The Nine Families

History

The kingdom beneath the waves of Great Ocean is due to the armies of Water Titan Istithia, arrived via the Great Water Gate, deep on the ocean bed within the centre of the Great Ocean. Her armies spread out across the the waters, making travel for the armies and people of the Divine impossible across the oceans between the continents, and seperating the defenders. The Great Whirlpool at the heart of the Ocean, is created by the energies of the Gate below it.
Very early on within the Dawn Wars, many of the the Umijins realised they wanted to stay on this new world after the fighting was over and started exploring for possible settlement locations on the ocean floor. Within the Hosts of Water numerous armies and groups, each decided to stay and Isithia gave her blessing, as a way to maintain control and to give her a homebase if she every needed to come back to the world. So as the Dawn War wrapped up, and Isithia returned back to the Plane of Water with majority of her armies, those that had decided to stay started to create new homes, new settlements and a new social structure between them.
Isithia had grant Strom, her second in command during the war the title of High King of the Umijins, so as the new settlements formed and others took charge of large areas of the ocean bed, and became low kings of the new kingdom of the Umijins, it was many years before the name "The Nine Families" was every used, as there were some mergers as groups weren't large enough to survive without of support of others. But within 500 years the structure of the kingdom was there, were there was 1 High King and 8 Lower Kings who swore fealty to the High King.
The High King is given their title by Isithia, as the previous King passes away, Sometimes the High King Son will followed in his fathers or mothers station but sometimes it is given to one of Low Kings for reasons beyond mortals knowledge.

The Great Families

Ashkali

Strom, the original high king is the foundry of this Family, and in many ways that sets their attitude as many members of the family believe they have the right to the high kings seat, rather than it potentially go to any member of the great families.

Cutitari

Are traders and have the most contact with the surface world, they trade deep pearls and craftwork. Along with the trading of goods they have been known to show up on ship's as crew, they like to see the surface without leaving the Oceans for too long.

Gelgari

The Guards of the Maelstrom and the defender of the Master Gate of the Water underneath it. Their are some of the most miltaristic members of the undersea kingdom, and they were the leaders of the crusade to wipe the heretics of Kalesh from the lands.

Grastair

The current High King is Mander Grastair, the head of the Grastair family, and the high seat been under the families control for the last 200 years, but many don't expect it to go to his Son, who seems to enjoy drinking, whoring and gambling over learning to the art of leadership and running the city. Who knows what will happen to the family once Mander passes on.

Kobzari

The Farmers of the Deep, they have some of the most fertile lands close to the islands south of their terriority in the Great Ocean, they farm kelp, seaweed along with fishing and capture of shellfish, they supply a large amount of the foods for all the Nine Families, transporting food to north via the underwater trade lanes.

Rudari

Some would call them the naval of the deeps, others the herders. They breed the large and gigantic sea creatures that the Nine Families use for transport under the seas, both moving people and goods between the undersea cities, and either showing up at ports across the world. They are critical to move food from the southern edges of the families terriorities to the other cities to the north.

Sitari, Ursari, Vatrashi

The last 3 noble families are those that organise the cities and terrorities of the the Families, just like the Ashkali, they don't particular deal with any unique features but without them the families would fall apart as a Federation within years.

TTRPG Info

Only the Umijins are born of the kingdom, others may live there but require power magics to live underwater 24 hours a day.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Head of State

Mander Grastair

Government System

Monarchy, Theocratic

Power Structure

Federation

Economic System

Mixed economy

Official State Religion

Temple of the Elements