House Name: House Aetherian

Motto: “We Endure.”

Sigil: A white owl flying in front of a golden moon, against a vertically split field of dark blue and white, with a golden border.

Colors: Dark Blue, Gold and White

House Persona: Honorable, Frugal, Asocial

Main Hold: Moonwatch Citadel, a grand, ancient fortress of white stone built into the Peaks of Zafaela

House Aetherian is the oldest standing house amongst the Four Houses, and is well regarded by their peers. Their architectural mastery has led them to create some of the land's most beautiful buildings, fortresses, and statues across the coast. While not the most politically aggressive, their wealth, strong military, and reputation for fairness give them significant influence.

Culture: House Aetherian is deeply rooted in tradition, stonemasonry, and seafaring. At their core, they are a house of builders and craftsmen who approach every endeavor with dignity and patience. They know all to well that a rushed job leads to woeful success, and extra work. But what truly sets House Aetherian apart is their belief that craftsmanship is not reserved for the wealthy or landed. Unlike many other houses that hoard knowledge and opportunity, House Aetherian actively encourages even the lowliest peasant to learn a trade. Whether it be farming, fishing, mining, woodworking, or the higher arts of stonemasonry and shipbuilding, they provide apprenticeships, tools, and training to any who show genuine dedication. This philosophy has fostered a remarkably skilled and loyal populace.

Education and Arcane Mastery: House Aetherian values practical knowledge above all else. They excel in providing their nobility with leadership studies, historical strategy, and wilderness survival, ensuring their scholars and heirs always consider the long-term consequences of their decisions. While they possess some alchemical knowledge, they prefer reliable, time-tested methods over risky experimentation. Their libraries contain meticulously kept records of coastal history, navigation, stonecraft, and practical engineering.

Espionage and Subterfuge: House Aetherian has little interest in intrigue. They pride themselves on honesty, directness, and transparency, viewing most forms of subterfuge as dishonorable and shortsighted. Their intelligence apparatus is deliberately minimal, maintaining only a small, trusted network of informants. Usually these folk are respected guild masters, ship captains, and merchants who travel between domains. Rather than spies or blackmail, they prefer artful diplomacy and the strategic use of wealth and favors to gather information. When they do need to act subtly, they rely on charm, patience, and relationship-building rather than lies or manipulation. Still, because House Aetherian avoids heavy-handed spying, it also means that serious crimes or plots against the house are sometimes discovered later than they should be.

Military: House Aetherian follows a martial philosophy called The Righteous Blade. This tradition teaches warriors to fight with honor, precision, and moral clarity. Rather than seeking glory or aggression, their soldiers are trained to protect the innocent, uphold justice, and strike only when necessary. Their soldiers are trained to remain calm even in the chaos of battle, believing that honorable conduct and inner balance lead to true strength. “When what you fight for is just, your victory is already assured.” 

Political Influence: House Aetherian deliberately maintains a position of neutrality and acts as a stabilizing force throughout the Avalayle Coast. They rarely seek to expand their own power through conquest or coercion, preferring instead to act as impartial mediators. They are most famous for founding the Avalayle Grand, and ensure it thrives to this day. Furthermore, it is well known that House Aetherian offers sanctuary to displaced nobles, fallen knights, and even common refugees and criminals. Since their founder, the first High Lord Dontar Aetherian declared, “All men folly. Each, in their time, should be given a chance to become better than they were, before their necks meet the chopping block,” they have shown mercy and respect to the downtrodden of the coast.

Wealth: House Aetherian is one of the wealthiest houses on the coast, though one would rarely guess it from their modest dress and understated lifestyle. Their fortune flows from three main sources: vast mines that produce exceptional marble, iron, silver, and gold. Foresting of their limited woodlands, and the substantial revenue generated by their renowned tournaments and festivals. True to their frugal and responsible nature, House Aetherian does not hoard or flaunt their riches. Every coin is reinvested into the land and its people. Wastefulness is considered sinful.

FACTIONS

The House of Merit ‍

What began centuries ago as a brotherhood of master stonemasons has grown into a vast, respected guild that unites nearly every skilled trade in Waeldstone. Every major project, whether raising a new fortress wall, laying the keel of a warship, or construction of a shrine, begins and ends with prayers to the Sibling Gods. Guild members offer blessings to Earth Brother for stability, Sea Sister for safe passage, and Sky Twins for clear mind. But what makes the House of Merit truly exceptional is its radical philosophy: craftsmanship is not reserved for the wealthy or highborn. Any commoner who demonstrates genuine talent and dedication may apply for apprenticeship. A farmer’s son can become a master mason. A baker’s daughter can rise to master shipwright or navigator. The House provides tools, training, lodging, and fair wages to its apprentices, creating a level of social mobility almost unheard of elsewhere on the coast, which in turn brings people from all over to its honored halls.

Hierarchy & Advancement

• Apprentice — New members to the House of Merit begin as an Apprentice. They typically serve 4 to 7 years under a Master, living and working in the guild halls while performing labor and studying the fundamentals of their chosen craft. Apprentices earn 1 silver piece per day. To advance to Journeyman, they must complete a practical Journeyman’s Trial, which involves the creation of a high-quality piece of work that demonstrates both skill and care. Upon passing, judged by their Master and two additional Guild Masters, they are publicly named a Journeyman in a yearly ceremony and granted the right to work independently.

• Journeyman — At this stage they gain the freedom to live and work in any guild chapter across the domain, continuing to refine their craft while taking on tasks and commissions assigned by various Masters. Journeymen earn 1D6 silver pieces per day depending on the quality and difficulty of their work. After 5 to 12 years of consistent excellence, a Journeyman may petition to become a Master. To qualify, they must complete several significant projects, aid in the education of apprentices, and create a true Masterpiece. This masterpiece is presented before a council of at least five Masters. Upon approval, the new Master receives a silver guild badge, the formal right to take on their own apprentices, and the respected title of “Master.”

• Master — Masters gain the right to take apprentices, lead major projects, and sit on the Guild Council. While they don’t own land, they share a similar social status to Oathsworn, and often own their own home or estate in the High Market of Moonwatch. In addition to income earned by their own projects, the guild helps fund a master’s work and study with a per diem of 1D10 gold a week.

• Grandmaster — Elected by the High Lord directly, the Grandmaster oversees the House of Merit, implements House Aetherian’s decrees, and serves on the High Lord’s direct council. They are expected to be knowledgeable in all crafts, and a master of two.

Life inside the House of Merit is disciplined but respected. Members work hard, often from sunrise to sunset, but are rewarded for their efforts with free room and board, and additional payment to pursue their own interests. Older masters are treated with great deference, and veterans of the Guild are often more respected in their communities than minor nobles from other houses. Many commoners dream of their children being accepted into the House of Merit, seeing it as the surest path to a better life.

Order of the Righteous Blade

The premier chivalric order and military might of House Aetherian. Sworn directly to the High Lord and the house itself, the Righteous Blade are more than mere soldiers, they are the living embodiment of Aetherian ideals. Composed of Oathsworn knights, promising young warriors, and even heirs to House Aetherian, the Righteous Blade can be found throughout all of Waeldstone.

Tradition teaches that true strength comes from moral clarity and unyielding discipline. “Aggression and glory-seeking lead only to an early grave.” Members are trained to protect the innocent, uphold justice, and strike only when necessary. They excel at all manner of warfare, allowing their soldiers to pursue any style they desire, so long as their methods remain the same.

Life within the Order is disciplined and austere, filled with rigorous training, and long periods patrolling borders, guarding trade routes, and manning fortifications. Many come from modest lives, giving them a respect for common folk. 

Entry into the Order of the Righteous Blade is a solemn process that begins when an existing knight of the Order chooses an individual and formally dubs them an Oathling. From that moment, the Oathling enters into personal service under their knight, living with them, and learning not only the arts of war but the deeper values of the Order.

This period of service typically lasts several years. The Oathling must prove themselves through consistent deeds both in training and in real danger. Only when their knight believes them truly ready will they bring the Oathling before the High Lord during one of the seasonal festivals at Moonwatch Citadel.

There, in front of the assembled nobility, the knight presents their Oathling. The High Lord listens and questions the candidate personally. If convinced of their worth, the High Lord grants approval. On the night of the next full moon, all successful candidates are brought before the Silver Light for their welcoming ceremony. In a candlelit ceremony atop Tower Nightfall, the High Lord performs the Oath of the Righteous Blade. The new knights swear their life to the defense of the coast, the protection of the innocent, and the ideals of the Order. The Silver Light is lit, bathing the tower in its pure white glow as the final blessing is bestowed.

From that moment onward, they are sworn knights of the Order of the Righteous Blade, bearing its honor and responsibilities for the rest of their days.

The Aetherian Creed

We Endure
Let no haste, no greed, nor black despair unmake me.
I stand when all others fall, and hold fast the line,
That generations yet unborn may walk in peace and light.

We Speak True
I dare not lie, nor twist the tongue with cunning art,
Nor sow corruption’s seed where honor ought to grow.
Once given, my word is carven stone, and just as heavy.

We Protect
Mine is the shield unto the shieldless,
The sword unto the meek and undefended.
All lives upon this coast are precious in our sight,
High and low, alike, beneath the selfsame moon.

We Offer Mercy
Beware the blade drinking deep, and instead stretch forth the hand of grace.
The weak, the fallen, and the broken shall find redemption’s door in my domain,
For heart is the truest crown, and dons my very soul.

We Respect
I breathe honor unto all, both gentle and base,
To friend and foe, to lord and peasant.
When others spit upon my name, my gait maintains its measured grace,
For courtesy is the mark of my service.

Thus do I swear by the eternal light of the Sibling Gods.

-Baelor Aetherian, Second High Lord of Waeldstone

A Brief History of House Aetherian:

372 years ago: Dontar Aetherian successfully defended early settlers from a number of attacks and raiders. As word of his prowess spreads, people began flocking to him, believing they would have protection via proximity. In time, he became an unspoken leader of the region, and House Aetherian is associated with strength and power. Early into his leadership he encourages his neighbors to build shrines to the Sibling Gods and live virtuous, prayer filled lives.

345 years ago: Dontar’s son, Baelor Aetherian, began the tradition of offering sanctuary to refugees and displaced families, earning the house its first widespread loyalty among the common folk.

320 years ago: The great grandson of Dontar, Wilmot Aetherian, completed the construction of Moonwatch Citadel with the help of neighbors and supporters. With it, the region swears fealty to him, cementing their power. This majestic white-stone fortress becomes the permanent seat of House Aetherian and a symbol of their enduring strength and patience.

195 years ago: House Aetherian hosted the first Avalayle Grand, a tournament of martial display and friendly competition. Festivals flank the contest, and it quickly evolves into a neutral gathering where the Four Houses can negotiate and settle disputes, cementing Aetherian’s long-standing role as peacekeepers and mediators.

190 years ago: Demands for the Avalayle Grand were so high, that it became a seasonal affair, and a long standing tradition throughout the region.

105 years ago: The other houses, bitter and envious, insist each domain be allowed to host the Avalayle Grand. House Aetherian welcomes the idea, and commerce thrives across the coast. In short order, a lottery is held at the start of the new year, determining which house will host during each season. To ensure fair judging, Zarin the Knowing, and the Honored Blood of the Sibling Gods volunteer to attend and preside over the matches.

100 years ago: Tensions rise as the Avalayle Grand becomes a point of contention and bitter pride. In a bizarre finale, each House believes themselves to be the winner. When no house yields to the others, full on war is declared. A season is spent preparing their forces, and by the first buds of spring, the Four Houses march to meet in bloody battle. As the four sides charged, a burst of light and arcane power separated them. Standing at its center is none other than Zarin the Knowing the Honored Blood of the Sibling Gods.

“Shame on thee!” Zarin spat, “To think your pitiful pride would lead you to spill the blood of your brethren!"

Startled, the Honored Blood managed to convince the High Lords to meet them at Landar’s Respite, the ground sanctified so many years ago. While there, the Honored Blood propose a change to the rules of the Avalayle Grand. Henceforth, once per season, the winning House shall be awarded a Miracle from an Honored Blood of their choosing, or Master Arcanum from Zarin. However, they shall only receive this, if they prove themselves noble children of the Sibling Gods. Those that would turn on their brethren shall be disqualified from the event.

Reluctantly, the High Lords agree, ensuring the tournament is made to be a celebration of House ethics and morality. Peace flourishes across the coast, as the Houses strive to earn the miracles offered by the Honored Blood. Thus blatantly open war, sabotage, and feuding comes to an apparent end. From the shadows however, the houses undermine each other’s efforts. The Great Game, as some cheeky noble coined it, becomes getting away with one’s unethical deeds, and ensuring the Honored Blood are none the wiser.

40 years ago: Elandor Aetherian is the first to accept the call of Cayde Cafferen, wading into war against the Night Terror. The house suffers heavy losses, but their sacrifice earn them great respect throughout the coast. 

35 years ago: Heir to the throne, Zechariah Aetherian is born.

32 years ago: After returning from the war, High Lord Elandor Aetherian turned his efforts toward a major expansion of mining operations, bringing great wealth to the region.

30 years ago: High Lord Elandor’s first wife dies from sudden illness, leaving the whole of Waeldstone to mourn her.

28 years ago: High Lord Elandor Aetherian remarries.

24 years ago: Heir to the throne, Zecharie Aetherian dies of Lung-Rot. 

12 years ago: In response to the growing monster crisis, High Lord Elandor orders the construction of a series of fortified outposts and watchtowers along the eastern borders. This project, known as the Iron Bulwark, is completed in record time thanks to Aetherian mastery of stonemasonry and brings a new sense of security to the common folk.

7 years ago: High Lord Elandor’s health begins to fail. His sister, Lady Riona Aetherian, takes on more responsibilities as regent. She uses this time to strengthen ties with the temples and initiates a program to train more commoners as shrine keepers and minor clerics, further deepening the house’s relationship with the Sibling Gods and the common people.

Coveted Magic

The wisdom of the Silver Vigil, and the strange light of the Aetherian Lantern is often sought out by folk across the coast. To date however, none but House Aetherian have been allowed access to it.