House Grimwood
As part of the preparation for the Game of Thrones game we had to create our noble house, which A Song Of Ice and Fire actually has pretty good rules for. We split the rolling up amongst ourselves, each person rolling for a separate event and making any choices they were called to make. Making house creation a collaborative action helped to get us all thinking about how we fitted together in the group.
Presented below therefore is our Noble house… House Grimwood:
Please excuse my dodgy heraldry, it is actually what we rolled up!
Motto: The Branch Doesn’t Break With The Tide.
Defence: 44
Influence: 44 (Status 4)
Lands: 48
Law: 20
Population: 25
Power: 31
Wealth: 19
History:
House Age: Very Old Andal Invasion
Events:
Conquest: -1 Def, +2 Inf, +4 Land, -3 Law, +3 Pop, +5 Wealth
Formed in the Depths of the Andal Invasion, House Grimwood was originally House Gremwode a house of the first men who stood against the Andal invasion. In their holdings on Sea Dragon point they held out for an incredibly long time but eventually were forced to bend the knee. They joined the Northern kingdom at this time.
Favour: +3 Inf, +1 Land, +4 Law, +4 Power
Despite their inauspicious start the House became loyal subjects of the King in the North, marrying into the lesser branches of the family. During this period their star was on the rise, gaining great favour with the King in the North
Infrastructure: +6 Def, +2 Law
The Twelfth Lord of the House Hannick Grimwode built the huge Castle Blackoak in this period. A mighty edifice it rivalled both Winterfel and Moat Cailin, and put fortifications along the length of the neck of Sea Dragon Point.
Invasion: -9 Law, -3 Pop, -1 Pow, -6 Wealth
Castle Blackoak however only stood until the invasions of Harren the Black, when thousands of Iron Islanders descended upon the coasts burning and pillaging. Coming at Castle Blackoak from the rear of the fortifications they were able to destroy them with fire before being driven off. The Ruins of Castle Blackoak still stand across the hills and in the dense woods of Sea Dragon Point.
Victory: +1 Def, +6 Inf, +1 Pow
It was not long however before Harrion the Black was dead, killed by the Targaryens, and House Grimwood seized the initiative, punishing the Iron Islanders and driving them from Sea Dragon Point. No Iron Islander that set foot on Sea Dragon Point survived. In the Ruins of Castle Blackoak a new castle called Castle Grimthorn was raised (called so because the corpses of the Iron Islanders who were hanged from the Heart tree), and on the very tip of Sea Dragon Point a watchtower known as Ironfall Tower was placed to watch for the Iron Islanders.
Victory: +6 Def, +2 Inf, +2 Pow
The Iron Islanders stayed quiet until the rebellion of Robert Baratheon, when Balon Greyjoy tried to bring the Iron Price back to the 7 Kingdoms. Their first attack on House Grimwood’s lands, failed almost instantly, with the troops in the tower setting the approaching ships afire with arrows. However a second attack succeeded with them seizing a number of prisoners including the young daughter of the Lord, Amyria. When Robert called for troops the forces of Grimwood went with him along with Garrick Snow and the Captain of the Guard. The Infantry and Archers were at the siege of Pyke and were present when the wall fell as part of the assault in the vanguard.
Decline: -4 Inf, -1 Land, -2 Pow, -5 Wealth
Since then however the house has suffered something of a decline. The issue of the succession has caused a large amount of confusion amongst the family and the small-folk. Assuming that Robert Baratheon keeps his word then Garrick would become Garrick Grimwood and be the heir. If not Amyria would be the heir following the Dornish way, which however is not recognised in the North.
Demense:
Sea Dragon Point:
Hills
Wood + Coast
Hamlet
Tower
Port
The Grimwood:
Plains
Dense Wood + Ruins
Hamlet
Small Castle
Godswood.
House Fortune Mods:
Law Holding -5
Population +1
Godswood + (2d6 – 6)
Port +5 (increase Wealth by 1d6 whenever should be increased by 1)
The Army of House Grimwood
The Grimwood Defence League
Created to man the tower and other important watching points the defence league is made up of volunteer peasants who spend at least three weeks every year training with the Captain of the Guard. This makes them skilled enough to hold their own on the ground they have trained on, but anywhere else they would struggle. They are however skilled at spotting enemies approaching the coast.
The Grimwood Archers
The Castle meanwhile is defended by these skilled warriors. Armed with bows to allow them to take the most benefits from the ruins of Castle Blackoak and the walls of Castle Grimthorn, these warriors are well trained but definitely more skilled with ranged weapon than close combat. From the walls and ruins however they can take a terrible toll on anyone attacking.
The Scourge of Pyke.
This unit was created from volunteers all of whom had either lost someone or had someone stolen away by the Ironborn. Raised for the attack on the Iron Islands these men were well armed and motivated. During the attack they were always present where the thickest of the fighting was, and the Iron Islanders learned to fear the approach of this unit as they never took prisoners. The Scourge of Pyke no longer contains all the same members, but each new applicant is put through a rigorous training regimen by Garrick and the Captain of the Guard which weeds out many of the unsuitable warriors. The Scourge of Pyke is the strongest unit in the Grimwood army forming an Elite centre that the rest of the army can form on.
The Shadows in the Forest.
House Grimwood can also call upon the services of the various foresters, hunters and charcoal burners of the Grimwood itself. Although not easy to control in battle these men and women are exceedingly stealthy and their short bows, usually used for hunting work just as well against the Ironborn. The Shadows in the Forest may not be the most well known of the Houses forces but anyone who tries to invade their lands soon learns to stay out of the woods. They are however more than a little clannish… and difficult to control at the best of times.
The Vengeance of the Old Gods.
House Grimwood can chart its history back to the time of the First Men and the worship of the Old Gods has ever been at the heart of the house. When Black Harren attacked Castle Blackoak, many of the men at arms gave their lives defending the Heart Tree. Deep in the Forest there are a number of other Wierwood groves which have their own covens of worshippers. These Worshippers can be raised to help providing that the House is striking against the worshippers of false gods (or you know… the Seven).
Leave a Reply