House Aesin

*My eternal soul now lies with House Aesin. I swear by the forests and mountains of my home that I will uphold the* *traditions and customs of House Aesin. Knowing I reach safety, I seek shelter beneath the wings of the owl. If my oath is broken, may the Dreaming strip me of all privileges and never let me forget who I was and what I have become.*

**Pronounced:** EE-sin

**Court:** Unseelie

**Nickname:** Northmen, Beasts (vulgar)

The Guardians of the North, hailing from Scandinavia, once gifted the Vikings with their knowledge in order to stave off the tide of Christianity and the Banality they feared it would bring. They prefer the forests and mountains of their native lands to cities, finding respite and normalcy in nature. They look upon the mortal bodies they were forced to claim as clothing, something they must dress themselves in as protection against the elements, for otherwise the disgust at their mortal flesh would drive them mad.

Nature and their bond with it defines House Aesin, and members of this house possess the ability to speak with animals. Many members of this house identify strongly with a specific animal from whom they believe they draw strength, which has led some outside their house to believe Aesin are bestial savages. In fact, the opposite is true, and House Aesin see themselves as the last true bastions of fae society, the guardians of the Dreaming itself. They are highly capable of navigating the complex social situations of court, but they have little patience for superficial politeness. They view small talk and other shallow niceties as human nonsense at best, blatant dishonesty at worst.

Members of House Aesin are battle-hardened and uncompromising. They know the forests of Scandinavia intimately, making them mighty hunters, but they also have a rich scholarly tradition still carried out through the singer-poet skalds. They pride themselves on their forthright honesty and adherence to the nine virtues: courage, truth, honor, fidelity, hospitality, discipline, industry, self-reliance, and perseverance. House Aesin holds fast to its ancient legends, preparing itself for what it sees as an inevitable battle with creatures known as the Jotunns, twisted nightmares that must be kept at bay to protect Concordia.

When they first returned from Arcadia, fae of House Aesin attempted to adhere to old practices of a gender-divided society, but have found that such a system benefits no one, particularly not the house as a whole. Men and women both hold positions as hunters, skalds, and warriors, even berserkers, the elite force of 13 warriors given magical armor that makes them unstoppable in battle. Berserkers are terrible to behold, as they will fight violently and mindlessly until the obliteration of their foes or their own death. While House Aesin views itself as largely being above the matter of courts, it is typically perceived as Unseelie due to the more bloodthirsty elements of its members’ natures.

## House Boon

House Aesin’s bond with nature is strong. Members of Aesin can speak with forest animals (non-domesticated wildlife like squirrels, bears, deer, etc.). To understand an animal, the player rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty 8).

## House Flaw

Aesin fae have not adjusted well to the life of mortal flesh. They view humans as servants, though loyal ones occasionally worthy of the Aesin’s defense, and cannot reconcile themselves with the unpleasant reality of their own human bodies. Because of this disconnect between their fae and mortal natures, fae from House Aesin are unable to gain Glamour through Rapture.

## Exile

Something happened within Arcadia, which the Aesin call Alfheim, which forced the Aesin back into the mortal world to occupy mortal flesh. Most Aesin believe the Dreaming sent them to Concordia to restore fae society, a duty they take strongly to heart.

## Factions and Societies

* The Virtue Council is a group of nine Aesin that acts as judges in trials, and which advises and oversees important decisions.

* The berserkers, a vanguard of 13 warriors, wear enchanted armor granted to them by the head of the house.

## Notable Members

Queen Ragnelf, the ruler of House Aesin, disappeared when they returned to Earth from Arcadia, High Lord Magnhildr currently rules House Aesin in Queen Ragnelf’s stead, Jarl Brondolf, a warrior who sits on the Virtue Council, Baron Bjorn, who became maddened by his time spent in mortal flesh and attacked his own house, known as “commoner lover,” King Nils Molander of Dalarna, and King Harald Knudson of Jutland.