House Warpelt
Amongst the two most famous houses of Kriegerholm, the Warpelts are occasional jarls and thanes of their home port city and permanant aldermen of the riverside Coldharbour district. Originating as a nomadic group of wanderers and jomsvikingr the Warpelts settled in Kriegerholm following the Calamity of the Terrasic in 789, 3e. Famed griffon riders, warriors, and sailors - the Warpelts are the third oldest of the five houses of Kriegerholm and the main rivals to the city's most famed family, House Saltsby.
The Warpelts have been overlords of the entire city several times in the three centuries since their settling of Coldharbour. Although fierce rivals and enemies of the Saltsbys, the two houses have never decalred a formal blood feud or war. In 1052, 3e, when Thane Blann Saltsby's mishandling of the Wolf Clan was revealed by Doomed 2 Die, Alderman Arngier Warpelt killed Thane Blann in honourable combat but avoided the Rite of Claimance to assume the thaneship of the city.
At the Kriegerholm Moot of 1052, Gier Warpelt was appointed Thane, with the house owing their loyalty and assistance to the adventuring party Doomed 2 Die for their role in getting him elected.
Symbols
The Warpelts depict a black heraldic griffon on their banner. The story dates back to the founding of their house in 333 and is inspired by a family legend of the Hrorgar the Mighty, who wrestled an alhpha griffon into submission and domesticated a roost of griffons, begining the family tradition of grififon riding. The red banner symbolises the blood of their enemies and the sacrifices they have made.Members
- Alderman Arngier Warpelt: Head of the house. Hotheaded, impulsive, and aggressive, Arngier is a 'strongman' type who makes up for his lack of diplmacy and conversation with his feats in battle.
- Thorunn Warpelt: Arngier's wife and the diplmat of the family. Cunning and quick witted, Thorunn does her best to keep her impuslive husband in check and ensure the family will survive.
- Thane Gier Warpelt: The eldest warpelt child, Gier is a master griffon rider and martial expert - he is well liked amongst the people of Kriegerholm.
- Haarold Warpelt: A younger warpelt child who missed out on the war and loves to hear the tales of combat in the taverns of Coldharbour- Haarold is an archer and loves to show his bowmanship at any oppertunity.
- Bera Warpelt: The youngest of Arngeir and Thorunn's children, Bera is a moody teenage in love with Abyssal Acid Punk.
- Siv Warpelt: The only surviving sibling of Arngier, Siv hates the Saltsbys and Odinsthrone with a zeal that raises even warpelt eyebrows. She is known for her love of arena fights and sails the realm in her famed longship, The Black Feather, to visit the colleseums and arenas of Aedrinar, Jotun, and Asrinheim.
- Karl Warpelt: Arngier's nephew and an orphan, Karl is far from the considerations of noble rulership and spends his time partying and visiting every tavern in Kriegerholm.
Culture
The Warpelts are a militaristic family who value strength and skill above all else. Known for their love of battle and riding in the vangaurd of conflicts, a warpelt without a griffon mount or a scar from battle is a failure in the eyes of the family. The tradition of griffon riding is taught from the age of 6, with controlled flights around their keep's gardens and courtyards.
Besides their love of flying, the Warpelts are most known for their hatred of the Saltsbys. Throughout the years the two families have often fought in taverns and on the streets but never formally or to the point of orgnaized war and blood feuds. Ceasefires are common but any excuse for the two great houses to embarass or fight each other are siezed whenever the oppertunity arises. During Roldir Saltby's first feast as jarl in 864, 3e, then Warpelt house head brought a whale, the symbol of the Saltbys, that had been harpooned and left to dry in the streets, as a gift.
Assets
The Warpelt's rule over the district of Coldharbour in Kriegerholm and built their keep on a rised clifface in the district. Naming it Griffon's Nest, the castle houses a large courtyard, several gardens, and a tower dedicated to raising and caring for their griffon mounts. The keep is well fortified and designed to provide defence for their aerial advantage.
History
Founded during the great interregnum, the early warpelts took their name from the taming of a roost of griffons. The family then became travelling sailors and Jomsvikingr, specialising in fighting sea beasts and using their aerial warfare to launch attacks on heavily fortified and walled settlements. In the aftermath of the Calamaity of the Terrasic, Krigerholm saw three of its five noble houses destroyed and the city was facing constant attacks and raids by bandits and brigands. Although two of the houses had been replaced, the Warpelts were invited in as the final house to put down the brigand occupation of Coldharbour despite house Saltby's objections.
The Saltsby objection to the griffon rider's settling Coldharbour would not be forgotten and began the two house's centuries long rivalry. The two found themselves often exchanging the title of thane or Jarl in moots until the late 9th century when the Crowblood's became the dominant house of Kriegerholm. This lasted until the Kriegerholm revolt of 937, 3e when the city was sacked by Sigrun III, Estra Winter-Shield, and the houses of Odinsthrone. Although Coldharbour suffered damage along its docks and outlying regions, the Warpelts managed to keep the attacks at bay and their keep remained unsullied with only a few of their house falling in the conflict.
During the 40 Year War, the Warpelts became perfect strike and support troops for Aedrinaran armies landing in The Commonwealth. Arngier, his siblings, and his parents would take part in the aerial assault on Gurnbourne to destroy the sea defences and allow the attacking Dragon Empire and Aedrinaran soldiers to land in the key port city and liberate it from the Seldrinar Supremacy.
After the election of Thane Blann Saltsby in 1038 the Warpelts became more withdrawn from greater Krigerholm poltics due to their growing hatred of who they considered to be a weak and cowardly ruler. The rivalry between the two houses came to a head in 1052 when merchant ships sailing the river bittern between Kriegerholm and Odinsthrone were coming under attack. The collected nobles of the city had been invited by King Hardrada to his feast in Dusfkall, but the warpelts were forbidden to travel without a greater convoy by the Thane. Doomed 2 Die were eventually chosen to be the convoy sailors, and on their journey to Odinsthrone it was revealed that Blann had angered the Wolf Clan. Arngier Warpelt would kill the Thane in honourable combat, but did not perform the rite of claimance.
A minor schism formed in the house between those who backed Arngier as the new thane and those who backed his son, Gier. Doomed 2 Die's intervention at the Moot saw Arngier admit his son was a better fit for the role, and the other houses, bar House Saltsby, agreed.
Founding Date
333, 3e
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Leader
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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