Much talk of a GoT style game not much detail on the houses like who is beholden to whom as such DM_aka_Dudemeister, GM_Solspiral, and Redcelt32 inspired most of this write up (hope it doesn't disappoint)
Some of this is copied from offical sources and rewritten to make better sense with the game I'm running as none of my players are on this message boards it should be safe enough to post
The following is GM notes not the player safe version posted on my game boards for the players to familiarize themselves with the houses and history of the land
House Rogarvia
With Sword and Flame
The House of Chorol the Conqueror, House Rogarvia united the lands of Issia and Rostland into one nation, and ruled the newly named Kingdom of Brevoy for two centuries, until every single member of the family simultaneously disappeared twelve years ago. No one knows what happened to the Rogarvias, but it has become ultimately clear that at least for the time being, they are not returning.
Heraldry: A Two headed Red Dragon, one holding a sword and one breathing fire against a quartered field of White and Gold.
House Rogarvia
House Rogarvia is hardly a noble house at all now. Since the disappearance of all of its members (or at least all of those who can trace a blood connection back to Choral the Conqueror) there power has been lost.
People: Urzen Rogarvia was the last undisputed king of Brevoy – up until his (and all his blood relatives’) disappearance ten years ago.
History: Since Choral’s final victory in the Valley of Fire, until the recent mysterious disappearance, House Rogarvia ruled Brevoy. The house built the Ruby Fortress in the city of New Stetven as its stronghold, and Urzen Rogarvia sat on the Dragonscale Throne up until 4699, when the entire family vanished overnight. The Rogarvias were well known as ruthless rulers, determined to hold Brevoy together in the Conqueror’s name by whatever means necessary. Still, while their loss was not overly mourned, the stability they represented has been. Loyalists have continued to call for investigation into the Vanishing and make much of the fact that their rule lasted precisely 200 years, but it has become increasingly clear that House Rogarvia will not return soon, if ever.
Now: There is just the rump of adopted ‘family’ members left and without the leadership of their ‘king’ they are struggling. These are mainly minor lords in New Stetven, or on the southern edges of the Gonzi Forest – the largest single group is House Shu'mier of the Stetven River.
Colonies: House Shu'mier has an interest in Fort Drelev.
Many say that a true Rogarvia heir exists somewhere, however everyone has a different story. There are at least two people claim to be illegitimate descendents of King Urzen, while others say that the heir is locked inside Starwatch waiting for the right time to return. Still others say that Duma the Sly, from the Gronzi forest, is the only legitimate heir.
Skywatch
Small City: pop 6,590
SEALED
Skywatch is an ancient site - believed to have been used for studying the sky and the stars. In the past it has been a stronghold for House Surtova, but it became a stronghold for the Aldori Swordlords. Eventually they were burnt out and a new city built as a stronghold for House Rogarvia. However of the day of 'The Vanishing' the city sealed its gates and there has been no communication with it since.
Sealed its gates, can be considered a bit of an understatement, - people have tried flying in, tunnelling in, planar travel and all sorts. Even sending fetch's and scrying spells. All have failed miserably.
New Stetven
Metropolis: Pop 32,850
New Stetven is a bustling trade city. Grain, fish, timber, and ore flow from Brevoy through New Stetven and out to the rest of the north. The food from Brevoy sustains much of the River Kingdoms, Numeria, and Mendev, where constant bandit raids and invading demonic armies make farming difficult, and most of that food passes through New Stetven. In return, exotic goods from all corners of Avistan (and beyond) flow back up the Sellen River to New Stetven. However, with the East Sellen closed south of the slough, trade is slow at the moment - and business needs to go north through Port Ice.
New Stetven earned the nickname “The City of Wooden Palaces” for the abundant use of timber to build everything from walls and houses to mansions and forts. The only great stone structures of the city are the
Ruby Fortress, the seat of power to the crown of Brevoy, and the Bulwark of Gorum, Brevoy’s greatest temple to the Lord of Iron.
Notable members: None
Sworn Houses:
Major Houses:
House Shu'mier
Motto: Dawns Good Light
Ranking: Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands: The Stetven River and 100 miles south this recent conflict with the now defunct House Wynter has led to the expansion of their lands.
Jokin Shu'mier
Kerenski
Motto:
Ranking: Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
House Bath-Rani
Motto:
Ranking: Major sworn to Rogavira
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands: North of lake Reykal south if the Gronzi forrest
Lady Nicola Bath-Rani, In truth is a conspirator extraordinaire, a perfectionist whose plans are laid years in advance, who considers every eventuality to block every possibility for failure. She excels in setting her enemies against each other while remaining above the fray, spinning conflicts between others into opportunities for House Bath-Rani to carry out public acts of largesse. She is utterly without morals, but hungers for and glories in public love and broad acclaim. She is essentially a psychopath whose glittering madness is predicated upon ensuring that her family’s good name is never sullied.
Nicola Bath-Rani has two children who survived childhood, Tanner*. Tanner and his wife Lidia were killed while rescuing people from a burning home, leaving their young son, Adric, to be raised by his grandmother. In truth, Lidia had discovered just a few of Nicola’s secrets and confronted her abut them, leaving her no choice but to have her killed, the fact that the Squire was there and was proclaimed as Tanner disheartened her however this hasn't stopped her from plotting . As always, the “tragedy” was engineered to reflect glory onto House Bath-Rani.
*This is Loydd "Tanner" Risbin he has escaped his mothers wrath and seeks to establish a power base far from her field of influence Lidia was killed in the fire and his squire. Tanner is still uncertain what game his mother is playing at with the implication as he is certain she knows he is alive.
The other is a Daughter by Lady Calia Bath-Rani she is in the process of considering whom to marry her off to as King Nicolai Sourveta seems uninterested and Nicola is convenced that the sitting Queen would have her Daughter murdered the second she made serious overtures she is looking to Jokin Shu'mier of House Shu'mier. While Lady Calia has plans of her own a schemer on par with her mother she also knows her dear brother is alive
Minor Houses:
Manning
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Baron Manning was the strongest minor Baron and vying to be made Duke. He was instrumental in granting the charter to the party to settle the Stolen Lands. He currently resides in a coma after an assassination attempt, and has been usurped by his younger brother, Darren
Reyne
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Brunwald
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Westerling
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Karamazov
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Poole
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Valyrion-Aelyrion
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
Dimitri
Motto:
Ranking: Minor sworn to
Heraldry:
Expertise:
Castle:
Lands:
many members of this house vanished devastating their power base and leaving their lands open
a magical artifact. This stone statue in the shape of a cat makes people genuinely happy when they tell secrets near it. it keeps locals returning week after week to unwittingly feed what they know into the pipeline of espionage.
Rogarvia
Houses in Rogarvia are Manning, Reyne, Brunwald, Westerling, Poole, Valyrion and Aelyrion. Manning and Reyne are major houses, Brunwald and Westerling are medium size houses, and the rest are very small.
Since he is out of the picture House Reyne is now the leading contender. allowing Lord Reyne to be named Duke of Rogarvia, spelling the end of House Manning, and likely the death of the Baron and his family.
