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If these are the names, then is that bit about Baron Aldori demanding all swordlords take his name upon joining the swordpact false? I thought when you became a Swordlord you changed your last name to Aldori as a metaphorical severing of ties to your past and declaring your loyalty only to your brothers in the swordpact.
At least for simplicities sake I've treated the name as a third name. So John Smith becomes John Smith Aldori. Some Aldori do indeed drop their family names and some drop their given names as well. It's as much an honorific as a name.
In the River Kingdoms campaign book, Mivon (which gives the name of 2 Aldori) is populated by expatriate Aldori families. They feud and duel each other and in many ways function like nobles in any other country. Title is not hereditary among the Aldori however, you have to prove your skill to earn the name. Yet for the families to hold fortified keeps and command household garrisons ( Mivons only standing Military) ownership or leadership of the family must be passed on in some form, and running an estate requires more than just skill at arms. I imagine that all true Aldori would bear the name but in a city which has hundreds of them, surnames are still important methods of distinguishing between John Smith Aldori and John Jones Aldori. Only the most feared or respected could be instantly recognized as John Aldori.
As For Restov, I can only recall Jamandi being officially named as Aldori. Mayor Joseph Sellimius is not given the name so it is surmised that he is not a Swordlord.
I used the term Sword Lord to separate a 1st ed fighter of 9th level...who got the title of Lord...every level of pert near every class in 1st ed gets a spiffy new title on leveling up!, from the rank and file of lesser nobles...
My players quickly caught on that "Lord Percy" in lace and velvet was probably not up to tackling that pack of ogres down the valley, and may not even be a fighter.
I read the title "Known Swordlords" and had quite the opposite idea...Y'all are talking the Aldori families...My Bad!
Actually in my home game it's much the same. There are alot of Aldori scattered across the Northern River Kingdoms but there are only a few "Swordlords". While an outsider from Varisia or Andor might refer to any Aldori as a swordlord the natives would know the distinction. Swordlords are "name level" Aldori.
