House Lynnmare

“Loyalty in war, as in peace; in famine, as in abundance; in death, as in life”

House Lynnmare remains one of the eldest noble houses of the realm and perhaps historically the most loyal to the Imperial throne. Formed in 337, the house’s founder was Edwin Lynnmare, a scholarly man of watered noble ancestry who became a close confidant of Emperor Verus II. In exchange for Edwin’s advice and loyalty, alongside his friendship, Verus made him a Lord and granted him a fairly large swath of agrarian land east of the Imperial Seat, just bordering Hanor. Lord Edwin Lynnmare I became the pinnacle example of what a Lynnmare man should be: intelligent, virtuous, charismatic; and above all, loyal to the throne. Importantly, Lord Lynnmare chose right when it came to Emperor Rainor I, sensing the shifting winds and throwing in with Theron I in the early months of the Civil War. This solidified his personal bond with Emperor Theron and also permitted Lord Edwin’s eldest son, Percival, to fight alongside the future emperor, creating a bond between future generations.

Indeed, the next few generations served to establish House Lynnmare as friends of the Imperial throne (or brown-nosers, depending who you asked). While the depths and sincerity of the bonds fluctuated, almost every Lord Lynnmare remained a friend of whatever emperor held the throne and was a common sight at court. More than that, it was not uncommon for a Lord Lynnmare to hold the title of Exarch of Coin. Given the family’s devotion to intellect, sense of loyalty, and general sense of duty, they made excellent treasurers. The Lords Lynnmare continued to serve well, fighting in the Great Revolt and voting properly during Imperial elections. While they were not always the most intelligent men nor the men of greatest power, nobody could deny their loyalty.

However, things have not remained perfect. Lord Arthur Lynnmare VII served as Exarch of Coin to Emperor Nurin III. A strained relationship developed between the men, as Arthur constantly reminded the emperor of the lost funds as a consequence of his charitable efforts. Nurin, sensing criticism or perhaps simply growing tired of the nagging, removed Arthur from his position in 685. He did so politely and with well-wishes, but essentially informed Arthur that the throne would prefer he spend more time at his own lands, and less time in the Imperial court. Arthur left, distraught, but remained stoically loyal, doing as instructed, never again returning to the Imperial court (excluding coronations, where he went to swear fealty), partially out of obedience and partially out of shame. Arthur, a man of about forty years, died over a decade later from a heart attack. Rumours circulated that his death was caused by the stress his removal caused; a removal he seemingly never recovered from, even after so many years. His son, Edward Lynnmare, ascended to the lordship, with Edward’s young son Marius being permanently impacted by the death and the associated rumours.

The widowed Lord Edward Lynnmare II worked hard to repair the relationship between Lynnmare and the Imperial throne, spending vast periods of time at court and leaving his children to largely be raised by nursemaids and servants. Edward did well, the shame of his father’s dismissal being virtually erased from most people’s memory, but he was not appointed Exarch of Coin by any successive emperor. He died in 727, leaving his middle aged son, Marius, to take over his lands just as the succession crisis looms.