Species (Dragonmark)

Tulcanor (Aethrennar)

The royal House of Aethrennar, scions of Corellon, arthly manifestation of their divine will...at least according to House Brescia. The Brescias have ruled since the time of the empires, though demesne has slowly dwindled over the centuries since. They remain a powerful force for all that, and, while many of them pay only nominal attention to the Confederacy, it has buoyed their rule since its founding.

Alchemists, scholars, and wizards, the blackwing shifters of clan Chilko are by far the richest of the shifter clans. Their more settled position has solidified their outsider status among the other clans, but the Chilko pay them little heed. Having achieved Confederacy-wide status as a dragonmarked House, House Chilko has sought alliances across Nerath to secure their place. With enclaves across the north, House Chilko is poised to join the ranks of the wealthiest Houses, shifter or otherwise.

The gnomes of House Duarte carry a well-deserved reputation as spies and masters of covert manipulation. Their machinations have earned them the ire of their overlords in House Brescia, but House Duarte has responded by seeking influence elsewhere in the Confederacy. Devotees of Asmodeus, House Duarte seeks power wherever it can be seized.

Devotees of the goddes Sehanine, the half-elves of House Lysander have a reputation as legendary lovers. Members of House Lysander have been consorts to kings, queens, and many others within the halls of power. Like their patron, House Lysander prefers to operate behind the facade of dilettante and sybarite, while working tirelessly to advance their own agenda. They operate numerous brothels and bordellos in Aethrennar and beyond, both under holy auspices and otherwise.

Though they maintain much of their ancient Turathi faith, House Mardokh considers the sun god Pelor their primary patron. They seek to embody his benevolent radiance, and count healers and exorcists among their number. Still, they know in their hearts they are the children of the gods, and expect the same deference any tiefling noble does.

Winter Court nobles before the shadar-kai's self-enforced exile, House Narkul was the first of their race to return, reclaiming their station among the fey nobles who served Bael Turath. They are closest to their elduar heritage, often exhibiting greater capabilities of teleportation while retaining their hard-won mastery over shadow. Even their eladrin allies give them a wide berth, leaving their once-absent brethren at arm's length.

The razorclaw shifters of clan Pesha are perhaps the most integrated of the shifter clans, having been courtiers among the Aethrennari for centuries. While Aethrennar has treated them as a dragonmarked House since before the Confederacy, the shifter Houses have only been recognized as such across Nerath in the last decade and a half. Fascinating and deadly, House Pesha has made a splash in larger Nerathi society, helping them secure alliances beyond Aethrennar for the first time.

Entertainers, orators, and captivating performers, the gnomes of house Rochon have produced some of the greatest bards in the history of Nerath.The house routinely funnels money into performing arts, and its members are virtuosos in many fields, from music to drama to poetry. Once a year, House Rochon sponsors a three-day celebration known as the "Festival of Images", during which the entire city square becomes a magically decorated amphitheater for epic performances and lavish productions.

House Argentin has a well-earned reputation as the foremost mithril craftsmen in the world, their handiwork desired across Nerath and beyond. Silver mines dot their ancestral holding, giving the realm its name. House Argentin has always been wealthy, and takes great pride in having defeated all who have yet tried to take their prosperity for their own.

Heirs to Arkhosia as much as any dragonborn or human House, House Bassal traces its lineage back to the founding of the empire. They are deeply conservative, hewing to tradition, but they have dedicated themselves to Nerath every bit as much as to the dragon lords of old. Their extensive farmlands help feed most of northern and western Nerath.

As tough and rugged as their homeland, the dwarven marcher lords of House Gneissen have held out against demons, pirates, and raiders for centuries. Their mountain- and hillside fastnesses are considered effectively impregnable, and their expertise in defensive design is valued all over the Confederacy. They have significant reservations about the overtures to bring their age-old enemies into Nerath, but they also recognize the contributions of the northern goblinoid tribes during the Fomorian War.

Insular and wary, the dwarven House Mafis has a well-earned reputation for stubborness and rancor. Nonetheless, they are loyal members of the Grimfar Assembly, pledging loyalty as part of it since the fall of Arkhosia. They are longstanding devotees of Tiamat, and run a number of banks (and less reputable lending institutions) throughout Nerath.

Stewards of the ruins of old Arkhosia, House Odanet have a proud heritage of wise and skilled druids. Valuable among the agricultural powerhouse of Grimfarr, House Odanet's scions have found positions across the Confederacy as advisors and healers. They have significanty ties in Nachtur, helping to heal the blighted land of the formerly demon-haunted city.

Halfling (Hospitality)

Despite their rugged border holdings, the halflings of House Orsino have a reputation as notorious gourmets and gourmands. They consider food to be one of the greatest joys in life, and go to great lengths to savor the many wonderful tastes and scents that life in Nerath offers, elevating their cooking to the level of fine art in the process. Their family vineyards are legendary among oenophiles. They have a widespread reputation for excessive emotion, and are patrons of the arts across Nerath.

Dragonborn (Genesis)

Dragonborn (Genesis)

Often considered the 'soul of Highmark,' House Aethelin has significant presence in most of the city's temples, particularly those of Erathis and Bahamut. These dragonborn have continually supported the central authority of Nerath, but fought tirelessly to end the Psionic War. They are only slowly regaining their connections with the more militant houses, though much progress was made as House Aethelin clerics and paladins fought selflessly in the Fomorian War.

The human nobles of House Doumens were one of the founding influences in the formation of the Nerathi Confederacy, calling for the unification of the warring states. Even those who do not bear the dragonmark of Naming are famed for their mastery of true name magic. They have varied mercantile interests, but their most famous is their lines of perfumes, teas, and other herbal tinctures that many Nerathi swear by.

The human nobles of House Factore control a majority of the manufacturing in Highmark, either directly or indirectly. Richest during the Psionic War, the House has suffered setbacks recently as its workers in the lower class districts, particularly goblinoids and warforged, have demanded better pay and working conditions. The House is a staunch supporter of the Nerathi government and maintains a lucrative contract with the Adventurer's Guild.

Halfling (Hospitality)

Renowned warriors in their day, the halflings of House Falstaff settled on border lands granted by House Aethelin near the end of the Warring States period. The storied mercenaries became itinerant merchants, a widespread halfling clan with contacts throughout much of Nerath. Though they have settled, they continue their mercantile (and occasionally mercenary) traditions, organizing trade caravans from their adopted home in the central city of Highmark. While most dismiss them as mere traders, House Falstaff knows that, particularly in Highmark, money buys influence.

One of the Houses with the least public face, the human nobles of House Jireh instead prefer to cultivate less obvious means of influence. They branched off from House Doumens at the founding of the Conderacy, the culmination of centuries of dynastic struggle. Their dragonmarks of Naming often allow them to heighten their own and other's talents, aiding the House particularly in martial and clandestine pursuits.

Nicknamed 'the short estate,' the gnomes of House Kircher founded the first popular presses in Highmark, allowing news to more efficiently disseminate to the masses. They've been both lauded and villified for this, but the broadsheets of House Kircher are a major source of information among many Nerathi. This situation has provided them with considerable unofficial influence, something which troubles much of the other Houses.

Perhaps the quintessential Sentinel House, the human nobles of House Machel operate as the right arm of the Nerathi Council. They have operations throughout the eleven cities, striving to protect the populace and enforce governmental decrees. As tensions rise across Arth, they have recently begun the task of consolidating intelligence operations across the Sentinel Houses and the Confederacy as a whole.

Fierce warriors and wielders of powerful elemental magics, the tiefling nobles of House Maranue descend from generals of ancient Bael Turath. They've carved out a niche for themselves among the armies of Highmark, gaining more political clout during the Ahkasic Wars. In peacetime, they operate as mercenaries, though they invested their spoils during the war and have begun conducting extensive mercantile activity.

Descended from the original inhabitants of Highmark, House Scrye has long held a reputation for magical and scientific innovation. They were responsible for the creation of the soul forges which made production of the warforged possible during the Ahkasic Wars, something with which the House still wrestles. In the waning years of the last century, House Scrye has pivoted to more peacetime pursuits. Their relationship with the construct god Roscoe is complicated, but largely amiable, and the House is beginning to offer more opportunities to its creations.

Once one of the youngest of the dragonmarked Houses, and still the youngest of the eladrin Houses, House Varades came to Highmark as the eladrin ambassadorial delegation following Aethrennar's joining the Nerathi Alliance. Shortly after the fall of Nachtur, when the Nerathi Confederacy was formalized, Eilatis Varades petitioned the Nerathi government for dragonmarked House status. When the Nerathi Council granted it, the court of Aethrennar was forced to accede, though they revoked Varades' ambassador status, claiming she no longer represented Aethrennari interests. In the modern day, House Varades continues to advocate for broader elduar participation in the Nerathi government, to middling success.

Dragonborn (Genesis)

House Fraener upholds a long legacy of warlords, historical scholars and tacticians in their home city of Issenvik. They boast many important and influential ancestors, from statesmen to warriors to advisors. The family keeps a historical library and archive at its main estate that features tactical treatises, war histories, journals, and political manuals written by numerous clan ancestors. The library is considered by the family to be almost a living thing, routinely added to and expounded upon by each generation.

Steadfast marcher lords, House Himrall holds the southern border of Issenvik. They have a long-standing feud with House Jormun that has cooled over the years into (mostly) friendly rivalry. Like the other Sentinel Houses, Himrall devotes significant resources to guarding the entirety of Nerath, from within and without.

Dragonborn (Genesis)

Once pirates of the Storm Sea, House Jormun long ago allied with Issenvik and settled along its southern border. They are known in the modern day as a hearty and hard working family with a talent for navigation and salt water for blood. Their vast fishing and crabbing fleets provide food for many of Issenvik's inhabitants.

Shamans and rune-carvers, House Munaan have been respected will-workers for centuries. They have worked closely with House Himrall since ancient times, and provides magical assistance to the Sentinel Houses to this day.

Descended from raiders and pirates of the Storm Sea, House Nhalloth nonetheless possesses a deep appreciation for their people's history. They were once nobility of Thantopolis, cast out amidst political strife during the Imperial period. Driven to greatness, they have produced some of the greatest champions and darkest villains Nerath has seen.

The sole svirfneblin House, Agrawal were among those who helped orchestrate the fomorian king Thrumbolg's downfall. Free for the first time in centuries, and newly ennobled, the surface is truly a new world of opportunity for House Agrawal.

Druids and wardens, the drow of House B'shett held the memories of the surface world dear to heart, tending the natural environs of their Underdark home. They have taken well to the surface world, bringing esoteric knowledge and seeking out even more as they approach their surface counterparts.

Warrior House formed from the remnants of Mag Tureah's surviving military commanders. They have a complicated relationship with the rest of Nerath, in that many of them led troops against Nerathi during the Fomorian War, but they were also instrumental in overthrowing their overlords and securing an end to the conflict.

An artisan House made up of the former servants of the fomorians. Those who became House Brontes had the least freedom and the roughest existence of the cyclops Houses prior to their rebellion, and enjoy the best relations with Nerathi outside of Turean lands.

The seer House of the cyclopes, House Graeae were previously pampered pets and attendants to their fomorian lords. They became skilled at telling the fomorians what they wanted to hear rather than what the Graeae saw, and worked tirelessly to bring an end to fomorian rule. They are little known in broader Nerath, and are reticent to allow too much of a view through their mystique.

Formerly assassins and bodyguards, House Kyone gladly turned upon their fomorian masters when the time came. Regarded with intense suspicion on the surface world, they are equally feared by their fellow Mag Tureans. Though they enjoy the security such a fierce reputation garners, House Kyone is working at genuine diplomacy with the rest of Nerath.

Warriors and diplomats both, the elomeni of House Aelindar have been both shield and peacemaker for centuries, situated at the crossroads of four of the Warring Kingdoms. Former vassals to Vanilorra, they sought a more neutral calling in swearing to Ioun during the founding of the Confederacy. It is a testament to their prowess they've managed to keep amiable relations in the centuries since.

Brought into Nerath by Ioun, the tieflings of House Allatu are more closely descended from the remnants of Bael Turath than any other. Equally adept at binding and banishing demons, House Allatu devotes a significant portion of its strength to containing the still very dangerous hordes that haunt the Shattered Isles.

The tieflings who would become House Bellia were once considered pariahs among the Turathi diaspora, vehemently rejecting Asmodeus. When Ioun and Mythragal came to Nerath, the outcasts pledged themselves to the newfound divinity and were granted House status once more. They remain dedicated to Ioun and over the years have managed to repair their relationships with the rest of the Rathinori, for the most part.

An offshoot of House Argentin and remnants of the old House Huginn, House Daschet holds the foremost practitioners of supernal magic in modern Nerath. They are fiercely loyal to Ioun, eschewing most other deities in common practice. Never numerous, they have for the most part paired their scions with patrician Houses rather than deal with the possible complexities of inter-House matches.

An ancient lineage, House Drago were once among the most revered dragon hunters in Nerath. Their fortress, Gorynych, sits upon the lair of a great dragon, sometimes rumored to be the last great wyrm slain on the continent. Upon the arrival of Ioun and Mythragal, they swore fealty to the goddess of knowledge, and shared with her a great secret: caches of dragon eggs had been secreted across Nerath towards the end of the Arkhosian Empire. While generations of Drago had sought these repositories to destroy them, latter day House Drago seeks to return the dragons to the continent once more.

Master artificers, House Hestion has served Ioun faithfully since the founding of the Confederacy. During the Ahkasic Wars, they became known for bespoke, specialized warforged and warforged components. With peace restored they have returned to manufacturing other magical goods, particularly high quality implements and weaponry.

Dragonborn (Genesis)

The last true bastion of the legions of old Arkhosia, the dragonborn House Nagendra are renowned for their potent battle sorcerers and fierce marines. From their fortress island holding of Hara, Nagendra ships ply and patrol the Damned Sea, wary of giants and demons. They have a more symbiotic relationship with Mythragal than many of the magical city's vassals; Mythragal is as likely to supply Hara as the other way around.

House Uthyr are overwhelmingly devotees to their patron, Ioun, and most of the family has spent some time either in her priesthood or the Seekers of the One Source. They have a particular focus on containing dangerous magic, whether that be its wielders or artifacts and relics.

Goblin (Communion)

Bugbear (Inspiration)

Goblin (Communion)

Hobgoblin (Prophecy)

Hobgoblin (Prophecy)

Taking their name from the historical prophet, House Korivar represents the promise of a renewed Nachtur to all goblinoid peoples. While ostensibly a hobgoblin house, many of Korivar's vassals are goblin or bugbear; the house even boasts human, halfling, and other species among its sworn subjects. Korivar likewise has the best relations with the rest of Nerath of the new Nachturan Houses, though the current leadership does its best to use such alliances for the good of all.

Bugbear (Inspiration)

Goblin (Communion)

Hobgoblin (Prophecy)

Bugbear (Inspiration)

Newly reinstated to nobility, House Wengal is led by Wengal Hruggek, a (mostly) former crime boss beloved by his people and feared by his enemies. House Wengal has maintained significant ties with and holdings in Highmark, where many of them lived before the retaking of Nachtur. Now, they have been instrumental in rebuilding the ancestral city, making not a small profit with such service.

House Briganti is something of a fiction: It is a conglomeration of members of all the Making Houses (and many patrician Making lineages) who flocked to Roscoe's banner in the wake of Shom's reappearance on Arth. As such, many of its scions retain significant ties to their previous Houses, but just as many see the value and opportunity provided by the creation of this new House.

While they still retain much of their connection to Aethrennar, the dreamsight shifters of the newly-made House Buha have sworn allegiance to Roscoe and Shom. They are eager to see and shape what advances come out of the rediscovered city, and are dedicated to Roscoe's utopic vision.

Praised as visionaries and derided as fanatics, House Caelus claims to have foreseen the coming of Shom and the aptheosis of Roscoe. Previously a minor branch of House Daschet, House Caelus has welcomed the odd and outcast from other Naming Houses across Nerath, much as Shom is a haven for all. They hold Ioun, Rocoe, and the Raven Queen in particular regard; and seek to use the weave of Fate to identify other destined individuals.

Kobold (Symbiosis)

The only kobold dragonmarked clan to currently be granted the level of Great House. They have settled and maintain the lands around Shom; this has caused some ongoing conflict with the human and elduar inhabitants.

Still closely allied with House Uthyr, from which they recently split when granted lands sworn to Shom, the Sentinel House Morgant have already garnered a reputation for fielding weapons at the forefront of military technology. While not particularly hawkish, some members have been hoping for a chance to prove their mettle.

House Camellia was formed during the Warring States period when a group of elven healers sought out knowledge from the deathless nobles of Thantopolis. While somewhat unusual among Thantopolitans, House Camellia has made itself invaluable to the Eternal City. They are currently led by the head of a side branch of the family, Curiate Mikethelas Amathalis Camellia.

House Cziernos has a proud naval tradition, protecting the northern territory of Thantopolis and policing the Storm Sea. They have a reputation for efficient and steadfast service to the state, both Thantopolis and the Confederacy, with a preference for frontline battle rather than politics or intrigue.

Known as the "problem solvers" of Thantopolis, House Krinth is the house to talk to when a dirty job needs doing. Although they officially deny it, the main businesses of House Krinth include assassination, thievery, graverobbing, and espionage work. Members of the house are discrete, professional, and above all reliable, many being highly skilled thieves and assassins. Although other houses find them unsavory at times, House Krinth has more than enough money and friends in high places to ensure that they stay in business.

The staunchly religious House Palatine seems an odd fit for the performatively secular Thantopolitan culture, but the House has steadfastly protected the city of the dead since the fall of Arkhosia. Descended from a lost legion of the old Empire, House Palatine was given refuge in Thantopolis. They remain a strongly militarist House, producing particularly gifted godsworn warriors.

Once the wealthiest and most powerful house in Thantopolis, House Zorika fell on hard times after its resources were all but wiped out during the Thantopolitan Uprising. Now merely a shadow of their former selves, House Zorika wields hardly any real influence in city politics, mostly trading on what little respect is still grudgingly offered by the other houses. In the last decade a group of younger members of House Zorika have banded together to try to restore some of their clan's former glory through aggressively expanding their holdings in key businesses traditionally dominated by other houses, including alchemy and construction. So far the other houses have been less than thrilled with the initiative of this new generation.

While Vanilorra and the Horma Ilfirin (the Immortal Host, the poetic term for Vanilorran elven society) recognize no monarch, House Amarantha is indisputably the head of Vanilorran society. They are famously conservative, preferring to take a long view of all conflicts. While they put forth the image of impassive patience, they expend significant resources keeping up their military readiness.

The ancient elomeni House Barsaris shares blood with the Amarantha Hossetur line; they have been loyal vassals since the Perya (when the elves split from Aethrennar). Bararis has mercantile interests all the way into Moro, and maintains good relationships with their Yondon neighbors.

Equal parts enduring and obstinate, House Callais prides itself on its service to the Hossetur. Within the last few decades, a branch in Highmark has dragged the House kicking and screaming into greater prominence within Nerath as a whole. Whether said branch remains part of the greater whole remains to be seen.

Newly granted House status across the Confederacy, the longtooth shifters of Clan Ferka have been close allies of House Amarantha and the Horma Ilfirin (the Immortal Host, the poetic term for Vanilorran elven society) for centuries. They are celebrated warriors and hunters, held in great esteem by their elven overlords. House Ferka has entered into larger Nerathi society with the same dogged determination with which they have faced every challenge.

Marcher lords of Vanilorra's long-contested western border, the gnomish House Fresnel has an ancient warrior tradition unusual among their people. Their Quiraseanen beacon system warned of many dangers in times past, and remains the heraldric symbol of the House. They are renowned guerilla fighters, and were accorded significant honors in the Ahkasic Wars.

House Asphodel is considered part of Yondon, and sits on the Elder Council, but still maintains ties to Vanilorra and House Amarantha. They are known for an unusual interest in the Shadowfell and the spectral dead.

Halfling (Hospitality)

Although the official headquarters of House Minola is still located in Yondon, members of the house can be found in every major settlement in Nerath. With social and financial interests as varied as its members, House Minola casts its net of influence wide where other houses cast theirs deep. Shipping interests in Issenvik, alchemical refineries in Mythragal, and rock quarries in Thantopolis are among the many pies that House members have their fingers in.

Halfling (Hospitality)

House Montagu is the very model of a Yondon noble House, ranging far afield over their territory and often keeping only a small portion of the House in Yondon itself. They are often considered the rulers of Yondon, but much prefer to be the first among equals. That they have maintained this station for centuries demonstrates their wisdom, diplomacy, and martial prowess in one.

Descended from a legion of old Arkhosia lost in the Change, what would become House Nabari was welcomed in Yondon centuries ago. They have dedicated themselves to protecting Yondon and its people, and have a well-deserved reputation as demon-hunters and skilled mercenaries.

The madtusk shifter clan Nicu has a longstanding alliance with the halflings of Yondon, fighting in many wars following the fall of Bael Turath. While Yondon has always accorded them status equal to the other dragonmarked races, they have only officially been recognized as a House across the Confederacy in the last decade. Though they have a not undeserved reputation as wild fighters, House Nicu are also curious masters of agriculture in the Changing lands.

Halfling (Hospitality)

Historically known for their grand sorcerers, in modern times House Prospero derives much of its power from its significant banking interests. The House bankrolls caravans and expeditions throughout the Confederacy and beyond, though some in Yondon feel they have become too 'civilized'.

Founded and still ruled by the cursed, spurned lover of the Aethrennari Queen Alcarinel, House Roanne sits upon the border of Yondon and Aethrennar both physically and culturally. They are known to ply the old trods of the Feywild, able to bypass dangers traditional methods cannot. They are the only eladrin House with amicable ties to the elven Houses of Vanilorra.

Bon-vivants of the highest order, the members of House Roslyn are known for two things: extravagance and style. With extensive trading ties across Morro and southern Nerath, they have secured their place as one of the wealthiest houses in Yondon. House Roslyn takes every opportunity to flaunt its fortune with oppulent galas and lavish soirees where no expense is spared and no desire is left unsated. While other houses may look on them as witless hedonists or grubby merchants, House Roslyn pays little heed to those who talk behind their backs, content in the knowledge that those who do will never be invited to the best parties in Nerath.

Descendants of a Thantopolitan colony founded during the Warring States period, House Triglav adapted to the environment and integrated with the local culture, combining older Thantopolitan practice with shamanic traditions.