Despite the destruction caused by the Domination War and the Theophany, the age-old institution of the Houses Concordant have maintained continuity and communication across the lands. A House may trace its members by Blood or Kind; no matter how it traces its lineage, it maintains an iron grip of tradition and law on those who it calls its own. Houses are predominantly human or aseku, although at times other races may marry into or be adopted by a House. The Houses together are called The Houses Concordant. There are five subdivisions within the Houses Concordant. Each subdivision is called a Titled House. Within each Titled House there are the individual Lineage Houses. The Houses Regnant: These Houses belong to the oldest aristocratic lines of the Cognoterre, and trace their Lineage by Blood.
The Houses Ephemeral: These Houses belong to skilled servants and aides, and trace their Lineage by Kind.
The Houses Incandescant: These Houses belong to the artists, and trace their Lineage by Kind.
The Houses Noctilucent: These Houses belong to the shadowtrades, and trace their Lineage by both Kind and Blood, depending on the House.
Dual membership between Houses is possible. Often, one may belong to more than one Titled House; for example, an aristocratic artisan may belong both to a House Regnant and a House Incandescent. However, it is extremely rare to belong to more than one Lineage House within the same Titled House. Such dual membership is usually considered dangerous, and the member is expected to maintain primary ties to only one of the Lineage Houses.
All who belong to a House Concordant consider members of other Houses their kindred. All who belong to the same Lineage House consider others of that Lineage House to be consangue.
A member of a House is a person whose friends and enemies are, to some extent, predetermined. The political games between and among the Houses Concordant are complex and constantly changing, and one who wishes to rise in the ranks of the House must be prepared to play them well. Intra-Lineage House strife is publically frowned upon, although not at all uncommon. Anyone who leaves a House is considered caitiff, the same word used to refer to one who practices a House trade or art without belonging to a House.
The advantages of belonging to a House are numerous; the kindred are the aristocracy, sometimes literally (The Houses Regnant) and sometimes figuratively. They lead their fields, and are the most sought-after and well-paid of all in their area of interest. Houses train, place, protect, clothe and feed its members when necessary. One may expect to be able to call on the consangue for aid or protection in times of need, and the consangue form a societal network for gaining information or favors.
Of course, belonging to a House has disadvantages, as well. One is expected to provide aid or protection for other consangue, to obey the rules and traditions of the House and to serve its interests and leaders above all else. Moreover, one who bears the name of a House must expect to occasionally run into those who rival or oppose the House.
