The+Twelve

The Twelve is a colloquial name for the Dragonmarked Houses (Cannith, Deneith, Ghallanda, Jorasco, Kundarak, Lyrandar, Medani, Orien, Phiarlan, Sivis, Tharashk and Vadalis). It is still in use despite the addition of a 13th House, Thuranni, which split from House Phiarlan in 972 YK.

The Code of Galifar recognized The Twelve as having limited sovereignty parallel to that of the kings and nobles of the Five Nations, on the conditions that the Houses could neither own land beyond their enclaves nor field standing armies (House Deneith being the exception to that rule), and that individuals could not claim titles of nobility while maintaining status in their House.

As practiced in the Five Nations in the period following the Last War, this limited sovereignty for The Twelve means that -- //to give one example that has no bearingon the current campaign whatsoever (really, none at all, so stop asking!)// -- House Vadalis can send enclosed wagons along a House Orien trade road from Breland to Darguun without said wagons being subject to search by Brelish border guards...so long as a modest fee is paid.