Aeros

A continent located somewhere on the western side of Aethos. It is ruled by King Albrecht Reisinger, and is split into six regions in total, with the other five being overseen by Lord Paramounts. Known cities in Aeros include:

* Abondiolis (Seat of House De Abondiolis)
* Aenburg
* Aerie Point (Seat of House Forthwind)
* Antain (Seat of House Jacquard)
* Beggar's Hole
* Berken's Outpost (Blackguard Base)
* Bright Vale (Seat of House Ellis)
* Brightley
* Broken Shield (Seat of House Clement)
* Broma's Rise (Seat of House Barrentine)
* Brone-by-Bank
* Brown Fen (Seat of House Mugica)
* Cabellare Cliff
* Cahyrst (House of Seat Firavanti)
* Charrot (House of Seat Monteil)
* Colem-by-the-Sea
* Coust (Seat of House Commidus)
* Crasmere (Seat of House Clement)
* Crestham
* Crossroads
* Damer
* Dawnleaf
* Deepclaw Keep (Seat of House Ytorrica)
* Dragon's Tail (Seat of House Valerian)
* East Brook (Seat of Bradford)
* Eliron (Seat of House Parnesius)
* Ellet
* Everrun (Seat of House Ytorrica)
* Everwinter (Seat of the Seer/House Wyndall)
* Far Water
* Farwood (Seat of House Barretti)
* Firebend
* Folcey (Seat of House Kirsch)
* Forest's End (Seat of House Radley)
* Forsong (Seat of House Blackwell)
* Free City of Quan Ma (Drakari Mercenary Base)
* Gare (Seat of House Grey)
* Gerault's Well
* Goan (Seat of House Brask)
* Goand's Corner (Seat of House Riegler)
* Goulcrest
* Greenmill
* Greenwater (Seat of House Kaiser)
* Griffin's Landing (Capitol, Seat of House Reisinger)
* Grimoiry (Seat of House Parnesius)
* Halmort Quay (Seat of House Rosendaal)
* Hereter (Seat of House Marsley)
* Highbrooke (Seat of House Stannard)
* Highpine (Seat of House Greenbow)
* Iket's Grove
* Ironwall (Seat of House Ytorrica)
* Islard's Bank (Seat of House Greenbow)
* Kenton's Folly (Seat of House Waldegrave)
* Lakeshore (Seat of House Merrywell)
* Last Bastion (Blackguard Base)
* Lia (Seat of House Rainier)
* Liese (Seat of House Launceleyn)
* Lightcastle (Seat of House Jacquard)
* Loter (Seat of House Merys)
* Lyara's Terrace (Seat of House Keriell)
* Mandret (Seat of House Cromwell)
* Marren's Peak (Seat of House Myrcelle)
* Megar (Seat of House Acolti)
* Millstone
* Misthaven (Seat of House Blackwell)
* Molound (Seat of House Vause)
* Moongarden (Seat of House Keriell)
* Moonsea (Seat of House Moon)
* Moster
* Mouttle's Rocks (Seat of House Slate)
* New Blackborough (Seat of House Garreau)
* Newhold (Seat of House Bradford)
* North Mouth (Seat of House Vergara)
* Old Blackborough (Former Seat of House Garreau)
* Pendle
* Pinnella Pass
* Portsmythe (Seat of House Reynes)
* Pria (Seat of House Rainier)
* Racome (Seat of House Thomlin)
* Raiton (Seat of House Garreau)
* Ramshorn (Seat of House Bartelot)
* Redcombe
* Redvale (Seat of House Dederic)
* Reton (Seat of House Castellon)
* Roselake (Seat of House Thorne)
* Rotherham (Seat of House Abondiolis, Former Seat of House Henshawe)
* Rowe (Seat of House Barron)
* Saltgrove
* Ship's Landing
* Silverwyrm Stand (Seat of House Valerian)
* Skystead (Seat of House Trenowyth)
* Smith City of Ozryn (Seat of House Rouvonak)
* Souma
* Southend (Seat of House Valles)
* Squall's End (Seat of House Moon)
* Starfall (Seat of House Trevisian)
* Stormgate (Seat of House Ytorrica)
* Stratham (Seat of House Bradford)
* Summen Ford (Seat of House Kaiser)
* Summes Hamlet
* Sunshower (Seat of House Trevisian)
* The Asp's Tooth (Seat of House Eudon)
* Thenin
* Thiman Glade (Seat of House Burton)
* Thimiry's Cove
* Timberwall (Seat of House Firavanti)
* Tinsery Field (Seat of House Primeau)
* Tored's Fall (Seat of House Metzinger)
* Trade City of Yarrin
* Wellspring (Seat of House Rydell)
* Whitreridge (Seat of House Weiss)
* Wintervale (Seat of House Wingfield)
* Wolfswater (Seat of House Ramsey)
* Wyvern's Gate (Seat of House Valerian)

## **The Crown and the Five Great Houses of Aeros**

There are six total regions on the continent of Aeros. The Kingslands of Central Aeros are ruled directly by House Reisinger and the Crown, while the other five regions are governed by the Five Great Houses of Aeros. Those houses are:

* House Reisinger, who rules directly over the Kingslands of Central Aeros.
* House Abondiolis, who rules over the Seraphlands of Southwestern Aeros.
* House Clement, who rules over the Grasslands of Southeastern Aeros.
* House Valerian, who rules over the Summit and Esterlands of Eastern Aeros.
* House Stannard, who rules over the Wildlands of Northwestern Aeros.
* House Bradford, who rules over the Lochlands of Northeastern Aeros.

## **Major Houses of Aeros**

Each Great House of Aeros holds extensive fiefdoms, and in turn grant fiefs to other noble houses in exchange for oaths of fealty. Each Major House of Aeros is sworn to their region's Lord Paramount and has generous holdings. The Major Houses of Aeros, by region, include:

### Major Houses of the Seraphlands

* House Abondiolis (Lords of the Seraphlands)
* House Clement (Lords of the Grasslands)
* House Ytorrica
* House Vause
* House Wingfield
* House Henshawe *(former, disgraced after the War of the Skies)*

### Major Houses of the Summit/Esterlands

* House Monteil
* House Slate
* House Dederic
* House Radley
* House Trevisian
* House Castellon
* House Bartelot

### Major Houses of the Wildlands

* House Stannard (Lords of the Wildlands)
* House Ramsey
* House Blackwell
* House Kaiser
* House Brask
* House Ellis

### Major Houses of the Lochlands

* House Bradford (Lords of the Lochlands)
* House Rouvonak
* House Firavanti
* House Parnesius

### Major Houses of the Kingslands

* House Reisinger (Lords of Aeros and the Kingslands)
* House Valerian (Lords of the Esterlands and the Summit)
* House Jacquard
* House Launceleyn
* House Primeau

### **Minor Houses of Aeros**

Just as the Major Houses are pledged to the Great Houses who are pledged to the Crown, so to do they have Houses pledged under them that help to rule cities and townships within their fiefdom. Some of those minor houses include:

### Minor Houses of the Seraphlands

* House Thomlin, pledged to House Vause
* House Thorne, pledged to House Ytorrica
* House Marsley, pledged to House Weiss

### Minor Houses of the Grasslands

* House Kirsch, pledged to House Vause
* House Moon, pledged to House Ytorrica
* House Keriell, pledged to House Ytorrica
* House Vergara, pledged to House Launceleyn
* House Rosendaal, pledged to House Weiss
* House Merys, pledged to House Slate
* House Mugica, pledged to House Castellon

### Minor Houses of the Summit/Esterlands

* House Burton, pledged to House Vause
* House Trenowyth, pledged to House Ytorrica
* House Forthwind, pledged to House Monteil
* House Waldegrave, pledged to House Ellis
* House Eudon, pledge to House Slate
* House Greenbow, pledged to House Dederic
* House Valles, pledged to House Dederic
* House Reynes, pledged to House Radley
* House Barrentine, pledged to House Trevisian

### Minor Houses of the Wildlands

* House Riegler, pledged to House Jacquard
* House Cromwell, pledged to House Ramsey
* House Grey, pledged to House Ramsey
* House Barretti, pledged to House Blackwell
* House Acolti, pledged to House Brask

### Minor Houses of the Lochlands

* House Rainier, pledged to House Ramsey
* House Metzinger, pledged to House Firavanti
* House Wyndall, pledged to House Parnesius
* House Commidus, pledged to House Parnesius

### Minor Houses of the Kingslands

* House Garreau, pledged to House Jacquard
* House Barron, pledged to House Launceleyn
* House Merrywell, pledged to House Launceleyn
* House Rydell, pledged to House Trevisian
* House Myrcelle, pledged to House Primeau

## Social System of Aeros

The social systems of Aeros vary dramatically between the different hierarchies throughout the country. The country overall suffers from systemic racism, xenophobia, and zealotry, and only "untainted" humans are treated with any semblance of respect.

The noble houses of Aeros lead the country and tend to be very patriarchal. Women can be the head of household, but only if there are no of-age male heirs to the House. Marriages are typically pre-arranged by the Lord of the House and done for political alliances.

Traditionally, only humans could found houses. However, after Albrecht Reisinger took the crown following the War of the Skies, House Rouvonak -- the first Dwarven House -- was founded and given voice in the Great Council. This was a heavily controversial move amongst the Houses and although Albrecht has implemented several progressive policies during his reign, they've been met with dissent and rebuttal from the other ancient houses.

Even among the noble houses, those born with magic (often dubbed "black-blooded", "spellbound", or "enchanted") are often stripped of their titles, removed from their houses, and contained within The Spiral or one of its' sister facilities once they begin to show signs of magic. Magic is a sin in the eyes of the Divine, the primary religion held within Aeros. As such, mages are treated as sub-citizens and are not allowed to marry or reproduce. Until the reign of King Leonhard Reisinger, male mages were routinely castrated to ensure they could father no children. This harsh practice has been largely done away with and replaced with another severe option -- the Cleansing, which is said to purify the blood of those who undergo the ritual. Most die, but the few who survive the ritual are purged of their magic -- they go on to lead normal lives, albeit in a quasi-vegetative state. As such, most mages opt for life in chains; or attempt to lead a life on the run while evading capture by the Seraphim's spellbreakers.

Outside of the aristocracy, most "untainted" humans live menial lives in modest conditions and have no care for the politics of the Royal Court.

The dwarven people tend to keep to themselves in the mountains to the North and South of Aeros, but do trade with the humans. Some have joined society and are hailed as traders and artisans, and a handful serve within the Blackguard. Overall, though, the dwarves remain largely segregated from the humans.

The elves of Aeros once resided within its lush forests and throughout the Isles of Aeryn to the west of the Kingslands; but no longer. When man first settled Aeros, they took the elves as slaves, and the once proud people are now entirely broken; integrated into Aerosi culture as servants and typically treated as sub-citizens. There is no standard of living for them, crimes against elves typically go unpunished, and life outside of a Master's house is harsh and unforgiving. Since the beginning of Albrecht Reisinger's reign, he's made numerous attempts to remedy the injustices being done to the elves, but his ideals have largely fallen on deaf ears.

The Drakari people, who claim to have descended from Dragons, reside within the Free City of Quan Ma on the Isles of Aeryn. The Drakari are a fearsome race of horned men and women over 7' tall who revel in sin and debauchery. When the Kings of Old were unable to defeat the Drakari in battle, they gifted them the Isles of Aeryn and erected the Free City for them in an attempt to promote peace between the two races. It has worked for the most part, with Drakari coming inland mostly for coin via mercenary work.