House Aldam (DnD 5e)

House Aldam's holdings, collectively and creatively named Westhold, are to the far west of Haven, beyond Honeyholde. The primary city and historical home of the Aldams is Moirost, situated on Khaba's Path. Though removed from the capital by distance, House Aldam's earlier finances were dedicated to creating easily-navigable roads, and there are well-maintained roads leading to Moirost from Honeyholde, Newwatch, Castlehold and Lightbarrow. There is a port at Moirost, and one situated at the mouth of Khaba's Path, both of which act as trading hubs, uniting the resources of the surrounding forest and mountains with the ease of transport afforded by the river and ocean. Crime is uncommon in these lands as punishment is harsh. The house maintains a trained force of soldiers, including cavalry and a modest naval force.

The land is modestly populous, with the population focused in Moirost, the principal settlement of the house's lands. The house is affluent, with more money than it needs to maintain its prestige. This money has grown over generations of shrewd, morally questionable business dealings and conjugal alliances. The citizens of Aldam's holdings are not encouraged to believe in self determination. Under the thumb of House Aldam, every person has their place. This is not to say there is no mobility; shrewd intellect and ambition is valued by any true Aldam, and members of the House hoping to prove themselves are encouraged to take risks while attempting to make a name for themselves and the House. Failure results in relegation to one of the House's many rural settlements, where scions may have a chance to prove themselves after many long days of gruelling and humbling work.

House Aldam celebrates the use of magic by its licensed mages, but as with all things in Westhold, these are strictly controlled, and anyone found practising magic without a license is publicly punished. Licenses are prohibitively expensive in Westhold, though those of neighbouring districts and territories are begrudgingly honoured. Any would-be magician in Westhold must undergo a rigorous testing process under the administration of one of House Aldam's magic users.

House Aldam is steeped in byzantine traditions that often seem confusing to outsiders. At formal events, men are expected to wear their hair in many small braids. The braid represents patience to the Aldams, in its preparation and presentation, the soft, countless tugs and brushes of the strands. It symbolises, too, family, which, despite the harsh and heavy-handed ways of the House, is at the heart of the Aldam approach to life. The interwoven strands of hair bind their fates with one another, and though each strand vies for a position at the forefront of the braid, they support each other and remain in order only while their bindings last.

Though House Aldam is proud, it is by no means entirely closed off to outsiders. Young people of considerable skill who prove themselves to the House or one of its banner houses may find patronage at the hands of House Aldam, and it is not unheard of for the House to adopt prodigies. The most common way for outsiders to find a place in the House is through martial or magical might. Power without poise, however, is useless to House Aldam, with its myriad and labyrinthine plots; any successful petitioner must posses the ability to navigate the maze of the aristocracy.

Sons and daughters of House Aldam are often found as diplomats or advisors, or in bureaucratic management, where their abilities to read and play upon people's emotions are most useful. This talent, along with the high expectations the House places on its scions, leads the more rebellious members to seek independence from the House in financial ventures and business building. The House is willing to forgive some small rebellion in its younger members, but should these entrepreneurs' coffers grow too weighty, the House is quick to politely remind under whose tutelage they were taught.

The appellation given to the head of House Aldam is 'Key Bearer', in reference to the Crossed Keys of Aldam, one representing patience and the other perfection, which will open any door.

## History

While some Houses have heroic names blooming like roses on their family tree, House Aldam's achievers have traditionally been quiet supporters and viziers rather than champions of justice. House Aldam has always been quick to lend coin to what it deems worthy endeavours, slowly building relations between it and other Houses. Of course, House Aldam remembers its debtors, its ledgers immaculately maintained in several locations.

While the House lacks the raw martial might of others, it relies on its reputation, alliances and finances to advance its causes. Since the House's early days, there have been rumours of its members worshipping some old, evil god. These rumours have never been proven, however, and some among the arete believe these rumours are encouraged by House Aldam to lend the house a dark mystique.

House Aldam assisted with finances during the second Orc War, and, with Westhold's strategic location, assisted in logistical strategies. Several Aldam tacticians made names for themselves in the war. The current head of the House, Marquis Dorten Aldam, opposed peace negotiations with the orcs and the ceding of land to the Londorwin people.

## Economic Circumstances

House Aldam's economic strategy is based on taxes, loans and discipline. Several incidents in House Aldam's history suggest that past members of the House have pressed upon debtors to act as assassins when they have been unable to pay debts.

Moirost's position on the river allows it to excise trade ships passing through its port, as does the city of Merhavre on the northern coast. House Aldam owns the deeds to several mines in the outer Teln Mountains. These provide a variety of ores.

## Education

Westhold has two military academies, one in Merhavre and one in Moirost, and a single arcane school in Moirost. The education provided in them is of a high standard, audited biannually by an official from House Aldam.

## Religion

The Aldams have never professed an official family faith, and all religions are tolerated in Westhold, so long as they pay their taxes and do not spark unrest.

## Magic

House Aldam has a number of Divine and Arcane casters in its family tree, and it is publicly supportive of magic. However, to practise magic legally in Westhold, one must purchase and maintain a license from House Aldam. These licenses are prohibitively expensive, and the process to obtain one is harsh and harrowing. Unlicensed practitioners are often found missing.

## Military

House Aldam's military academies bolster its standing forces, which number approximately two thousand in total. These forces are stationed in barracks in Westhold's primary settlements. Westhold's style emphasises discipline, loyalty, order and group tactics. The most commonly used weapons in Westhold are the longsword and spear. A small naval force is maintained at Merhavre. House Aldam's private forces are the Knights of the Keys, colloquially known as the Redcloaks for their capes, rendered in the faded red of House Aldam.

#### Laws

The Marquis of Westhold creates and interprets the law, though this can be delegated to trusted people (judges and certified Agents of the Marquis), and superceded by the king of Egron. Broadly speaking, Westhold's law emphasise property and propriety, and strongly emphasize class (a worker has less rights than an employer, who has less rights than an official of House Aldam). Magic has always been treated with distrust in Westhold, in part due to the proximity to the elven lands to the west.

## Notable Members

* **Renault Aldam**: The current head of House Aldam. He has made a name for himself as a keen-minded tactician and assertive, amicable diplomat. He is a disciplined man that allows himself few indulgences.
* **Felicity Aldam**: Renault's wife. Was once regarded beautiful enough to be called the Jewel of the West. A cruel and bitter woman.
* **Roland Aldam**: The eldest of Renault and Felicity's children. Roland is, in many ways, the ideal warrior, disciplined, skilled and charismatic. He presently resides at Merhavre with his youngest brother, overseeing the security of the city and captaining the force stationed there. He is less harsh than his father, but it is rumoured that he has a habit of flying into rages that rival his brother's in ferocity.
* **Adalberon Aldam**: The second son of Renault. A scholar of history and botany. He tried for several years to harness the power of magic, studying with little rest in Moirost's Ruby Tower. This study amounted to nothing, though he is an intelligent man nonetheless.
* **Nicolai Aldam**: The third child of Felicity and Renault looks little like his brothers. Indeed, some say that he has none of his father's blood in him. His mother's features, similar to those of Nicolai's sister, are apparent, but of Renault's children, he is the only one with blue eyes. Nicolai has proved himself with an acumen for business unmatched among his four siblings, and he is recognised as a son of Renault despite dubious genetics.
* **Morrois Aldam**: Renault and Felicity's fourth son has a choleric, polemic temperament and little patience for the byzantine rules of his house. An immensely strong man, he is often seen in the company of his eldest brother, one of the few people who can manage his ferocious and wild tempers. He is known by some as The Bull of Westhold.
* **Beatrice Aldam**: Renault's youngest daughter known for her exacting sense of fashion and cold, capable demeanour.
* **Bartholomew Aldam**: Nephew of Renault. An autodidactic master of wizardry. His arcane aptitude came at the sacrifice of social skills.
* **Derrick Von Schmitten**: A dragonborn guard, risen from ignominy by House Aldam. He has been an attendant of Beatrice since her childhood.
* **Narberal**: The daughter of a long and loyal line of servants to House Aldam. She is calm and pragmatic, keeping herself emotionally detached from most.

# Westhold

## Moirost

### Languages Spoken

* Egronian Common
* Egronian Elven

### Magic Tolerance

2

*As Khaba's Path winds from the Teln Mountains northward toward the far-off ocean, Moirost rises on its eastern banks, a walled city surrounded by verdant farmlands patchworking the rolling hills. Here and there can be seen thickets, remnants of the ancient woods that were leveled in order to build the city. On the settlement's northern side, a crimson tower stands like a tall obelisk, free from seam or line, the red broken only by windows here and there. The farms' fields are fertile and lush, filled with orchards and crops. As one nears the town, the farmhouses become more house than farm, the lots smaller and smaller as they near the shadow of the city wall.*

*The austere walls rise almost thirty feet, spanning Khaba's Path. Inside the walls is where the city blooms, three great bridges cross over the Path, each of them with a portcullis raised high. The remnants of the forest are few in the city, with most of it urbanised. The city's towers, many topped with minarets, scrape at the sky in the more moneyed districts, built of white stone that was once cut from the mountains to the south.*

*It is an orderly city, the threat of harsh punishment deterring most would-be criminals. This stoic order extends to most of its citizens. It is not true to say that the city is without music, but it is a more subtle melody than most.*

### History and Geography

Moirost is Westhold's largest city, located on Khaba's Path. It is the ancestral seat of House Aldam. The city's name finds its origins in the land on which it has sprawled over. Moire Forest has since fallen from memory, recalled only by scholars and musty tomes. As the town grew and the forest shrunk, it became known as Moirest, termed so because sailors along the Path rested there before heading upriver to Merhavre. How it became Moirost is a matter of debate among historians, but the most common theory is that it was due to a transcription error during dictation. The city is House Aldam's ancestral seat and is governed by the House directly.

Moirost is decently defended, but it is far from impregnable. House Aldam relies on its economic ties and the threat of its past revenges to deter attackers. The two educational structures; The Ruby Tower in the town's north, and Bronwood Academy in its south; accept students from outside of Westhold. It's location on the river makes it a convenient stopover for sailors and traders. The Street of Flowers is widely known among those who traverse Khaba's Path, with companions that satisfy any taste.

Being on the border of Egron and the elven lands to the west, there is elvish influence in the design of the city, with lighter colours favoured in its elegant architecture that tend toward woody, earthy browns.

### Inhabitants, Layout & Atmosphere

Humans are the most numerous inhabitants of Moirost, making up approximately 60% of its population, followed by elves; roughly 20%; half-elves; 10%; and 10% other.

The lands about the city are fertile and lend themselves to farming, and the Redcloaks of Moirost protect these farmlands, and the farmers pay a tax in crops in return for this protection.

## Places of Interest

* **Aldam Keep**: Also known as Aldam Manor or Aldam Chateau, this structure overlooks the town. It is an old structure that has been added to over the centuries, though painstaking effort has gone into ensuring that its age appears generally uniform.
* **Bronwood Academy**: Moirost's premier academic institution. It has courses in the literary and musical arts, history and physical sciences. It also has a military side, which trains students under a strict regimen.
* **The Ruby Tower**: House Aldam's sponsored academy of the arcane. The Ruby Tower lies to the north of Moirost, rising over a hundred feet into the air. It is an ancient structure, reputedly dating back to before Moirost was built. The red obelisk seems almost built from a single gigantic rock, and its twenty-something floors contain countless mysteries.
* **The Street of Flowers**: Moirost's nocturnal entertainment district, locally known as the Night-Blooming Street, with thirteen opulent houses of pleasure, each dedicated to a different facet of it.
* **Moirost Catacombs**: Allegedly, these sprawling underground chambers predate the city. Bits of them have been mapped, but no one is certain how far below ground these reach. Oddly enough, the reliability of maps seems to decrease, as if the catacombs are constantly being restructured. The further from entrances into the catacombs one travels, the less likely it is that maps will be accurate. The entrances and shallower areas are under constant watch and guard by Redcloaks. Adventurers and any hoping to test their might or cunning are invited to enter the Catacombs after signing waivers that Moirost and Aldam will be liable to any damages or losses incurred in the exploration of the mysterious subterranean vaults. Recovery of treasure and eradication of threats in these caves is rewarded by House Aldam. Criminals are sometimes sentenced to be thrown into their depths.

### Culture

#### Festivals and Holidays

* *The Feast of Brigine* - A day of celebration in Westhold, heralding the end of spring and celebrating the memory of a druid who brokered peace between the builders of Moirost and the elves to the west. The original meaning of the feast day is forgotten by most, and is seen as an excuse to take to the streets in masks and partake in drunken revelry. Hopeful lovers present leaves of flowers to those who have captured their heart, hoping that these leaves will grow into flowers that bloom into love. This frivolity is sanctioned by House Aldam, who benevolently proclaim the day the following day rest days, rewards for the hard work the people of Westhold. The week prior to the feast sees the price of alcohol rise sharply in the district of Westhold, a vice tax placed on the intoxicating substance. Some cheeky and enterprising merchants from Honeyholde set up along the border, selling their alcohol without Aldam's taxes.

## Merhavre

Merhavre is a port city, smaller than Moirost by several degrees. The city was originally a mere outpost, slowly

## Merhavre

### Languages Spoken

* Egronian Common
* Teln Elven
* Egronian Elven

### Economy

Trade, education, exploration, ship-building.

### Magic Tolerance

1

growing into the thriving city it is today. Its ports are larger than Moirost's, and they house House Aldam's small naval force. The people of Merhavre are superstitious and dislike magic, believing that its use draws the ire of the sea's spirits. The town is governed by the Council of Gulls, named so due to their white robes. The Gulls number eight. Four represent guilds and four represent the people of Merhavre. A ninth member is placed on the Council by House Aldam. Decisions are voted on and, if deemed necessary, presented to House Aldam for approval.

* Merponte Manor
* The Docks
* Khaba's Mouth