What truly defines the Arenas is not the classes themselves, for they answer to a higher power- the four Grand Houses of Mythica- known mostly as Houses. The four Houses are Thor House, Tiamat House, Chroma House, and Wraith House. These Houses were developed to bring an order to the disorganized and dangerous world of the ancient Arenas. Warriors with no name fought in the Arenas with no other purpose in life, where great fighting guilds ruled in the Arenas only for money and if one was not careful, one would find a dagger in one’s back. The populous, who were not as strong as the guilds nor had much fighting experience, were subjected to a reign of terror by the Arena Guilds.

There was then a great revolution in the world of Mythica. The most powerful Arena Guild’s master, Vel Seyai, possessed something that the other guildmasters did not- a vision of the future Mythica. A Mythica where the corrupt guilds did not control the Arenas, where the warriors served to protect the people instead of robbing them of what little they had. Where great Houses, full of brethren warriors, would provide the fighters with a feeling of kinship and purpose. A bloody war was fought, and this war lasted for twelve years. The Arena Council, made up of the greatest warriors, guildmasters who shared the same visions, city officials, and headed by Vel, was created to keep watch over the Arenas. This Council worked to banish the Guilds, and gathered the 26 clearly different schools of fighting into five Houses, leaving one class un-Housed- the manual to which lies locked deep within the Council Tower vaults. This class is said to be far too powerful to be brought into the Arenas, and so was forbidden.

Vel lived a long life, but as all beings do, he passed away. His legacy still lasts, however, as the Arenas are still composed of the Houses, and these Houses serve to keep the power in check- and the Arena Council serves to check the Houses’ power. Neither has greater power over the other. However, years before the present-day Arena, one House- whose name has been forgotten- attempted to repeat the sins of the Guilds. They built up great power, and their horrific magics and brutal fighting techniques incurred the wrath of not only the Arena Council, but the anger of the other four Houses. These four Houses, Wraith, Chroma, Thor, and Tiamat, broke down the walls of the sinister House’s fortress and eradicated all of them. As a result, the manuals to the five Classes of the lost House were lost as well, as well as all survivors. All four other Houses suffered massive losses, however, and even today the number of warriors is nigh dwindling.

So, the Houses opened their doors to a select few of the populace, training them in the Arena arts, sometimes from very young ages and also taking in grown men and women. This is the present-day Arena; where almost anyone can come to fight in the Arenas for honor, glory, and riches. Success belongs to those who have the courage to take it, and those who fear death- but face it.

IC Effects

To the warrior of the Arena, his House is his refuge, his home, his protection. And his greatest tool. The Houses often get notices of Tournaments before any freelancer, and as such their members can register before the freelancers. In addition, only House members can participate in the great House tournament- a grand event where the greatest fighters of the four Houses come together to find out who is truly the strongest.

The Houses also provide protection. Another House will usually not venture to kill a member of another House, at least not without adequate reasoning; this will be decided by the Arena Council. A freelancer who kills a member of a House will find himself quickly outnumbered by the victim’s allies, and he will soon be avenged by his House.

A member’s House also acts as a school. Each House possesses a few copies of the original Class Manuals; each House possesses certain Manuals depending on which attribute the House’s forte is. The patrons of each House are allowed to peruse the House’s libraries and manuals. Anybody without access to these libraries only gain half as much experience as they would normally whenever they would gain experience.

A character can only be eligible to become a member of a House if both of their chosen classes fall into the same House. They must then apply to the House; and the House Master will reply with acceptance or refusal, but the former is usually the decision.