House Grimmir

Based: Barony of Hereford (in the County of Chester and the Duchy of Gloucester)
Heraldry: An argent pather (pard) rampant, on vert and sable quarters.
Leader: Lady Katerina Grimmir, Duchess of the Court and Steward of Albion

The Origins Of The House

House Grimmir is a house born of humble origins. House Hunter had a solider in their service named Tristan ... better known as "the Grimmir" (Grim Hearted in an Elven dialect) by the people of Gloucester. Shortly after House Hunter had awarded him knighthood, Tristan was hunting near his home in Chester with his wife Idellan. During the hunt Cymrians crossed the border and killed Idellen in an ambush, ever after Tristan remained grim and cold even to his children and the family ever after bore a hatred for "the old foe".

Near the end of Tristan's life he and his line were awarded the status of vassal house to House Hunter as a reward for the family's defence of Chester. The family took the name Grimmir as their surname and took the Panther as their symbol; according to old Albion Folklore the panther was a creature that hunted dragons. Like House Hulce who guarded Gloucester, House Grimmir guarded Chester in the name of House Hunter.

For hundreds of years the house grew strong, but then in the reign of King Edward 1st the head of the house, Etain Grimmir, who was Earl of Chester and commander of the Gloucester battalion, led an open rebellion against the king with the household guard and certain rebellious elements of his army. Turren Grimmir, Etains younger brother, warned the king who was able to defeat Etain on the field. House Grimmir was destroyed leaving only Turren and his family. House Grimmir remained weak but loyal for years until the civil war.

The head of the House was by that time Caledinn Grimmir who had taken a Caledonian wife; Seren McAven. They had met when Caledinn had commanded an attack on a Caledonian border garrison during the long border wars before the Gathering Treaty. Caledinn and his troops had captured the garrison, mostly occupied by Clan McAven, but were then set upon by wild forest goblins who would have overwhelmed the Albione troops had the Caledonians not been freed, the combined forces defeated the goblins and the Caledonians were set free. When the Albion force moved south Seren went with Caledinn.

When the Gathering Treaty was signed, Caledinn and Seren looked forward to a peaceful retirement. Unfortunately this was not to be, during the start of the civil war in 1094 House Grimmir were approached by both the Harts and Lions but Caledinn knew that House Grimmir was too weak to survive such a conflict and thus refused to be a part of the fighting.

One night soon after, men in the colours of House Corvidae attacked Grimmir Hall effectively destroying the household, not only killing both Caledinn and Seren but also taking away with them Corrigan's older, pregnant sister Dinah. Years later it would be revealed that the people that attacked were not of House Corvidae but of the Covenant. Two of the survivors were Corrigan and Logan Grimmir who spent their teens in exile in the Darkwood. Logan was killed in 1098 as a Watcher of Darkwood, on the island of Skald, leaving Corrigan to rebuild the House.

Recent History

Corrigan began in 1100 after her Majesty Queen Elspeth returned the family title and named him Lord Grimmir. Once again wearing the House colours, Corrigan started rebuilding Grimmir Hall. In 1101 he married Katerina Apriori, the Steward of Albion and a Duchess in her own right, who became Lady Grimmir and the heart of the new household. Over time many very different people joined the house, not the least of whom have been the Flight, a group of bird fae from the Mists and a worthy addition not just to the House but also to the Faction. This mix of people gave the house a very cosmopolitan feel that remains to this day, Corrigan once remarked that he was proud to have a household of strong individuals as opposed to the usual army of servants and guards.

The brave sacrifice of Zain Cromwell (Grimmir's Captain of the Grimmir guard) at the Gathering of 1104 to save Albion is one example of the household's bravery ... and loyalty of its members to the House, the Crown and to Albion as a whole. Corrigan was killed in 1103 but his wife Katerina, his son Tristan and his daughter Elspeth survive him. The household stands loyal to Albion and will remain ever so.