against the retaliation of Attica & Placida respectively. It is assumed that High Lord Forcius was either conspiring with Kalarus, was naturally neutral toward him, had already been captured/deposed via coup d’état, or one of Forcius’s loved ones were similarly captured & held hostage against his neutrality to Kalare. Ceres was soon besieged and Kalarus managed to destroy the Second Ceresian legion, leaving Ceres with only the First & Civic legions.
The Crown Legion later arrives to aid the Ceres near the end of Cursor’s Fury, and the siege is broken soon after the rescue of the High Born hostages from the Kalarus’s captivity, when Attican & Placidan legions were freed to help the Crown Legion drive off Kalarus’s forces.
Princeps Fury[]
Ceres is the site of the first major battle between the forces of Alera and the Vord swarm. After the detonation of the Great Fury Kalus and the end of the Kalarus rebellion, the Vord were able to sneak into the southern region of Alera and breed in relative secrecy. When the Vord attack in force they easily overwhelm any opposition until the reached the city of Ceres. First Lord Gaius Sextus is able to gather the forces of Alera and rally several legions to support the besieged city. After suffering heavy losses, including the death of High Lord Rhodes at the hands of the Vord Queen and Invidia Aquitane, the forces of Alera abandon the city and retreat from tho Vord Assault. Bernard and Amara later discover Ceres is being used as a base for the Vord forces, and as a prison for any captured Alerans.