Kingdom of Faelorin

Faelorin is the northernmost continent on Eulara and home to the High Elves - a highly structured and civilized people that maintain a cut-throat political climate. It’s not that they see themselves as better than the rest of Eulara’s people - it’s more that they don’t feel like they have the time to worry about them (unless of course it would somehow further their schemes against another noble House). This, at least, is the impression that is given to the world outside of High Elf society. While certainly true for some, many High Elves want nothing to do with all that nonsense and instead leave it behind to pursue other interests. A good percentage of High Elves are magically or at least scholarly inclined, making them quite common at Arcanii University, in Gaeliv. They are proud to point out that the entire region itself is named after the legendary Archmage Gaelin Valar, chosen by Xithar himself to fight in the Great War. Long lives, ordered minds and a wide breadth of knowledge make them successful in most career paths, however, not just with the arcane or in books.

Society

High Elf society is divided into Greater and Lesser Houses, where each House (hereditary family lines, plus sprinklings of fortuitous family "adoptions") is best known for one aspect of life or another. For example, there is a House that studies the stars (and other heavenly bodies), a House of doctors and healers, a House of librarians, Houses of craftsmen, artists and merchants, etc. There are even Houses known for dealing with the seedier sides of society, such as mercenary work, assassinations and bounty hunting. The House with the greatest power (monetarily, politically or both) is usually the one voted into the position of King and Queen (the Monarchy is elective, not absolute) by a council containing members of the Houses, with Greater Houses getting a larger share of the votes. These reigns can last for many long years, both due to the lifespan of the elves and the monopoly over power that some houses tend to hold until the next shift in balance occurs.
House pride is a very big deal in elven society. It is expected that each member contributes to at least maintaining, if not raising, the status of their House. The fall of a Greater House to Lesser status is often pinned on one or more disgraced individuals, who are expelled from the House. Elves without a House are the lowest members of society, with little in the way of rights. They usually become maids or servants for a House or resort to criminal activities in the underworld. It is almost unheard of for a houseless elf to be reintegrated into their original House, but adoptions of houseless elves have been known to happen from time to time (perhaps as a political play against a House that they may be rivals with, or if they have a particular skill that could help raise the status of their House).

Architecture

High Elf cities in Faelorin are breathtaking - buildings are intricately carved from a brilliant white stone that they import from the Dwarves. The streets are decorated with many different kinds and colors of flowers or flowering trees, despite being too busy to regard nature as closely as the Wood Elves do - they just have a deep appreciation for lovely things and other aesthetics.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Government System

Monarchy, Elective