Finally got my Mau corebook! Yupi!
And when starting to prepare introductory scenario, I uncovered that I may not understand idea of Houses in this game. ( The 'von' part of cats names. ) Minor spoilers for All Hail Rat King! adventure to follow...
Scenario takes place on in town on lands of House Cymric, near border with House Korat. One of major NPCs is mayor of the town that is Misty von Mau!
What's more, quest is given to PCs by local Castellan - Mischa von Angora! 
If the cat's House would be simple pointing to official, medieval and dynastic relation - it would be logical that local Castellan and Mayor on the lands of particular House ( in this example Cymric ) would be from this House ( so with name 'von Cymric' ). But this is not the case. They are from other Houses, so it seems to imply they moved to this location, from their homeland. And still local Dynast ( from House Cymric ) is trusting them to run local House ( as Monarchy ) affairs.
So my theory is this - House is 'culture' of the particular cat, not the real loyalties of it. Of course, most local figure in lands of this House - will be 'von' this House. But most cats characters are putting 'von' part only to mark from where they come, not to whom they are really loyal.

Scenario takes place on in town on lands of House Cymric, near border with House Korat. One of major NPCs is mayor of the town that is Misty von Mau!


If the cat's House would be simple pointing to official, medieval and dynastic relation - it would be logical that local Castellan and Mayor on the lands of particular House ( in this example Cymric ) would be from this House ( so with name 'von Cymric' ). But this is not the case. They are from other Houses, so it seems to imply they moved to this location, from their homeland. And still local Dynast ( from House Cymric ) is trusting them to run local House ( as Monarchy ) affairs.
So my theory is this - House is 'culture' of the particular cat, not the real loyalties of it. Of course, most local figure in lands of this House - will be 'von' this House. But most cats characters are putting 'von' part only to mark from where they come, not to whom they are really loyal.
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