11 Great Houses

Vilhous

 * Male Name:Vihoides
 * Female Name:Vihoades
 * City:Athens
 * Favored Element:Earth
 * History: Alexander sent his son Vilhous to oversee the democratic process in Athens. Vilhous did not wish to interfere with Athenian affairs. He led a relatively quiet life, before marrying an up and coming politician. After that day the two dove straight into the government. Many long standing policies came from this era such as the great Onyx University and the ability for women to own land. After his wife died Vilhous left control of the affairs of the family to his eldest daughter, and disappeared. Since then the family has always been heavily involved in radical movements in Athens.
 * Current Affairs: With one of their members being raised into the Silver Throne the family decided to thrown a year long festival in her honor. They await democracy to be spread to all of Greece.
 * Common Occupations: Radical Politicians, philosophers, priests.
 * Reputation: Always at the forefront of Greek politics the members of the Vilhous family are also known for their upholding of many Greek and Athenian traditions such as democracy and honoring of the Olympian gods.

Tysius

 * Male Name:Tysiides
 * Female Name:Tysiades
 * City:Corinth
 * Favored Element: Earth
 * History: When Tysius first arrived in Corinth he was treated as nobility. He did not like this since he had not earned that respect. He instead began a small business and eventually joined the merchant class. His example set the already existing classes in stone. No one is born a noble, they must earn it. Members of his family are given only the most basic schooling, being sent off on their own at the age of 12 with very little money. For this reason when one does rise out of the peasantry he or she is held in even higher regard. Some choose to make a name for themselves outside of the city as well.
 * Current Affairs: Seeing a war approaching, some of the Elders went to Delphi. There they were told that if they did not raise an army their family would be erased from memory. Since then the richest family members have been hiring as many mercenaries as they can.
 * Common Occupations: Shop keep, artist, entrepreneur
 * Reputation: The nobility of this family are the least numerous of all the great families. However, those that are nobility are recognized are truly deserving of the title. They are held in high regards in all civilized empires of creation.

Kelus

 * Male Name:Kelides
 * Female Name:Kelades
 * City:Cyrene
 * Favored Element: Wood
 * History: Kelus felt spurned when he was assigned to the small colony of Cyrene. He spent the first few months there among the Egyptian and Greek mercenaries and merchants. There he discovered that he had not been punished but given the greatest opportunity of all his brothers. He quickly set up several inns and markets. His wealth grew quickly and he left control of his holding to his son. Then he left to start his own merchant business. He returned 10 years later with a fortune in tow. He then ordered his sons to set up shop in several foreign cities and awaited their return. Since that time Kelus family members can be seen throughout the world from the time they are 16. At age 150 they return to Cyrene to watch over the family business and rest.
 * Current Affairs: The attacks by the Egyptians have startled the Kelus family and several of their members have decided to investigate on their own.
 * Common Occupations: Mercenary, merchant, drifter
 * Reputation: Perhaps the largest family they are most defiantly the most widespread. It is rare to see more than three family members together; outside of Cyrene. They are also known for their carefree lifestyle, leaving their fate in the hands of the Watchers.

Oneus

 * Male Name:Oneides
 * Female Name:Oneades
 * City:Delphi
 * Favored Element: -none-
 * History: Oneus was sent out to keep an eye on the Oracle of Delphi. Instead of this he used his opportunity to put his own son in that position. He also ordered the construction of a temple to every god. After they were completed, he created an event to have the positions of Oracles be decided by himself. Several of his own children were put in those positions. Since then his family has always secretly manipulated the oracles. This allows them to claim neutrality while greatly influencing the state of the world.
 * Current Affairs: Several members are trying to cause wars throughout the lands in order to weaken their rival families. One such war is between Troy and Mycenae.
 * Common Occupations: oracles, monks, counselors.
 * Reputation: Mostly ignored by Greece until they need to call upon the oracles. Some know the truth behind this family's motivations but they are quickly silenced.

Nuzaius

 * Male Name: Nuzaiides
 * Female Name: Nuzaiades
 * City:Ithaca
 * Favored Element: Wood
 * History: Nuzaius was the eldest of Alexander's sons and so he was allowed to choose which city he would govern. He chose Ithaca in order to make the city grow and prosper. It was also slightly removed from the affairs of inner Greece. He set up the mines of Ithaca and left children and first wife behind to run it. He then set out to explore the known world. He was never seen again and many believe he traveled too far west and was lost in the seas of the Wyld. His family set out a few decades later to find him and built several ships of epic proportion. Members of this family have a great sense of adventure as many own city-ships, ships so massive they are basically floating cities.
 * Current Affairs: A fleet commanded by 20 family members’ has set out to take control of the Italian gulf. Those in charge of the mines have been hoarding onyx as of late, and it is rumored that a ship made of it is being built using First age technology.
 * Common Occupations: Sailors, miners, shipwrights
 * Reputation: The family is very restless never settling down for very long. Their love of sailing is world renowned and their ship designs are some of the most popular in Greece. Members are also known for their unpredictable nature.

Oynaus

 * Male Name:Oynaides
 * Female Name: Oynaades
 * City:Mycenae
 * Favored Element: Air
 * History: Oyneus was a general at heart and for that his father sent him to Mycenae. Under his watch the Mycenaean army became the most disciplined in Greece. He opened up a military academy that to this day, creates some of the most brilliant commanders. For the first few centuries this family took its armies and clashed several times with the barbarians of the west. When Persia rebelled it was under the generals of this family that led the attacks into Persia itself. With no more wars to fight many family members took to politics.
 * Current Affairs: The insults of Troy were directed at members of this family, calling them weak, arrogant, corrupt, and unworthy of their title. They are now uniting and planning for the day they will strike Troy and make them regret those words.
 * Common Occupations: War scholars, bureaucrats, strategist
 * Reputation: Always thinking before acting this family is rightfully feared by many other factions. When they do put a plan into action it is normally quick and concise, and most of the time, successful.

Omus

 * Male Name: Omides
 * Female Name: Omades
 * City:Sikyon
 * Favored Element: Air
 * History: Omus was a great artist and when he was sent to Sikyon he started his own art gallery. This quickly drew in tourists craving to see his works. Before long his designs could be seen even in the architecture of the city. He had many wives and lived to the old age of 286. His children also took to the arts and started traveling the world spreading the cities fame. Today the Omus family is the richest in all of Greece.
 * Current Affairs: Having a small standing army leaves the city weak. They have been dealing with Corinth to gain a powerful ally should a war break out.
 * Common Occupations: Sorcerers, artists of all kinds, and diplomats
 * Reputation: Members of this family are very creative; it is they who opened up the door to many of the Charms and Spells used by the Phoenix Blooded after many had been forgotten in the second age. Their diplomacy is also very creative.

Adeeus

 * Male Name: Adeeides
 * Female Name: Adeeades
 * City:Sparta
 * Favored Element: Fire
 * History: Adeeus was a born warrior. When he took over Sparta and became its king he was ecstatic. He quickly launched raids on several non-Greek cities. His favorite place to strike was the barbarians of the west. He knew that he was unlikely to succeed and that’s what drove him to attack. He set out with an army of 5,000 men. He returned with only 786, but also brought back many trophies and treasures of those he had defeated. Since this time a member of his family has always been king or queen of Sparta. The medicines he brought back from the barbarian lands help strengthen the Spartan soldiers and the secrets of these elixirs are closely guarded secret. Of the 300 Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae 100 were from this family
 * Current Affairs: The new King is planning a massive raid into the Phoenician and Persian lands in an effort to prove them and reclaim them.
 * Common Occupations: generals, blacksmiths, martial artists
 * Reputation: The bravest and most foolhardy of all the families. They are known to act long before thinking about their actions, most of the time only after they have completed their action. They almost never have a plan, acting instead on instinct.

Thausius

 * Male Name: Thausiides
 * Female Name: Thausiades
 * City:Syracuse
 * Favored Element: Water
 * History: Because Thausius as the youngest of Alexander's sons he was chosen for a task that would take years to accomplish. Thausius was sent out with 50 people to colonize Syracuse again. Along the way they were attacked several times and lost all but 20 people, 16 women, 3 men, and Thausius. When they arrived in Syracuse they quickly started building it. Before long the place was up and running but vastly unpopulated. It was at this time that Thausius declared polygamy legal and proceeded to populate the land. Thausius himself claimed 10 of the women for himself. As a result of this most people of Syracuse are also members of this family. Like to original colonists the colony itself quickly populated the available lands with seed colonies. It can be said that the Thausius family controls most of the west.
 * Current Affairs: Trying to expand into the barbarian lands and take control of Sicillius. They have also sent out several colonists to the south in hopes of populating that desert area as well.
 * Common Occupations: Colonist, naval commander, Wyld Guide
 * Reputation: A very adaptive family, known to take on challenges no one else will. Their colonies are very successful because of this. Some members are considered crazy sometimes, such as their business to guide people through the wyld.

Mutaius

 * Male Name: Mutaiides
 * Female Name: Mutaiades
 * City:Thebes
 * Favored Element: Water
 * History: Mutaius did not really do anything spectacular in his life time that he saw himself. However several of the plans he laid down came to fruition hundreds of years later, such as the museum that is being built. It is known that he started many other plans and his decedents try to see that they are carried through while plotting their own. Several renegade members of the family are cast out into the Legion as to not disrupt their plans.
 * Current Affairs: Seeing through old plans of Mutaius and gathering up their dormant forces.
 * Common Occupations: Assassins, cult leaders, spies
 * Reputation: A very secretive family that rarely acts. Their members always seem to live over 275 years. Many other familys seem to forget about this one until one of its plans springs forth, though it is quickly forgotten about afterwards.

Blodius

 * Male Name: Blodiides
 * Female Name: Blodiades
 * City:Troy
 * Favored Element: Fire
 * History: Upon entering Troy Blodius was greeted with hatred. In time he earned respect by financing the reconstruction of the city without his father's approval. Members of this family sometimes forget about their allegiance to the Silver throne and have long plotted to take revenge upon Greece. They have become so ingrained in the loyalty to Troy that many have schemed to destroy Greece. The Persian war was planned by family insurgents in Persia. They also have secret members in most of the Threshold territories.
 * Current Affairs: Attempting to start a war with Mycenae while striking a deal with Athens and Sparta on advice from Delphi. They are also funding the Egyptian rogues to distract Cyrene.
 * Common Occupations: Leaders of foreign armies, insurgents, archeologists searching for lost artifacts
 * Reputation: outwardly the one of the most loyal members of Greece. Their members are known to exact quick retribution whenever they feel they are wronged. They are also heroes for bring peace between Greece and Persia.