Faction
Also see Hökaland House List.
This is a brief introduction to the factions and organisations of the Midrealms. Some of these have power outside, to the north, south, west or across the seas, but their most pressing matters can be found in the Midrealm and the great city of Capitoleum.
Capitoleum is the economical and military power of this area with almost ten times the population of any other town or city within weeks of travel. The percentage of fighting people is significantly lower than any other city, but it's almost independent in terms of supplies either from trade during a possible land take-over or by the local areas during a naval blockade. Though low percentage of soldiers, it has the highest concentration of militia for hundreds of miles, and is a prominent contributor to the Stripes divisions patrolling the Coins.
Power struggle
Much of the power struggle within the city takes place between the Governors (the five best placed noble houses), the Court of Houses (all lords in an advisory manner, sometimes referred to as "The House of Lords"), Chamber of Commerce (guilds and local traders), the Harbour Master's Office (mainly merchants and foreign traders), the Sickle (mage guild) and the Church of Rahn. The Family Register, The Capitoleum University, the Stripes (city militia) and the Court of Justice (occasionally confused with the Court of Houses when just referred to as "the court") are also power centres, but not as prolific or as interested in politics.
No Governor noble house really stands out significantly at present and control of the city is only marginally based on owning lands surrounding it. A lot has to do with military placement and power, trade and money as well as political and social might/allies among the houses. All houses want to be part of the Governors because of the superior position for gaining wealth, but it always also comes at a cost.
Main factions
The main seats of power are:
The Governors, consisting of:
- Menthells (Rickard Menthell IV) (old, most powerful, warring and scheming)
- Haldeans (Hald Haldean VII) (old, powerful, administrative, runs university)*
- Artipellins (Nicholla Artipellin I (f)) (old artistry, seafaring, tolerant, popular among people)*
- Wynys (Lynsev Wyny V, the Broad) (very old, quality warriors, war academy)
- Edmyrs (Gerey Edmyr III) (old, seafaring, trading, monetarily rich)
* Not connected to Capitoleum directly
The Court of Houses (AKA: "The House of Lords" or "the court"), consisting of:
- The Governors
- Asmeagan (Hanna Asmeagan I (f)) (young, forestry, lumber, pelts, horn, troll problems)
- Balder (Byldu Balder I) (young, fierce warriors, small land)
- Brave (Kenneth Brave III) (old, fiercly defending, lost much, armed peasants)
- Eagle-Eye (Dick Eagle-Eye I) (young, mining, forestry, fierce, troll problems)
- Farlun (Shemen Farlun I (f)) (ancient, peaceful, forestry, fierce, guerilla, troll problems)
- Goldhelm (Thenry Goldhelm VII) (ancient, trade, rich, fighters, fishing)
- Hwett (Nimrod Hwett I) (young, fighters, fierce)
- Nihthelm (Freldan Nihthelm VIII) (AKA: "Midnight") (ancient, trade, fight, rumours of werewolfs)
- Oakshield (Brunn Handfast I) (young, farmers, independent, protective, semi-democratic)
- Pineshield (Rake Pineshield IX "Stronghand") (very old, trade, tolls, minor: mining, forestry, fishing)
- Selwen (Hendig Selwen I) (old, fishing, trade, is split by Menthell, dependent)
- Tally (Eldig Tally I (f)) (young, originating king had great reputation, lost much since)
- Temmin (Marcus Temmin I) (young, very aggressive, currently in conflict)
- Vasj (Harkan Vicious of Vasj) (ancient, violent, unpredictable, hold grudges)
- Wyrd (Panido Wyrd IV) (ancient, nature, druids, magic, "forest crazy", not lost land in 150 years)
Chamber of Commerce - Guild of all the crafting and trading guilds of Capitoleum (and support for guilds in other cities)
Chamber of Shadows - AKA "The Shadow Council", "The Shadows", "The Shadow Chamber" - The thieves' guild
Court of Justice - AKA "the court" - Literally the justice system
Family Register - AKA "The Register" - Organisation handling heraldry and such things
Church of Rahn - The main church, similar to the Catholic church
Harbourmaster's Office - Administration of the Capitoleum harbour
Sickle - The Mage guild
Magic users (not an organised faction, but definitely an important group)
Other factions
- Other Houses (Court of Houses Participants)
- Entry 1
- Other Houses (Houses outside of the Realms)
- Entry 1
- Capitoleum University
- Haldean University
- Other religions
- Stripes