Noble Houses

Service is our privilege. Honor is the reward. Chivalry is all. My life for the realm.

— Excerpt from the Knight's Troth

The Noble Houses of Caraegwyn are the aristocratic families of the nation. Feudalism is the basis of noble status in the Summer Kingdom, granting power and privilige to families based on bloodline and the ownership of land.

Order of noble titles

1. Summer King, Summer Queen: Governors of the realm, lieges to ducs and ducessas.
2. Duc, Ducessa: Governors of provinces or duchies, lieges to arls and arlessas.
3. Arl, Arlessa: Governors of counties or arlings, lieges to minor lords and ladies.
4. Lord, Lady: Nobles with castles or minor holdings, sometimes also governors of single settlements.
5. Ser, Serah: Nobles without castles or holdings, typically officials, scholars or knights in service of others.

Note that the children of ducs, arls and lords are refered to as lords and ladies until they leave home to become squires or follow some other calling. For example: the junior daughter of a duc still living at home can be referred to as a Lady while her older brother, who has left home to become an errant knight, is addressed as a Ser.

Type

Social structure, aristocratic

Power structure

Feudal

Parent Organization

Caraegwyn

Further reading

Great Houses and lesser houses

The noble houses are comprised of five Great Houses, also referred to as ducal houses, and numerous lesser houses.
The five provinces of Caraegwyn are ruled by the ducs and ducessas of the five Great Houses, each of them a vassal of the reigning monarch. In turn, they accept Vows of Serfdom from their vassal arls and arlessas. The Great Houses are shown higher degrees of respect in the happenings and politics of nobility, and their prestigious status can only be removed by royal edict. The Great Houses are House Rowan, House Serwin, House Fordling, House Brightwood and House Beldevere.
Each province is divided into arlings ruled by the arls and arlessas of lesser houses. Lesser houses that rule over alrings are referred to as arling houses. A lesser house with no arling to rule can be referred to as a minor house. Minor houses can own lands either diminutive or large, but their holdings are not considered arlings. Minor houses swear fealty their arl or arlessa.

Houses by location

Logres

Ducal house
House Beldevere
Arling houses
House Brant
House Griffin
House Tallheart
House Thorne

Mercia

Ducal house
House Brightwood
Arling houses
House Aodhain
House Bryce
House Greyhawk
House Swan

Estregales

Ducal house
House Serwin
Arling houses
House Caranthir
House Claymoor
House Ryan
House Whiteflow

Norgales

Ducal house
House Fordling
Arling houses
House Blackwell
House Flint
House Kellington
House Oakheart
House Ravencrest

Westregales

Ducal house
House Rowan
Arling houses
House Blackwood
House Hightower
House Payne
House Redmont
House Stoneheart
House Ward

Bedegraine

House Vaith

Below:The division of Caraegwyn into its five provinces (left) and the further division of provinces into arlings (right).

by CraniumBeaver

by CraniumBeaver

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