Nobles of Iacaris

The nobility of the Kingdom of Iacaris are exclusively elves. The titles are less land-based than those of the League. All elven nobles have the title tanavar/tanwyn (tanavar / tanwyn, lit 'noble-man/noble-woman'). The nine highest houses are collectively the imotanaë ('High Nobility'). There are also several minor noble houses, the malatanaë ('Low Nobility'). All noble houses swear fealty to Queen Caerynna of House Hathador.

Most of these families are very old - some can even trace their ancestors back before the founding of the Empire. The high-elven blood of the nobility makes them live longer - upwards of 300 years is not uncommon, and even longer in the very purest bloodlines. They are also more prone to magical gifts than low-born elves.

Since elven last names do not follow quite the same conventions as those of other races, elven houses are usually identified using a byname of their founder. Usually this name is still used by their descendants, but not always. For inheritance purposes, parents choose which of their houses their children belong to, but can only choose one (it is not necessary to choose the same house for all their children). It is not customary to change one's byname upon marriage.

Unlike their Estian counterparts, the elven nobles do not have holdings of land. Some do of course own land, but they do not rule over it, nor collect taxes.

Inheritance

Elven noble titles can only be inherited by full-blooded elves. Many half-elves have had the names of elven nobility without the privileges, sometimes as the last survivors of that house. Since elves live so much longer than humans, it is not uncommon for elven nobles to take a human partner and have a half-elf children with them, and when they inevitably die, they find an elven partner. This practice is called Agarcil, ('Young-love').

Some families are highly concerned with keeping their lineage pure, only accepting children of two noble parents into their house. Other families accept their members to marry and have children with lowborn elves.

Emblems

Each house has an emblem which identifies it. This emblem is worn on shields, embroidered onto clothes, and painted on houses, to signify membership, allegiance, or ownership.

Some emblems are a literal depiction of that house's name, others are symbolic, or simply aesthetically designed. It is not uncommon for nobles to incorporate other versions of the emblem in their garb. For example, the guards outside Manor Halasir wear eagle feather headdresses, as found on their emblem.

It is often possible to identify the attendants of an elven gala simply by the color of their clothes, which usually are the same as that of their emblem. They might also dress their servants in less elaborate versions of their colors. It would be a major faux pas for a noble elf to wear the colors of a different house, especially one higher in station than their own.