Derai Alliance

Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai Alliance, the remote mountain range known as the Wall of Night is the final barrier between the lands of Haarth and the all-devouring Darkswarm—which the Derai have been fighting across worlds and time.

Nine Houses
The nine Houses of the Derai are the Nine factions/Nations which garrison the Wall of Night. The Nine Houses are: the House of  Night, the House of Stars, the Sea House, the House of Blood, the House of Adamant, the House of Swords, the House of Morning, the House of Peace and the House of Roses.

Each house is led by a hereditary ruler, a member of The Blood to whom the Golden Fire is bound; their Earl or Countess.

Each house is itself either a Warrior or Priestly house. According to Garan there are only three purely priestly houses, yet many of the warrior houses, those who did not swear the Blood Oath, count those with the Old Powers amongst their fighting ranks. Within the alliance exist three casts: Warriors, Priests and a middle-ground of everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning, construction...

Symbols of the Nine Houses
Much as each House has a Mythical beast as their symbol, their respective Golden Fires wear this form.

Golden Fires
"Iriellirin may wear the phoenix form, but we were all born from Terenninin's fire, which must return to ash before it can reignite."

Once ethe heart of the Derai alliance, their greatest weapon against the Maelstrom and Darksworm; the Golden Fire was a power and strength which burnt throughout the Nine Keeps until the night of The Great Betrayal.

Darksworn
Although the Derai Alliance consists of Nine Houses, originally, there were Twelve Nations. Malian first discovers this within the Crucible of the Old Keep of Night; the twelve-sided room at the heart of the Old Keep and Hylcarions power.

During the sundering, three of the nations chose not to bind their Ascendants; rather breaking away to become the vanguard of the Maelstrom, more commonly known as the Darkswarm.

Like the Nine Houses, each nation of the Darksworn has an Ascendant (Golden Fire) as well as a ruling Bloodline.

Keeps
Each House dwells within as well as garrisoning strongholds (known as Keeps) as well as many small holdings, towers and temporary fortifications.

Temple Quarter
Within each of the Keep lies a temple complex. Comprising of the temples to the Nine Gods as well as the living quarters of the priesthood.

Each of the Nine Houses worships one of the Nine most prominently, "First amongst the Nine."