The Three Columns of the Immortal Empire
Power is not absolute for the Supreme Immortal (Karan's father); It is a precarious balance between three lineages that have survived ten thousand years.
1. House Valoria: "The Throne of Frost" (Karan's Family)
Specialty: Mastery of absolute cold and mass siege tactics. They are the guardians of the northern borders.
Leader: Kaelum "The Eternal" (Karan's Father). A man who seems carved from ice, whose voice can stop a warrior's heart.
Heir: Karan. Respected for his lethality.
2. House Obsidian: "The Shadow Weavers"
Specialty: Espionage, assassination and manipulation of dark energy. They are the intelligence of the empire.
Leader: Lord Malakor. A thin, elegant man who always seems to be listening to something that no one else hears. He is Kaelum's main political rival.
Heir: Vespera. A woman of lethal beauty and a viper's tongue. She hoped Karan would choose her to unify the houses, so she sees Adara as a personal insult.
3. House Ferrum: "The Soul Forgers"
Specialty: Combat alchemy and metal manipulation. They are the war engineers and the richest in the empire.
Leader: General Arkon. A veteran with scars of molten metal on his skin. Only respect brute force.
Heir: Dante. An impulsive, colossal warrior who believes the Immortals should stop feigning diplomacy and conquer the other five kingdoms by force.