Talk:Dragaeran Houses

From the Lyorn Records of the Dragaeran Empire

I'm not sure I buy off on the ranking given (Phoenix, Dragon, Lyorn & Dzur) being the only true noble houses.

My understanding is something more like gradations of nobility. Phoenix at the top, Jhereg at the bottom, with a sort of a stratification in between. Something like this, perhaps, which obviously needs work (and may not be entirely correct)(however, I think I am right to move "Dzur" out of the upper nobility; I don't think there's anything in the books to support that):

The page asserts that only Phoenix, Dragon and Lyorn have true noble titles and land to go with them. But Loraan, an Athyra, is the Baron of Smallcliff and definitely holds land and collects tribute. The Dzur Tazendra was Baroness of Daavya, with real holdings, too. Furthermore, the Tiassa Khaavren was unlanded at first, but not due to his House, just due to bad finances on his father's part. He would have had a holding otherwise too. So at least Tiassa, Dzur and Athyra can have true noble titles and lands. --Steve the Younger

Furthermore, Vlad himself is now a member of the artistocracy (or would be, if he weren't on the run). A Jhereg, no less. I think this just goes to illustrate that while the "rankings" below may be good general tendencies, they are not absolute rules. See my earlier comments below. --Majikjon 13:42, 30 Oct 2005 (UTC)

One last thought... This order also likely changes as the cycle turns. The six houses next in order from where we are right "now"? Phoenix, Dragon, Lyorn, Tiassa, Hawk, and Dzur (with Athyra just having passed). --Majikjon 18:25, 30 Oct 2005 (UTC)

Upper nobility

• Phoenix (charisma)
• Dragon (military power)
• Lyorn (keepers of tradition)

Upper-Middle nobility

• Athyra (sorcerors, scholars, philosophers)
• Hawk (observers, scholars)
• Yendi (courtiers, schemers)
• Dzur (individual heroism; "rock stars")

Lower-Middle nobility

• Vallista (architects, inventors, designers, engineers)
• Tiassa (military leaders, financial planners, advisors to the rich & powerful)
• Iorich (keepers of the law, advocates)
• Issola (courtiers, high-ranking servants of the wealthy)

Lower nobility - Merchants, craftpersons, traders, small business owners

• Orca (Sailors, Bankers)
• Jhegaala (Highly adaptable, meaning just about anything)
• Chreotha (Tailors, service oriented-merchants)
• Tsalmoth (Mid-level servants, merchants, shopkeepers)

Corrupt officials, mixbreeds, criminals - just above Teckla?

• Jhereg

Workers

• Teckla

---

I think we need to differentiate between "nobles" and "the aristocracy". (Nobles wealthy enough not to need to engage in any activities to support their lifestyles).

Paresh (in Teckla) lays it out pretty well: "Of all the "Noble Houses"...there are only a few which contain any of the aristocracy, and then only a few of that House."

It's not that a typical Dragon is really any better off than a typical Tsalmoth, it's just that there aren't ANY Tsalmoth that are aristocracy, whereas some Dragons (Morrolan, Barrit, Aliera, etc) ARE aristocrats. That doesn't mean that the lowest Dragon private is better off than a wealthy Vallista craftsman... Just that the aristocracy (richest of the rich) only happen to come from 3 or 4 houses. But they're all still "noble"; even the Jhereg.

--Majikjon