House Wintersblood of Dun Gemrad
The True High Kings
Characteristics
Nobility
Wintersblood Lords wear dyed blue tunics and ermine-fur cloaks with wolf-fur around the shoulders like most other Korg nobles. The tunic is embroidered with silver and will either be plain or in the front chest will have a design of the white bear. Around the waist will be a thin leather belt, designed with small Wintersblood Coats of Arms. As a Korg House that prefers it's nobility as cavalry, most lords wear high riding boots. In battle, a steel cuirass is worn under a surcoat fashioned as the House Coat of Arms, with quilted dark-brown leather underneath it all. Many also wear a further layer of dark chainmail underneath. Protecting their legs, they will wear steel plate chausses.
Wintersblood Ladies also wear the cloaks of their brothers and husbands, and will often wear either blue dresses or white dresses with a blue sash diagonally across the chest. White dresses with red teardrop patterns have also been worn. The High King is also noted to wear the fur of a great white bear instead of the average wolf, and his tunic will be white with golden floral patterns. As a Great House, the Wintersbloods are rich and will show this off with preferably pure silver neck-chains and earrings embedded with sapphires or rubies, as well as other jewellery. During public events or when visiting the courts of the Emperor, the long tunics are replaced with pure white high collared linen shirts, tight blue or white hoses and fashionable hats.
Horses ridden by Wintersblood noble cavalry are all equipped with mail chanfrons and crinieres, white caparisons with diagonal blue patterns (or mirroring personal coats of arms if they are extremely different; for example Sir Jon Wintersblood's horse has a light blue caparison with red teardrops), noble bridles and saddles, and intricate horseshoes designed to accelerate the horse's trot and canter.
The familiar facial features of House Wintersblood are deep brown eyes and stark white hair. Faces are, for the most part, hairless and noticeably ordinary. Skin is soft and pale, like many Korgs. Wintersblood nobility - while the High King is buried in the Halls of the High Kings - are buried in a crypt beneath Dun Gemrad, into the Great Glen itself.
Heirlooms
As with every Great Clan in Skìrah, House Wintersblood has an ancestral weapon handed down. Drakesblood is a two-handed double-edged battleaxe that according to legend was forged directly with the scales of Dok, one of the Primordial Dragons. It was wielded by Karlico, the original Blood of Winter, and every head warrior of House Wintersblood since the mythic days of Karlico has wielded Drakesblood. The battleaxe survived through the countless wars between the Wolf and Blood Kings, as well as against the Golden King himself, but was destroyed during the First Blood of Winter.
The other familial heirloom House Wintersblood passes down is a large golden egg adorned with pearls. No records show exactly how old the heirloom is but the tales surrounding it tell that inside is the physical mythical blood of winter blessed by Thodir/Thodierz himself, giving it legendary value.
Household
Radstafr Heidr, a petty lord from Talvel's Point, serves as the House's Chamberlain. Askeli Morasof, Earl of Dawnsmarch, serves as the Marshal. Rokkvi Almr, the Provost of Kalbakkr, serves as Steward. Bragi Kottr, a petty lord from Talvel's Point, serves as Spymaster. Finally, Sindri Utan, Patriarch of the Utan Seer Clan, serves as the House's personal Seer and Chaplain. Lesser members of the household include: Halof Baldorsson (Chamberlain Odar (Cook).
Letters from Dun Gemrad will be used with blue sealing wax and display a crowned bear rampant.
Military
Wintersblood armies are often well trained and well equipped. Infantry will be equipped with either crossbows, pikes or spears and full-body shields that form strong phalanxes. They will be armoured with blue gambeson with the white bear sigil on the front and chainmail underneath. Knights are mounted and often employ pincer movements like their Imperial cousins.
House Earlsguard
Personal guardsmen in the service of House Wintersblood usually wear fur cloaks over polished silver breastplates, while the Captain - Sir Jon Wintersblood - wears a light blue cloak with red teardrops and has the addition of steel bracers and greaves. They are all armed with spears and imperial-style rectangular shields.
Family
- Syre Alfred Wintersblood, High King (Married Sirra Bernadette Hawksperch, Lady of Mordwynn)
- Syre Alnitak Wintersblood, High King (Married Marie Morasof, Lady of Dawnsmarch)
- Sirra Ingjald Talvelson, Lady of Frostern (Married Syre Idolaf Talvelson, Lord Provost of Talvel's Point)
- House Wintersblood of Talvel's Point
- Syre Kristan Wintersblood, Knight of the Glen
- Syre Olfrid Wintersblood, Knight of the Glen
- Syre Ivarr Wintersblood, Knight Errant
- Varg Wintersblood, Squire
- Sirra Ingjald Talvelson, Lady of Frostern (Married Syre Idolaf Talvelson, Lord Provost of Talvel's Point)
- Syre Jon Wintersblood, Wintersguard
- House Jonsson of Frostern
- Sirra Alfhild Aesmann, Lady of Frostern (Married Syre Fingal Aesmann, Earl of Streamwood)
- House Aesmann of Dun Fur
- Syre Alnitak Wintersblood, High King (Married Marie Morasof, Lady of Dawnsmarch)
Disbandment
Not so much disbanded as brought to near extinction during the Civil War. At the start of the conflict, in an event known as the First Blood of Winter, the rebellious Wolfspacks of Dun Faol slaughtered the House to the root. Apart from one true heir that was smuggled away, the few remaining members married into the House Talvelson to become the Wintersbloods of Talvel's Point.
Quotes
These stinking mongrels and their she-dogs are a menace, holding the animals that kill our cattle and hunt our children in such esteem as to take on the name Wolfspack. Understand now that they must be subdued!
The High Kingship is like a miniature empire, a rabble of clans and Holds relying on each other despite how hard the Wintersbloods try to get support. Go even a metre outside the trade routes to the Faar Isles and no one else in the Great Western Empire gives a crap about us.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
High King of All Korgs, Castellan of the Dathranii, Imperial Representative of Skirah, King of Frostern, Earl of Frostern Hold, Vigil of Dun Gemrad, Lord of Winter, Great Chief of Clan Wintersblood, True Blood of Winter, Blood King of the East (Formerly)
Alternative Names
Great House Wintersblood, House of Winter, Clan Wintersblood, Clan Gemrad, House of Frostern, Blood of Winter, Bloody Swordsmen, White Bears, Damned Imperials
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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