Great House
In the Kurzick culture, there existed five Great Houses that were essentially city-states made up of ancient extended noble families. These families served as the foundation for the entire Kurzick culture, each practicing a different aspect of life and art. Each of the five Great Houses seemed to be dedicated to a different Human God. Although there were also two other minor houses, but also notable.
The Great Houses[edit]
If there is any house that dominates the rest, it is the House zu Heltzer. They were justifiably proud that Saint Viktor was considered an ancestor of his family line and the Count zu Heltzer sometimes boasted of this fact over the other houses. The House zu Heltzer was also responsible for much of the cultural renaissance of philosophy, magic, medicine, and art that its people previously experienced. They were famous for their magical innovations, their life-saving techniques, and their practical methods of enchanting and shaping the stone that constitutes the Kurzick domain. They were also well versed in the arts of magical protection. If there's one thing they knew how to shape better than stone, it's political thinking, as demonstrated by their continued leadership role in the faction. His goddess patron was Dwayna and its patron saint was the renowned Saint Viktor.
Its former seat was Arborstone or better known as the Cathedral zu Heltzer, however the protective magics waned over time and the Warden seized power from the place. Therefore his next headquarters was the House zu Heltzer. Their last leader was Countess Danika zu Heltzer.
- House Vasburg
House Vasburg, the second most politically powerful house of the Kurzick great houses, was made up of the greatest warriors of the Kurzick nation. For the Vasburgs, violence was a beautiful dance, an expression of life and death that cannot be matched by any other experience. Most entered combat with a thirst for blood that bordered on religious exultation. House Vasburg had lost more fighters in the war with the Luxons than any other house, a fact they were quite proud of. Their patron god was Balthazar and his patron saint was Saint Anjeka.
The headquarters was the Vasburg Armory and was run by Baron Mirek Vasburg and Baroness Attia Vasburg.
- House Brauer
The House of Brauer led the infinite search for aesthetics among the Kurzicks. The Brauers were responsible for the most refined sculptures and most impressive paintings ever made by the inhabitants of the Echovald Forest, and they saw it as their house's mission to bring life and color to their cold, petrified homeland. They experimented with previously untried methods of artistic expression, and some experiments were far more successful than others. Of all the houses, they were the least prepared for war, but if duty called, they always responded. Their patron goddess was Lyssa.
The seat of this house was the Brauer Academy and its former leader was the Count Archek Brauer
- House Lutgardis
Casa Lutgardis was dedicated to the study and creation of music in all its forms. They were masters of performance, creating the finest musical instruments in all of Cantha: indeed, for hundreds of years, no emperor of Cantha had ascended the throne without the inspiring orchestration of the instruments of the Lutgardis, usually played by the Lutgardis themselves. They used music to clean the streams and bring as much new life as they could into the forest. They were the home of the tree minstrels (Kurzick with a special bond with the few living trees that remained in the Echovald Forest), and they protected them with their songs and their own lives. For the Lutgardis, there was hardly any difference between the two. Their patron goddess was Melandru.
Lord Rolf Lutgardis founded the House of Lutgardis and built the Lutgardis Conservatory, after receiving a sign from the gods. And the last leader of it was the Duke Holtz Lutgardis.
- House Durheim
The Kurzicks of House Durheim were known by many nicknames, but as "the old house", they retained the history of their own culture and much of the rest of Cantha. They had a deep respect for the past and studied genealogy with a passion; they claimed that this devotion to the dead had given them a special bond with Grenth. According to the Durheims, Grenth had rewarded his devotion by granting them the magical ability to describe the life of every Kurzick born. Interestingly, those who did not devote themselves to the study of history tended to be poets and playwrights, although perhaps this is not at all curious, since both pursuits glorified the nobility of death in all its forms, especially in Kurzick society. His patron is, of course, the god Grenth.
Its headquarters were the Durheim Archives and its leaders were Count Durheim and Countess Sandra Dürheim.
Minor Houses[edit]
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There are two other houses, about which there is not much information and their god or patron saint is unknown.
House Gorhopf: it was a lesser Kurzick house dedicated to protecting and living in harmony with the Echovald Forest. A known member was Dunmel Gorhopf
House Ulrikar: it was one of the lesser Kurzick houses in Cantha. It was House Ulrikar that traveled to Kryta in an attempt to spread Kurzick's influence and establish themselves in foreign lands. Due to their rivalry with the Luxons who also traveled to Kryta, House Ulrikar was exiled from Kryta except for Meika Ulrikar.
