Vassalships

Queen Lilhelndine making Prabil Worthis a vassal

In Elothninian culture, vassals represent the highest class of individuals who are not related by blood to the Otellian dynasty. Technically, a noble family is any whose surname appears at least once on the Otellian family tree, and a royal is someone who is a first or second degree relative to the reigning monarch. Royal and noble status ensures a place at court (and, of course, a high standard of living).

Vassals, on the other hand, are families whose status has been raised to the equivalent of nobles by an Elothninian ruler. This is a rare occurrence, and is generally done in recognition of great deeds performed in the name of the ruler which benefit Elothnin generally. Once bestowed, the vassalship is transferred through the family line. Currently, there are eight such families in Elothnin:

The Alorn family were made vassals after the great scholar, Horace Alorn, established Opleneer University. King Gimmelthorpe, who attended the school when he was in Opleneer during the city's great period of cultural renaissance, was so impressed with it that he made the Alorns vassals early in his reign.

The very first vassalship was bestowed on the Durannan clan by King Otellian I. Though the details have been lost to history, it is said that the original Durannan was a great war leader, and crucial to Otellian's campaign to displace the red elves. The Durannan clan continues to produce excellent military minds.

Rawny Fopp was a close and very adventurous friend of King Gimmelthorpe's who, as the story goes, played a major part in opening the Perejin region to Elothninian expansion. Much of the Fopp clan still resides in Perejin, and they remain one of the most powerful logging families in the empire.

The Iloskin clan were made vassals by Queen Rilinia. The Queen, who always complained of being cold, commissioned fabulous and ornate coats from the reknowned furrier Gwail Iloskin. While most of the Iloskin clan have gone on to bigger and better things, almost all try to incorporate fur into their outfits as often as possible as a homage to their illustrious ancestor.

King Malin II is often credited with the re-establishment of good relations with the dwarf communities in the wake of the dwarf-led kidnapping and killing of his great-uncle Leith Shando. In his memoirs, the king states that Trifion Lainel's discovery of precious ores in the Klevarcht Mountains was the impetus to reconcile with the short, testy mountain people.

Cacherd Perlin was made a vassal for his contributions to music by King Cius II - however, Cius II went mad and was removed from the throne six months later, so his taste in music may have been suspect at the time. Nevertheless, once a vassalship has been bestowed it cannot be rescinded, and the Perlins remain at court to this day.

King Teifus I made the exploration and use of the Great Land Sea a major focus of his reign, and expressed the utmost respect and admiration for the Robel clan, a family of fisherman who had trained mersprites to catch the rarer, tastier fishes from the deeper levels. This style of fishing is still used today.

The most recent family to receive a vassalships is the Worthis clan. Queen Lilhelndine made Prabil Worthis a vassal early in her reign, and this illustrious family still keeps a close eye on the developments in the Fethil.