Gregar Balin Grochain
“the Bastard King, Monarch on Earth, the Strong Stag.”
Gregar Grochain is a man in his late thirties, and a face that shows experience, know how and charisma. His wooden crown, a leftover from Iochlan's times, is adorned with leaves and twigs, an insignia of the local Grosswick biome of naturally beautiful trees and plants. He looks very noble, in every possible meaning of the word, even though he is a bastard in essence.
Gregar is a man with a military background, serving amongst the Servants for several years. As such he has both tactical skills as well as personal combat skills. Not to say that he adores war, as he is rather fond of peace, but he's a smart man that knows that there is a time of war and a time of peace. Furthermore his history in the Servants has proven to many that he is a religious man, serving the Monarch with utmost compassion, which has granted him the support of the priesthood and the religious inhabitans of Broacien.
As king, he is just and strong-willed, and has the capability to pass judgement with no remorse if it's required of him. He is a very loyal man and thus values loyalty as the most important value there is, and does not tolerate unloyalty from any of his vassal lords and knights. He is, however, not a man that doesn't realize loyalty comes at a price, and as such he frequently grants lords and knights privileges, that are meaningless but offer symbolical value to the title of lord and knighthood.
Besides offering privileges, Gregar is fond of feasts and frequently hosts feasts in the large feasting halls in the Hoffburgt, which is no problem since there are three feasting halls. Even some of the less noble, but important and influential people, are allowed to show up. People such as wealthy and influential priests, merchants and foreign lords that are passing by.
Anne Frederica Iochlan of Hoffburgt
“Bastard's Lover, the Monarch's Light”
Queen Anne is a gentle soul, unlike her husband. While they are opposites, Gregar a trained soldier with military insight, his wife is a more peaceloving soul than him, while she realizes like Gregar that war is a part of life, she'd prefer if it wasn't. Never the less she accepts it for what it is, which is something she had to do a lot ever since she married with Gregar. The man has made her realize that being noble of blood means giving up a lot of things.
Regardless of that she does truly love Gregar, he fathered her children after all and she decided that perhaps an arranged marriage wasn't so bad after all, since through work and time spent together the both of them got along perfectly well. As a result the royal family is a happy family, which it happily shows to the outside worlds. Not that happiness is a shield against bad events happening - the dangers of being royal still lie around every corner and that is one of the many fears Anne has. After all, what if something befalls her children?
Her biggest fear, is indeed that something happens to her children. Each one of them is a big part of her life, and she loves them dearly. Despite that, she knows that the males will be sent off to serve under the companies, and the females will be sent off to marry some lord or foreign king to secure alliances. While saddening, atleast she knows she'll get grandchildren that way.
Erica Vaelentin Grochain
“Little Stag, Ketter's Demise”
Erica is one of the most pious ladies in Broacien, a woman who has devoted her life towards the Monarch and serves him with utmost servitude. Erica has barely reached her 20th year, looking quite young on her own, and has numerous suitors who are waiting for her hand. So far, king Gregar has abstained from promising her hand to anyone, either waiting for a proper suitor, or not wishing to send off his daughter.
Erica takes after her mother, being a kind soul and gentle to everyone, whether that is due to personality or due to being taught to behave this way by her tutors. She has numerous maidens which are all treated with respect that she deserves, and she is allround loved by everyone in the castle, and dare it be said, the entire kingdom of Broacien.
The only people she has little sympathies for are the Ketters, those who twist the word of the Monarch to fit themselves, who twist the truths of God for benefit. As such she's attempted to persuade her father to crack down on these people by offering more support to the Servants, of which he was one to begin with. The situation remained unchanged, but the Servants noted her support and are seemingly waiting for the right chance to offer lady Erica a suitable knight from the Servants to marry, which would greatly increase the influence of the Servants.
Aren Grochain
“Aren Hedgehog, Riding Laugh, Winter Wife”
Aren is the oldest of the king's three daughters, and as such has already been married off to a lord. Aren has been married to the lord of Barren Halls, lord Jachsen of Hayhill. This was done in order to secure the loyalty of this lord, and thus strengthen the Northern keep of Barren Halls in order to make sure that there was no tribal wars like years ago. And succesfully so, as Aren seemed to be a perfect match for Jachsen - both were militant, although in different way. Aren understood perfectly well her task as princess, namely in ensuring that Jachsen remains loyal to the crown and not his own interests. Her beauty and seductive voice did well in assuring Jachsen that he was indeed the favorite lord of the king.
Aren enjoys living in the North, being a child of the winter very much so, and more so enjoys dealing with the Northerners. She seems to have some explorationlust, constantly asking her father and her husband if she can mount an expedition of sorts, atleast to go see what it's like in the tribal camps. Being a princess this is a hard task, but her father has promised her 'one day' and that was enough for her. Her father is honorable and just, so surely the promise will get acted on.
Caterina Meitelde Grochain
“Mei, Mitsy, Cat”Caterina is the youngest of the three daughters of Gregar, and as such enjoys a moderate amount of freedom to do as she desires - atleast until she comes of age. Currently she is 15, meaning she is on the verge of a childlike personality, with a new view of realism as she begins to learn about the world around her, about the world of politics, religion and war.
Her older sister, Erica, and her brother Bjorn, are pretty much the only people in her family that she sees daily, as father is too busy with ruling the kingdom, and mother needs to tend to the duties of a queen. As a result of only seeing these two people, she has quickly become adapted to both the life of a knight and that of a lady, although she is not sure if she fully believes everything that her sister tells her. Never the less she adores the stories, that are more like a childrens goodnight tale to her than a religious vision of how the world came to be.
She is like her mother, a gentle soul. Likely more so than her other sisters, as Caterina doesn't have any interest in war whatsoever. The only thing that interests her is love, friendship and peaceful times, lovely feasts and balls in the kings halls'. Ofcourse this is still part of her childhood dreams of marrying a prince, which might even happen, although she would likely find that the reality is not what it seems.
Bjorn Hofman Grochain
“Lord Stag, the Antlered Knight”
Bjorn is the second born son of the king, and as such has taken up duties with the Servants as his father did. Unlike the other Servants, he spends his time in the Hoffburgt, acting as the local head of the Servants that arrive here to do investigations into religiously rooted problems. This has given him both time to hone his martial skill, and time to dilly-dally with the local noblewomen. He is well loved around court, although his brother is slightly more famous and loved than Bjorn. Not that Bjorn cares, he is happy to court women, fight in tournaments and on the off day that he feels like it, go to a tavern for a drink.
In reality, Bjorn is a ladies man, who enjoys talking to women and girls alike. It's not even that he wishes to bed them, he simply thinks they are more fun to talk to. Regardless of that he's quite manly, good with a sword and somewhat decent looking, but probably a handsome man compared to some of the other lords walking around.
Dorran Grochain
“King Stag's Heir, Smith's Hands, Prince's Face”
Dorran is perhaps the most famous of the royal family, whose name extends far beyond the Broacien borders. He is known as a handsome, and stout man. He's brave and loyal to his father and family. Willing to risk it all to gain what his family needs, he is the one that will ride in the Vanguard in name of his father when needed, he is the one that leads the charge and he is the one who will sacrifice his life for those after him.
As Dorran is next in line to the throne he has been groomed into a capable ruler and king - trained in aspects of rulership like castle keeping, warfare, combat and economics, as well as diplomacy, foreign customs and religious know how. The heavy focus of his studies layed on justice, as this was what his father deemed important.
Besides the personal traits, he is incredibly handsome according to the ladies of the realm, and those outside. He looks good, and looks even better when wearing armor. Although he pays little mind so far, he makes women swoon as he walks past. Maybe an exageration of the tales, but he certainly turns heads if he walks by, from both men if they are that way inclined, and from women.
