The Orders of Heartwynn

The Orders of Heartwynn, also known as the Houses of Heartwynn, the Great Houses, and the Noble Orders, are the governing body of the Astyrian Kingdom, second only to the royal family. They serve a myriad of purposes, ranging from holding offices in the Sacred Conclave to commanding the Kingdom's Military. Despite the name suggesting a certain connection to Heartwynn, the Houses are typically based out of the original home city of their founder.

For an Order to be created, a citizen of the Astyrian Kingdom must distinguish themselves enough to be recognized by the Royal Family or any of the Houses contained within the First Coterie. New Houses are sorted into the Coterie that most closely aligns with the original way that the founder of the House distinguished themselves. For example, a successful military commander who won honor on the battlefield would be awarded by having his family elevated to the Third Coterie.

The First Order is the Royal Family. This position is currently held by the Frostclaw House, as it has been since the establishment of the Adric Dynasty in 204 MC. The head of the House is the King himself, Arneit Frostclaw.

The First Coterie is also known as the High Orders. The Houses within this section are the closest to the royal family. Their names are known across Astyria, and likely in Memoria as well. They hold sovereignty over all things Sacred, Military and Monetary, second only to the Royals themselves.

The following are the known High Orders:

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Below the First Coterie, the others are largely equal. Except for in the state of an emergency, the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Coteries remain separate from each other. However, according to the organization of the Orders, each Coterie is technically subservient to those in the ones above it, so in specific circumstances, the Sacred Orders may take charge of the Militant Orders, so long as it does not contradict orders from the King. Still, this is rarely ever done, as the social hierarchy is a delicate balance that few would risk upsetting.

The Second Coterie, also known as the Sacred Orders, are a collection of Houses that lead the Sacred Conclave. The High Priests of the Churches are typically selected from among them. This Coterie is a deeply spiritual one, and each individual house is devoted to a specific god in their Pantheon.

The Third Coterie, called the Militant Orders by some, oversee the Military. All of the nation's generals are selected from these houses, and they hold sway over almost every soldier loyal to Astyria, with the exception of the Royal Guard and the smaller armies that follow the sway of the First and Second Coteries.

The Fourth Coterie is called the Scholarly Orders. This group of Houses is typically a small one, formed only from a couple of notable houses. The Houses of this Coterie rarely hold land, instead choosing to settle in the holdings of other Houses and conduct their research without having to deal with the mundane dealings of the peasantry.

The Fifth Coterie is the Mercantile Orders. They are by far the most independent of the Houses, only granted their position due to the amount of money and influence they wield over goods. They are rarely trusted by the other Coteries, as they will regularly do trade with Memoria and Tala'ril, two places that the nobles of Astyria would rather not associate with.

The Sixth Coterie is known by an unfortunate name. This grouping is called the Lesser Orders, and they are typically selected from particularly proactive citizens of the Kingdom. These Lesser Houses oversee and run the smaller towns that dot the wilderness of Verdan, moving supplies and manpower wherever it might be needed. Their titles are rarely any higher than Mayor or Baron, only given their position because the more influential houses wished to remove some of the authoritative load off of their own shoulders.