This is a religious house, based around a monastery. The main campus contains the monastery, convent, hospital, and college as well as accommodation for those who aren't monks or nuns. It is surrounded by a town but the territory extends much more widely than that. Its signature colour is blue, precious stone is sapphire and its logo is the crossed keys of St Peter.

Gabriel : Abbot of the monastery and High Lord of the Great House.

Eleanor : Sister to Gabriel, she runs the administrative and domestic side of the House. Eleanor has a daughter, Melanie.

Brother Benjamin : Head of the Hospital

Brother Richard : Runs the monastic side of the House

Sister Elizabeth : Runs the convent side of the House

Lady Sarah : Head of the College

Brother Pedro : In charge of catering

Brother Edward : In charge of all non-catering supplies

Sister Soraya : In charge of the gardens

Brother Joseph : In charge of music

Sister Chloe : Gabriel’s personal assistant

Prospero aka Perry : Ex monk, doctor, now married to Leonie, son of Mary and Michael of High House Deep River

Leonie : Ward and adopted daughter of Gabriel

Brother Andrew : Best friend to Prospero, who also becomes close friend to Leonie

Brother Nick : Doctor

Brother Mark : Techhnical expert

Alan : Brother Pedro’s deputy in the kitchens

Father Stephen : Runs a small satellite monastery some distance from the Great House campus

Henry : Doctor

Brother George : Doctor

Aidan : Ex monk, linguist, visiting House St Peter to cover for an absent lecturer

Melanie : Daughter to Eleanor, doctor, lives away from House St Peter. Married with small children.

Lucy : Physiotherapist.

Emmi : Runs a small café not far from the Great House St Peter campus, friend of Leonie’s

Ells : Husband to Emmi, works at the café

Liann : Cousin to Emmi, works at the café

Malcolm : Porter at the hospital and acquaintance of Leonie’s

Dee : Wife to Malcolm

Han, Att, Eth, Dan, Zac & Tre : Nestlings hiding out near Great House St Peter, taken to Taylor House

Great House Tennant

This is a Sanctuary House, providing refuge to those in need. The main town and seat of governance is Castle Tennant. The signature colour is green, precious stone is emerald and the logo is a stylised fort.

Neville : High Lord of the Great House. Neville is widowed with two children, Daniel (deceased) and Lilyrose.

Lilyrose : Daughter to Neville, and one of his heirs

Brin : Cousin to Lilyrose, son of Neville’s younger sister, Naomi

Molly : In charge of the kitchens at House Tennant

Dervla : Resident at House Tennant, assigned as maid to Leonie

Declan : Resident at House Tennant, assigned as valet to Perry

Ronnie : Stableman

Also known as Deep River Farm, part of the territory of Great House Tennant. Its logo is a set of three parallel wavy lines, and its signature colour is blue.

Mary : Youngest sister to Neville , High Lord of Great House Tennant

Michael : Married to Mary. Michael and Mary have several children. Michael is distantly connected with Great House Davis

Perry : Eldest son to Mary and Michael, married to Leonie . Normally resident at Great House St Peter

Matt : Son to Mary and Michael, handfasted to Chrissy. Works on Deep River Farm on the arable side.

Sam : Son to Mary and Michael, handfasted to Lizzie. Works on Deep River Farm on the animal husbandry side.

Jack & Eddie : Sons to Mary and Michael, identical twins who are never apart. They run a horse breeding and training business

Jenny : Daughter to Mary and Michael, died shortly after birth.

Jonny : Youngest son to Mary and Michael. Student. Girlfriend Emlee.

Amber : Perry's dog.

Thomas : Pastor of the church

Chrissy : School teacher, handfasted to Matt

Lizzie : Nurse practitioner and midwife, handfasted to Sam

Emlee : Student, girlfriend of Jonny

Alex : Nurse practitioner

Vern : Receptionist and Admin Manager at the surgery

Clare : Childhood friend of Perry, married to Paddy with three children

Paddy : Husband of Clare, of Trader descent.

Junior : Eldest child to Clare and Paddy

Helena : Youngest child to Clare and Paddy

Maggi : Paddy’s mother

Great Aunt Lettie : Honorary great aunt of everyone, descended from Traders.

Lindum is a secular house. Its signature colour is red, precious stone ruby and its logo is a stylised flower. It is normally at war with Great House Chisholm

Leon : High Lord of Great House Lindum. Leon has a large number of children.

Alfred (deceased) : Eldest child to Leon, married to Jessami. They also have a large number of children.

Robert : Second child to Leon

Stella : Third child and eldest daughter to Leon, married to Mason of House Lattys. Mother to Marie.

James : Youngest child to Leon, brought up with Alfred and Jessami’s children. James runs House Taylor.

Helena (deceased) : Oldest child to Alfred and Jessami, mother to Leonie.

Anthony : Second child to Alfred and Jessami.

Augusta (deceased) : Third child to Alfred and Jessami. Aunt to Leonie.

Chisholm is a secular house. Its signature colour is white, precious stone diamond and its logo is a stylised flower. It is normally at war with Great House Lindum.

William : High Lord of Great House Lindum. William has a large family.

Fenella : Oldest daughter to William and his presumed heir.

Edmund : Twin with Jaim, and they are the youngest children of William. Edmund is married to Dayanna and they have one son, Jacob.

Jaim (deceased) : Twin with Edmund. Jaim is widely assumed to have been the father of Leonie. William will neither confirm nor deny this.

Another secular house, the logo of Lattys is a portcullis.

Mason : High Lord, married to Stella from Great House Lindum

Stella : Originally from Great House Lindum, married to Mason

Marie : Their daughter, once proposed as a marriage partner for Perry of Great House Tennant

A secular house, neighbouring Great House St Peter.

Anna-chesska : High Lord

Lesley : Visitor to Great House Eastern, doctor, was Perry’s first serious girlfriend when they were both students at Great House St Peter

Not a great house in the way that the others are, Taylor House is an orphanage on the border between Great House St Peter and Great House Lindum. Its logo is a cartoon zebra and its signature colour is a rainbow.

James : Youngest son of Leon of Great House Lindum, James runs Taylor House

Traders are organised in caravans which take the name of their headwoman. The precious stone for the Traders as a whole is turquoise, and their logo is an eight spoked cartwheel. But each caravan has its own logo which is normally superimposed on the cartwheel.

Katya (deceased) : Headwoman of the caravan when Leonie was with it.

Katila : Current Headwoman

Ethan : Merchant

Karina : Headwoman

Evan : Merchant

Settlers

Settlers are Traders who have decided to stop travelling.

Merchant : Tobias Based in the town of Great House St Peter

Leah : Wife to Tobias

Simeon : Nephew to Tobias