High Houses

For many gwerin in western Noefra, their House is central to their social standing and life. Houses come in two levels of social status--High and Minor. The High Houses are those with history, wealth, and power (arcane and/or political). The members of the High Houses consider themselves nobility, even if they do not have formal titles in the surrounding governments. The Minor Houses act as vassals to the High Houses--each High House owns the allegiance of between 3 and 10 Minor Houses. Outside these are the Unhoused, the common gwerin.

Since the fall of the Council Lands, the direct power of the High Houses has diminished. Some of them have acquired titles of formal nobility within the Crisial Kingdom, while others are significant landowners and keepers of major businesses (especially in the world of magic). One house, House Tuathail, has rejected the whole nobility thing and has cloistered itself within the Crystal Spire's wall, devoting themselves to the study of that bizzare structure.

The High Houses are small, consisting of only 10-20 full members and a smattering of children and Unproven.

House Ranks

Within each House, the members are carefully ranked based on convoluted internal politics. Everyone knows their status, and jockeying for status is a persistent passtime for many members of the High Houses. Common ranks include:

Housemaster

The Housemaster is the acknowledged leader of the House. Usually the eldest male (although sometimes younger ones with significant magical power but little political aptitude), his role is primarily ceremonial. He is addressed as "Father", and formally everyone defers to his wisdom. In practice, the Housemaster is a figurehead.

Matriarch

The eldest female of the natural children of the House (not including contract wives), the Matriarch rarely appears to do anything, but she is the second-most powerful person in the House. She rules the women's world and decides matters of marriage and childbearing. Beware the furrowed brow of the Matriarch!

First Staff

The First Staff is the real leader. His is the final say on all the important decisions, and his word is absolute in all things except marriage contracts (a right belonging to the Matriarch).

Aer (son of the house)

Pronounced A-er (two syllables), these are the remaining adult males. While age is important, magical power and political aptitude are also vital to ranking highly within the category of aer.

Tlysau (daughter of the house)

Pronounced as TLEH-sa, these are the remaining adult females not currently contracted outside the house. Although their struggles tend to be less visible than those of the aer, they are not a whit the less real or hard fought. One source of prestige here is having good contract marriages on record with healthy children.

Unproven

These are those that are physically adults but have not done their duty to the House by fulfilling a fruitful contract. They have little status, and are constantly vying for promising contract marriages.

Child

Male or female, those who have not mastered the rudiments of magic are not adult. With the lengthy history of inbreeding, healthy children of the High Houses are precious and frequently spoiled.

Description of the Houses

House Arlwyd

The current highest-rank House among the 8 High Houses. The First Staff of Arlwyd, Geoffrey sur Arlwydd, serves also as Lord Mayor of Crisial of the Four Towers, the second-rank noble (behind the Queen herself) in the Crisial Kingdom. A longstanding supporter of the Gardeners party, they have bent their xenophobia in recent years and embraced the changes that Queen [Raanae]] has brought. Their wealth comes from the discovery and refinement of cold-boxes which allow perishable goods to be shipped and stored for much longer.

House Golau

The fifth-rank House, Golau has long tradition but has struggled to adapt to the new ways. Noted for being one of the least friendly toward womens' rights. They are firm Gardeners.

House Hawal

Ranked sixth, Hawal has devoted its efforts to the upkeep and maintenance of the Towers of Sun, Earth, Moon, and Stars. Almost entirely apolitical, they value academic scholarship over straight magical power. They are neither Gardeners nor members of the Arcanists' Union.

House Iledrith

Ranked eigth, House Iledrith is the only High House who did not move to Southshore. They remained in Kaelthia and have thrown their support behind the Holy Kaelthian Republic. While not outcast from larger gwerin society, they are in strong disfavor.

House Riain

Ranked fourth, Riaian are the rivals to Golau and have seen their fortunes rise while Golau have fallen. Unique among the High Houses, their public leader is their Matriarch, Bronwyn sur Riain and they are known for being "perverse" in giving women equal rights in the House and even supporting egalitarianism with the Houses Minor (but not the Unhoused of course). They are the Queen's firmest supporters and are members of neither of the factions.

House Seren

Ranked third and smallest of the houses (with 6 adults), Seren's power belies their small size. Their First Staff, Selen sur Seren is the sponsor of the notorious Selan's Seekers adventuring company. He is also the the head of the Arcanists' Union. His wealth comes from controlling the only widespread communication network in the Federated Nations outside of the Adventurer's Guild.

House Tuathail

As mentioned above, seventh-ranked Tuathail are the masters of the Crystal Spire...or rather its caretakers. They rarely venture outside the walls except on contract marriages, but they are prized partners for frequently introducing new, previously-unseen traits into bloodlines gone thin from inbreeding. They are members of the Arcanists' Union.

House Tywyll

Ranked second, Tywyll are the only house to have made their mark in the mercantile trade. Specifically, they own and operate the ships that carry goods and people between Crisial of the Four Towers, Rauviz, and Rabbiton. They have also ventured into overland trade recently. The largest house at 25, they are Gardeners but have a relaxed attitude toward people of other races and have even been known to allow sharp-ears to contract marriage into the house.