The Five Vampire Houses — Complete Lore
Five Houses, five oaths, five paths to immortality. The vampire side of Aeternum is organized through five noble Houses, each tracing to one of the Five Twilightborn who chose blood at the Sundering. Each House holds a distinct oath, bloodline trait, and political role within the Iron Treaty era.
House Voryn — Lawkeepers
Founded by Lord Voryn at the Sundering. Oath: Order. Bloodline trait: +5 INT, lawful-aligned crit damage. Members enforce Iron Treaty terms; House Voryn produces the most arbitrators in inter-House disputes. Political style: hierarchical, succession by primogeniture.
House Cassivara — Scholars
Founded by Matriarch Cassivara. Oath: Knowledge. Bloodline trait: +10% solo XP, expanded codex slots. Library at Citadel Cassivara catalogues 12 000+ tomes. Politically: meritocratic, leadership rotates among most-published scholars.
House Rauven — Honor Guard
Founded by Lord Rauven. Oath: Honor. Bloodline trait: +5% parry, dueling code bonus. Modern Rauven leadership oversees inter-House duels. Politically: strict succession by combat trial.
House Dusk — Shadow Operators
Founded by Mistress Dusk. Oath: Shadow. Bloodline trait: +10% dodge, stealth-skill access. Members work outside formal politics — espionage, infiltration, assassination contracts. Politically: opaque, leadership unconfirmed publicly.
House Nightmoor — Mystics
Founded by Mystic Nightmoor. Oath: Mystery. Bloodline trait: blood magic skills, ritual access. Most reclusive House. Members maintain Lunara's silent shrines. Politically: priest-led, succession by oracle dream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are players assigned a House?
Lv25 quest 'Choosing Your House' — assignment based on alignment + dialogue choices.
Can I switch Houses?
Once, via Lv50 'House Defection' quest. Loss of bloodline traits.
Are extinct Houses canon?
Yes — Solas, Marrow, Stoneblood. Their ruins are explorable.
Which House is best for PvP?
Rauven (parry bonus). For PvE: Cassivara (XP).
Inter-House politics in-game?
Mostly RP and quest-driven. Some clan alliances form along House lines.