Cyclopedia

Dross was born in the village of Meria, near modern day Meridian. No records remain regarding their parents or any siblings. Dross' own writings reveal little about their upbringing, save for the fact that they were the tallest person in their school cohort.

Dross would surely have been aware of the tensions between the Fifth House and neighboring Porza. Contemporaneous writings from the time of Dross' youth affirm that while Meria was far from the border it was affected by disrupted trade between the two nation-states. Curman, et al., theorize that this was surely the origination of Dross' political activism but there is no indication from Dross themself that this was the case.

Dross moved from Meria to Hoonis, what would become Hoontz, some time around 1792 CR. The reason for this move, and whether they went alone or with their family, remains undetermined. Curman, et al., argue that this was to participate in the evolving justice system; while Shrack argues persuasively that they were not moving to Hoonis so much as fleeing Meria.

Regardless of the reason for the relocation to Hoonis, Dross quickly established themself as a powerful intellectual figure. Their first published works are confidently dated to 1793 CR, and a number of authors published dispatches in response to these first theories. Over the next three years, Dross published at least fifty three significant works, and is suspected to have contributed to the works of at least a dozen other theorists.

It is clear that Dross had a strong opinion about justice, and forcefully rebuked the Fifth House for many miscarriages thereof. Internal Fifth House records from that time, retrieved from the secure enclave, reveal mixed opinions of Dross. Most Jurists found their arguments unpersuasive, though there was a vocal minority of supporters. The Cladding sect clearly took offense to a number of Dross' more extreme suggestions, as noted in private letters between sect leadership. Any plans for dealing with Dross are regrettably lost due to the tragedy at Devenmere.

When Porza finally invaded, and overthrew the Fifth House, Dross was initially appointed to interim Jurist, along with several Porzan litigators. For several years, Dross maintained alignment with the Porza establishment. Tensions began to develop only after Dross published Prescience and Conscience, in which they directly called out the imbalance in judgements between Porzan and Hoosin appeals.

What later became known as the Andine Accord originally had no official name, nor did Dross ever claim to have authored it, although careful attention to linguistic devices leaves little doubt as to their hand. It was an ingenious compromise that led to one of the longest eras of peace known to Edevane. Is it, surprisingly, one of Dross' shortest works, each word carefully chosen for maximum utility. The structure of the agreement was so unique that it took two generations to fully realize its effectiveness.

Dross was reported dead during the Reaping, 1810 CR. Initial written reports of the death claim suicide, but subsequent analyses and correlations strongly indicate that Dross was murdered. No record of depression, let alone disappointment or dissatisfaction, is ever associated with Dross. Dross had many intellectual opponents, but only the Porza litigants had any clear motive to perpetuate a murder.

The Andine Accord created a well-balanced system, but it did result in a significant change in lifestyle for the Porza. It can be little wonder that the litigants, specifically, were frustrated and angry, and enacted the only revenge they could.

Dross did not live long enough to see the full reach of their work. The Andine Accord shaped legal systems throughout Edevane for the next 400 years, and significantly informed the First Contact Protocol. Dross had no children, though “Andine” was a popular name for some years after their death.

The first orbital platform around Edevane was nicknamed the Andine by its initial crew, though this name was never official.

Dross is frequently quoted today, and biographies about them continue to see strong sales.

— Gideon 2025/12/14 22:24