The Eight Great Families
For five centuries following the devastation of the Ash Era, the Empire has been safeguarded by the Eight Great Families (Great Houses). Originating as the eight sovereign warlord realms established by the vanguards wielding the Eight Imperial Swords, the founding warrior-lords swore sacred oaths of fealty to Queen Isabella von Aerium—formalizing the Eight Families covenant and transforming their territories into the sovereign States of the Empire.
Positioned radially around the Imperial Capital of Aerium, each Great Family governs an ancestral realm distinguished by its own banner color, geographic orientation, martial doctrine, and sacred Dwarven relic.
Master Overview of the Eight Great Families
| Great Family | House Color | Orientation (Relative to Capital) | State | Capital City | Imperial Relic | Martial Style / Doctrine | Reigning Hero / Representative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Viremont | Light Blue & Silver | Directly North | Isen | Isenvale | Nixviel | Laerive Style | Aelira Viremont |
| House Evarard | Green & Yellow | Northeast | Zephyr | Serenthia | Ireviel | Aevro / Naim Style | Zaek Evarard (†) / Rael Evarard |
| House Élantryx | Navy / Dark Blue | Directly East | Cryz | Neryzta | Cryzareth | Saegir Style | Adrien Élantryx |
| House Éclaron | Light Purple & White | Southeast | Lumiere | City of Lumiere | Listrek | Ecra Style | Xerces Éclaron |
| House Nyxian | Black | South & Southwest | Umbra | Nocturne | Mireveth | Naelin Teachings | Khamari Nyxian |
| House Maoyari | Orange / Amber | West & Southwest | Sendo | Taiarar | Gerivimul | Tenzan Style | Maoyari Shin |
| House Edevry | Purple & Black | Directly Northwest | Vireth | Vioverne | Viridis | Vidir Style | Vermis Edevry |
| House Kaelgrin | Red | West-Northwest (Outer Border, West of Edevry) | Canis Kael | Volkrag | Odviel | Kaergan Style | Vahram Kaelgrin |
Northern & Northeastern Domains
1. House Viremont — Light Blue & Silver
- House Color: Light Blue & Silver
- Orientation: Directly North of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Sword: Nixviel (White Katana — Freezing Aura & Contact Freeze)
- State: Isen | Capital: Isenvale
- Martial Style: Laerive Style — Philosophy: Patience, cold calculation, and mathematically flawless counter-attacks.
- Overview: Rulers of the frozen northern realm of Isen from their ancestral stone fortress at Isenvale. Founded by the wielder of the white Imperial katana Nixviel, House Viremont is defined by strict hierarchy, stoic discipline, and unyielding military duty—tasked with containing the northern Giants and erecting the gargantuan defensive wall at Ursus.
- Notable Members: Sylas Viremont, Vivianne Viremont, Ellyssia Viremont, Celdric Viremont, Lucien Viremont (†), Lysric Viremont (†), Cassian Viremont, Aelira Viremont.
2. House Evarard — Green & Yellow
- House Color: Green & Yellow
- Orientation: Northeast of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Sword: Ireviel (Rapier — Incurable Lacerations & Paper Cut Agony)
- State: Zephyr | Capital: Serenthia
- Martial Style: Aevro Style & Zaek's Naim Style — Philosophy: Unyielding wind-guided pressure and fluid battlefield adaptability.
- Overview: Rulers of the high northeastern mountain realm of Zephyr from its vibrant terraced capital of Serenthia, nestled along the peaks of the Zephyr Spine. Bearing the sacred green banner and the rapier Ireviel, the people of Zephyr are celebrated for their festive warmth, high-altitude open steppes, and fierce devotion to legendary Hero Zaek Evarard.
- Notable Members: Zaek Evarard (†), Julian Evarard, Wilkram Evarard, Rael Evarard.
Eastern & Southeastern Domains
3. House Élantryx — Navy
- House Color: Navy / Dark Blue
- Orientation: Directly East of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Relic: Cryzareth (Imperial Bow — Chaotic Elemental Infusion)
- State: Cryz | Capital: Neryzta
- Martial Style: Saegir Style — Philosophy: Zero-distance combat archery / point-blank battle archery.
- Overview: Governing the sovereign state of Cryz from its sparkling mineral-rich capital Neryzta, House Élantryx presides over high crystalline mountain ridges and gemstone quarries directly east of the Capital. Spearheaded by Hero Adrien Élantryx, their archers fuse agile footwork with explosive elemental bombardment.
- Notable Members: Adrien Élantryx (Hero of House Élantryx / Wielder of Cryzareth).
4. House Éclaron — Light Purple & White
- House Color: Light Purple & White
- Orientation: Southeast of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Sword: Listrek (Imperial Blade — Lightning Shock & Electrocution)
- State: Lumiere | Capital: City of Lumiere
- Martial Style: Ecra Style — Philosophy: Lightning velocity and zero tolerance; explosive burst-type thrusts.
- Overview: Rulers of the fertile southeastern limestone realm of Lumiere and the sun-drenched City of Lumiere. Spearheaded by Xerces Éclaron—the reigning champion of the Imperial Tournament widely feared as the swiftest warrior of the Eight Great Houses—their fighters channel thunderous electrical currents through the blade Listrek.
- Notable Members: Xerces Éclaron (Hero of House Éclaron / Wielder of Listrek).
Southern & Western Domains
5. House Nyxian — Black
- House Color: Black
- Orientation: Forms the South and Southwest borders of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Sword: Mireveth (Black Katana — Spatial Distance Negation & The Curse of Madness)
- State: Umbra | Capital: Nocturne
- Sacred Doctrine: Naelin Teachings — Philosophy: Absolute mental tranquility against madness (Will doctrine, not a physical sword style).
- Overview: Governing the shadowy realm of Umbra along the Capital's southern and southwestern borderlands from the mist-covered city of Nocturne. House Nyxian holds the deeply cursed black katana Mireveth. By ancient tradition, Hero Khamari Nyxian draws the blade only once during a formal ascension ceremony, keeping it permanently sealed behind runic wards in Nocturne while dominating the battlefield through occult arcana, ancient curses, and inner serenity.
- Notable Members: Khamari Nyxian (Hero of House Nyxian / Master of the Naelin Teachings).
6. House Maoyari — Orange/Amber
- House Color: Orange / Amber
- Orientation: West and Southwest of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Relic: Gerivimul (Imperial Spear — Somatic Physical Augmentation)
- State: Sendo | Capital: Taiarar
- Martial Style: Tenzan Style — Philosophy: Feather-light in the air, mountain-heavy upon descent (Eastern martial heritage).
- Overview: Governing the terraced western river realm of Sendo from Taiarar, House Maoyari commands one of the strongest military forces in the Empire, organized into 13 Warden districts. Spearheaded by Hero Maoyari Shin wielding the sacred spear Gerivimul, their alliance is tied to the Royal Crown through the political engagement of Maoyari Rin to Crown Prince Louis von Aerium.
- Notable Members: Ren Maoyari (Clan Leader), Maoyari Shin (Hero), Maoyari Rin.
Northwestern & Outer Border Domains
7. House Edevry — Purple & Black
- House Color: Purple & Black
- Orientation: Directly Northwest of the Imperial Capital
- Imperial Sword: Viridis (Han Jian — Lethal Venom Infusion)
- State: Vireth | Capital: Vioverne
- Martial Style: Vidir Style — Philosophy: Clandestine assassination, silent infiltration, and internal bodily subversion.
- Overview: Governing the cherry-canopied northwestern realm of Vireth from Vioverne, House Edevry is unique in that its Clan Leader and its Hero are always the same individual—currently Vermis Edevry. Operating from black-timber Japanese-style pagodas, Edevry commands the Empire's premier covert network:
- The Shadows: Silent infiltration and lethal elimination operatives.
- The Masks: Deep-cover intelligence agents who adopt crafted personas across the Empire.
- Notable Members: Vermis Edevry, Caelith (†).
8. House Kaelgrin — Red
- House Color: Red
- Orientation: West-Northwest of the Imperial Capital, positioned directly west of Edevry, forming the outer continental border of the civilized Empire.
- Imperial Sword: Odviel (Greatsword — Searing Volcanic Incineration)
- State: Canis Kael | Capital: Volkrag
- Martial Style: Kaergan Style — Philosophy: Unbridled close-quarters brawling, volcanic flame, and brute-force devastation.
- Overview: Rulers of the sun-baked, canyon-carved outer border realm of Canis Kael and its German-medieval fortress capital Volkrag. Represented by the boisterous, battle-hardened Hero Vahram Kaelgrin—wielder of Odviel and lifelong friend of Zaek Evarard—House Kaelgrin forms the unyielding red shield guarding the western rim of the continent.
- Notable Members: Vahram Kaelgrin (Hero of House Kaelgrin / Wielder of Odviel).