The Six Houses

The Kindom of Havenhold is one still in its infancy. Prior to the unification under High King Albrecht the Kingdom of Havenhold was six smaller kingdoms each ruled by their own king. The kingdoms traded and quarreled with little major conflict since the humans of the area ventured out of the shelter of the mountains a few decades after the Cataclysm. While unification was something debated on and off for many years, it wasn't until King Ingval of Haven began the practice of Binding magic users rather than having them executed that any kingdom had enough power to challenge the others outright. With that and the Kingdoms of Greywood, and Cliffshade joining with him he was able to wage war on the remaining kingdoms. Though he did not live to see his war to its end, falling in battle to King Stienarr of Gateward now called Haven's Hold, his son saw his dream fulfilled.
  Before the War of Unification the six great houses were the Ironhearts of Haven, the Grimarchs of Greywood, the Adelmunds of Cliffshade, the Hildgards of Fairhallow, The Stonewalds of Gateward, and the Magnars of Castleport. After the war ended the now High King of Havenhold Albrecht Ironheart exiled the ruling families of the opposing kingdoms and replace them with nobles from his kingdom. The Hildgards were replace with the Howberts, the Magnars with the Foggs, and Stonewalds with the Volmar.
  Despite their loss and exile there are still many that are sympathetic to the houses that stood against the High King and pockets of rebellion will from time to time pop up, though these have lessened over the long years of High King Albrecht's reign.