house chastelaine

truth, steadfastness, equity

 welcome  Do you like depressed elves? Cruddy weather? Chosen family you don't remember choosing or why? Ishgard's House Chastelaine is accepting interest. Learn more about us and the kinds of characters we'd like to meet here.

recruiting 
house staffopen
house knightsopen
woodsmenopen
craftsmenopen
friends ofopen

house chastelaine

 origins  The tale of how a forgotten knight abandoned sword, oath, and king after a grisly battle that tested his conscience has been woven and re-woven by old soldiers around an Ishgardian tavern's hearth for nigh on a thousand turns of the star.It is rarely remembered that he also abandoned a starry-eyed young squire by name of Thierry Chastelaine. Thanks to a familiar ser-turned-count who would not see his potential wasted, Thierry was given the opportunity to continue his education under the sponsorship of newly founded High House Haillenarte. First, he became Ser Thierry Chastelaine of the Temple Knights. Then he became Baron Thierry de Chastelaine, awarded inheritable title and land for his loyal service to High House Haillenarte and the Holy See. He called the farmstead in the Western Coerthas Highlands that he established with it Cedarcrest Steading. It was worked by his descendants until the Seventh Umbral Calamity, nearly a thousand turns of the star after his ascent into Halone's icy halls.

 established  Early in the Dragonsong War
 vassal to  High House Haillenarte
 alignment  Lawful to chaotic good
 politics  Moderate, pro-reform
 represented by  The House of Lords
 reputation  Known, modest, occasional rumors

 other notable relationships 
โ— Ser Eloin, the Temple Levemete
โ— Clan Centurio
โ— Elaisse of the Jeweled Crozier
โ— The Ishgardian Orthodox Church
โ— The Inquisitors

 baron bertrand de chastelaine, (npc) 
The Chastelaine barony has been passed down from first son to first son thirty-nine times. Sitting Baron Bertrand de Chastelaine is to be the last of that tradition. He completed his trivium and quadrivium studies at Saint Endalim's Scholasticate as a boy and so great is his passion for academic mystery that he has become mysterious, himself. Though his gait is only minorly compromised, he walks with a cane.

 lady amรจlie de chastelaine 
A quiet noblewoman and would-be heir who is more at ease in the wilds than she is amongst the city-state's highborn. Some say that her maverick spirit's priorities are askew and that her headstrong nature will be the downfall of her house. Her duty to it, however, is her constant companion. She is dauntless in her drive to keep her family -- born and chosen -- together, come what may.

 in memoriam: baroness cecilia de chastelaine (npc) 
The late Baroness never quite recovered her health and vigor after bearing two children in three years, despite many chirurgeons' attempts to treat her. She was hopeful but frail until taken by her curious illness nine turns past. in memoriam: ser georges de chastelaine (npc) 
The late former heir insisted upon not resting on his first son laurels and pledged his sword and shield to the Temple Knights. He served with distinction but ultimately fell alongside other members of his regiment in the Dragonsong War seven turns past.

 head manservant maxime renouard (npc) 
Head Manservant, Maxime, has served House Chastelaine in various capacities since he was a young man. He is now an old man. His memory is sharper than the creases in his uniform trousers; sometimes a convenient thing and other times not. He is a good liar and a better flatterer. When asked why he is so unwavering in his duty to the Chastelaines, he will tell one of three stories. One of them might be true.

 head cook jeanne aigle (npc) 
Jeanne is the Head Cook at Watchtower Manor. She is a middle-aged brunette with more smarts than she lets on. She can keep a secret like nobody's business... or choose not to. The wise make their preference well worth her while. Jeanne can be strict and fussy but in every interaction there is smuggled a crumb of maternal oversight -- assuming that she likes the overseen. Halone help the reputations of those she does not.

 causes  Major issues that Baron de Chastelaine supports publicly in the House of Lords include:โ— Noblesse oblige; or the privileged's responsibility to the less privileged.
โ— Creating work income opportunities for Coerthan citizens.
โ— High House Haillenarte's efforts at restoring the Firmament and building additional housing in Ishgard.
โ— Opening the Gates of Judgment to foreign trade and labor.
โ— The separation of the church and the government, including a more historically honest revision of the Enchiridion and reduced scope and authority of the Inquisition.
โ— Rejoining the Eorzean Alliance. religion  Like most Ishgardians, the Chastelaines acknowledge the pantheon of the Twelve, but elevate Halone to the position of highest honor and patron goddess. They are regular guests when there are sermons to be delivered at Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral. They also observe the holy days of Ishgardian saints canonized by the Council of Loetstym and by the Ishgardian Orthodox Church, though their regard for one of the latter's blessed has always toed the line between polite and performative. Whispers of Coerthas' old ways still haunt some of their traditions. industry & contribution  The functional loss of Cedarcrest Steading in the Seventh Umbral Calamity may have halted House Chastelaine's agrarian interests, but they have always treated their people well, and their people have ever been their biggest assets.Their botanists turned to foraging, greenhouse gardening, and joined the Rose Knights at Camp Cloudtop to research the revivification of farming in Coerthas' new climate. Their farmhands utilized their knowledge of the land and wilderness around it to become trackers, fishers, and hunters, furthering their good reputation with Clan Centurio. Their craftsmen began to peddle goods and services at the Jeweled Crozier under the house's banner. With many Temple Knights deployed to various humanitarian and military efforts all over the star, their house knights assist the Temple Levemete, High House Haillenarte, and other allies at home; continuing the house's chivalric duty to Ishgard and Coerthas. philanthropy 
A charitable project has been established in the late Ser Georges de Chastelaine's name that serves the families of disabled and fallen Temple Knights. House Chastelaine hosts an annual gala to keep it supplied. watchtower manor  Though Watchtower Manor is only a few turns old where it stands in Empyreum, the manse exudes energy much older. Some say that it is because materials for its foundation were salvaged from Cedarcrest Steading in the interest of honoring generations before and what had been lost to the ice. Some say that it is because Baron de Chastelaine opted not to have the historic remains of what once stood there removed from the grounds when he selected them for his family's new home. His impressive collection of antiquities may also lend the space old world gravitas. What ever the reason why, an evening there is rarely unmemorable... especially should someone trigger one of the wards that protect it.

starring

house chastelaine

friends of

guidelines

 fiction rating  Because our stories involve some of the complex and mature themes that we see represented in the FFXIV canon universe, we are a rated MA group. We don't accept writers or characters under the age of 21.** Excepting 19-year-old Lady Nephelia de Durendaire. We fed her at a ball, once, and she kept coming back. Now we're attached to her. It's a whole... thing. lore attitudes  "Lore-plausible" is the phrase we use to describe our level of adherence to canon lore. We recognize the difference between meaningful world building and good-humored tongue-in-cheek color (tomephones, Fantasias, little green aliens in flying saucers.) Our stories are told in the former sphere. Where there is nothing definitive to fill in a blank space, we will fill it in, but only with with things that make sense without too much reaching. character concepts  We lean strongly toward Elezen and Hyur, who make up most of the Coerthas region's population, and average denizens of the star at low to mid levels of power and renown. Characters with unlikely origins, biographies, relationships, and other circumstances are not usually good fits for us. The very occasional exception is made but still subject to the boundaries of lore-plausibility. the time bubble  House Chastelaine's stories are written in the time bubble as intended by the writers of FFXIV's story. That places them in the immediate aftermath of the Dragonsong War. The Gates of Judgment are newly open, the restoration of the Firmament has brought in foreign trade and artisans, and both the Orthodox Church and Ishgard's government are in the midst of unquiet reformation. aesthetics  As a group, we aim for character aesthetics that align with FFXIV's character, fashion, and regional design of Ishgard and Coerthas. Dramatic, hypersexualized, and/or glaringly off theme aesthetics don't belong in our scenes or at our events.

 roleplay mediums  Though we use Discord to compile logs of our roleplay, share supplementary writing (solo pieces, correspondence), and may use it to write the occasional asynchronous scene when schedules are tight, it is not the primary way we tell our stories. Most of our roleplay takes place in-game. We're not a good fit for players who aren't currently subbed to FFXIV or who write exclusively via Discord. We do not have a group presence on any social media platform. joining scenes  Much of House Chastelaine's storytelling is writer-driven and takes place on writer-arranged time, outside of scheduled campaign and social events. If you happen upon a scene taking place at Watchtower Manor or between characters from House Chastelaine "in the wild" and would like to join it, please be courteous and ask to do so out-of-character, first. Not all of them are walk-up friendly due to pre-discussed plans and plot goals. in-character conflict  Please don't escalate in-character conflict unnecessarily or without out-of-character consent in our spaces. We like our conflict to be purposeful, measured, and doled out when it will make a satisfying impact on a storyline for everyone involved. Regular derailments into chaos (pointless bickering, fisticuffs, and other disruptive behavior) are exhausting. out-of-character  We reserve the right to manage our stories and spaces with our social boundaries, roleplay preferences, and established creative vision in mind. That will sometimes mean excluding writers and characters who aren't compatible with them. Out of respect for everyone's time, we will be polite but direct when we must say "no, thank you." We're not interested in discourse on the matter. artificial intelligence  AI may have its place in other applications, but AI-generated art, music, and storytelling is not welcome in our spaces.

calendar

recurring

 the forgotten knight  Join our cast for an evening at the local tavern every fourth Friday of the month.next: Friday, January 23rd, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: The Forgotten Knight in Ishgard on Mateus (Crystal)

other projects

 dragonhead  An open-world roleplay initiative that brings storytelling to the Dragonhead region in the Coerthas Central Highlands on Halicarnassus (Dynamis) twice a week. info: DRAGONHEAD the firmament  A Discord hub for writers with Ishgard and Coerthas connected characters that hosts a market event at the Jeweled Crozier once a month. info: The Firmament rphub  A FFXIV roleplay focused website for character profiles, roleplay events, roleplayer hosted communities, and more. info: RPHub

special events

 of roses red: a valentione's day cotillion  A light-hearted, late afternoon ball in early spring whereat debutantes get their first taste of society and others celebrate -- perhaps even find -- love. Tasteful formal attire required.date: Saturday, February 7th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: Watchtower Manor, W14P52 in Empyreum on Mateus (Crystal)

 saint daniffen's joust  A contest of valor in tribute to Saint Daniffen, once an itinerant knight who traversed the Highlands serving Coerthans in need. Riders must register before the event. There will be limited slots available.date: Saturday, April 11th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: Saint Daniffen's Pass in the Coerthas Central Highlands on Mateus (Crystal)

 the chastelaine military gala  The family's annual fundraising ball, celebrating currently serving and veteran members of the Eorzean Alliance. Funds pledged support the care of wounded Coerthan soldiers and their families. Tasteful formal attire required. Currently serving and veteran members of the Eorzean Alliance may come in dress uniform.date: Saturday, June 20th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: Watchtower Manor, W14P52 in Empyreum on Mateus (Crystal)

 the late summer hunt  This longstanding family tradition of a sennight spent on the road and in the woods has grown to include invitations for friends and allies. The scheduled event will be the highlight hunt of the trip. Hunters must register before the event. There will be limited slots available.date: Saturday, August 15th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: TBA on Mateus (Crystal)

 masquerade: an all saints' wake costume ball  Heresy walks the halls! A late evening of masked revelry in celebration of All Saint's Wake. Tasteful formal mask and costume required.date: Saturday, October 24th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: Watchtower Manor, W14P52 in Empyreum on Mateus (Crystal)

 starlight: an evening fete  Aperitifs, hors d'oeuvres, and the warmth of a social evening around the Starlight Celebration tree during Ishgard's winter holiday season. Tasteful cocktail attire required.date: Saturday, December 19th, 2026
time: 7:30pm Eastern
in-game location: Watchtower Manor, W14P52 in Empyreum on Mateus (Crystal)