Noble Houses of the Dale-lands
In the Dale-lands, there are many families and houses that have influence over the politics and the workings of the kingdom, but none more so than the four Great Houses detailed below. Nearly every family or group of note has ties and affiliations with one of the four, and so this page gives an overview of each, with more details regarding their individual character and direction available in each House's main article.
In addition, perusal of the information regarding official vernacular and titles relating to the nobility is highly encouraged.
Contents
Noble Houses
Arathmor
The descendants of Arathmor are the wealthiest nobles in the Dale-lands. In the days between King Girion's abandoning of Dale after the coming of Smaug, and the crowning of Captain Bard, descendant of Girion and slayer of Smaug, as King of the Dale-lands, House Arathmor had the most political clout. The position of Master, the ruler of Esgaroth under the old system, was traditionally held by the head of this family. Times have changed, however, and after Bard restructured Esgaroth's government, House Arathmor became reponsible only for foreign trade. The family controls the import and export of most goods in Esgaroth - a not inconsiderable duty given the town's status as the commercial hub of Rhovanion.
Arathmor, because of their emasculation by Bard, are traditionally opponents of the Girion King in Dale. They compete bitterly with House Taurdain, which controls goods inside the town and is their only rival in terms of wealth, and have disdain for Karath's role as military leaders, as well as for their traditional royalist leanings. House Arathmor would never express any of this openly, of course... that would not be good business.
Arathmor has a love-hate relationship with other cultures - they love taking their money when they get the better of them in a deal, but they do not trust them. They have no preferred trading partners, because after all, gold is gold. With a reputation as greedy snobs among the common folks, and unscrupulous but dangerously powerful amongst the nobility, House Arathmor is watched closely with suspicion... and dread.
Almost any character concept can be fit into an Arathmorian context. For more detailed information, see the main article on House Arathmor; found here.
Karath
Traditionally a warrior house, this proud line is descended from one of the lesser Lords of Dale - lesser is a relative term however, and by the standards of men, he was still noble and fair. Because of their origins, the family has strong royalist leanings, and thus, when Bard formed the Council of Lords of Esgaroth, Lord Karath was named Marshall of the Esgaroth Military. This hereditary title made the Lord responsible for the defenses of the town, as well as for the maintenance of law and order within it.
The family has a firm friendship with the Dwarves of Erebor, forged long ago when Dale was first prosperous. Correspondingly, they are apt to treat the Elves with suspicion. Karath is respected by the people of Esgaroth for men and women who are honest, fair and sturdy.
Karath is open to all character concepts, especially those involving military positions. For more detailed information, the main article on the House of Karath can be found here.
Taurdain
The Taurdain family has been around since the first founding of Esgaroth - the oldest of the noble houses, by far. Taurdain has a long-standing friendship with the Elves of Mirkwood and, although contact with them is scarcer these days, it is a matter of great family pride. Known for its skilled craftsmen, especially shipwrights and woodworkers, Bard gave the family control of the Craftsmen's Guild of Esgaroth.
Taurdain mingles with the lower class so much that one might not recognize their noble status were it not for the cloaks they wear which bear the crest of their family. This house is the least aggressive politically, and members often express disdain over the politics of power and greed played at by Girion and Arathmor. Taurdain often resents Karath's reliance upon military power to solve problems, and are traditionally distant from them due to the warrior house's association with the Dwarves.
House Taurdain takes great pride in its standing amongst the people of Esgaroth, which is fuelled by the family's concern for issues of domestic trade as well as its lack of haughty potentiousness (at least, in comparison to the other noble lines). In addition to their good standing with Amon Thranduil, they are able to get along with most other non-aggressive peoples, and are of the mindset that you are a friend until you prove otherwise.
Taurdain is open to almost all character concepts, with a special emphasis on craftsmen. For more detailed information, the main article on the House of Taurdain can be found here.
Girion
The fourth family of the nobility is in fact a family of the town of Dale. It is the line of King Girion of Dale, who was killed by the dragon Smaug. The town was destroyed in the attack and its people fled south to Esgaroth. Bard the Bowman, a direct descendant of Girion, reinstated the family's royal standing when he refounded Dale after slaying Smaug in 2941 T.A. House Girion and its current head, Brand, King of the Dale-lands, has earned the respect of the people due to its tradition and age-old reputation for wise decision-making.
As noted, Girion is the ruling house of the Dale-lands, and that includes Esgaroth. In Dale, Girion's rule is absolute and uncontested, but in Esgaroth, its power is often tested by the other houses. Girion has the often begrudging respect of the Esgaroth nobility, however, because of its reputation, earned by the old Kings of Dale - brilliant administrators and military leaders. As well, its traditional wealth is growing anew thanks to the prosperity of the rebuilt Dale. Only an influential few Girions reside in Esgaroth, among them the Steward, the King's representative on the Council of Lords.
Girion has close and long-standing ties with House Karath, while Taurdain is traditionally somewhat more aloof towards the royals. Arathmor is a bitter foe, as they represent the old system of Esgaroth's governance which Bard deposed upon refounding the kingdom. The Lords and the people of the town on the lake obviously respect the House of Dale, however, or they would be less willing to be subject to the rule of its king.
Dale is close to Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, and so Girion has traditionally had more dealings with Dwarves than with Elves, though it does not bear any prejudice towards the First Born. It does, however, take a more balanced view of Elves than does House Karath. Because of the diplomatic strains placed on the royal house, its members often are experienced in dealing with other peoples and cultures.
House Girion is the royal family of the Dale-Lands. Its members in Esgaroth are most commonly involved in diplomatic affairs, the mastership of which is held by the Steward, or in tax collection and administration. Some Girions are found in other professions, however.
Admission into Girion is restricted. An application, consisting of a fully-developed character concept and a history, must be reviewed by the Dale-lands LAs. Applications can be +mailed to 'Daleadmin-bb' or 'MyAdmins' group, and any LA can also answer questions or provide help in constructing an application. For more detailed information, the main article on House Girion can be found here.
Noble Titles and Ranks
The ranks and titles associated with nobility in the Dale-lands are rather interesting, though not as complicated as they might seem at first glance. Here is an overview of their structure, and how they relate to the Houses of our +culture:
Ranks
The four Noble Houses exert great influence over the everyday life of the citizens of the realm, and with good reason: they have ownership or a leading stake in many of the Guilds and political assemblies of the kingdom. While primarily familial in nature, the sway of the Houses and their extended influence often involves sponsorship of parties loyal to their interests, and so a loose framework of titles has emerged which can be detailed as follows:
- Househead - the Lord or Lady of the House, in whom resides the highest of authority regarding House matters. The head of the Household's spouse also traditionally enjoys great authority and influence over House matters also, though this can vary from House to House, and from generation to generation.
- Nobleman - a member of the Househead's immediate family. This includes siblings, sons and daughters, parents, and on occasion cousins or the children of siblings, depending upon the closeness of the family. Spouses of such persons are usually afforded this rank also, though circumstances may vary. Typically the more advanced or prestigious positions of the Household will be held by a member of this group.
- Kinsman - a member of the Household's extended family, such as second cousins, great uncles, and the like. Also this rank applies to the spouses of the same, and depending upon the lineage and succession of the House, kinsmen can become full noblemen in due course. Often the less prestigious positions within the House will be filled by such persons, though a kinsman may be promoted at the discretion of the Househead, both in terms of rank or duty. Also, it is common that positions outside the Household that are nevertheless influenced by the House, such as Guild appointments, are filled by kinsmen of the House in question.
- Retainer - a person who is sponsored by the House, or to whom the House extends protection and aid in their endeavors. This is earned primarily by a commoner displaying a depth of loyalty or usefulness to a House, which inspires the House to 'retain' their services or industry by way of gratitude. Coming into the orbit of a Household is not difficult, and so a House may have any number of retainers at any given time, and such persons may be drawn from any walk of life or vocation, though it is unsurprising that most arise from the spheres of influence traditionally associated with the House in question. It is not uncommon also that such sponsorship is extended to the children of the retainer, resulting in whole families who are considered loyal to the House, and from whom Kinsmen may frequently be created through marriage.
Vernacular and Titling
While the ebbs and flows of society can stretch the boundaries of how a member of the nobility is properly titled, the official terminology has remained intact, and is detailed below. For uniformity, we shall use the example of House Karath:
- Househead - is properly referred to as 'Lord Karath', or '//the// Lord of Karath.' The spouse of the Househead retains equal status in terms of titling. This is the only title which is capitalized as an abstract noun, and variations include: 'the Karath Lord', 'the Lord' and 'Lord Irin [Karath]' (to refer to the Househead by name).
- Nobleman - is properly referred to as 'Lord Karath', or '//a// lord of Karath'. Unlike the Househead, the noun itself is not capitalized, as shown by 'the Karath lord', 'the lord' or simply 'the nobleman' in everyday usage. Like the Househead, however, spouses retain equal title, and to refer to the nobleman by name also is properly: 'Lord Barlin [of Karath]'.
- Kinsman - is less prestigious in terms of title, as one might expect, and thus no extension of 'lord' or 'lady' is applied. As a noun, this title is not capitalized, and is properly referred to as: 'a/the kinsman [of Karath]'. In referring to the person by name, it would simply be given as: 'Raynar of Karath'.
- Retainer - carries no formal title at all, and thus as a noun is properly termed: 'a/the retainer of Karath', or 'a/the Karath retainer'. No appearance of the House is applied to referral by name, unless it be to detail the noun additionally, resulting in: 'Simon, retainer of Karath'.
Any and all instances of 'Lord' or 'lord' can be substituted with 'Lady' or 'lady', and in general reference this is how one would refer to them when speaking directly to them but not using their name itself. So, to speak to Irin, one might say: 'Good day, my Lord', whereas to address Barlin would be to say: 'Good day, my lord'.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of our local MUSH staff for aid!
