Houses

The king or queen of each country often finds it difficult to manage every aspect of their kingdom. It is because of this that the ruler employs certain houses to help with managing a certain part of the kingdom (i.e. trade, foreign relations, craft trades, etc.) Obviously, there are certain houses that have more power and influence than others. This brings one to understand that there are five main houses that not only serve directly under their king but also keep the smaller houses in check. These five houses manage the same five tasks- trading, war, foreign relations, agriculture, and the financial security of their kingdom. The power of each royal house changes yearly- this drives each house to maintain their position of influence. Though alliances other houses are discouraged to prevent the possibility of war between houses, they often occur and occasionally prove disastrous.

One indicates the most important while five indicates the least important



De Bijou


House Salamaen ( sal-uh-mon )
Current Rank of Influence: One
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: War.
Though the king provides troops and generals, House Salamaen provides messengers, assassins, spies, and the knowledge of every recorded battle and provides guerilla tactics needed for victory against foes. Their name isn’t quite clean because of some of the tactics used to help out with winning wars from poisoning enemy soldiers and assassinating generals. Some less foul tactics involve setting fire to food shipments and placing diseased blankets or men into the ranks of enemy soldiers to kill them off. You are usually able to identify those working for House Salamaen by their attire in shades of brown or dark blue. All those working under the house both swear an oath of loyalty and have the royal symbol tattooed on their dominant hand on the shoulder.


House Balak ( Ball-ak )
Current Rank of Influence: Two
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Finance.
Not only does Balak work almost directly with the king, this house also works closely with the other four houses to help them stay out of debt. They, like the other houses, employ their own financial advisors, accountants, and tax collectors to help with keeping the whole kingdom out of debt. Though most people do not like the house because of having to pay them with money or some item of value to them, they admit that they are patient and understanding of certain financial situations and sometimes take IOUs as long as they know that the person will pay double the next visit. They help manage the value of one bronze coin to prevent inflation. Certain traders are monitored by house Balak if they receive a yearly profit over 10 gold coins or any trader that is suspected of cheating their customers. The house also employs a small guard used only if they are going to arrest certain people of over pricing their goods or selling stolen goods. Members of house Balak are identified by their unusual high quality in clothing and gold jewelry and precious stones. Guards of the house have armor that has the color of dulled gold.


House Vira ( veer-uh )
Current Rank of Influence: Three.
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Foreign Relations.
House Vira provides the king with well trained and well experienced men and occasionally women that are taught politics, government, and other subjects to help them better understand the mindset of other countries as they prepare themselves to deal with the possible roadblocks of facing different mindsets. One can identify them with their rich orange and purple accessories they often wear along with carrying the royal seal of house Vira.


House Silikta ( sil-eek-tah )
Current Rank of Influence: Four.
Head Lord/Lady: Lord Augustus Veiln Silikta and Lady Printa Seiln Silikta
Specialized Security: None known of.
Management: Trade.
This involves imports coming in De Bijou and exports leaving as well. They train their own people to help in making sure every trade is equal and the country isn’t cheated. They manage any item that is traded out of the country while they only deal with trades within the country that exceed a certain amount, value, or weight as well as any trades made to both the royal castle and the houses. Any other trades like in marketplaces are not observed, but each trader must first receive the royal seal of approval and must have it visible to customers or the trader could receive a serious fine. Larger trades must be either observed by one of House Silikta’s own traders or send in the trade papers beforehand to receive a specialized approval seal for their trade to be valid. If either trader neglects this, they will receive a notice to either pay a large fine or have the item traded taken. More often than not, you can identify any House Silikta trader at the market with their bright yellow uniform. Most receive some kind of training to help them out if a fight breaks out.


House Noela ( noel-uh )
Current Rank of Influence: Five.
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Agriculture.
Along with the expected farming of crops and cattle, house Noela manages the distribution of the crops, maintaining prices, and making sure any food produced in the kingdom isn’t stolen or destroyed before it reaches market. This means that they personally hire and train watchmen for the food that stay with the crop until it reaches town and is distributed to shops that sell it. They also work with house Silikta when they receive trades of fish from Mauvais. This means they are given the job of getting the food to market. They must also have their own people and materials to be able to transport them to market. Most working under Neola wear some article of clothing that is silver or soft blue.



Mauvais


House Doulatti ( dough-la-tee )
Current Rank of Influence: One
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: Vampires.
Management: War.
Like house Salamaen of de Bijou, house Doulatti uses similar tactics. Instead, they tend to employ from the Thieves’ Guild and pay for only the best to prevent anyone from tracing any crime against enemy soldiers or generals back to them. The house also employs certain individuals to torture prisoners in order to get information from them before tossing them into the Mauvais dungeon. Most aren’t sure what the lowest deed this house has committed, but many prefer not to think about it. Almost everyone from house Doulatti wears at least one feather on their person or wears dark purple. Their house jewel is the garnet.


House Sanu ( sah-nuu )
Current Rank of Influence: Two
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Finance.
Similar in practice to be Bijou, they work closely with the king and other houses. Though in their deeds, they tend to use more hostile and dirty tricks to get money from the people. They often take IOUs in the form of taking a finger or ear to remind the person to pay next time or it’ll be their wife, child, or lover. They often wear a mixture of silk clothing of various colors along with the house jewel of diamond accented with gold.


House Malos ( as written )
Current Rank of Influence: Three
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Foreign Relations.
Like house Vira of de Bijou, house Malos also employs their own men and women taught in politics and government views. But, they also learn methods of psychological manipulation and intimidation for them to have an upper hand in gaining what they want. Their outfit having a dark red or purple accessory identifies members of house Malos. Most wear jewelry containing the stone amethyst since it seems to be their house jewel.


House Minotau ( men-o-ta )
Current Rank of Influence: Four
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Trade.
Monitoring imports and exports, large trades and trades to the houses or king, they function almost the same like house Silikta. They monitor traders that trade armory or weapons while occasionally arresting those who sell stolen goods or overpriced items. The guards of this house have armor that have a red-ish hue to it in sunlight while all members of the house wear either a large emerald brooch or emerald jewelry.


House Requiem ( as written )
Current Rank of Influence: Five
Head Lord/Lady:
Specialized Security: None.
Management: Agriculture.
Along with farming and farm animals, they also deal a large part in fish, crustacean, mollusk, and squid that are caught on the coast of Mauvais. Employing their own guards to make sure these items reach their designated towns or country borders like Vira, they work with house Minotau with trading to make sure they receive certain agricultural goods from de Bijou like plows, seeds, and oxen. Guards can be identified with the grey stripes that run down the amour on the arms. Those from house Requiem tend to wear rather expensive hair pieces like combs of hats while pearls are their house gem.


**Thank you to AKIMIKA DARKNESS for compiling this list**