The many Great Houses of the Elven Principalities are largely broken up by their favorite magical style, and the ethnic variations that thousands of years being their own special style of Elf has led to.

• House Belial: Extinct. The demonology focused elves tried to seize the High Throne for themselves around the start of the Imperial Age, and failed. Rumors abound to this day that there are secret families of Belials hiding exile, or kept by the other houses as clandestine weapons against the others. Prince Belial III is absolutely, most certainly, dead. The priests very carefully sent his soul off to the Judgement afterlife at the same time his body was petrified. Then he was ground into sand, mixed quite thoroughly, and cast as a slightly larger than life exact Dwarfpour statue of himself as a warning.
• House Corundum: aka the Mountain Elves. Specialize in earth magics, occupy the south-western Eastwall mountains. While considered stuck up and insular, no one is outright feuding with them, as they are the only known source of mithril.
• House Drowe: aka the Dark Elves. Mind mages, politics focused. Black skin and white hair. Territory largely found on the western shores of the Kingsmere. Strong rivalry with House Gnosis.
• House Eru: Wind mages, ocean trade, rivals with House Ukko. olive skin tones and near-metallic silver-white hair.
• House Glamourous: Illusion crafters, led by Princess Chloe ZZ. Glamourous territory is smaller than most, confined to the eastern shores of the Kingsmere. The Fallow Marches once were theirs, but they abandoned them after High King Regis I shoved the Eastwall mountains over fifty leagues. Glamourous was moderately debauched before Elvendom as a whole started sliding into debauchery. Fair skin and very fine hair in shades of blonde.
• House Gnosis: Farseer magic focus, occupying territory south of the Kingsmere. Rivalries with House Drowe. Dark hair, olive skin tones, longer ears than average for elves.
• House Metamorphos: Body mages and master swordsmen.
• House Nogrog: Necromancers, led by Prince Nogrog VII. House Nogrog's territory is prosperous, rarely gets into trouble with their neighbors, is known to have a not inconsiderable “resting” army, and is the strongest supporter of the High King's rule. Black hair, pale skin, red eyes.
• House Salamander: Fire mages, and one of the more militant houses. Red hair, gold skin. Rivalry with House Tempus is professional, not personal. Based along the southern hill territory.
• House Stellar: Meta-magic and spiritual magic specialists. About 500 years ago they collectively packed up and disappeared east beyond the wastes.
• House Sylvian: Plant mages and spiritualists. Blonde to brown hair, dark brown skin tone, more insular than the other houses.
• House Tempus: Storm mages led by Prince Imrahil, and one of the main militant houses. Dark (think Incan) skin tone, silver-white hair with faint blue highlights. Tempus is the main force defending the northern border against Shogunate incursions. Not the best at intrigue.
• House Ukko: Water mages, navy, rivals with House Eru. There are two distinct tribes within House Ukko: the fully land dwelling, dark skinned, anime-blue-black haired air breathers, and the amphibious, water breathing line with blue-tinged white skin and lighter blue hair.