Houses

**Houses** are noble or royal families that control regions of land, varying in sizes of a small town to capital cities. There are two types of houses: Noble, or Royal. Often, the Royal Houses are called "Great Houses."

**Royal Houses** are almost always run by a King or Queen, or the equivalent to. Each Royal House rules over its territory and is responsible for collecting taxes and, in times of war, raising troops to fight. Meanwhile, **Noble Houses** commonly do not have any royal blood, and instead are born or married into high status. In most cases, Noble Houses hold much wealth, but others, while technically holding this rank, can be relatively poor.

A typical **Noble House** is seated within a town or city, collecting tithes and taxes from farmers, lesser landholders, and commonfolk. The rulers are known as "Lords," for men, and "Ladies," for women. However, they still control the civilians, and if sworn to a Royal House, recruit and maintain a number of soldiers for their lieges. In most of Valyria, only men can become ruling lord, and women can only rule if the rest of the male line has been extinguished or if they are acting as regents for their sons until they have reached the age of maturity.

Many **Royal House**s have a number of **Vassal houses** that have sworn fealty to them. As many parts of Valyria run on a feudalist societal structure, vassal houses are merely powerful families that are granted use of land in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent. The Vassal must remain loyal to the House it swears to. A **Noble House** can be made into a **Vassal** while still keeping its status and rank as a Noble.

Houses are unique to Valyria, as no cultures in the Northern Claim seem to adopt this same system.

## Royal Houses

* House Blackfyre
* House Mollen
* House Swann
* House Umber
* House Vadtoan
* House Velaryon
* House Virfiel

## Noble Houses

* House Banefort
* House Brilin
* House Bolton
* House Dyre
* House Huarin
* House Keita
* House Kellington
* House Long
* House Navvo
* House Penrose
* House Reed
* House Rowan
* House Saldi
* House Sawler
* House Staedmon
* House Stokeworth
* House Wynwont
* House Yronwood

## Vassals

* House Banefort (Vassal of House Yronwood)
* House Brilin (Vassal of House Keita)
* House Bolton (Vassal of House Mollen)
* House Huarin (Vassal of House Virfiel)
* House Kellington (Vassal of House Saldi)
* House Long (Vassal of House Wynwont)
* House Penrose (Vassal of House Saldi)
* House Sawler (Vassal of House Banefort)
* House Staedmon (Vassal of House Yronwood)

## House Words

Each of the Houses have their own official family motto, or "words." These usually take the form of boasts or threats, used as battle-cries, or even ominous warnings. Along with this, each House has its own unique heraldry or **Coat of Arms**. While a House's heraldic symbol and motto can be associated, the words are usually not depicted directly in heraldry or on an army's banners. A House's choice of heraldry and official motto often reflects the general character, philosophy, or political strategy that the family espouses.

* House Banefort - "The Wind Our Steed"
* House Blackfyre - "All Others Burn"
* House Bolton - "Vigilant And Bold"
* House Brilin - "Forward!"
* House Dyre - "Claws From The Shadows!"
* House Huarin - "Virtue Survives Death"
* House Keita - "The Old, the True, the Brave"
* House Kellington - "Hear Me Roar!"
* House Long - "Honor, Not Honors"
* House Mollen - "Family, Duty, Honor"
* House Navvo - "Never Resting"
* House Penrose - "Let It Be Written"
* House Reed - "Death Over Dishonor"
* House Rowan - "Growing Strong"
* House Saldi - "Ours Is The Fury"
* House Sawler - "Fly High, Fly Far"
* House Staedmon - "Pride And Purpose"
* House Stokeworth - "Proud To Be Faithful"
* House Swann - "Let Majesty Flourish"
* House Umber - "Right Conquers Might"
* House Vadtoan - "By Wisdom And Arms"
* House Vannalet - "We Light The Way"
* House Velaryon - "To The Sea, We Shall Return"
* House Virfiel - "Ready For All Things"
* House Wynwont - "As High As Honor"
* House Yronwood - "Aid From Above"