Great House

The **Great Houses** are the most powerful of the noble houses in the Realms. They exercise immense authority and power over their vassals and territories and are answerable only to the King or Queen of the realms.

Before the Beaufort War of Conquest, each of the realms was ruled by a powerful family with complete autonomy and independence. After the war, House Beaufort unified the realms and thus the other Great Houses were made to swear allegiance to Louis Beaufort.

Each of the Great Houses have a number of vassal houses who are sworn to serve them and in turn offer these lesser houses protection. Each Great House rules over its territory and is responsible for the management and oversight of their region as well as raising troops to fight for the King. During times of peace, however, the Great Houses are permitted to operate with relative autonomy.

Robert Maddox's Rebellion was an attempt by House Maddox to overthrow House Beaufort and install Robert Maddox as the new King of the Realms. The Rebellion saw a change in the Great Houses of the Realms as King Clovis Beaufort stripped House Nazari, who had supported the rebellion, of their ancestral seat and elevated House Murad to become the new Great House of the Dunes.

The Conquest of the Sunset Isles saw another shift in the Great Houses of the Realms with the addition of House Rovos of the Sunset Isles. While The Sunset Isles had historically been an independent kingdom, it was annexed into the Realm by King Emeric Beaufort after defeating King Taito Rovos during his failed invasion of the Realms.

## The Great Houses

### Current Great Houses

* **House Maddox**- Rulers of the Marshlands from Oakenstead.
* **House Murad**- Rulers of the Dunes from Serpent's Keep. Formerly vassals to House Nazari, Serpent's Keep was granted to Lord Lazar Murad for his assistance during Robert Maddox's Rebellion.
* **House Beaufort**- Rulers of the Alpines from Val Royeaux. Became the royal house of the realms after the Beaufort War of Conquest that rules from the Palace of the Kings.
* **House Osorio**- Rulers of the Reach from Goldreach.
* **House Blackstone**- Rulers of the Pale from Blackhaven.
* **House Reyne**- Rulers of the Coastlands from Whitehill.
* **House Rovos**- Rulers of the Sunset Isles from Hasbrook. Formerly the royal house of an independent Sunset Isles, they were incorporated into the realm under the rule of House Beaufort after the Conquest of the Sunset Isles.

### Former Great Houses

* **House Nazari**- Formerly the ancient rulers of the Dunes, they were deposed by House Beaufort and House Murad. The House survived through a cadet branch occupying Sultgraad, the original castle of House Murad.
* **House Giovanni**- Former vassals to House Osorio, Briefly elevated to rulers of the Reach from Giovanni Mansion during the Beaufort Civil War. After the death of Marco Giovanni, House Osorio was restored by Maximilian Beaufort and House Giovanni reverted back to their state as vassals.

## Heads of the Great Houses

### Heads of the Great Houses after Robert Maddox's Rebellion

Lord Patrick Maddox
(Head of House Maddox)Lord Lazar Murad
(Head of House Murad)King Clovis Beaufort
(Head of House Beaufort)Lord Otho Osorio
(Head of House Osorio)Lord Richard Blackstone
(Head of House Blackstone)Lord Isaac Reyne (Head of House Reyne)
### Heads of the Great Houses after the Beaufort Civil War

Lord Brendan Maddox
(Head of House Maddox)Lord Emir Murad
(Head of House Murad)King Maximilian Beaufort
(Head of House Beaufort)Lord Gordian Osorio
(Head of House Osorio)Lord Charles Blackstone
(Head of House Blackstone)Lord Alexander Reyne
(Head of House Reyne)
### Heads of the Great Houses after the War of the Heirs

Lord George Maddox
(Head of House Maddox)Lord Ishak Murad
(Head of House Murad)King Emeric Beaufort
(Head of House Beaufort)Lord Cassius Osorio
(Head of House Osorio)Lord Siegfried Blackstone
(Head of House Blackstone)Lord Roland Reyne
(Head of House Reyne)
### Heads of the Great Houses after the Conquest of the Sunset Isles

Lord Bradford Maddox
(Head of House Maddox)Lord Alemdar Murad
(Head of House Murad)King Emeric Beaufort
(Head of House Beaufort)Lord Domitian Osorio
(Head of House Osorio)Lord Siegfried Blackstone
(Head of House Blackstone)Lord Roland Reyne
(Head of House Reyne)Lady Felise Tong
(Functional Head of House Rovos)
### Heads of the Great Houses after the Princesses' War

Lord Bradford Maddox
(Head of House Maddox)Lord Alemdar Murad
(Head of House Murad)King Emeric Beaufort
(Head of House Beaufort)Lord Domitian Osorio
(Head of House Osorio)Lord Godfrey Blackstone
(Head of House Blackstone)Lord Leon Reyne
(Head of House Reyne)Lord Sione Rovos
(Head of House Rovos)