how about a system to, quote-on-quote, "calculate" the sphere of influence of certain factions in Altera?
start with that Altera map, then mark every single (occupied, not ruined) city in Altera.
figure out which houses, if any, own those cities, which houses have that city as their main base of operations.
take the number of characters living in those cities, combine it with an estimated number of the sort of resources it would take to upkeep the structures in that city (castle? needs servants. farmland? needs farmers. library? librarians. etc, etc), and you'd get an estimate of the approximate population of the region around the city.
which will give you an idea of what piece of the surrounding land that city controls.
and of course, how much power the faction has in RP would tie into how much land it owns.
then take into account the surrounding cities, what their controlled land might be like. if a neighboring city has a grander population and sphere of influence, then it may very well be that one House technically has power over the other, especially if the houses are friendly to each other or very close by. then you would say the territories of those two houses are merged.
say for example, House Hansdotter, owning the secret haven of Falandraal.
Falandraal barely qualifies as a town. more like an extended underground house. the number of characters currently living in Falandraal is about 5, give or take, and there are so few "houses" (rooms, honestly), that the number of possible invisible background villagers is like, 10, if there even are any.
the territory surrounding Falandraal is, however, untouched wilderness. reasonably, House Hansdotter could easily claim half the jungle as its territory, especially as there is no one living there who would reasonably object.
except, there is one problem.
Aellyr.
Aellyr belongs to House Senatoor. if I am correct, Senatoor was a vassalage of the Arcturus Empire, who founded Aellyr at the foot of the river in these untouched jungles.
House Senatoor has existed for longer than House Hansdotter. Aellyr is an older city, one with an established, sizeable population. though this population likely lives within the bounds of Aellyr itself, I have little doubts House Senatoor has claimed most of the jungle as their territory, given that it is easy for them to do so. after all, practically no one lives in the jungle.
thus, in making the map of House Hansdotter's "Borders"...
there are none. all their land belongs to House Senatoor, and Hansdotter is technically a vassal of Senatoor.
I believe there may be other houses who, by a combination of proximity, lack of influence, and friendly relations, might do well to consider themselves vassals of grander houses.
also, correct me if I'm wrong, but since the Engem hold a general disdain for other nations, I do not think it's unreasonable that they would disrespect other countries' borders. they are an influential "House", and their population is, frankly, massive. their territory would easily overlap with the territories of other kingdoms, as they have systematically distanced themselves from the rat-race of feudalism, anyways.
EDIT: @
Verfumbo dangit! quit sniping me with your Senatoor Land map *grumble mutter*
Senatoor Turf YoView attachment 49182
