Noble houses of Cheliax

House Thrune rules over Cheliax.

House Thrune may currently be the most powerful of the noble houses of Cheliax, but it is certainly not the only one. Some of these other noble houses have existed for centuries, while others were commoners raised after the Chelaxian Civil War in payment for their loyalty to House Thrune. Most of the oldest houses survived the civil war, although those who aligned themselves with the diabolists early in the war have claimed the greatest prestige and wealth. Whatever can be said about the new nobility's morality, they objectively rule more effectively than the old nobility did before the war. Three ruling families from the time before the Thrune Ascendancy still hold power: House Carthagnian✝ holds sway in Longmarch from the city of Corentyn, House Narikopolus rules Menador from Kantaria, and House Henderthane controls Sirmium from Ostenso.

Most members of the nobility continue making pacts with various devils in exchange for incredible temporal power. Those who do not espouse diabolism keep it to themselves, as any talk against the methods of the current regime can lead to the complete eradication of an entire bloodline.

Noble titles

See also: Chelaxian noble titles

Chelaxian nobility are arranged in a strict hierarchy of three broad categories (dukes, counts, and barons), each with their own subcategories, for a sum of nine ranks modeled after the nine levels of Hell; the Majestrix and her family are above this order.

Archdukes

The highest rank of the standard nobility are the archdukes, which are fixed at six members, each of whom rule one of the archduchies of Cheliax. Archduke is a hereditary title that is held by a single family that has not changed much since the turmoil of the civil war.

Houses

• House Arionne: This minor house is a den of slavery.
• House Arvanxi: A once-powerful house that has fallen on hard times of late.
• House Asgavan: A now defunct noble house that once held the throne.
• House Charthagnion: This house made a supernatural pact with infernal powers giving their members superhuman wisdom. Because of this, House Charthagnion can look forward to centuries of servitude to the powers of Hell.
• House Dioso
• House Drovenge
• House Grulios
• House Henderthane: The house of Henderthane has been supplying and manufacturing weapons for a thousand years, and currently is the chief weapon supplier to House Thrune.
• House Jeggare: The Jeggare family is one of the wealthiest not just in Cheliax, but in all of Avistan. Member of the house, for instance, are one of the ruling families of the Varisian city of Korvosa, where there are rivers and streets named after them.
• House Jentis
• House Julistarc
• House Kastner: A house with a cousin branch in Taldor; both branches share a notable disdain for the other.
• House Khollarix
• House Leroung: A house of prominent academics and arcanists, House Leroung is widely respected for their impartial and unbiased pursuit of knowledge.
• House Mezinas
• House Napaciza: Loyal to Thrune, their members make up some of the nation's most superb archers and trackers.
• House Narikopolus: This family is known for their superb archers who are trained from an early age.
• House Oberigo
• House Phandros
• House Rosala
• House Salisfer
• House Sarini: A family of cruel jesters, this house is sometimes referred to as the "Fools of Thrune", or the "Lapdogs of Hell".
• House Thrune
• House Tilernos
• House Vyeron