Axis Astrum

The Astral Empire, based in the grand city of Telemere, has ruled the Western hemisphere of the world of Astrasida for six thousand years. It has lived through many High Councils, formed of the five great Houses. Two of the five are Elven Houses, while one each belong to the Dwarves of Barrow Dweln, the Fairies of the Big-Root, and the unkillable half-demon, half-elves of House Fel. The two Elven Houses, or at least the two strictly Elven Houses, are House Illunei and House Valreische, while the Dwarven High House is House Muhndus, and the Fairy High House is House Green-Garden.

While the five Houses rule as one, and the powers they wield are more or less equal in weight, they each have areas of expertise, which are the focus of their House operations. House Illunei is responsible for public works, education, and logistical planning for the Empire, including the development and design of cities, universities, and other infrastructure, including the operations of the Imperial Senate. House Valreische operates the Empire's central military force, the Legion, which is open to all Houses - each House is also permitted to maintain a private militia, though those militias ultimately answer to the Legion in times of war. House Muhndus is responsible for the development of science and technology, and develops much of the magical and non-magical technology in use by the Empire, in conjunction with the other Dwarven Houses, and some Elven ones. House Amila is responsible for the preservation of Imperial Lands and environmental controls, which they adhere to strictly (it's difficult to litter in the Empire). House Fel controls the Imperial Courts, working closely with the other Houses to ensure their areas are supported by the legal systems of the Empire.

Other Houses exist in the Empire as well, of course, though they are legally classified as Lesser Houses, as opposed to the five Great Houses, also known as the High Houses. These Houses are, in some cases, nearly as powerful as the High Houses, and a House that accumulates enough influence can challenge its way onto the High Council, as House Fel once did - though it remains the only successful House in doing so. Most of the powerful Lesser Houses are Elven, such as House Malacath and House Vesekris - but some, such as House Craeg and House Snow-Sky, are Dwarven and Fairy Houses.

Houses are defined as much by their blood as their magic - each House has a different form of magic, some unique, and some slight variations of others, based on their genetic proximity. The High Houses are each unique in their magical capabilities, which is in part what makes them powerful. House Illunei have innate control over gravity, granting them the ability to exercise an incredible amount of influence over their physical environments - members of the House are rarely seen walking, and instead choose to demonstrate their power by hovering slightly off the ground, and using telekinesis to interact with their surroundings. House Valreische's magic controls light and radiation, allowing them to nullify other beings by projecting harmful radioactive waves, burn huge swaths through their enemies with the concentrated power of the sun, and so forth. House Muhndus have the Runeforge, a massive facility that only they can operate, which is the sole forge capable of producing magical weaponry and technology, a key element in the Empire's longlasting supremacy. House Amila are capable of controlling the cycle of life and death in other beings, a power they hold is granted to them by the Big-Root. This power makes them formidable opponents, but as the Fairies typically eschew violence, the threat they might otherwise pose to the world is mitigated. House Fel are further unique in their magic - a long ago pact with the Hell-King granted them incredible strength, the ability to heal from any wound, and the curse of the Beast - when they age, they turn further and further into a demonic form, eventually losing their soul and being ripped from the world by the Hell-King. House Fel was long outcast from the Empire for their magic, and the condition which the other High Houses impose upon them in exchange for their seat at the High Council is that they let their souls be condemned, for stopping even one corrupted Fel would take the might of the Empire's military.