Though power has changed hands plenty of times over a millenia, Imber is a feudal society under the rule of the royal family and current monarch, King Edvin Pennant. Each province is ruled over by one of six Great Houses, who have been granted a degree of autonomy and authority over their minor lords and small folk, with the exception of two regions. The Hinterlands defy such a narrow hierarchy, its squabbling minor lords unwilling to fall under any one banner but the crown's. Though many attempts have been made to civilize the region, the Velwood remains an untamed neutral territory, with its only major settlement of Retterim having a mayor. More about the heads of Houses can be found HERE.

pennant

let fortune be attendant

region: Kingslands
head: King Edvin
seat: Prosperthine

history: The house's lineage originates with Sir Robett Pennant, a landed knight who rose to prominance during war. The family likes to espouse the great feats of their progenitor, but it is quietly acknowledged that Sir Robett's greatest accomplishment was in cozying up with the king at the time, King Adalwin Lantell. It was through their alliance that Sir Robett's family found honor, then prestige, then power. Five generations later, and the Lantell line ended when the last Lantell named her nephew — Aldo Pennant — heir. Thus King Aldo was the first of the Pennant rulers. The Pennant dynasty has been one of remarkable peace, which means that recent generations of Pennant have been particularly relaxed and reliant upon their advisors.
alliances: Pennant has always considered House Averay a close ally, going so far as to intermarry at times. King Edvin's mother was an Averay. They have also shown favor to Fairmane in the past, raising them to noble status.
rivals: House Ironstag was the last to bend the knee to the crown. Though they've since been loyal, some still fear the North may withdraw from the kingdom.

hollast

yield not to misfortune

region: Tormain
head: Lord Warin
seat: Levishire

history: Historically, Hollast was a house of ancient might. While others fought and struggled for swaths of more fertile lands to the south, the original Lord Hollast claimed the mountains in the north. The high peaks of Tormain were soon found to be rich in minerals, making the Hollast family unimaginably wealthy. They made natural allies for the early royal families of Imber, and many of Imber's past royal consorts have been Hollasts. Only in the recent centuries under House Pennant has their power waned. The bountiful veins of gold and other metals that kept Hollast prominent have been depleted, forcing them to dig deeper and deeper no matter the cost. The house is now a shadow of its former glory, and ruins and empty mining towns litter its mountain passes.
alliances: Hollast and House Ironstag have always enjoyed beneficial relationships, with Hollast providing the ore that feeds Ironstag's forges. The house also has ties to fellow ancient House Wymare, with their current lords being close friends and distant cousins.
rivals: The influx of foreign resources that Fairmane has imported from across the sea has negatively impacted Tormain's economy, causing a rift between the two.

averay

be just and fear not

region: Millhearth
head: Lady Ellynore
seat: Cyrenne

history:
alliances: Averay has prided itself on looking over House Pennant and, as such, the two houses are particularly close. They also enjoy a recent alliance with House Ironstag following the marriage between their house's heir and an Ironstag son.
rivals: With conflicting values between them and their neighbors, Averay views House Wymare with suspicion.

Ironstag

by valor and exertion

region: The Lairfost
head: Lord Ansgar
seat: Torick

history: One of the oldest great houses of Imber, the Ironstag bloodline traces back to ancient war chieftains. They won the right to rule the northern clans through martial prowess and fair negotiation, and have long since retained the loyalty and respect of their people. Former isolationists, they were the last to join the kingdom, but conceded to unification upon recognizing the benefits of opening trade lines to outsiders. Pragmatists at their core, Ironstag still puts its own northerners first, and prefer to adhere to old traditions and beliefs, many of which predate and may even diverge from conventional church teachings.
alliances: Close neighbors and longtime allies, House Hollast has always fairly traded their ore to them for protection and weapons. A newer relationship has been forged with House Averay via marriage arrangement.
rivals: While they are at peace, Ironstag does not always trust House Pennant to make decisions that have the North's best interests at heart.

Fairmane

guard strong, sail swift

region: Meripont
head: Lady Serai
seat: Eversedge

history: Considered "new money" by their peers, Fairmane's legacy is the shortest of all great houses. Having only recently risen to prominence within the last four generations, they had humble beginnings as a wealthy merchant family until being elevated by the Pennants for bolstering the economy with international trade and fortifying the royal naval fleet. Forward-thinking and cosmopolitan, the house encourages diplomacy, and is usually among the first to support and invest in innovations and adopt new fashions from abroad. However, some critics perceive them as vain elitists who are "out of touch" with the heartland of Imber.
alliances: Owing their ascent to House Pennant, they would be nothing without their support and have sworn to return the favor. They also share values with House Wymare and aspire to their level of success and longevity.
rivals: It's no secret that House Hollast has held resentment toward the house for their quick rise to power and steep decrease in value of Tormain's goods.

Wymare

consider the end

region: Carenth
head: Lord Osric
seat: Brescion

history: Alongside Ironstag and Hollast, House Wymare counts itself as one of the great houses that predate Imber. They were the first house to join the kingdom, recognizing early on the benefit of unification in their ongoing struggle against raids by the neighboring Kingdom of Gaeryn. No longer preoccupied with defending themselves against invasion, Wymare turned its focus to learning and became known as a clever house, one that recognizes the importance of education and advancement to keep their region prosperous and their house relevant. Many of their lords and ladies have been patrons to universities, workshops, and libraries. Valuing reason over faith, the house has faced tension with the church in the past.
alliances: Understanding the importance of the new house, House Wymare was quick to make allies of Fairmane. They also share a number of familial ties to Hollast and consider them distant cousins.
rivals: Their pragmatism often clashes with the more chivalric house Averay. They very rarely see eye to eye.