Key Takeaways
- Ten Great Families formed by strong warriors who gained immortality in exchange for loyalty to Zahard, shaping the Tower’s power dynamics.
- Arie, Khun, and Ha Families are among the most powerful, each with unique abilities and influences in the Tower’s hierarchy.
- Members of the families face intense competition, rivalry, and political intrigue, with life in the Tower being far from perfect.
The Tower in Tower of God is vast, filled with complex lore and larger-than-life characters that breathe life into its rich lore. At the center of this narrative are the Ten Great Families, a group of powerful lineages that form the core of the ruling class in the Tower.
These families were founded by the legendary warriors who first climbed the Tower along with Zahard, and over the tens of thousands of years they’ve been around, each family has evolved its own distinct culture, abilities, and political machinations, making them integral to the story’s unfolding drama.
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The Origins of the Ten Great Families
The Ten Great Families were formed by ten of the thirteen powerful warriors who followed Zahard during his conquest of the Tower. These warriors struck a deal with the Administrators, gaining immortality and unprecedented power in exchange for loyalty to Zahard. Over time, they established their own families, whose members inherited their immense abilities and privileges. These families are considered the nobility of the Tower, with Zahard’s family taking the role of royalty.
The 10 Great Families are locked in a delicate balance of power since the Families are not equally matched in power. The Arie, Khun, and Ha Families are considered the most powerful, while the remaining families hold varying degrees of influence. Despite these disparities, the balance of power within the 10 Great Families is largely maintained by the overwhelming strength of their leaders, ensuring that no single family can dominate the others completely.
Members of each family are given preferential treatment, and many compete to become Zahard’s Princesses, gaining even more influence. Despite their wealth and status, life within the Great Families is far from perfect, as intense competition, deadly rivalries, and political intrigue define their existence.
Most children of the 10 Great Families grow up in lavish Floating Castles, waiting for their chance to climb the Tower as Regulars. Those who are not chosen to climb often live in the Middle Area or assist in maintaining their family’s influence. While this may sound like a life of comfort, the reality is harsh, especially for males, who are often overlooked in favor of females due to the latter’s potential to become Princesses. Males also have a notoriously low survival rate within these families, as the internal competition for power can be deadly.
Arie Family
Overview
The Arie Family, led by the legendary Arie Hon, is widely regarded as the strongest and most famous of the 10 Great Families. They take immense pride in their reputation, and with good reason—this family controls some of the most prestigious floors of the Tower, including the 100th to 95th floors, as well as floors 93 to 91 and 78 and 79. Notably, they once held dominion over the 77th Floor, which was given to Urek Mazino as a prize after he bested Arie Hon in a challenge on the 100th Floor, a testament to the family’s adherence to honor and merit.
The Arie Family is also known for producing some of the Tower’s most formidable warriors, including Arie Hagipherione Zahard, one of the strongest Princesses of Zahard. The family’s close ties to the Zahard Empire and its Princesses only amplify their influence, placing them at the pinnacle of the Tower’s nobility.
Powers and Abilities
The Arie Family’s mastery of swordsmanship is unrivaled in the Tower, with their signature Arie Swordsmanship technique allowing them to wield blades with incredible precision, even in the dense Shinsu that permeates the Tower. This sword style is unique to the Arie bloodline, and only direct descendants can truly master it. While outsiders may learn the basics, they can never achieve the same level of proficiency or fluidity that Arie Family members possess.
Swords wielded by Arie sword masters have no blind spots, making them nearly impossible to counter in combat. The only reliable method to defeat an Arie swordsman is to overpower them with sheer force or strike before they are prepared.
Khun Family
Overview
Led by the charismatic and ruthless Khun Eduan, the Khun Family is notorious for its cunning intelligence, internal competition, and mastery over Spear Bearing. Known for producing powerful lightning and ice users, the Khun Family is one of the most influential in the Tower, second only to the Arie Family in terms of prestige. Eduan’s large number of wives and children has created a family structure brimming with rivalry, where competition for favor is constant and brutal.
Within the Khun Family, power struggles are institutionalized through an annual event known as the ‘official’ fights. When the children of Khun Eduan reach the age of 10, they are forced to battle each other in bloody, inhumane contests. The winners are officially recognized as true members of the Khun Family and are awarded the family crest, while the losers are cast aside as “abandoned” children. This harsh method of weeding out the weak has created a family of fiercely competitive, cold-hearted individuals who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive and succeed.
Powers and Abilities
The Khun Family is best known for its mastery of Spear Bearing and its members’ inherent proficiency with lightning and ice Shinsu techniques. These abilities are passed down through Eduan’s bloodline, making most members of the Khun Family not only highly intelligent but also inherently strong from birth.
Ha Family
Overview
The Ha Family, led by the formidable Ha Yurin, is one of the 10 Great Families and is renowned for its overwhelming physical strength and martial prowess. As a matriarchal family, the Ha Family is distinct in its leadership and traditions, with Ha Yurin remaining unmarried despite her romantic ties, most notably with Ari Han, leader of the Ari Family. Together, Yurin and Han had twins, but their lack of marriage has created a rift within the family, leading to an ongoing dispute between Yurin’s daughters over who will inherit leadership of the clan.
Despite these internal divisions, the Ha Family holds immense influence due to its association with Princess Ha Yuri Zahard, who has risen to become one of Zahard’s most formidable Princesses. As Yuri continues her quest to collect the 13 Month Series, the Ha Family places its faith in her, believing that her success will further solidify their legacy within the Tower. Although Ha Yurin herself has taken a symbolic role in the family’s governance, her presence and influence remain an anchor for the family’s ongoing power and status.
Powers and Abilities
The Ha Family is best known for its members’ incredible physical abilities, which are often referred to as “thick skin” due to their immense durability and resilience. However, while many of the younger generation lean on their physical strength like sandbags, the true strength of the Ha Family lies in its mastery of martial arts. Skilled in body reinforcement techniques, members of the Ha Family are capable of augmenting their physical abilities to an extraordinary degree, making them feared combatants across the Tower.
Tu Perie Family
Overview
The Tu Perie Family, led by Tu Perie Tperie, is known for their mastery of Light Bearing. In the complex hierarchy of the Tower, Light Bearers hold a key strategic role in battles, and the Tu Perie Family is famed for producing some of the most skilled in this position. Though their influence may not be as overt as that of the Ha or Khun Families, their contributions to the Zahard Empire are invaluable, particularly in terms of reconnaissance and battle coordination.
The Tu Perie Family’s role within the Tower is often more subtle and strategic, reflecting their preference for calculated moves rather than brute force. Their expertise in handling Shinsu Light and managing the intricate logistics of large-scale battles has earned them a place among the elite, even though their public presence may not be as prominent as other Great Families.
Powers and Abilities
They excel in support roles, providing crucial information that can turn the tide of battle while maintaining a level of detachment and distance from direct combat. In this sense, they function more like chess masters, moving pieces on a board rather than engaging in direct physical confrontation.
Eurasia Family
Overview
The Eurasia Family, led by Eurasia Blossom, has produced some of the strongest individuals in the Tower, including Eurasia Enne Zahard, a Princess whose power and subsequent betrayal have had lasting effects on the Tower’s political landscape. The family’s reputation, however, is also marred by its long-standing conflict with the Po Bidau Family, following the notorious Enne Zahard incident. As a result, the two families have been in a state of hostility, with marriages between them forbidden.
Despite their strained relationships with other Great Families, the Eurasia Family remains a dominant force in the Tower. Their members, though often aloof and known for their love of sleep, wield immense power when awakened.
Powers and Abilities
Shinsu manipulation is the Eurasia Family’s specialty, and they are arguably the best at it. This gives them the ability to manipulate the fundamental energy of the Tower itself, with some members possessing enough control to alter the environment around them or unleash devastating attacks. Princess Eurasia Enne Zahard stands as one of the family’s most fearsome products, with her control over Shinsu reaching legendary levels.
Po Bidau Family
Overview
Led by the brilliant Po Bidau Gustang, the Po Bidau Family are known as the guardians of knowledge, literature, and research within the Tower. Their vast intellectual resources and obsession with uncovering the Tower’s secrets make them one of the most formidable of the 10 Great Families. Historically aligned with the Zahard Empire, the Po Bidau Family’s recent declaration of war against the Empire—following the theft of Zahard’s bracelet—has thrown the Tower into chaos.
The Po Bidau Family’s structure is unique, with many of its members not being biological descendants of Gustang but creations brought to life through his mastery of Shinsu and written texts. This ability to create life, combined with their vast knowledge, has given the family a level of autonomy and power that few can rival. They currently remain in open conflict with the Lo Po Bia Family and the Zahard Empire, with their floating castle acting as a safe haven for their members.
Powers and Abilities
The intellectual might of the Po Bidau Family is unmatched, with their members excelling in fields of research, literature, and history. Shinsu manipulation also runs deep in the family’s veins, with Gustang himself being a master of this art. Their ability to not only manipulate Shinsu but also create life from it is one of their most extraordinary abilities. Members of the family, including high-ranking librarians like Po Bidau Michel, are literal manifestations of Gustang’s written texts.
Despite their intellectual focus, the Po Bidau Family is not to be underestimated in battle, as their control over Shinsu and their ability to create sentient beings make them dangerous opponents.
Yeon Family
Overview
The Yeon Family, led by Yeon Yirang, is a matriarchal family best known for producing Flame Users. Despite their formidable abilities, none of the family’s members are direct descendants of Yirang, who has remained a virgin. Instead, all descendants trace their lineage to Ilarde, known as the “godmother” of the clan.
As rulers of the 21st Floor, the Yeon Family holds significant power within the Tower, particularly due to their monopoly on Zygaena’s Flower, a rare and valuable resource. Despite their power, the family’s internal structure is highly hierarchical, with women holding the central roles and men often relegated to lesser positions.
Powers and Abilities
The Yeon Family is famous for its mastery over flame manipulation, with daughters born into the family said to embody fire from birth. This powerful ability allows them to control flames with devastating precision, and their innate talent for fire manipulation puts even some of the Tower’s strongest clans to shame. Members like Yeon Yihwa possess flames so potent that they can resist lethal attacks from higher-ranked opponents, even while still Regulars.
A select few in the Yeon Family also inherit a primeval flame, a legendary fire passed down from the Ancients. This flame has the power to either burn everything in its path or heal, though its strength has waned over time. The Yeon Family’s control over flame manipulation gives them a unique place in the Tower’s hierarchy, with their abilities highly coveted by other factions.
Ari Family
Overview
The Ari Family, led by Ari Han, is a pacifistic branch of the 10 Great Families, known for their reluctance to engage in war. Despite their peaceful nature, the Ari Family holds significant power in the Tower, particularly through their familial connections with both the Ha and Arie Families, two of the Tower’s strongest clans.
The family is also notable for producing Joochun, one of the Three Lords who governs the Tower in Zahard’s absence. This close connection to some of the most powerful families and rulers in the Tower has made the Ari Family one of the most well-connected families, though they prefer to use their influence behind the scenes rather than through direct confrontation.
Powers and Abilities
Despite their peaceful reputation, the Ari Family is skilled in the use of needles, specialized weapons that are renowned for their precision. This ability ties them to the Arie Family, who are famed for their swordsmanship. The connection between the two families is believed to stem from shared techniques and possibly a sibling bond between their leaders, though this has not been confirmed.
While the Ari Family may not seek out war, their mastery of needle techniques makes them formidable opponents when provoked.
Lo Po Bia Family
Overview
Led by Lo Po Bia Traumerei, the Lo Po Bia Family is one of the most powerful and influential of the 10 Great Families, known for their mastery over Anima, individuals who can control and command animals and creatures within the Tower. This family is particularly loyal to the Zahard Empire, often lending their support in times of conflict.
The Lo Po Bia Family is structured into twenty branch families, each represented by a specific animal that they command. Traumerei himself is reclusive, rarely engaging in the family’s governance, leaving the management of internal affairs to high-ranking members like Lo Po Bia Kirin and Lo Po Bia Lobadon. These figures wield significant influence within the family, often acting in Traumerei’s stead.
Powers and Abilities
The Lo Po Bia Family is unparalleled in their control over Anima, with many members born with the natural ability to command and subjugate powerful creatures. Traumerei himself controls 23 special beasts, seven of which he personally commands. These creatures, many of them massive and formidable, serve as the family’s primary weapons in times of conflict. Additionally, the family’s mothership houses an enormous Fishbowl, an aquarium filled with Shinheuh that the family can call upon during battle.
Hendo Lok Family
Overview
The Hendo Lok Family, led by Hendo Lok Bloodmadder, is the most unique of the 10 Great Families due to a curse that plagues its members. While Bloodmadder himself is immortal, thanks to a contract made with a Guardian, his descendants are cursed with short lifespans. This unusual arrangement has led to the Hendo Lok Family having the largest number of children, as Bloodmadder must continually sire offspring to sustain his eternal life. Despite this, the family remains the least influential of the 10 Great Families, with fewer Rankers and a diminished presence in the Tower’s power structure.
The Hendo Lok Family is known for its strong adherence to rules and traditions, with Bloodmadder’s position as the family head being absolute. While the family may not have the same political clout as the others, its members remain steadfast in their loyalty to Bloodmadder and uphold the family’s strict code of conduct.
Powers and Abilities
The members of the Hendo Lok Family are famous for their Shinsu Resistance, which grants them exceptional defensive abilities. While they may not possess the same offensive power as other Great Families, their ability to withstand Shinsu-based attacks makes them incredibly resilient in battle. This defensive strength is a direct result of their bloodline, with Bloodmadder’s descendants inheriting his durability, albeit with a much shorter lifespan.
Despite their defensive prowess, the Hendo Lok Family’s influence is limited due to their relatively small number of Rankers. Most of the family’s Rankers are adopted sons and daughters, further highlighting the family’s struggle to maintain its position among the 10 Great Families.
