House Griffith (Halian Civil War)

The High House of Griffith' is a noble house of the upper nobility, holding the noble title of baron''. For as long as anyone can remember, they have been the rulers of the largest barony in the Kingdom of Halicourt. The Barony of Penrith incorporates the majority of the Midlands of the realm, and His Lordship Harlan Griffith holds many minor lords in vows of fealty. House Griffith maintains ties with two recognized cadet branches, the House of Griffith-Askern, and the House of Griffith-Thorne.'''

History of Penrith
House Griffith did not always hold the Barony of Penrith. The barony first took shape in what would later be known as the Midlands, not long after the Ascanthan Empire dissolved. During the early days of the emerging Kingdom of Halicourt, the Aylesburys set their sights north; determined on conquering the relatively prosperous region. The barony, then known as the Arldom of Whitehold, declined the Aylesbury's offer to peacefully bend the knee. Everard of Whitehold resisted bitterly, however, all the man received for his efforts was his head on the gates of his keep, in addition to those of his family.

For their loyalty and efforts during the war, the king granted the newly created Arldom of Penrith to House Penrith. Eventually, the main branch of Penriths died off, and the arldom was given to the cadet branch Penrith-Aylesbury. During the First War of Succession, Arl Francis perished in battle, along with all known members of his house. In light of this, the Arldom was then granted to the final cadet house, known as Penrith-Griffith.

Generations later, Arl Garrett Penrith suffered from delusions of grandeur; believing that the king himself wished his arldom to incorporate everything from Coniston to Durham. The man began a war of conquest during the weak rule of the first King Geoffrey of Aylesbury. Waging war on practically all neighboring lords, Baroness Alessia of Griffith and Baron Corwin of Hartland united the nobles of the Midlands against the power hungry arl. After two years of fighting, Arl Garrett lay dead and his lands in ruin. For his efforts, King Geoffrey I of Aylesbury created the Arldom of Hartland and granted it to Baron Corwin. For her own contribution to the cause, Baroness Alessia was granted the demoted and much shrunken Barony of Penrith.

Hartland Uprising
Six generations before the start of the Halian Civil War, the Griffiths uncovered a Hartland plot to overthrow the weak king of Halicourt. Baron Leland Griffith of Penrith, a supporter of the king and a known favorite at court, saw the opportunity to seize the lands the Griffiths had felt should have been given to them. The baron was joined by a coalition of loyalist lords, chief among them House Keriell.

Despite an early battle where Baron Leland and Baronet Gallien Keriell narrowly avoided death and the destruction of their army, the war tended to favor the coalition of lords. In six months, the High House of Hartland was no more, and every lord in the coalition was rewarded for their service. The Griffiths, although not granted the arldom they desperately sought, were given lands that rivaled any arl in the kingdom.