Q: My question would be why might a noble family make a pact with the Second Son or what unique blessings might they get from the second son?
The Second Son is the patron of those who have been passed over, those denied what they deserve, those forced to watch while lesser people are elevated because of sheer luck, or being born a few seconds earlier. The Second Son feels your pain and he will give you what you deserve... if you are willing to pay the price and to do what must be done.
With this in mind, part of the point is that people don't usually want to ADVERTISE that they've made pacts with the Second Son, because the primary benefit the Second Son gives you is *screwing over the person who deserves the thing that you want*. There's undoubtedly a noble family in Aundair who only has and maintains its status because of the terrible, fatal accidents that have befallen the people who otherwise would hold their position or challenge them in any way. Who would make a pact with the Second Son? Richard III, in a heartbeat. The Grinch. And as long as you maintain your pact... and continue to pay the price of it, which may increase over time... perhaps you'll get away with it. Because the stories of the Second Son rarely end well... but it can take TIME for consequences to catch up to the beneficiary, and maybe you can keep kicking that karma can down the road...
Source: May 2024 Q&A
Much like the Lady in Shadow, the Second Son is a nebulous figure whose details are less important than his overriding concept. His covetous nature is the key, but the exact details aren’t as important. In fact, every time you go to the Barren Marches, he could be lusting after something new. Within the Moonlit Court, HIS OLDER SIBLING MIGHT CHANGE from season to season; the point is just that he always HAS an elder sibling who’s widely beloved and has what the Second Son desires. Looking to inspiration, you could go anywhere from Claudius in Hamlet, villainous depictions of King John, all the way to the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Technically that last one isn’t about INHERITANCE, but it fits the TONE of the Second Son to a T; a miserable man in a miserable cave hates his happy prosperous neighbors and schemes to end their joy through theft. In terms of his schemes failing, I think the more accurate point is that they END BADLY. Claudius does succeed at claiming his brother’s crown, but the story still ends (spoiler alert) with Claudius dead and the kingdom fallen. The Second Son never ends up with what he desires for long… and even if he does, he’ll realize it’s not enough.
As for what the Barren Marches are like, the key point is that THEY’RE NOT AS NICE AS HE’D LIKE THEM TO BE. They could be rocky moors, a desert, the Grinch’s barren peak. Again, I think it’s quite reasonable that what they border CHANGES EVERY SEASON to reflect whatever story he’s playing out in this particular moment.