The Great and Lesser Houses


*** IMPORTANT NOTE:
    Unlike other Advantages, Pedigree: Great House (3 Pts)
    and Pedigree: Lesser House (1 Pt) are ONLY available to
    your character if it was initially built on a maximum
    of 5 Advantage Points.  This is done for the sake of
    continuity:  the rulers of Kasuria are not super-furres.
    Also, you may NOT buy this Advantage with Advancement
    Points later.
***

THE GREAT HOUSES OF KASURIA:
        Ayoubis      Giovarri     Pala
        Balsamud     Haala        Risharrd
        Carthamine   Kavillaur    Sabine
        Desdicara    Moon         Yasmeen
  
   The twelve Great Houses are all between three and six
   centuries old.  Rules of inheritance are strict, and a child
   must be born in wedlock to take the family name.  Magical
   ability is said to run strongest in the veins of the Great
   Houses, who often arrange marriages to members of other Great
   Houses for this reason.
    
   The Great Houses are responsible for the "external" affairs
   of a land, such as sending merchant-diplomats to encourage
   shipping from other counties, and the capitol's defenses.  The
   King may call for each Great House to contribute troops to
   Malgrave's Garrison, and ships and sailors to the Royal 
   Kasurian Navy.  In return, the King's forces keep the peace
   and coordinate trade throughout all Kasuria, and protect her
   from invasion from other countries.

THE LESSER HOUSES OF KASURIA
        Akaba        Keung      Mundi
        Broderick    Kithain    Paolo
        Glissamord   Kosani     Shalimar
        Kelmothand   McDagger   Sherazi
  
   The Lesser Houses are the allies of the Great Houses.  Unlike
   the Great Houses, they don't have any Countships, and they
   have considerably less influence and wealth.
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A LIST OF GREATER HOUSES

Risharrd     
  Ruler:  Countess Anne ti'Risharrd K'Desdemond Am'Lorren
  Heraldic device: Left half of field white, right half of 
    field red, with a light blue raptor standing in the middle,
    facing to the left.
  Makeup: Small slender Mustelines; dates back to the Kingdom
    of Tellish.
  Allied to: House Glissamord.

Kavillaur    
  Ruler:  Countess Kesondra ti'Kavillaur K'Malcom 
    Am'Conrad Ix'Am'Sarn
  Heraldic device: A field of gray, with a thick palm tree 
    flanked by a white glove on the left and a black glove on
    the right.  
  Makeup: Heavyset Mustelines; dates back to the Kingdom of Tellish. 
  Allied to House Kelmothand.

Carthamine   
   Rulers:  Countess Gladtail ti'Carthamine K'Symbidia Am'Jake
            Count Dragar ti'Carthamine K'Aldric Am'Leejah  
   Heraldic device: Field blue, with  three horizontal yellow 
     stripes evenly spaced.
   Makeup: Lupine/Vulpine (Wolves and Foxes).
   Allied to: House Broderick.

Desdicara
    Ruler:  Count Harrystile ti'Desdicara K'Rovarri Ix'Am'Tanya
    Heraldic device: Field dark blue, with a circle of white,
      and a dark gold eagle with outstretched wings in the circle.
    Makeup: Dogs and some Lupines.
    Allied to: House McDagger.

Giovarri
    Rulers:  Count Niccolo ti'Giovarri K'Montakerri (Mt. A'Kerry)
             Countess Reffa ti'Giovarri K'Kosh Ix'Am'Kronin
    Heraldic device: Field yellow with a dark red wedge coming
      from the top; a white wolf pawprint on the lower half.
    Makeup: Dominated by Wolves.  The most prestigious Canine 
      clan.
    Allied to: House Keung.

Pala
    Ruler:  Countess Velamay ti'Pala K'Ralston Am'Londorric
    Heraldic device: Field white, with four fat blue teardrops,
      their points radiating out from a central point to the
      diagonal corners.
    Makeup: Rodents, mostly Rats.
    Allied to: House Akaba.

Moon
    Rulers:  Count Dax ti'Moon K'Challis Am'Laylah Am'Ardra
               Ix'Am'Corrinthia Ix'Am'Peaches
             Countess Felicity ti'Moon K'Sormegar Am'Freddy
    Heraldic device: Field black; three yellow crescent moons
      point-up in a vertical line, the one at the top larger and 
      the one at the bottom smaller.
    Makeup: Smaller Felines.
    Allied to: House Shalimar.

Sabine
    Rulers:  Count Solomon ti'Sabine K'Sontray Ix'Am'Zendra
             Countess Sethla ti'Sabine K'Lithe Na'Kalthyr
    Heraldic device: Field blue; a white cross.      
    Makeup:  Felines; originally from P'ree in Frrance. 
    Allied to House Kosani.

Haala
    Rulers:  Count Bloodclaw ti'Haala K'Harfang Am'Lessa Am'Dori
             Count Gemini ti'Haala K'Spreekle Am'Jordan Am'Sheila
    Heraldic device: Field dark brown, with a golden sunburst
      in the center over a thin horizontal white line.
    Makeup: Lions; ancestors from the Aegyptian Lands.
    Allied to: House Paolo.

Ayoubis
    Ruler:  Count Emirava ti'Ayoubis K'Tranzish Am'Sunmare Am'Dara
    Heraldic device: Field dark green, a white tent, like a circus
      tent, with a triangular black open doorway.
    Makeup: Horses; pride themselves on being "purebreed", and
      do not permit members of other races to even enter their
      private quarters.
    Allied to: House Sherazi.

Balsamud
    Rulers:  Count Fenwyr ti'Balsamud K'Glasny Am'Lin Ix'Am'Korrin
             Count Laslyn ti'Balsamud K'Hurpha
    Heraldic device: Field dark red, with a silvery lamp (like a
      genie lamp) at the top center.
    Makeup: large Felines; reputation for scholarliness.
    Allied to: House Mundi.

Yasmeen
    Rulers:  Count Alnor ti'Yasmeen K'Darvin Am'Dor Ix'Am'Dianna
             Countess Yazeel ti'Yasmeen K'Raideth Am'Stephano
    Makeup:  Equines; famed for their opulent quarters.
    Heraldic device: Field rich purple, with five gold balls in a
      diagonal line from upper right to lower left.
    Allied to House Kithain.

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A LIST OF LESSER HOUSES

Kithain
    Makeup: Felines; descended from sea raiders.
    Allied to: House Yasmeen.

Keung
    Makeup:  Tigers; trace their lineage to exiled Taigorian
      warlord Jiyarr Keung.
    Allied to: House Giovarri.
    Allisia

Akaba
    Makeup: Equine; descended from Kohazzi nomads.
    Allied to: House Pala.

Sherazi
    Makeup: Equine; descended from the famous Stallion Malponi
      Sherazi.
    Allied to: House Ayoubis.

Shalimar
    Makeup: Entertainer Mustelines; dates back to the Kingdom
      of Tellish.
    Allied to: House Moon.

Kelmothand
    Makeup: Semi-aquatic Mustelines; dates back to the Kingdom
      of Tellish.
    Allied to: House Kavillaur.

Glissamord
    Makeup: Black Ferrets.  Trace their ancestry to the Tellish
      Prince Svultan K'Glissamord, called `Golden Eyes'.
    Allied to: House Risharrd.

Broderick
    Makeup: Canines.
    Allied to: House Carthamine.
    Richter

Mundi
    Makeup: Canines.
    Allied to: House Balsamud.

McDagger
    Makeup: Rodents, with relatives in Clan McDagger from Eriu.
    Allied to: House Desdicara.

Kosani
    Makeup: Rodents, mostly Mice; famous as a banking family.
    Allied to: House Sabine.

Paolo
    Makeup: Oddly enough, a family of Cats and Mice.
    Allied to: House Haala.

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TRADITIONAL HOUSE ALLIANCES

  These are the traditional alliances of Great and Lesser Houses.
  Most of them began as arrangements between the
  old-blood/old-money of the Great Houses and the military or
  merchanting prowess of the Lessers.

        GREAT HOUSES          LESSER HOUSES
        Ayoubis (Equine)......Sherazi (Equine)
        Balsamud (Feline).....Mundi  (Canine)
        Carthamine (Canine)...Broderick (Canine)
        Desdicara (Canine)....McDagger (Rodent)
        Giovarri (Canine).....Keung (Feline)
        Haala (Feline)........Paolo (Feline/Rodent)
        Kavillaur (Musteline).Kelmothand (Musteline)
        Moon (Feline).........Shalimar (Musteline)
        Pala (Rodent).........Akaba (Equine)
        Risharrd (Musteline)..Glissamord (Musteline)
        Yasmeen (Equine)......Kithain (Feline)
        Sabine (Feline).......Kosani (Rodent)


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MALGRAVE AND THE COUNTIES OF KASURIA
Malgrave the Capital
     RULED BY King Constantine the XII
       ti'Haala Am'Dillandra Am'Phaedria Am'Cilosia Am'Buttercup
       Rightful Ruler of all Kasuria,

COUNTY   (CAPITAL CITY)  RULED BY
Lithe    (Port Payne)    House Sabine
Kosh     (Kreegor)       House Giovarri
Hurpha   (Freemarket)    House Balsamud
Spreekle (Alkus)         House Haala
Aldric   (Dragonclaw)    House Carthamine
Raideth  (Treebore)      House Yasmeen
Sormegar (Raffamond)     House Moon

     Lithe, Kosh, Hurpha, Spreekle, Aldric, Raideth, and Sormegar
     are referred to as the Highlands or the Cold Counties.  They
     are sparsely populated, and poorer because of the shortage of
     Raptors.  Raptors, Ostrix, and Kiwi don't do very well in 
     the cold, and Raptors will not lay eggs here.

COUNTY   (CAPITAL CITY)  RULED BY
Mt. A'Kerry  (Skyhaven)  House Giovarri
Malcom   (Songhigh)      House Kavillaur
Glasny   (none)          House Balsamud
Ralston  (Sephion)       House Pala
Sontray  (Zellis)        House Sabine
Challis  (Challiston)    House Moon
Darvin   (Ram)           House Yasmeen
Rovarri  (Falbert)       House Desdicara
Harfang  (Zaydore)       House Haala
Symbidia (Bannisard)     House Carthamine
Desdemond  (Saffingwell) House Risharrd
Tranzish (Moorim)        House Ayoubis