House Ildra

House Ildra is a young house among the ruling nobility of the empire. House Ildra seats itself in the region of Handerholt and is ruled by the young Duke Zephethres Ildra under the regency of Hala Ildra.

Origin
Ildra was founded as a noble house in 1220 by the authority of The League of Chibor, to rule it as first amoung equals. It was preceeded by House Dandercooth, which dwindled into extinction. Dadric then a lowly quartermaster of house Dandercooth, was given the title of Lord Protector by vote of the League and named Ildra ("handless") to legitimize his rule, tieing him to Casterai though a dubious but entirely plausible claim of relation.

Ildra's political position is unique in that it rules over a region that has maintained the authority and anonimity of local lords at the expense of the ruling regional potentate. This collective relationship had been known as The League of Chibor and has winked in and out of existance for nearly a mellinium.

Lords Retinant of the League
Obiya of House Dracaster ("handthrower") Lady Mistress of Crossingfield. A slinger casting his own severed hand, proper, on teal. A cadet family of House Ildra. Pristor of House Wyntin ("Tin Hill"), Lord Mayor of Tinhead, 3 silver cups in delta, the right is cracked, on a vermillion field. Malkus of House Brist ("Reputation-keeper") Lord Mayor of Prorta, A gagged harpist proper, on a violet field Kaltas Krim, Aulryin of Dysean-gor. Uses a painted umbrella as a banner. Vriskon of House Brimbloss ("Prim-flower"), Lord of Salma and Siltstone. A thorny briar on Tan. Ryatsuuki of House Awaano ("Mornful-rage"), Lord of Awaaji. A centipede in vortex, eating a bat, black on white. Walkras of House Braxer ("brazier") Lord mayor of Halma, 2 blue fillets on tan. Nistro of House Sundermarch ("broken borderland") Lord of Sundermarch, A broken cart-wheel, on red.

Histra of the Halls, Lady Mayor of Caltra, A blue saltire on skyblue

Noteworthy Local Potentates
The Order of Sacred Polishers, Holders of of Lonesome Priory. The Purity Sutra, hung from a pole.

Kaltas Krim, Aulryin of Dysean-gor. Uses a painted umbrella as a banner.

Salka of the Shalks, Seneschal of The Summer Palace. An eclipsing sun with jade moon on white.

Local Seats
Handerholt (castle) A fortified palace cresting a steep foothill at the confluence of the Chibor River. The lands of Handerholt are densely forested and act as a natural barrier to civilization. Logging is a staple industry as timber is floated downstream to be milled and traded in Cruxford. modest bridge tariffs on non-local merchants supplement incomes. Cruxford (township) An industrial center for the production of bronze, iron and timbergoods. The Ildran tin monopoly means that Cruxford is one of the only places in the world where bronze is produced in quantity. Caltra (township) A central hub for the many agricultural satellite settlements. Large landowners operate commercial farms near the city with communal peasant villages in the hinterland. Halma (township)Halma is an affluent and highly cultured settlement filled with artisans. Timber, Iron, tin, bronze, and imported copper, gems, jade and gold are carved, moulded and cut into exquisite works of art. Thanks to the locality of fine artisans and entertainers, this cosmopolitan and fashionable city are widely renowned for everything from it fine bronze ornamental pieces to its Korga plays. Siltstone (castle) This thickwalled but small castle overlooks the mouth of the Chibor River as well as the chokepoint between the river and the nearby lakes. Fishing and modest tariffs on foreign merchants are the primary source of income. Crossingfield: (castle) A large, but short walled castle surrounded by farming villages. Relies on tax from farmers for income. Sundermarch: (castle) A strategic but often neglected road system capped with a ill-repaired castle. The rocky land is poor, but often given grants from other lords for passage or succor in the past. Tinhead (township) A mining town filled with ruffians. Tin and vermillion are barged down river for processing. Awaaji(castle) A castle hosting the decedents of the Painted Children. This Ominous place was the center of the exploitation of the Painted Children in Iron and tin mines in the area. A slave rebellion in the area ended up with the Children taking the castle, who were then enslaved once again by their own leaders to further fortify the place and prepare for future wars by stock piling iron. The Children would eventually be bred out of existence and brought back into the fealty of House Luseysi,but their decedents are still independent in spirit. Salma (township) Once Halma's sister city, this remote town now services local farms and fishing villages as both cities once did. Produces a modest food surplus while being self sufficient in manufacturing. Prorta (township) A large cultural city containing no less than 3 world renowned actor colonies. This is an entertainment mecca, with poets jongoliers, dancers, mummers, and musicians living in a town devoted to their crafts. The economy is based on patronage, cultural pilgrimage and and the many fashions that emanate from hands of seamstresses. The city is also home to the Prorta Imperial Mint, the source for almost all bronze coinage in the empire.

==Local Neighbors ==

Lonesome Priory (monastery) This monastery is a former Order of the Stone sect that sought refuge in the remote cliffs it stands atop of. Some say it still harbors support for the False Stone, likely eminating from the secretive and overtly militant mould of its monks. The Summer Palace (Imperial palace) The Summer Palace is a fiefdom consisting of Dysean's Peak, which stands alone, being very tall. The Summer Palace is a unique place held by the Emperor in fealty to House Ildra. This Strange conflicting relationship means that the holding pays no scutage to House Ildra, and is merely the Emperor's country retreat for when the southern summers or city politics get too hot. Dysaun-gor (grand temple) This grand temple dedicated to the world-creator was once a wonder of the world. Sitting atop a great hill, this sprawling terraced complex has now been overgrown by timber. Local taunesiis have restored it to a functional and habitable state. The material graduer is gone, but the epic awe of the superstructure remains. Attempts to restore it have greatly underestimated the cost necessary.