Great House Tyrral
"[...] and not only did I sent my best friend to burn at the pyre, but also sentenced my only Love to the same fate, since they both endangered the peace we fought for. If you, Father, still believe that I don't have what it takes to rule, I can assure you, whoever dares to risk the peace again will wish that they got off as easy as Tréor and Liliána." - 'Bloody' Lunir Tyrral
Of all the great houses of Hallia, House Tyrral was the least likely to achieve the title of high nobility. The founders - pilgrims and outlaws from Farum - arrived to the kingdom with little more than the clothes on their backs. They were sent south with the rest of the lowborn settlers, where they got an equally small portion of land as everyone else around them.
Tyrrals however were cut from a different cloth than the rest. They made alliances with many of the small landowners around them. Those who would not ally with them, were - through cunning and treachery - set against each other. When they were sufficiently depleted, the ever growing Tyrral army overrun them. Then they started picking off their allies one-by-one. No ally of House Tyrral could ever feel truly safe under the rule of Harold 'the Tyrant'. After his death, tensions eased up.
Structure
House Tyrral is lead by the head of the house, Lord- or Lady Tyrral. They are supported by the Tyrral Council, but the head has the final say in all matters. The head is always a member of the noble family.
The council is made up of house members responsible for the most important house businesses, not necessarily blood relations of the head. The general(s) of the army sit there, as well as the treasurer(s). Other family members can become members if they show affinity for house business. In Tyrral's case many of the minor nobles beholden to them are also council members.
Below the council are the family members, who are not on the council. They can be children not yet old enough for leadership. Many of the women are also not on the council, instead taking the responsibility of raising the children and keeping the house stuff in order.
Below them are the not blood related house members. Most important among them are the ones who managed a seat on the council. Less important are the specialed enforcers, who can range from military leaders and spies to traders, ambassadors, instructors to the children and engineers. Other enforcers like mercenaries and craftsmen are the lowest members of the house.
Not official members are the lowest rank, they can be peasants, servants, foot soldiers, etc.
Culture
Tyrral is in a unique situation compared to their peers among the high nobility. Most of their lands were not granted to them, like the others, but they took it from weaker minor nobles. This 'take what you can get' attitude stayed alive within the family to some degree. To this day they see everyone as rivals, even those who are officially allied with them.
Assets
House Tyrral owns enough lands, mines and quarries to be fully self-sufficient, but their taxation of the minor nobles under their rule is what makes up their wealth. Their arm keeps these minor nobles in order.
History
By the time Great House Riak
gained a foothold in Hallia, a smuggler route was already established in the Deadland, making it easier for people to cross the desert. Up until that point, only the wealthy who had enough resources or shurrans, who grew up in the desert had any chance to make it across. This established route, called the Pilgrim's Way, made the crossing possible for anyone willing. These lead to a massive influx of people.
Most of these new arrivals were poor as dirt. Many were assigned as subjects to the already established noble houses. Those who would not submit were sent further south to make a living there. One of these people was Harold, a farumen outlaw.
Harold was ambitious and soon it began to show. He arrived with the first settlers in the far south and already while on the road, he began allying the more resourceful people to himself. He quickly built up his power, which had no rival this far from the capital.
Harold 'the Tyrant' became the de facto ruler in the far south. While his nickname was given to him out of hatred by the minor nobles, he loved it so much, that when he was accepted into the nobility, he named his house after it. This, however, only drove a wedge further between him and his neighbours.
Eventually the rule passed to his grandson, Jeremy. He was much like his grandfather, caring only about his wealth. When Martin Riak approached him with his plans to take over the kingdom from Great House Missar, Jeremy joined up without much thinking. During the civil war, Jeremy Tyrral - by whatever means - allied all the minor nobles in the south to his cause. After the war, however, he wanted to assimilate them into his own, which he failed to achieve.
It was his son, 'Bloody' Lunir, who eventually succeeded in that. He assimilated or eradicated all southern minor nobles, making them the only landowner south of House Riak's holdings.
Territories
House Tyrral is the owner and ruler of the far south. This territory of Hallia is covered with forests and rolling grasslands, making it a great land for agriculture. They have to share them with the minor nobles, but so far the land yields enough for all of them.
Foreign Relations
House Tyrral has a great relationship with the other great houses or at least had before the civil war. Their closest ally is House Riak.
Their relationship with the minor nobles under their rule, however is a lot more ambigious. They want to assimilate them into their own house, gaining their lands. But since they lack the power to take them on all at once, they have to do with taxing them for now. These taxes have to be low enough, though not to attract hostility from the various minor houses.
Honor And Glory
The golden cross-guarded sword on Tyrral's crest represent both the houses'wealth and the army by which they gained it. The blood red background stands for the wars they endured and will endure.
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Trained
Ruling Organization
Parent Organization
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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Comments
Author's Notes
This article is created for the setting of my first novel, 'The Forgotten Houses'. Any and all feedback(content quality, grammar, punctuation, what's too much, what's left out) would be most welcome. If you read it this far, thank you and have a great day :)