Houses of Peers¶

The eleven noble houses ruling Cadwallon's fiefdoms. Each rules a fief; one (the current Duke's house) elevates to the Ducal Enclave.

The Math¶

There are eleven fiefs but the city talks about ten Peers — because the Duke is also nominally the peer of his own fief, but his work is done by a steward. So:

10 active Peers run their fiefs themselves
1 fief (currently Den Azhir) is the Ducal Enclave, run by the Duke's steward (Silent Scyrnyth) in his name

Currently Ruling Houses¶

Den Azhir (Ducal Enclave)¶

Fief: Den Azhir
Duke Duke Den Azhir — adopted son of Camelia Orrkrk (House Orrkrk), former free leaguer of the Ruby-Heart. Rules through faithful companions rather than blood family: Kal Rajghur (Constable), Silent Scyrnyth (Steward).

Soma¶

Fief: Soma
Peer Vanho Soma. (Details TBD.)

The Automaton (joint peerage)¶

Fief: The Automaton
Peers Xär-Lilith and Yalin Aoue. (Details TBD.)

Orrkrk¶

Fief: The Rampart
Peer Camelia Orrkrk. Adoptive mother of the Duke. Holds the secret terms of his adoption. Maintains a secondary villa on the Bridges in Var-Nokkt.

Bismuth von Kraken¶

Fief: Kraken
Peer Bismuth von Kraken of Odazzur. Family seat at The Krak, the upside-down tower running deep underground.

Khaurik Argam¶

Fief: Ogrokh
Peer Kurn Khaurik Argam. (Details TBD — possibly a descendant of the original ogre warrior Khaurik who led his people to Cadwallon at Vanius's invitation.)

Standing-wind¶

Fief: Trophy
Peer Gwan Standing-wind. House in serious decline. Other Peers consider them barely legitimate. Most of Trophy's farmland has already been sold to creditors. The peerage may be revoked.

Howlers¶

Fief: Gamehead
Peer Krenald the Howler, with Hadrax as acting deputy. Wolfen leadership; Krenald cloistered, internal factional split brewing.

Ghiéron¶

Fief: Ghieronburg
Peer Bernadil Ghiéron. (Details TBD.)

Drakaër¶

Fief: Drakaër
Peer Albanne Drakaër. (Details TBD.)

Var-Nokkt¶

Fief: Var-Nokkt
Peer Torguir IV Var-Nokkt. (Details TBD.)

Houses Without Fiefdoms¶

Many "noble" families in the Ducal Enclave descend from Dogs of War lieutenants who didn't receive fiefdoms at the founding. They live in inherited mansions and Cynwäll vestige properties, often beyond their means, angling for ducal favor and hoping to be granted a peerage if one comes "free" — as Trophy may soon.

The peerage market

Trophy's instability has these unfiefed houses circling. A peerage going up for reassignment hasn't happened in living memory for most of them — when it does, every old grudge surfaces.