Overview
In the Otherfaith, each of the gods presides over a household of spirits. This includes their partners, children, siblings, and other family. Some of the larger spirits in the Otherfaith may rule over parts of a god's House, being put in charge of certain duties or being given an actual home to raise their own family in.
Spirits may belong to more than one House through birth, adoption, friendship, or marriage. Some Houses have specific lines or lineages. Some spirits may shun a House they are technically a part of due to conflicts with other spirits within the House.
There are currently six holy households in the Otherfaith: Hale, Hull, Hark, Hope, Humor, and Honesty.
Residency
Spirits in the Otherfaith are either born into or offered residency in specific Houses. Some spirits, especially those with many connections to various gods, may end up having possible residency in many of the Houses. Residency must be confirmed, however, by the spirit and the Head of the House, or else it exists purely in theory.
Residency confers a number of benefits upon the spirits within a household. Protection, from both the god and other spirits in the House, is one of the biggest benefits. Being part of a household also integrates spirits more fully into the West, and it is common for 'outside' spirits to be adopted or married into Houses to help them build more connections. Being a resident is also luxurious, more so than being a solitary spirit is.
Head of House
Though each House is ruled over by their god, the Head of House is not usually that god (with the exception of the Laetha). The Head is a spirit appointed by the god to oversee matters within the House, including residency. The Head may refuse a spirit who has possible residency, often at the behest of other spirits within the House. A spirit who rudely refuses residency may not be allowed to claim residency later on. More often, a spirit will willingly cut off possible residency in a House they do not want to join. Other spirits have many possible residencies but do not formalize any, sticking on their own.
Family Lines
Within and across Houses there are family lines. These are established, intentionally or not, by powerful spirits who end up gifting their children or family with certain abilities or traits.
Adilene
The line of Adilene (or Adelaide) is a combination of Claeric and Laethic energies. Originating from Adilene, the line includes Althea Altair as well as Alynah Blake and her many offspring. The line is noted for their white, pink, and red coloring and flower motifs. They are considered challengers or aggressors to the Laetha. The line also includes unicorn imagery and symbolism.
Fio Sier Othan
Originating from Othani and Aletheia 009. The line is a variation on Laethic energies, bearing some resemblance to the Adilene line. The line bears bright white or deep green coloring. Descendants are either half-fauna (usually deer) or half-flora.
Verzsou Red
Verzsou Red is one half of the family line of the Verzsou Triad. Originating from Aster Aira and Casimir, the line takes after Aster's fire spirit with red coloring and fire abilities. Most descendants of Verzsou Red take residency in House Hark and initiate into Nix. A limited number of Verzsou Red follow in Casimir's steps and become assistant and guardian spirits.
Verzsou White
Verzsou White is the other half of the family line of the Verzsou Triad. Originating from Neve Winter and Casimir, the line is significantly smaller than Verzsou Red. Most spirits in Verzsou White avoid residency, with residency limited to House Hull if they do pursue residency.
Relation to Courts
Houses and Courts in the Otherfaith are not synonymous. Many spirits may be initiated into one Court and devotional line but take residency in another god's House. So it goes for humans - someone may take initiated devotion to one god but be adopted and given residency in another god's House.
Some spirits may initiate into one Court and later on shun residency in that same god's House. Adilene is a notable example of this, refusing to take residency in House Hark after a confrontation with the Firebird.
Courts may be said to describe a spirit's relationship to the West itself. Houses describe a spirit's relationship to other individual spirits.