House of Caer

House Caer is a house as old as its semi-rival, House Kresten, and its Overlord, House Vaught.

## History

House Caer was created the same as House Kresten, from House Vaught's family line. Both Houses were cousins of the first Lord, and as such were trusted with power, although different as night and day. House Caer was the only family to oppose enslaving the mountain-men that inhabited the land before them, and the only family known to force such a life only on the most brutal of criminals.

Putting virtue first, House Caer has helped House Vaught stay away from utter corruption, as well as assisted in keeping their land's residents happy and relatively stupid, for their own sake. For their continued compassion for the common man, House Caer is often the only Noble Family trusted among them in honest, rather than out of fear.

## Lands

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Located in the warmer part of Ardeiria, House Caer tends to the nutrient needs of House Vaught's subjects. It is placed into three different sections, discluding politics; The Stag's Range, the Elk's Wood, and Raeford's Fields.

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The Elk's Wood is the most cared for area of the Stag, though mostly taken up by the Thornwood, while the other half is given to Vaugholde. The Thornwood is largely kept exclusively to House Caer, with only a few patches of vegetables nearby, while the rest is kept to the wildlife. Completely covered in red leaves with sharp thorns curling up each trunk. Vaugholde is made almost entirely out of wood, with only the foundations of each home made of stone, reserved for trading and hunters. The largest settlement in the Stag.

Refmer's Fields are the outlying areas of the Elk's Wood, where most farmers make their lives. Extremely fertile, though only cared for by the occassional patrol and its inhabitants, Raeford's Fields make up the majority of the Stag, as well as most of their population's home. Some forests remain, though most have been cleared out for the sake of farming and

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lumber.

The Stag's Range is House Caer's border to the Heron and Bull, though only one major settlement remains; Honorbrook. The site of the War of Stag and Bull, Honorbrook is older than even Vaugholde, caring for most travelers. While the Stag's Range was once filled with outlying villages and farms, the War of Submission and fights against the Bull, as well as "Bandit" raids, have stopped it from becoming constant.

Then comes Elk's Keep, an underwhelming name for a castle of its size, most every stone-made house is left vacant for noble and royal guests, while the castle its self has multi-colored windows; Gray, Blue, Silver, and Green. Each seem to change with every passing day, though it makes navigating the castle easier, at least for those who have spent most of their life there. Every room's windows change at the same time, all to the same color, though the Stag's Seat remains an ever-present silver.

## Religion and its Rebutals

While House Kresten keeps to the Old Ways, House Caer adopted the Light from the Great Mountain's immigrants and customers, believing it a more useful and less brutal way to follow. Even before, House Caer had been more compassionate than Kresten or Vaught, and so the transition was far from hard. However, after the Krestens learned of what the Light's followers had done to the Old Ways, the two Houses' rivalries only became more volatile -- at one point threatening to destroy each other's lands. House Caer said they'd raid Snowhaven, taking its rubies and using them for something other than material gain, while House Kresten proclaimed they'd strangle Vaugholde with the Thornwood's branches. Both Lords were executed promptly after, but the hatred stands.

Afterwards, the House of Caer created the Holy Church of Ardeiria, which was to always be headed by a child of Caer. Due to this, their structure has always supported three children: One to take the lands, another for the army, and the third for the church. In recent times, with the death of Raetin Caer, the lands and army have been given to Roswin Caer, although the former has largely been shifted to his sister, Vaerina Caer.

## Philosophy

After their conversion, House Caer has taken its stance on honor far beyond what most successful families dare. Believing the Light would damn them for dishonorable combat, House Caer often resides on the backlines of the Vaught's armies, if only to let their foes ready. Still, their honor, though obnoxious for the other two major families, hasn't caused them anything horrid.

The only thing more precious to House Caer is loyalty, specifically to House Vaught. During Braith's reign of cruelty, they remained to advise him until the correct heir came along, in which their Oath, and their morals, demanded they assist in whatever was to come. That being the liberation of the Great Mountain.

Their people firmly believe to refuse to stop an evil is to permit it, to the degree of elderly farmers taking to the frontlines. Vast armies are the result of such, and have permitted House Caer to go about their overly-honorable ways of warfare.

## Military

House Caer's military bases are all centered in the higher mountains to harden recruits. Though not near as dangerous or vigorous as House Kresten's, it undeniably gets the job done. After their recruits are made soldiers, they're given armor standard to their station. New soldiers are given painted bronze armor, while Knights are allowed silver armor with golden antlers about their chest, cloaked and hooded for winter warfare.

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