Nobility

While most Ayleids belong to one of the Houses Major or Houses Minor, by blood, marriage, or employ, only those of the upper most echelon of that house, typically the house leader and their immediate family, are considered nobility.

Amarildan ("Herald")
Amarildan is the lowest rank of nobility, and typically only given to children until they come of age and are given higher status. Still, the rank does not go without duties. The primary duties of the amarildan is to accompany and announce the presence of higher ranking members of the house, as well as to carry the house's banner.

Pelin ("Knight")
Pelini serve primarily as military commanders and elite law enforcement, but occasionally as personal bodyguards as well. They abide by a strict set of rules, regulations, codes of conduct, and honor known as the Anyadenalia. As a result they are granted the bala-av-dagon, the Power of Destruction, a right to immediately kill or take as a slave anyone of lower rank who insults their honor.

Arven ("Regent")
The arveni fulfill several different roles. Primarily, they are property owners who own real estate other than the actual property where the adaen lives. Often, along with having households of their own, they own businesses and the like. Their second purpose is to act as advisors to the adaen and manage most day-to-day business of the House. Finally, should the need arise, an arven can temporarily fill in for an adaen, but only if appointed by the adaen themselves.

Adaen ("Lord")
Adaen is the highest rank in any given House and thus they wield the most political power. They tend to think in the long term and on a grand scale and are heavily involved with politics, always trying to further the goals of the House.

Arandir ("Prince")
Historically, the arandir was the heir to the throne of Mitaiabaluis. The title, in fact, is simply the diminutive form of aran or "monarch". However with the schism, there has been no aran in over a thousand years and thus this is the title taken by the ruler of one of the two factions. Since the schism, the arandir has always been an adaen of one of the Houses Major, and traditionally, they all take on new names in the form of a historic name followed by a title such as "the Gallant", and eschew their House name, though their spouse and any offspring still keep their names.

Heir Apparent
This practice is only used in the cases of the chosen heir of an adaen or an arandir, but the chosen heir is given their parent's title preceded by the prefix Rae-. Thus the chosen heir of an arandir would hold the title of rae-arandir.

Houses Major vs. Houses Minor
A major dichotomy and double edged sword exists connecting the Houses Major to the Houses Minor. Typically, within one of the two factions, there are four Houses Major and an average of three Houses Minor allied to each of the Houses Major.

Only the adaen from the House Major with the most Houses Minor allied to it can be made arandir, a position that cannot be taken away and lasts for life. Usually when a House Major becomes the "Ruling House", even more Houses Minor flock to it, allowing its rule to last for generations.

However, should another House Major have more allied Houses Minor than the Ruling House, it is customary for the arandir to make the adaen of the more powerful House Major the heir to the title of arandir. This is due to an unspoken threat of revolt by the more powerful House Major. A revolt like that has never taken place, at least not yet.

The adaeni of the Houses Major tend to act as an advisory council to the arandir as well, the opinion of each one given the amount of favor due to a House with as many or as few Houses Minor allied to it. Thus, the more Houses Minor allied to a House Major, the more prestige and power the adaen has.

When a House Minor allies itself with a House Major it takes on the responsibility of fighting for, protecting, and generally serving the House Major, but as was mentioned earlier, there is a two edged sword.

For any House Major to hope to succeed in their goals, they need as many Houses Minor backing them as possible, thus they cannot afford to lose any and must try to woo others away from other Houses Major to accrue power. As a result they cannot ask too much of their Houses Minor and must offer them something in return for their allegiance.