12 High Houses

of Raen Nobility

Welcome to the collected lorepedia of information on the 12 High Houses of Raen nobility.This is a project created by Devilfern, and populated and written by the brilliant members of the "Steppe to the Beat" Discord server. It was born out of an interest in designing our own head canon lore for Raen Au Ra characters.One make take or leave this information as one pleases--we're just establishing it for our own storytelling purposes, and not seeking to impose it on anyone else. In any event, we hope you enjoy!

History

Though the population of Hingashi is mostly comprised of races other than Au Ra, there is a proud tradition of nobility among the Raen. Long ago, before the Fire Nation attacked, there were several families who were in constant conflict for resources and cultural control of the surrounding territory. They came together at a summit and signed a pact, designating twelve houses who would hold sway over the others. Each would have a governorship of their own region of the islands, whose sovereignty would be respected by the others in kind.Though influence has waxed and waned, marriages and trade agreements have been brokered and broken, the pact has remained stable throughout the centuries. The names of these 12 Houses have remained respected among the Raen of Hingashi for many long years. Time will tell if they continue to be so, or if these tumultuous times for Eorzea will finally spell the downfall of these noble lines...

The Map

The 12 Houses

The twelve houses each have a number, though they are all equal in noble rank. It is a ceremonial designation only. The houses each hold a position equal to daimyo or governor in the government of Hingashi, though they do not supercede noble families of any other race.

• Home
• A History
• Map
• The Houses
• Resources & Links
• Participants

Jiang

Sow knowledge, reap wisdom.

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- penned by Caitlin

SETA

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- penned by Rin

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OZU

From fallen ash, shed thy skin.

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NAGAO

Glory in Heaven's eternal light.

The Nagao holdings are a primarily mountainous region covered in dense pine forests. Villages and a few small towns dot the territory, with the most prosperous being attached to the Kōnomori estate. The villages are mostly stable due to the rugged terrain making the territory treacherous for bandits. Primary exports are the products of mining from the rich ore veins, and logging the forests. The Nagao have often been compared to stern, immovable old turtles themselves, perched on their mountain hordes, resistant to change and outside influence. However, their admirers point to their refusal to move with the times as the secret to maintaining power for as long as they have.The current High Lord, Nagao Tsutomu, is greatly reduced due to a stroke suffered four years ago. His youngest child, Hidaka, is now at the helm, and is holding onto the ancestral holdings and honors with an iron grip.

Physiology

Both men and women of the Nagao clan display white scales, though the odd male child with golden scales is sometimes born to a branch house. Often, the scales of Nagao have a pearlescent tint to them, which adds a blueish or greenish shift. Like many other noble houses the Nagao are quite prideful of their distinct scale coloring and a child with "clear" or distinct scale hues is often lauded.More peculiarly, a tradition for prizing a particular hair color in the male heir of the central house has been preserved for generations. (Targaryens, anyone?) A bright, pale spring green, which is said to favor the original founder of the line, Nagao Kou, in ancient times.

- penned by Fern

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OHZEKI

The Ohzeki Clan is noted for its scholarship and isolation in the far northern reaches of the Koshu Isle. Their knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants is unparalleled, and the restorative magic of its warrior-priests always desired by the many other houses, even if they look upon the Ohzeki's esoteric ways with suspicion.The Ohzeki family also has an alliance of sorts with the kitsune fox-kami of their homeland, and legends say that the samurai have intermarried with the spirits many times over the generations, making them prime diplomats-for-hire for those in conflict with rageful spirits.

- penned by Brye

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IITSUKA

Many skills, many virtues.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.Cursus vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur. Tellus pellentesque eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi cras fermentum. Porttitor lacus luctus accumsan tortor posuere ac. Sed vulputate odio ut enim blandit. Placerat duis ultricies lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus. Tempor nec feugiat nisl pretium. Ante metus dictum at tempor commodo ullamcorper a. Non consectetur a erat nam at lectus. Vitae et leo duis ut. Sed odio morbi quis commodo odio. Orci a scelerisque purus semper eget. Suspendisse ultrices gravida dictum fusce ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque. Non curabitur gravida arcu ac tortor dignissim convallis aenean et. Dolor purus non enim praesent elementum. Ultrices neque ornare aenean euismod.

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Arao

Never conquered, always feared.

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Ayugai

While the Ayugai can claim a humble beginning in the southwestern riverscapes of Hingashi, the unyielding growth of their fishing industry and masterful knowledge of ichthyology saw its members climb the upper echelons of its society. In addition to this, their members are impressive shipwrights. They are well-known for their ability to construct durable boats, both large and small, that are used to navigate in and around the island nations of Hingashi.Aside from their trade, the Ayugai have earned the reputation amongst their fellows that they are competitive and stubborn individuals, often doing whatsoever they think is best to preserve the prosperity of the clan. This may stem from their unabating hold on both the fishing and boating industries within the insular nation.

- penned by Sen

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Kannari

History

In order to understand the Kannari, one must first understand their storied history.Long ago the Kannari were but a small faction of the Ohzeki, a strong noble family whose name rose in status through their uncannily close bond with a resident Kami, the Kitsune. The Ohzeki were gracious and their territories well maintained, but there was not always peace. Kannari Masashi was restless. A priest under the Ohzeki, he felt that his interpretations and methods for quelling enraged spirits were more effective, and this created a schism within the province. He claimed the Ohzeki's ways were archaic and far too passive, and this was met with mixed reactions throughout his village. Before his potential treachery could gain momentum however, the Ohzeki easily remedied the situation and in their wisdom they banished Masashi along with those of his name.- x -A month after his banishment, Masashi led his family to the small, beautiful Kesshō Isle. They knew not the natural treasure they had stumbled upon. This colorful isle can be found just off the northeastern coast of the famed Koshu Island. It is characterized by a network of crystalline caves known colloquially as the Dōkutsu no Kesshō (The Crystal Caverns.) Trees twisted by weather, stone shaped by the elements, and shores sparkling with a veritable wealth of miniscule crystals are just a few of the many splendors beheld by the Kannari and they wondered why this small isle had not been previously settled. The Kannari were wrong however, for they soon met the true denizens of this island - the opal-scaled Hamamoto.The Hamamoto were a spiritual people whose fingers rested on the pulse of nature. The Hamamoto were druidic and simple. They understood that the caverns that perforated The Kesshō Isle were host to a great power: a boon manifested and enjoyed by the auspices that once dwelled there. It happened that the isle itself was in an ideal intersection of aether, and the prismatic crystals growing within the caves were thus suffused with potent aether as well. The Hamamoto knew this fact and their lives were centered around the protection of this blessing. The Hamamoto belonged to the sea and the sky, and they felt their solemn duty was to the auspices and elements- to protect that which they felt was the treasure of the Kami.Masashi was moved by the Hamamoto's reverence, and he listened and learned. These folk were humble and demure, and thus befriending them took time and effort between both parties. Their wisdom was something familiar to him, for it was the very thing for which he had denigrated the Ohzeki. The Kannari mingled with the Hamamoto over time, and after three generations they had become intrinsically involved with one another. It was not until Masashi's ambition was inherited by another, Kannari Harue, who chose to bring the Kannari to the level of sophistication they are known for in the modern era. Harue and his brethren erected a shrine to honor the Kami. This pleased the spirits, and they were given fair weather and bountiful harvest from the sea. Harue used these things to establish communication and trade with the Ayugai clan, who were grateful for the boon granted by the spirits. The Kannari believed the Kami to be pleased with their dealings, and they left offerings in the shrine as tribute to the isle's ethereal denizens. As time passed the aether-dense crystals of the isle became tokens of trade, and as the Kannari name grew so too did the exchange of crystals for goods and services.

Physiology

The Kannari’s color palette is most easily described as ‘pastel.’ Their hair and skin appears in shades of pale blue with some instances of soft pink as well. Their scales are their most identifiable feature, as the members of the Kannari bloodline are unique in their opalescent scales. Trace opalescence can be found in some of the scales of those of the clan who occupy the Kesshō Isle, but only the heirs of the Kami’s blessing possess full opalescent scales.The Kami’s Blessing:
The Kannari have long believed themselves the herald of the Kami’s will, chosen by the crystals to safeguard the island and its bounties. A manifestation of this blessing, what Eorzeans refer to as the Echo, is what guides the Kannari and provides them with the reassurance that they remain in the Kami’s favor. A descendent with the full opalescent scales will unequivocally possess the Blessing and be reared to head the Kannari line for the next generation.

The Kami's Blessing

The Kannari have long believed themselves the herald of the Kami’s will, chosen by the crystals to safeguard the island and its bounties. A manifestation of this blessing, what Eorzeans refer to as the Echo, is what guides the Kannari and provides them with the reassurance that they remain in the Kami’s favor. A descendent with the full opalescent scales will unequivocally possess the Blessing and be reared to head the Kannari line for the next generation.

- penned by Tsu

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Maetsue

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Tsurunai

Watchers in the shade.

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Serizawa

The only accessible estate is in Kugane proper. This is the only place anyone can interact with the Serizawas unless otherwise agreed upon through proper procedure. The primary house and estate are closed off to anyone not in the Serizawa family, which is non-negotiable.The Serizawas are renowned record keepers, treasurers, basically all accounting nerds. They are all strictly regimented, almost as strictly as they remain neutral in cases of conflict between the other noble houses. Several of the other houses use the Serizawas' expertise to stay financially afloat in changing times since they are superior at managing money. Of course they are compensated for it. Over time, this has led to the Serizawas becoming one of the wealthiest of the noble houses.The Serizawas manage a lot of the nation's financial infrastructure, especially in modern times. This is mostly due to a unanimous understanding that the Serizawa House is too rigidly formal and traditional to screw anyone over so they are generally trusted.

- penned by Rin

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Resources & Links

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Contributing Participants

We are still figuring out who all is working on this project please be patient...Fern is ever-grateful to these people for their creativity, enthusiasm, and ingenuity! They are so cool and amazingly talented!