The Nine Great Houses

Elven Meaning:
House of the Ancient Order

Leader:
Lord Daneth di Ki'mith is the reagent of the house and a mighty warrior as well as a charismatic leader.

Creed:
The Ki'mith are dedicated to the preservation of ancient elven culture, language and racial identity. Although they do not oppose the empire, they see it as a very important goal that the Dorethirs are not assimilated but instead remain with their own cultural identity and social policies.

Ki'mith are known to be valorous knights despite the degeneration, still holding honor and loyalty as their main virtues, even when kindness and empathy fades with age. Young Ki'mith are often well known for their love of adventures.

Bonus: Ki'mith due to their education automatically knows etiquette and heraldry.

Penalty: If a Ki'mith publicly taint his honor, he is to redeem himself by either ritual suicide or a by a quest for his house's glory.

Gods: Ki'mith when following a perticular deity tends to go with Rowan, Yorl, Ordos or Verila.

Ressources:


Allies:
Conclave, Isolationists, War Party.



Enemies:
Progressive, Mercantile, Darkness.

Elven Meaning:
All within one Unity.

Creed:
Unlike the traditionalists, those of house Do'ir'ath see the old ways as being shackles and crumbling foundations, preffering to espouse innovation and changes. Individualism, personal growth and freedom are valued over structure and order.

The progressives have long been the nest of poets, bards, artists and philosophers as well as scientists and magicians. They value negotiation over confrontation and seek to embrace all others races, not by integrating human culture but rather with the synthesis of all different cultures across Anor Mundus.

Bonus:

Penalty:

Gods: Willo, Va Chao, Lomaa, Meryan, Merik, Citarii

Allies:
I'omnil College, Empire Loyalists, Mercantile Union

Enemies:
Conclave, Isolationists, War Party

Elven Meaning:
The blood dancers

Creed:
The War party stretches a long way back, when dwarves first appeared at the start of the second age, when the Bronze moon first rose. Unable to understand each others and with different cultures, both race went to war and the War Party became the champion of all Dorethirs.

After all these years, they still remain strong, having fought the rising goblin nations, the human empire at it's beginings, defending it's borders against dragons and giants. The War band values strenght, discipline and intelligence above all else.

Despite their disagreements, they get along with the Empire loyalists, seeing the Human empire as an ally to the protection of their homeland but also a potential threat.

Bonus: Both men and women must train with the militia as they reach teen age. As such, all those of the warband posses one extra weapon proffiency.

Penalty: The war party members must respond to the call of arm if asked, if they refuse, they are sumarily executed for treason.

Gods: Bartel, Yorl, Vengarn, Ordos, Kharn.

Allies:
Traditionalists, Isolationists, Empire Loyalists

Elven Meaning:
Elven Supremacy

Creed:
The creed of the Dominion is simple, Elves being the first born were the greatest of creation and thus should rule above all. They embrace homogeny amongst themselves and complete segregation from inferior races. THe supremacist have been responsible for pogrom against humans in cities within the Elven homeland.

Bonus: The advantage the supremacist hold over the other is their unity, everywhere they go, if elves reside there, they can expect support from the locals, from simple lodging to hide away and including the manipulation of the justice system.

Penalty: Supremacist are looked down upon by many. The War Party (at times), Progressives and the Loyalists consider them dangerous to the Vanirs as a whole and if their affiliation is discovered can lead to trouble.

Gods: Kharn above all others, but also; Ordos, Willo, Vengarn, Bartel and Vish

Ressources:


Allies:
Conclave, House of Darkness, Traditionalists

Enemies:
Progressive, Empire Loyalist and Mercantiles

Elven Meaning:
Great Unity

Creed:
With the empire, the Loyalists see the brightest future for the elven race. Many recognize their kind as a decaying race who's time is counted and slowly running out. With the empire they hope to find what they need to revitalize their race's decaying culture and decadent society.

Although dubbed loyalists to the empire, many also see that the rising goblin nation could become potent allies and seek diplomatic contacts with them, regardless of the other houses' reluctance.

Bonus: As to improve their relationship with their neighbors, all Loyalists speak Common, elven and two more language of their choices.

Penalty: Due to their openess and acceptance of the empire, the house itself has been left somewhat damaged, it's power structures crumbling beyond the core families of the House, the lower echelon moving away from house politics and loyalties. The loyalists can expect very little support from their own house...

Gods: Ordos, Lomaa, Uraluu, Meryan, Merik, Travu

Allies:
Progressive, Mercantiles, Arcanists

Enemies:
House of Darkness, Conclave, Isolationists

Elven Meaning:
College of the True Art

Leader:
Horasir Kadmoth, Headmaster of the College, powerful archmage and Great wyrm steel dragon.

Creed:
The college as a political party is fairly common but has stretched for ages as an organisation of different academies, circles and solitary mages. It's goals is the demystification of magic, dispelling the myths and fears of the common populace perticulary within the empire where rogue magicians are hunted down.

The College offers sanctuary to any who request it and will train those who show latent talent freely in exchange for their loyalty to the cause.

Bonus: Members of the college can buy potions for a cheap price and may even loan magical items provided they pay a deposit and perform favors in return.

Penalty: All members of the College who have reached the level of innitiate are branded with a mark, preventing them from lying to the college's watchmen as well as making it possible to track them easily via magic. If a member removes said mark himself, the college is notified and the innitiate considered a traitor.

Gods: Meryan, Uraluu, Verila, Willo, Citarii, Travu.

Allies:
Progressive, Traditionalists, Warband

Enemies:
Mercantiles, Conclave, House of Darkness

Creed:
The Conclave is the organized religious authority of the elven homeland. Unlike the Human whom only recognize the hands as being authority figures in term of religion, The Dorethirs posses a complex priestly caste with many ranks and orders.

The priests dictate every aspect of life in their community and are a large political machine in of themselves with nearly endless amounts of money, magical items and followers to do their bidding.

Bonus: The ressources of the Conclave are said to be nearly limitless and as such one can count on them to provide money and muscles if needed.

Penalty: The problem of the conclave is exactly it's good point; it's structure. The complex hierchy makes progress through it's level slow and hard, burries everything under layers of red tape and different bishops are often waging wars against each others and sabotaging each others for political power.

Allies:
Isolationists, Traditionalists, House of Darkness

Enemies:
Arcanists, Progressive, Empire Loyalists

Elven Meaning:
The Shadow Speakers

Leader:
K'imveth D'narii; Official Spokes man of the House of Darkness

Creed:
Power is the name of the game. Power regardless of the price, regardless of the consequences. Those of the Pakt'Ahaeir have forged pacts with things best left forgotten... The House is well known for it's spectacular entrence into the council where Lord D'narii came in requesting a seat while flanked by two red dragons

Bonus'/Penalty: 'For the house of shadows, the bonus is also the penalty, all members have forged alliances with one type of beings, including but not limited to Dragon, Demons, Liches, Vampires, Elemental Lords or Archons

Gods: The house does not have any particular gods but many tend toward Vish, Bartel and Kharn.

Allies:
Although the house aids many, none are truly it's allies.

Enemies:
All are enemies of the house of darkness, even itself.