Great House: Difference between revisions

{{first pic|Sigil of the Houses.jpg|The visual symbol of the Great Houses used in ''[[The Book of the War]]''. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')}}{{you may|Time Lord|Chapterhouse|n1=individual members of the Great Houses|n2=the living buildings used by Great Houses}}

The Great Houses were more like "wave[s] of some fundamental universal force" than family trees. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Weapons Grade Snake Oil (novel)|Weapons Grade Snake Oil]]'') Members were laterally rather than directly related, so they addressed each other as [[Cousin (rank)|cousins]]. Each House was allowed to have a specific number of members. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'')  

Time Lords of [[Newblood]] Houses were loomed with a [[binary vascular system|second heart]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Christmas on a Rational Planet (novel)|Christmas on a Rational Planet]]'') and had better [[regeneration|rebirth]]-control than older Houses; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Christmas on a Rational Planet (novel)|Christmas on a Rational Planet]]'', ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') for this reason, they viewed [[regeneration]] as trivial and never played [[Eighth Man Bound]] at [[Time Lord Academy|the Academy]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Christmas on a Rational Planet (novel)|Christmas on a Rational Planet]]'') Newblood Houses were more likely to produce [[intervention]]ists, and some even viewed [[time-active]] cultures as not being [[lesser species]]; for these reasons, they were often regarded by [[Oldblood]]s as smug and ambitious upstarts. Despite its long lineage, [[House Dvora]] came to be seen as one of the first Newblood Houses after it produced [[the Imperator]]; however, it was far more stable than the eccentric Newbloods that would spring up during the [[War in Heaven]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

Each Great House had [[House-Foundation]]s within [[the Homeworld]]'s wider [[reproductive matrix]], as well as a [[Chapterhouse]] with which it shared an essential tie; if the Chapterhouse fell into neglect, the House itself would unravel. [[Chatelaine]]s from other Houses were often assigned to maintain chapterhouses whose Great Houses had fallen into obscurity. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

Time Lords' full names often included the name of their Great House. The full names of [[Quences]], [[Andred]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'') [[Ruthven]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') [[Romana]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ribos Operation (TV story)|The Ribos Operation]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Panacea (audio story)|Panacea]]'') [[Ruath]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Goth Opera (novel)|Goth Opera]]'') [[Thoth]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Body Politic (audio story)|Body Politic]]'') and [[Goralschai]], as well as all the members of [[House Meddhoran]], included the name of their Great House. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Against Nature (novel)|Against Nature]]'') If a Great House was ashamed of one of its members, they could undergo [[Elective Semantectomy]] to remove that member's name from [[history]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Weapons Grade Snake Oil (novel)|Weapons Grade Snake Oil]]'')

[[Maris]] described the Great Houses of Gallifrey as "[[highborn]]s". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Celestial Intervention - A Gallifreyan Noir (short story)|Celestial Intervention - A Gallifreyan Noir]]'') [[Ashildr]] considered [[the Doctor]] to be a "highborn Gallifreyan". ([[TV]]: ''[[Hell Bent (TV story)|Hell Bent]]'')

Some Great Houses were even older than [[Rassilon]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'') Their [[chapterhouse]]s were the oldest living things on Gallifrey. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'')

During the Time Lords' [[Eternal War|war]] against the [[Great Vampire]]s, many Great Houses were infected with and corrupted by the [[vampire|vampiric]] taint. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Blood Harvest (novel)|Blood Harvest]]'')

Some Great Houses were named after their founders or most illustrious members. There existed Great Houses named after [[Mirraflex|General Mirraflex]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') [[Rassilon]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Desperate Measures (audio story)|Desperate Measures]]'') [[Fordfarding]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'', ''[[The Infinity Doctors (novel)|The Infinity Doctors]]'') [[Lolita]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') and [[Prydonius]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'')

A group of ruling Houses called [[Chapter]]s played major roles in politics surrounding the [[Lord President|Presidency]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin (TV story)|The Deadly Assassin]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') Most Great Houses were affiliated with one of these Chapters. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'') During the [[War in Heaven]], many of the ruling bloodlines developed [[Newblood]] sub-lines dedicated to exploring particular genetic philosophies, usually including experiments with [[biodiversity]] or the [[lesser species]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'', ''[[Against Nature (novel)|Against Nature]]'')

Two of the original ruling Houses during the [[anchoring of the thread]] were called "[[House Ixion]]" and "[[House Catherion]]" by ''[[The Book of the War]]''. After a long, slow decline, they were eventually replaced by Houses [[House Mirraflex|Mirraflex]] and [[House Lineacrux|Lineacrux]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

The six Chapters during [[the Doctor]]'s life were the [[Prydonian Chapter]], the [[Arcalian Chapter]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin (TV story)|The Deadly Assassin]]'') [[Patrex House]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin (TV story)|The Deadly Assassin]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Neverland (audio story)|Neverland]]'') the [[Dromeian Chapter]], the [[Cerulean Chapter]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'') and the [[Scendeles Chapter]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]'')

During the [[War in Heaven]], the ruling Houses were almost continually replaced. By the fiftieth year, the six ruling Houses were [[House Dvora|Dvora]], [[House Tracolix|Tracolix]], [[House Lineacrux|Lineacrux]], [[House Arpexia|Arpexia]], [[House Xianthellipse|Xianthellipse]], and [[House Mirraflex|Mirraflex]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

* [[House Bluewood]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Farewell to R.M.S. (short story)|A Farewell to R.M.S.]]'')

* [[House of Blyledge]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'', ''[[Cold Fusion (novel)|Cold Fusion]]'')

* [[House of Brightshore]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'')

* [[House of Deeptree]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Lies (audio story)|Lies]]'')

* [[House of Everston]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Panacea (audio story)|Panacea]]'')

* [[House of Fordfarding]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'', ''[[The Infinity Doctors (novel)|The Infinity Doctors]]'')

* [[House of Heartshaven]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Panacea (audio story)|Panacea]]'')

* [[House of Jade Dreamers]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]'')

* [[House of Jurisprudence]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Insurgency (audio story)|Insurgency]]'')

* [[House Lolita]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

* [[House Lungbarrow|House (of) Lungbarrow]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'', ''[[Crimes Against History (short story)|Crimes Against History]]'')

* [[House Meddhoran]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Against Nature (novel)|Against Nature]]'')

* [[House of Oakdown]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'')

* [[House Paradox]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Alien Bodies (novel)|Alien Bodies]]'')

* [[House of Rassilon]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Desperate Measures (audio story)|Desperate Measures]]'')

* [[House of Redlooms]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'', ''[[The Taking of Planet 5 (novel)|The Taking of Planet 5]]'')

* [[House of Stillhaven]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'', ''[[Lords and Masters (short story)|Lords and Masters]]'')

* [[House Urquineath]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Weapons Grade Snake Oil (novel)|Weapons Grade Snake Oil]]'')

* [[House of Wetrix]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Conscript (audio story)|The Conscript]]'')

During the War, [[Remote]] [[weaponstore]]s grew to such size that, if united, they could have made a claim to being a Great House. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'')

* Several Great Houses which originate from ''[[Faction Paradox (series)|Faction Paradox]]'' have been directly acknowledged in BBC-licensed content: [[House Dvora]] in [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Panacea (audio story)|Panacea]]'', [[House Mirraflex]] in [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Conscript (audio story)|The Conscript]]'', and [[House Lineacrux]], [[House Arpexia]], [[House Urquineath]], and [[House Meddhoran]] in [[:File:What is your Time Lord Name.jpg|a Facebook quiz]] posted on the official ''[[Doctor Who]]'' [[Facebook]] page on 23 March 2019.