Fighting Households of Ealdormere

The Fighting Households of Ealdormere are large households in Ealdormere which provide a large number of fighters to her army at the Pennsic War. These Houses include House Blacksword, House Fettered Fleur, House de Taahe, House Hrogn, and the Marine Guard.

Traditionally, these Houses fight as units (especially in melees) wearing tabards or surcoats bearing their household arms, to the exclusion of all other arms. In some cases, particularly noted warriors wear tabards with personal arms and household arms quartered.

However, in A.S. XL, King Aaron of Ealdormere issued a request at his coronation to all fighters in Ealdormere, but especially the large Households, encouraging them to make and wear tabards bearing the Kingdom's arms in time for the Pennsic War.

Fighters from other households do, of course, fight in Ealdormere and other kingdoms, as do fighters belonging to no house at all. These fighters may choose to wear their own arms into battle, the populace arms of their Kingdom, barony, or canton, or none at all. Admission into one of the "fighting houses" varies from house to house and there have been some complaints by newer fighters that they feel "peer pressure" to join a house if they want to fight. However, there is no requirement to do so. Those who are interested in joining a particular household should approach members of that household to find out how members are selected, as this varies widely.