Context
The High Houses are political organisations which originated as tribes under the Eight Demons. Throughout ancestral history, each of the Houses was founded to reflect the appropriate political situation at that time and power struggle between various factions.
Though joining a High House was always optional and at the request of an individual, this notion changed after the incident at Green District. Finding themselves severely weakened after the war of Tykaru's Tyranny, the Enclave understood that they needed manpower should another war or disaster ever occur. It was decided that Citizenship would not be automatically handed over upon coming of age, but rather after being conscripted to serve in the Enclave Militia and having joined a High House.
It is through these means that the Enclave hopes to strengthen the High Houses, its own capabilities and to bolster the people's own resolve into making the Enclave a better place. Time will tell whether this decision of drafting many more people into the High House ranks is a good solution or not.
History
In the years after the Awakening, almost 500 years ago, the eight High Houses Maul, Onyx, Pale, Rune, Shroud, Silver, Torque and Void, vied for power and control over the combined might of the human and daevi survivors. The indifferences from before the Great Collapse had not diminished in the slightest and the struggle for dominance continued. But as time progressed it became clear that some of the Houses had similar goals and as such started to form allegiances. Pale, Onyx, and Void formed the Deadspell Alliance though history refers to them as the Traitor Houses whilst Shroud, Maul, Torque and Silver opposed their ideas with such vehemence that war was inevitable.
The one High House caught in the middle was House Rune. While initially veering towards the Deadspell Alliance, House Rune was not completely sure if this was the right course to take. It was not until the Deadspell Alliance made known that they would rather take their right by force than to let it trudge on under the rule of House Torque that House Rune started to support the four Houses opposing High Houses. Why House Rune suddenly did so, remains a mystery to this day. Some scholars say it was the pressure of abandonment and others speculate that House Shroud might have had some influence in the choice.
When House Rune openly supported the four other Houses, the Deadspell Alliance saw themselves as a minority. Seeing they could not possibly hope to win against five High Houses war was not an option. As such they left for the Deadspell Storm by Vhelgar steed. They would find a shard for themselves and build their own civilization there. Whatever became of the three “Traitor Houses” is as big a mystery as the creation of the Deadspell Storm. Some say they did end up on a Shard of their own, while others say that they were destroyed by Vhelgar roaming the Storm. One thing is certain however, that somewhere within the darkness of the Deadspell Storm, whatever is left of the Deadspell Alliance is plotting its return.
High House Descriptions
House Maul
While it is often seen as the High House for those who favour brawn over brain, House Maul is actually more than that. Having awarded itself the title Protector of the Enclave, House Maul is the first line of defence in many a situation. They do focus on physical combat, but they also develop new strategic initiatives, sophisticated weaponry and research magic to promote healthcare. Of course House Maul thinks actions speak louder than words and as such may often find themselves at odds with the more 'literate' Houses who do not like to get their hands dirty.
As far as House Maul is concerned, getting one's hands dirty is what has kept the Enclave from falling. And as long as it exists the Enclave will remain protected.
House Rune
House Rune craves knowledge in any form. Initially a part of the Deadspell Alliance, House Rune decided to stay with the remaining Houses instead, for too much had changed that needed proper research first. As the Great Collapse had shifted the magical spectrum, House Rune initially focused on rediscovering the essence of magic that had changed so fundamentally, leading many to think that House Rune consists solely out of mages. Instead they consist out of scholar in every field. Whether they are warriors, spellcasters or rogues, those who want to propel their profession into the future usually join House Rune and help support the fountain of knowledge that springs within their ranks.
To Rune knowledge is what will drive the Enclave forward. That knowledge can come at a price, but House Rune is very willing to pay each and every copper for it.
House Shroud
The oldest High House by anyone's reckoning House Shroud feels like a caring father to the other Houses, often taking up the role as advisers in council. They often provide a second opinion on matters and manage to acquire information and truths of old forgotten times that can prove crucial at any time. House Shroud never puts itself in the spotlight, yet prefers to remain backstage guiding the other Houses with knowledge, wisdom, experience and much, much more.
That they have a team of elite operatives at their disposal is merely an unsubstantiated rumour. After all, House Shroud's main operation is maintaining a smoothly running postal service. Anything else would be pure speculation in the eye of the beholder. Got that?
House Silver
One of the younger High Houses, House Silver emerged quite literally from trade. They amassed such wealth that it was impossible to exclude them from any decision-making. Initially seen as a nuisance because of it, House Silver proved pivotal in getting the economy of the Enclave up and running and they continue to do so. House Silver consists out of three separate entities: the Scales of Habitat, the Scales of Storms and the Scales of Trade. Together they govern taxes and housing, transportation and trade respectively for the Enclave. Of course the one problem with having wealth is that one always wants more of it and House Silver is no exception to it.
According to House Silver attaining monetary funds is paramount to the stability of the Enclave and to secure its future.
House Torque
House Torque has a long tradition of political leadership to uphold. Commonly regarded as the bureaucrats of the Enclave, their history is also steeped in heroism. Many of the heroes of mankind were supplied by House Torque. Whether it’s Bartion Mornex’s Ancestral endeavours in saving the Allied Houses from failure against the Vhelgar or Graidlon Marrow’s selfless sacrifice to give birth to the Enclave, these heroes hail from Torque. The High House does like everything to be maintained in an orderly fashion and as such they are the driving force behind many laws and policies (including the Law of Ousting) and their upholding through officials.
To Torque it is clear that without good leadership and a proper society, the Enclave would not exist and as such it will do anything within its power to keep the Enclave as a shining example of civilization.
