Houses

As a large majority of Messiah's political scene is driven by the noble houses, essentially it replaces a faction system with a house-based one. All groups and organisations established in board canon are essentially extensions of a house, and thereby not everyone in a house are related to one another. Houses may be highborn, lowborn, or somewhere in-between, and most can and often will serve below a higher house as a vassal line.

Major houses in Dalmasca and Jihon cannot be made at this time. Minor vassal houses are, however, always free to be made. Galace and the Free Cities that have nobility can have player-made major houses in them. Macenia does not have noble houses. There are also several pre-made houses that are up for adoption. As the five top noble houses are constantly rising and falling, there is also potential for a minor house to eventually become a major. In fact, it's quite likely.

Dalmasca

Asheron

But we are not men.

The longest standing major noble line in Dalmasca, House Asheron is a name that everyone knows, and many fear. The line began humbly, and steadily rose through class after class, going from commoners to nobility, to the biggest name in Dalmascan history. Anything big in the history books is almost always guaranteed to have the name Asheron tied to it somewhere, and all major lineages in Dalmasca have some blood from Asheron in their ancestry.

Vassals: None played.

Cassimer

The truth prevails.

Despite how infamous the name Cassimer is, they are newer to the nobility scene. Only a scant few decades ago, Cassimer were commoners serving under House Asheron; that is, until the current head of house, Marcus Cassimer, came into power and rather swiftly built wealth, and then shoehorned them into the warlord class, eventually surpassing their former patron house.

Vassals: Salonus, Teresi, Warwicke.

Essair

Love is as blind as madness.

Rising stars to the Warlord class, the Essair family can trace their line back dozens of generations, but only recently had they become a well-known name. Formerly mercantile class nobility, the Essairs began wealthy and that is nearly all, but with the ascension of their current head of house to power, the lineage have gained a foothold into the military, and still continue to climb the ladder. Their emblem is a cobra, indicative of their covert ways, and, strangely, a large number of those patrolling Nydema's streets wear the same emblem.

Vassals: Wynbrandt.

Greyson

We are all beneath the same sun.

Newcomers to the major noble lines of Dalmasca, Greyson were originally a minor house serving House Kenleigh, and when Kenleigh fell, Greyson arose to take their place. For the most part, Greyson have kept their noses clean, and remained out of interhouse conflict, but with the rise of the house as a major power in Dalmasca, that, most likely, will change, and soon, despite their head of house's attempts to prevent them from being dragged into it.

Vassals: None played.

Lancaster

In life or in death, triumph.

The only House to become one of the major lines solely and completely with the blood of their blood fighters, House Lancaster are somewhat new to the nobility scene, only having risen to that status within the last two decades. Unfortunately, their current head of house is great at making enemies; not so much at making friends, and it may well prove the House's downfall.

Vassals: None played.

Galace

Yrdyn

Heed the mountain's call.

—-

Vassals: None played.

Haradi

Assad

When the rich wage war, it's the poor that die.

The rulers of the Free City of Haradi for the last several generations, and the source of the auratech movement in the west, House Assad are an old and honoured lineage. Formerly warlords, the House have roots in the Ivory Mountains, at the base of which Haradi sits, but they are believed to have originally been Macenian.

Vassals: Argyros.

Jihon

Kanesuke

Some say House Kanesuke's prime is passing, and they wouldn't be terribly wrong. Formerly a ujalin line, Kanesuke had several different ujals in their lineage at once, at one time, but those glory days have passed, and Kanesuke's influence is waning. It is, perhaps, only a matter of time until they fall from the major lines, and end up supporting another house instead.

Vassals: None played.

Munemoro

A strong, older lineage of Jihon, the Munemoro lineage is well-known and generally respected. Their reputation isn't enough to enable them to take ujal status within the country, but neither have they been pushing too hard to become ujal - instead, the Munemoros are much happier to back other lines for the position.

Vassals: None played.

Tachibana

Even in darkest times, there is light.

An older lineage of formerly mercantile wealth, that later clawed its way into the warlord class, and from there, into ujalin, House Tachibana are a name well-known, but not always well-loved. The family can claim ancient roots, if they trace their line back far enough, and are just ruthless enough to get what they want, much of the time, however the lineage has suffered a recent blow to their standing, and may or may not recover from it.

Vassals: None played.

Tran

One of the oldest ujalin lines in Jihon, and the single ujalin lineage that has kept at least one ujal in their family the longest, House Tran is a name that many within and outside Jihon know, and know well. When one speaks the name Tran, it is said either with reverence, or fear, never between. House Tran are either a great ally, or the most dastardly enemy; but which one they are is ultimately up to everyone else. Choose wisely.

Vassals: None played.

Zhu

What the Zhu lack in most things, they make up for with sheer numbers. House Zhu are, and have been for a long time, the largest House in Jihon, and merely due to this, their influence is everywhere. Rarely do the Zhu take anything head-on, instead preferring to slip about the shadows, and manipulate other Jihonese Houses into playing their cards in a way that benefit the Zhu.

Vassals: None played.

Saqqara

Lucain

Stand not in the jackal's path.

The founders, and rulers, of the Free City of Saqqara, for the last three thousand years, House Lucain is probably the most ancient noble line on Azaleon. The lineage don't flaunt this, however, and tend to keep their precise founding years to themselves, years long before the current era. Most, as a result, don't know much about House Lucain, and their story, truthfully, sounds like something out of a story book.

Vassals: Ihsan.

Fallen Houses

Kenleigh

Arise from the ashes.

At one time, House Kenleigh was a major noble line active in Dalmasca, specifically the capital city, Nydema. A week prior to the start of the board time-line (roughly late February of 76), House Kenleigh fell from status, and was destroyed. House Greyson arose to take their place in the major house line-up. The House had several vassal lineages, and while none of them now serve another house, as of now, they do still stand, with most making it through Kenleigh's fall mostly unscathed.

Vassals: Greyson, Warwicke. Greyson is now a major house, and Warwicke now serves Cassimer.

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