Grimstone Barony

**Ruler**
 **Ruling House**
 **Resident Houses**
* House Osiander
 **Seat**
 **Settlements**
* Castulo
* Abritus
* Millstone
 **Beliefs**
 **Founded**

Grimstone Barony (informally known as "the Graymoor") is a former Barony located in Lordaeron's northeastern highlands and was governed by the venerable House Graymoor before the Fall of Lordaeron. It is speculated that the House derived its name from the land, rather than vice versa after the land was gifted to the House founder for his service against the Amani further north.

The region is considered a total loss following several fires during the Third War.

Due to the lack of meaningful forests or windbreaks, Grimstone's highlands are known for strong winds and cold but dry winters. Rainfall over the entire region is markedly lower than in Western Lordaeron and likely contributes to the difficulty in growing food.
Vegetation consists largely of dense scrub heather in the highlands, while the lowland valleys are more typical of the pre-fall Eastweald farmlands.
At this time, most of the Barony has not recovered from the widespread fires used to slow the spread of the Scourge.

## Culture

While the land itself is cold, hard, and inhospitable the people of the Graymoor were well-known for their high spirits and generosity. Many survivors of the Third War will remark that it was common practice to leave one's doors unlocked on the off chance that a passing traveler needed shelter for the night.

By and large, due to the lack of native timber, most buildings and residences in Grimstone Barony were made of woven wicker walls plastered over. This led to the unique architecture that some contemporaries refer to as "barbarically elegant at times but defying the propriety of straight lines."

### Religious Beliefs

The region birthed a lively and fervent sect of Light worship and there are no records of other faiths being practiced on any meaningful scale. The Grimstone faith followed all base tenets of the larger Church of the Holy Light but placed more emphasis on passionate displays of devotion in the form of rowdy festivals and the pursuit of pleasure as a form of worship.

Prayers were often sung rather than recited and musical instrumentation was most often in the form of large sheepskin drums or ramshorn trumpets.

### Local Holidays

Perhaps the most iconic tradition of the Grimstone faith was the annual Summertide Parade. At approximately midnight on the first night of Summertide, young men and women would dress in colorful costumes that obscured their faces and ride horses (usually costumed to match the riders) through the city in a grand procession. Citizens who were not part of the parade participated by playing music or carrying candles to light the route to the home of the town's governing official. It was the custom for admirers to try and identify their disguised beloved and bestow a gift (often a glass of whiskey, an apple, or a fruit pastry) upon them. On reaching the governor’s home, the riders would call for the Lord of the land to emerge and grant them his blessings, after which the entire procession would be treated to drinks and carousing until sunrise when the local priest would sing a call to prayer and give a short benediction before sending the celebrants home to prepare for the imminent hangovers.

## Economy & Resources

Because of the climate and poor arability of the land, Grimstone was forced to depend on imported foods to feed the population. Exports of several sorts enabled trade, though the most notable product was in the sturdy and intelligent horses bred by House Graymoor. It was often remarked that a charger of Grimstone stock was equal to any knight in terms of combat capability and the line was noted for loyalty.
The popularity of the breed had begun to wane in the last years of the House, though this is rumored to be the result of the late Lord Graymoor choosing to restrict sale to better refine the bloodline.

The primary agricultural concerns of Grimstone are wicker products and a unique shade of blue-gray dye (known as Heather Blue) derived from the native heather shrubs that cover much of the countryside. Products of the shepherding trade (such as wool, mutton, and cheeses) also feature predominantly in pre-Scourge records, thanks to the large swaths of open space for herds to roam freely.

Several iron and granite mines also contributed to the regional economy but most fell out of use by the end of the Second War.

## History

### Founding

Not many records of Grimstone’s history survive, due to the near-total annihilation of the barony during the Third War. Still, the local folklore states that the barony was given to Veritasus the First: a warlord who performed with valor in combat but somehow offended his peers and was thus given a holding of respectable size but poor natural resources.

The majority of the surviving information revolves around the service of the men and women who served Lordaeron during the Second War. Historians may find it remarkable that Grimstone was able to provide over 1000 soldiers, as well as nearly 800 skilled horsemen. For a holding of such modest means in comparison to more densely populated regions, this number seems unthinkable.

### Decline and the Third War

It has been theorized that the generosity House Graymoor showed with regard to their military assistance may have contributed to the House's rapid decline in the following years. Contemporary sources indicate that the economic situation in Grimstone was quite dire preceding the outbreak of the Plague, leading Baroness Octavia Graymoor to seek support in Stratholme. She was unfortunately lost during the Culling of Stratholme.

Because of the Barony's remote location and relative lack of political or economic strength, it suffered greatly during the fall of Lordaeron. Grimstone Manor itself burned to ruins following a week-long siege and pitched battle that saw the death of Lord Verity Pontius Graymoor, then-Baron Grimstone.

### Present Day

Grimstone Barony is considered to be a total loss following a series of fires intentionally set by Lord Verity Octavian Graymoor in an effort to slow the spread of the Scourge. The effort was ultimately futile and the region appears to be a ruin as of the most recent aerial survey.

## Geography and Settlements

The Graymoor is located in the northeastern highlands of Lordaeron, near the mountains that abut Amani territory. The land is rugged with relatively little arable farmland due to rocky soil and the large granite boulders that dot the countryside. Due to the difficulty in farming the region, the population is primarily centered around fertile areas with a small number of isolated shepherds who live in the surrounding moors.

### Grimstone Bluff

As the largest city in the region, Grimstone Bluff is also the ancestral seat of the ruling house. Unlike most settlements of the Barony, it was built against a jagged cliff overlooking the valley below. The road to Manor Grimstone is narrow with several switchbacks and tight turns. Named for the dark gray color of the cliff itself, the small city remains literally in the shadows of the Bluff for a large portion of the day most of the year, except during the summer. This causes most visitors to comment on the gloomy atmosphere and the appearance of hostility to guests. Neither impression can survive familiarity with the people of Grimstone Bluff as they were reputed to be joyfully boisterous and generous hosts.

### Castulo

Castulo was a town situated directly below Grimstone Bluff, arguably more of a suburb than a city in its own right. Castulo was also the site of the famed Graymoor stables, where some of Lordaeron's best-regarded warhorses were bred. Additionally, it served as a popular way stop for merchants or visitors who wanted a night's rest before attempting the approach to Grimstone Bluff.

### Abritus

Abritus is recorded as a trading hub, due largely to its central location in the Barony. The surrounding area also contained a large number of fruit orchards and hillsides that made for prime wicker harvesting.

### Millstone

Millstone was, during the heyday of the Kingdom, the largest producer of local grain for Grimstone Barony. The surrounding farms were by far the most fertile but the distance from the Bluff proved to be detrimental. The town and farms fell to the Scourge before word could reach the Baron.

### Bellona Pond

Bellona Pond is thought to be the sole surviving settlement of the region, though the dye vats that once made up the town's entire industry have been dry for years. It is unknown if the residents of the town are living or undead, though banners of the Scarlet Crusade were reported as being visible from the air during a recent survey.

## Houses

House Graymoor rules Grimstone Barony. It is known for its tenacity and passion, as well as for the warhorses bred under the House’s authority. At current, the Graymoor line has been reduced to two known members: Lord Graymoor and his heir, Leandriel Duskweaver-Graymoor.

Houses Viollarii, Osiander, and Covencoll also made their residences on the moors as vassals to House Graymoor. However, no members of the houses are known to have survived the Fall of Lordaeron.