Serenos Grimm

Serenos Veniamin von Dornelles "Grimm" is Lord General of the Zeorin Empire at the start of the game

## Early life

Grimm was born in Rozov, to Nascimento Dornelles and Candida Sozkovsky. The son of a traditional family of "Calakis", he embarked on a military career. He enlisted as a private in the sixth infantry battalion and later joined the military college at Dannenholm. Grimm then turned to law school, and while there he published a political newspaper, Obsuzhden (Debate in Zeor Vernak). Due to the fact that anti-Kymurianism was deeply illegal, he chose the name "Grimm" as a pen name, but it quickly became his given name. Grimm was the chosen orator in his graduating class and was immediately appointed district attorney. He opened his own law office in Dannenholm. Entering Northern Nationalist politics, and a strong opponent of Kymurian Hegemony, he became the floor leader for the Dannenholm Congressional ballot house. He served as Finance Minister under Lord Wyhan Luis, during which he spoke for the reorganisation of the agricultural system. He established a state mortgage and agricultural bank. He also created the department of agriculture in his state. Grimm also worked hard to improve schools and infrastructure during his term as a minister of Zeor.

## Rise to Power

The Great Schism set off the tensions that had been building in Northern society for some time, spurring revolutionary leaders to action by creating the Zeor State, with its capital in Dannenholm. The elections of 1021 pitted Horace De Tolley of the establishment, pro-Kymurian Regional Liberal Alliance, against Grimm, who led a broad coalition of middle-class industrialists, planters from outside Dannenholm, military leaders and Zeor nationalists. The middle class resented free market and "Tea and Milk" policies that let Kymurian-based companies out compete them and restricted industrialisation.

Grimm campaigned carefully, needing to please a large range of supporters. He used populist rhetoric and promoted Zeor concerns. Grimm's party won a very comfortable 68% majority in the elections, and was set to take office in a month's time. However, Tolley and his elites began to frustrate their successors, and after the Burgis-Cerba Affair, all key supporters deserted them. When the vice-presidential candidate of the Liberal Alliance was assassinated in 1026, the military decided to initiate a bloodless coup. They ousted President De Tolley, installing Grimm as 'interim president'.

## Lord General of Zeorin

Installed somewhat unexpectedly by Marshal Carranovsky, Grimm decided on a change in policy. He took up the "strongman image", shifting his campaign to strictly Zeorin Nationalism. He spoke widely and frequently, eventually swaying most Liberal supporters to his cause. He adopted the title of "Lord General" and abolished the weak, slow democratic system in favour of a military council of Lord Adjutants, with an elected "Chamber of Deputies" to take care of lower administrative duties.

He developed an intense cult of personality among the Zeor people, which developed highly when he championed the Empire Act which unified the Zeor State and the North Sea Empire into the Zeorin Empire. Grimm's armies made swift work of Emperor Staunn's small guard and their Roldroff allies at the Battle of Hequs Pass.