House of Stafyr

House of Stafyr Country: Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska Founder: Beorn Stafyr Current Head: Assumbed Extinct Former Titles: Count of Nenzing Viscount of Grauspin Baron of Thurant Lord of Haense Ethnicity: Highlander House Words: " Law, Honor, and Loyalty"

The House of Stafyr (Common: Stafyr; High Imperial: Stavius) is the current ruling family of the County of Nenzing, the Viscounty of Grauspin and the Barony of Thurant. It is currently sworn as a vassal to the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska. Founded in late Aegis by the last Almannir, Beorn of Stafyr. During the height of the first Holy Orenian Empire the house was ennobled by His Imperial Majesty Godfrey. It has intermarried at different times with many of the Great Houses of Humanity, including de Bar, Barbanov, Vladov, Horen, Winter, Carrion, and Elendil, along with multitudes of minor houses including Geminine, Althered, Fournier, Blackwell, Vanir, Ruthern, Silverblade, Baruch, Brunswick, de Sarkozy, Belisaris, Briarwood, Cromwell, and Corbeau. Making is so that most modern day nobles can trace lineage through Stafyr blood.

History

House Stafyr being one of the ancient living houses of humanity has a richly documented history dating back to the late years of Aegis and the early foundations of the Holy Orenian Empire. Several important figures of human history has been spurned by the house such as Saint Godwein, Farley, Count of Schattenburg and Leopold, Count of Nenzing.

The Birth of House Stafyr

It is unknown from where exactly Beorn the first known Stafyr was born. However as the language written by later Stafyrs resembles that of old hansetian it is commonly assumed that he was a descendant of a proto-hansetian tribespeople called the Almannir.

Almannir were a horse faring people that established small hamlets and wooden villages that could be easily be abandoned and migrated. They had trade relations with what would later be the early modern human kingdoms but mostly kept to themselves and what has been written down could more be interpreted as fables and stories rather then history itself. Most of what is known of the Almannir has been passed on by father to son.

It is said in the Book of Tales translated from old Almannir by Isobar Kurben that Beorn had committed a terrible sin by killing his own mother and being forced out of his home stealing all of value from his family such as the crown of Almannir but no other account found other than this states this fact making it very unclear what actually happened. What is known is that he abandoned his family name and adopted the name Stafyr.

Beorn had two sons Hanethor and Galtor and a daughter Sybilla who founded the three primary-lines of Stafyr, named after them.The lines were known for the Hanethorians strong sense of honour, Galtorians loyalty to its house and the Sybillan lawfulness and just ways. It can be assumed that Hanethor the First and Galtor fought in Aegis in order to protect their families and to let them move on to the new world and Sybilla has since the journey from Aegis been missing in any known records of Stafyrian history and with their deaths Thondorus son of Hanethor took the reins to usher Stafyr into the Asulonian era.

It is noted that the homestead of Rivacheg was founded by the remaining survivors of House Stafyr at the coast of the wastelands of Hanseti, led by Thondorus Stafyr together with other Almannir and Hansetians. After a couple of years, Thondorus passed away due to an illness combined with his growing age and his son Graveth assumed the seat as the head of House Stafyr and was elected by the villagers as master and bailiff of Rivacheg.

Graveth's reign continued the peace in Rivacheg and let the family grow again. His three sons, of which the last one was named Hanethor II., brought new hope to the House Stafyr as the sons and daughters of Galtor and Sybilla were nowhere to be seen. Graveth’s oldest son Theor was from early aged groomed to lead the house into the future whilst his other sons Uldorzil and Hanethor II. were raised to be a scholar and warrior as to aid the homestead in the future.

Rivacheg attracted plenty of trade and attention from other Hansetic villages spread around the southern wastes of Asulon and its strong wooden supplies were shipped all around the kingdoms of mankind such as Renatus, Salvus and Seventis. The men of House Stafyr got a reputation for being strong craftsmen and skilled lumberjacks a trait and mark that has been passed down in generation after generation.

The Rise of Saint Godwein

Godwein was born as the first grandson of Graveth and showed at a very young age a strong aptitude for learning and hunger for knowledge. Graveth personally took Godwein into his care and made him his pupil. Soon after Godweins sisters birth his mother Ravenna fell ill and shortly perished followed by her husband soon after who with a broken heart died of grief. Nevertheless Godwein and his uncles Uldorzil and Hanethor II. stood strong and kept House Stafyr up together with the now elderly Graveth. Not much else is known of Godwein’s youth.

Unfortunately when Godwein was away hunting a band of marauding knights destroyed Rivacheg and killed all villagers and family of Stafyr. Godwein who had been out on a hunting trip came back to find his entire family slaughtered and home burnt down. He’d leave to never look back and after a woodsman had found the body of Graveth in the forests surrounding Rivacheg. He had the godliness in him to track down Godwein and hand him his will and the artifacts of Beorn were recovered by him.

Godwein took the odd work around the sprawling kingdoms of man eventually settling himself in Arethor for a while working as a lumberjack for the construction of the new capitol and a humbling friendship began between him and the young Saint Godfrey.

After the construction of Arethor, Godwein travelled to the Adunian settlement of Ildon where he navigated the Adunian politics and was by ducal and imperial decree granted the title of Baron and promised a fief of his own but with the internal infighting that brew during the reign of Artorus Elendil led to the fiefdom never being realized until much later after the Taurus rebellion and the brief ascension of Torrhen Elendil as lord of the Adunians.

Godwein led the house for a long time and had two sons with his wife Alesira, Graveth II. and Theor II., During his leadership the family grew in size as Stafyrs from all of Oren started to come back and it was discovered that all lines of Hanethor, Galtor and Sybilla were all flourishing. Some Stafyrs that reunited with the house at the time were people such as the later Lord Edmund, Ser Farley, Emmanuel the Guardian of Stafyr and Lady Leana, wife of the last White Rose, Edmond Brunswick. The house established its first hold in Elysium in the small fortified village of Huntshill overlooking New Arethor, where the life of House Stafyr flourished and the house gained more political influence in the Holy Oren Empire as Godwein was named Lord Privy Seal by the emperor Godfrey and was promised a march under House Silverblade when more permanent lands were settled.

During these times House Stafyr participated in many of the diplomatic dealings of the empire and Edmund Stafyr was knighted for his bravery in a skirmish outside New Arethor where he according to reports saved Godwein’s life During the blissful life of the Huntshill Stafyrs the primary heir of the house, Graveth II. the first son of Godwein committed a terrible sin and made a dark elven woman pregnant out of wedlock. Godwein was furious and had Graveth disinherited for his sinful behaviour and due to this Graveth went into a self imposed exile in the citystate of Eyveror.

Oren’s influence grew and both Ser Edmund and his brother Farley were sworn to the knightly chapter of the Lion and Farley was personally squired by the later Jonathan of House Black later known as King John of Hanseti. Eyveror was seen as a bastion of sin and ungodly behaviour and when it became known that they were harboring wanted Adunian rebels from the Tarus rebellion Oren declared war on Eyveror and raised all its banners.

Godwein who had never been a warrior sent Edmund to lead the Stafyrian retinue and as Eyveror could not resist the onslaught the city was sacked and burnt to the ground. Edmund spent the entire sack looking for his cousin Graveth but he was nowhere to be found. Shortly after the sack Graveth would return to Huntshill and was allowed back as a family member however no longer as the heir as that had now passed on to his brother, Theor II.

When the island group of Kalos was discovered House Stafyr together with House Valois led by Duchess Chrestienne Valois built a large manor on top of a mountain, overlooking the island claimed by Oren and the house prospered together with the Auverginians and the manor was an impressive landmark overlooking the Orenian settlement and a staple to visit whilst wandering the Kalosian mountains.

It was on this island Godweins two sons both in short succession disappeared without notice. It is believed that Graveth still felt to much shame for what he had done and could not raise his half-breed bastards in Oren. It is by many accounts known that Graveth would eventually sire at least ten other bastards throughout his life. Theor would many years later return to the house and explained his long absence to the pressure of being made heir and that he was overwhelmed by the task and did not want it. Leaving it to what he felt was more competent kinsmen. However he would soon after be killed by a boar whilst hunting in Salvus.

In Anthos House Stafyr was given the southeastern shores of Oren, the land was named Schattenburg and the house were made vassals of the ducal House Silverblade. Stafyr continued to prosper, Godwein was named Lord Treasurer and Grand Justice by the emperor Saint Godfrey. But one morning Godwein was found dead. Laying on the steps of the throne room of the Shadowcastle. His life ended peacefully with his heart succumbing. After his death people noticed strange events occur after praying in the church of Feldkirch and when his grave was opened it was noticed that he had barely any signs of his death and his shield and axe had not begun to rot.

After this was examined by the church Godwein was sanctified and named the patron Saint of honesty, woodworkers, fungi and skin afflictions. Due to the fungi affliction he had been cursed by in the caves of the Mori’quess that was covering half his body.

Clash of Brothers

Saint Godwein’s great nephew Ser Edmund was now made to rule House Stafyr as he was next in the line of succession. Edmund being a very content man in life had no aim to seek glory or power, his main wish was to keep the legacy of Godwein and House Stafyr safe from the growing unrest in Oren. He had for some years been a knight in the Chapter of the Lion and his main duty was to that, fighting the enemies of Oren and protecting the empire and the imperial family. Edmund managed to keep House Stafyr out of most internal conflicts, mainly the Teuton - Blackmont war where House Stafyr stayed neutral, sending no men to fight for either side.

Godwein had shortly before his passing arranged so that Edmund was married to the last known living member of House Geminine, Angelika Geminine and with her titleage he was bestowed by her the lordship of her House as well. Thus in theory making it so that House Geminine was merged into House Stafyr. However this merge was brief as male members of Geminine would years later resurface and reclaim the title peacefully.

The death of Godwein had created a purpose for both brothers of Brenton. Edmund and Farley. They both worked diligently to preserve the legacy of Godwein but they both saw it as different ideas. Whilst Edmund as a lord wished to maintain the prominence of the house and its status as a peaceful and loyal house, Farley saw it most important to protect the house from sinfulness and disloyalty as he was appointed Guardian of Stafyr.

Farley would often spend times trying to groom the unruly young man Alistier Stafyr who would later serve as the personal squire of Prince Pertinax Horen. Alistier reminded many older members of the house of Graveth II. especially Farley who would do what he saw fit to ensure that such a disgraceful action like that of Graveth didn’t take place once again. During these times Ser Farley’s marriage to the adultress and sinner Kinra Stark was absolved by the church and he began a courtship with Lady Emily of House Baelish after being granted permission to do so by Lord Adorellan Baelish. According to a journal written by Farley he was given permission to this after he made a jest so hilarious that Adorellan could not refuse his request.

The everyday life of Stafyr would soon be shattered as Edmund and Farley got into a fight. According to the journals of Edmund the fight began due to Alistier having being beaten by Farley. Edmund had ordered his brother to stop such actions and that it was not his duty to attack kinsmen in order to groom them. Farley argued otherwise and was once more ordered to never lay a hand on a kinsman and if so would be punished. Farley’s reaction was swift as he once more assaulted Alistier and Edmund out of rage ordered his brother’s disownment and banishment.

They both rushed outside into the courtyard of Schattenburg and into a cold autumn storm. Whilst they were shouting at each other Farley would charge towards Edmund and unfortunately blinded by rage, Edmund instinctively drew his sword and slashed it upwards as Farley lunged towards him. There on the mud covered grounds of the Schattenburg courtyard it was that Ser Farley Stafyr drew his last breaths before Lord Daniel Baelish who’d witnessed it all plunged his sword into Farley, ending his misery and sending him to the seven skies.

Edmund who had in the end always loved his brother would after this lock himself in his study for days. Only allowing his closest family and a few select servants inside. The servants would be seen coming and going with plates of food. They were always full. Edmund would not sleep, eat or rest and many say that even though he was only in his late thirties he would look like he was an aged old man. The exhaustion of this sent him into a heavy fever and he became delirious. According to Edmund’s journals during this fever he had a terrible nightmare whilst sleeping, in his dream he saw Farley surrounded by fire. He saw this a sign from the creator that the sins of Edmund kept Farley in purgatory and that he could not join the seven skies until Edmund had been absolved of his sin.

When his fever was gone Edmund departed to the holy lands, to fight in the crusades to redeem himself in the eyes of the creator, leaving his wife, his daughter and his entire family at home whilst he fought for the creator and Oren. Naming Alistier as lord-regent in his absence. With him joined the entire chapter of the Lion now led by his imperial highness Prince Pertinax of Horen and they fought valiantly in orcish lands and Edmund was granted the title of Grand Ser and Knight-Lieutenant of the Chapter of the Lion. A year later after the holy relics had been recovered he would return home to his family, resuming lordship of the house. The house would remain stable for a few years and a son would be born to Lord Edmund and Lady Angelika of House Geminine, they named him Farley after his late brother.

House Stafyr would carry on serving the empire under Saint Godfrey and his son Horen V and fought in many battles such as the Sack of Malinor and the astonishing victory at the Battle of the Crossing where the Orenians and high elves stood alone against all other races and crushed them in a swift blow. A display of the true might of Oren.

The now Ser Alistier would go on to sire a bastard child. Edmund who was a godly man was furious at his cousin’s adultery and to escape his rage Alistier ran away to hide with House Valois. Edmund assumed this and asked Countess Rose Valois to hand him over to Stafyr but she claimed he was not there.

During his stay with Valois, Alistier discovered that Rose Valois was involved in a plot to try and kidnap the daughter to the late Farley and to raise her under Kinra Stark instead of Stafyr. He returned to Schattenburg and told Edmund of this who immediately informed his liege lord Uthor Silverblade.

Silverblade ordered all their vassals to raise levies and keep them such until further notice. He also issued a command to the Count of Riven, Daniel Baelish whose fort immediately bordered the Valois manor in Auvergne to construct siege equipment. A ballista was built directly aimed into Rose Valois’s bedroom window and Ser Alexander Valois settled in Schattenburg with the reason of being a claimant against Rose Valois in case of a war. However no war broke out and the conflict ebbed out into nothing.

Shortly after the great exodus of Oren, Edmund was named Lord Privy Seal of the faltering empire by the newly crowned Emperor William III. and he was also declared Noble Ser to replace Pertinax Horen as Commander of the Chapter of the Lion. With the new arrangement of knights established by the new Grand Knight Daniel Baelish, Edmund was also given the title of Knight Commander of Renatus.

Edmund did however not last long with his new titles. For some time he had been hiding his sickness from family and friends but it had caught up with him. He had been stricken with consumption and was getting worse by the day. His last remaining life he spent in bedrest, saying his farewells to his family until he suddenly passed away.

The Golden Age of Stafyr

Edmund’s son Farley, who was only four years old inherited the lordship and his aunt Leana was named lady regent to rule together with Ser Alistier Stafyr until Farley’s coming of age. Oren was in chaos, the empire collapsed as war ravaged the lands whilst different noble houses grasped for power and land. To protect the house from the wars of man Lady Leana sealed the gates of Schattenburg and the only people allowed entrance was the farmers from Feldkirch and there isn’t any definitive writing what occured between the sealed walls of Stafyr.

At sixteen years old Lord Farley II. took over House Stafyr and the house returned from it's self imposed exile and was once again ready to return into the political game that is Oren. Farley quickly rearranged and had his titles adjusted into the common tongue as to not be affiliated with the Hansetic Teutonic order who were considered traitors and from this point Schattenburg and Feldkirch was referred to as Shadowcastle and Fieldchuch. After the brief rule of King Silius Horen, Farley quickly swore his allegiance to House Carrion and the 2nd empire was formed by Saint Siegmund. But the Carrions had many enemies.

In an incident with the church, the firstborn son of Lady Leana, named Godwein was lashed by the church without a seemingly just cause. The High-Ecclesiarch of the church was Franz Carrion and this had the young lord Farley angered. He had a meeting arranged to discuss terms with Sophia Horen who was in an open claim against the Carrion hegemony but Walter Stafyr and the bastard of Godwein, Beron Sturm interceded and arranged a meeting with the emperor. There the matter was settled and Stafyr abandoned all ties to Sophia Horen leaving her a landless and weak claimant. Farley who had seen the lies and incompetence of his cousin Godwein asked the emperor to legitimise Beron to ensure that Godwein would not become lord of Stafyr in case of Farley’s early death without a son.

Not long after Sophia Horen had laid down her claim the exiled house Tarus, allied with the dwarves and Teutons issued a declaration of war on the Orenian empire and its armies marched towards Shadowcastle. Farley raised his levies and rallied old allies to House Stafyr that had lived in exile since the reign of William the Weak. Such as Amador, Baelish and Pascal all came to aid Stafyr. Together with the armies of Oren the invading rebels, traitors and dwarves were defeated in a tough and gruesome battle. However Shadowcastle was damaged beyond repair and the castle was torn down and in its place a large village was constructed with a wall to act as defenses against any potential invaders.

During the preparations to the battle. Farley had befriended the Lord Marshal Heinrik of Roy and the two had fought side to side during the battle. Not long after, the emperor Siegmund died and instead of a new emperor being elected the empire was reformed into the Holy Kingdom of Oren after an agreement was made with House Winter and Heinrik of Roy was crowned King Heinrik Carrion and under Heinrik the armies of Oren turned their attention south and marched against the dwarven aggressors.

Farley was made warden of the south and Lord Privy Seal of the kingdom by King Heinrik. It was also arranged so that his sister Cecilia was swiftly married to the archduke of Herendul his grace Lord Edward Winter and he himself married a cousin to the king, princess Milena Carrion. Aligning the three largest houses of Oren at the time by blood. The now county of Shadowcastle was flourishing and Farley had the houses of Amador and Frost elevated to noble status as barons under him and took in a mercenary company led by the former exiled house of Pascal to assist him in keeping order in return of lodging.

Whilst fighting the wars against the dwarves Stafyr would form the rearguard and due to their history of woodworkers they constructed and manned the siege equipment used. During the battle of Thoringrad the Stafyrs broke down all dwarven defenses with great precision and lead Oren into a great victory. For the battle of Indograd, House Stafyr had rallied around four thousand men to fight. A combination of knights, guardsmen and militia House Stafyr made up the second largest military force of Oren during the battle. However this battle ended in a stalemate as the dwarves retreated into a large underground fort and the trench war begun

After years of trench warfare an uneasy peace was settled between Oren and its enemies as the draakar Setherien was growing in strength, his cultists spreading havoc around the lands of all mortal races. House Stafyr rallied its men to fight in the northern conflicts and fought hard in the battle of Castle Greywyn.

During the battle the army had been divided in two by Setherien with many men trapped north of Grewyn. Setherien destroyed the siege equipment of Stafyr personally and the Stafyrs instead charged. They charged straight through the gates of Greywyn, many men died but the valiant bravery of the Young Lord changed the tide of the battle and the rest of the army charged with them. Shortly after crushing Setherien’s army. It is said that not a single Stafyr soldier who survived in Greywyn left the battle without a scar.

When the flood of Anthos occured Stafyr settled in a fort by the mountainside called New Huntshill and the house continued to flourish until the Zion wars broke out. In the Zion wars King Heinrik was killed in battle and Franz was declared heir of Oren and was to be crowned king. The same Franz that had in earlier years gotten into a conflict with Stafyr and he was not a forgiving man. For briefly aligning themselves with Sophia Horen, Farley was allowed to retain all his titles, privy council positions but Franz had three fingers on Farley’s left hand cut off in punishment.

The Order of Saint Lucien opposed King Franz however due the earlier schism wars that had been between the two. Under the order of Bishop John of Darfey the Deceterum were manipulated into murdering their own king and Farley swore fealty to the newly formed Imperium Tertius under Emperor Peter Chivay.

During this turbulent times his cousin Godwein denounced the creator in the court of New Huntshill. Furious Farley disowned Godwein from House Stafyr and had him banished from Oren with the promise of death if he ever returned. After seeing Godwein in the capitol just a few weeks later, Farley had his men arrested Godwein and he himself beheaded him on a log outside the city gates. According to the journal of Moris Stafyr, Farley was cold and distant for days after.

Farley had been weakened by the death of his friend Heinrik and loss of his fingers and realized if he was to live a full life he could not be lord or he would suffer the same fate as Saint Godwein or his father Lord Edmund. Farley abdicated his titles and designated Symon Stafyr as Lord of Stafyr and Regent until his son Athelstan was of age.

Lord Symon Stafyr was not the same man that Farley was. Whilst Farley had been raised his entire life to rule Symon was a shy and awkward man who much more preferred to stand in the back of the room then in the center. However Farley lended as much advise as he could to Symon and Stafyr continued to stand strong as Symon with the establishment of the new capitol settled what would be known as Eastgate.

However Roy Carrion, son of the late King Heinrik had been furious with Stafyr for not aligning themselves with the Carrion claimant after the death of Franz and wished for vengeance. In a duel for honour on the isle of Thales, Farley was cut down and killed by the young crow Roy Carrion. However by accounts of the battle it would appear that Farley went into the duel knowing that he would die. That he could not harm the son of his friend.

The Falcons Fall

At the arrival to Athera, Symon settled the coastline of Oren and constructed the village of Werdenberg. There he laid the foundations of some of the largest wheatfields ever seen by man and was jokingly nicknamed “The Bread Count” by his peers due to the fact that Stafyr had enough grain in its storage to supply the entire empire ten times over. The years went on and Stafyr lived quietly in the county of Werdenberg until that of Athelstan son of Farley came of age and was given rule of the county.

During Symons rule Stafyr had with the assistance of Amador maintained a strong cavalry force to roam its lands and was considered still a strong house by its numbers but the unstable politics of Oren had left Symons rule tainted with missteps, however in a time where many old noble houses went extinct House Stafyr persevered.

Symon was glad to step back and enjoyed a quiet life as a councillor to his former lord’s son until he would many years later die as a content old man married to a woman whom he loved and children that cared for him. Athelstan was in many ways similar to his father, Farley II. He was humble, decisive and a good commander but lacked the ambition and motivation that pushed Farley forward.

During the rule of Athelstan he married of plenty of his cousins to other noble houses of higher standings maintaining the strong noble prestige built up by his father but his own idleness and lack of ambition had begun to cost the house prominence. Stafyrs once strong military that had been reformed under Symon and levied by House Amador was whittled down making Werdenberg vulnerable to House Vydra’s rapid expansion.

A few years into Athelstan’s rule Werdenberg was without his acceptance absorbed into the realm but also without any defiance. One thing to note is that during Athelstans reign, Stafyr purchased the land of Fursten and there built a fortress named Katzbutg to defend its wheat field.

Athelstan himself had early on been betrothed to a young Rovin woman, a match arranged by his close friend Gorn. But the match quickly turned sour. Athelstan supported the failed invasion of Roy Carrion and his betrothed, having her family fight on one side and beloved on the other was to much. She took her own life. The defeat of Roy’s forces and the death of his future wife drove Athelstan to accept vassalisation under Adria. Athelstan shortly after abdicated to the son of Symon, Thomas and vanished into a self imposed exile for the remainder of his life.

With the abandonment of Athera and the arrival at Vailor, Thomas established his new fief called Waldstadt in the northern forests of Adria. Shortly after he too abdicated with no heir, leaving the fief and the house under regency for a brief moment before his younger brother Jakob came of age and assumed the lordship. But being a minor lord of Adria during the Dukes’ War there was nothing to be done. He was stripped of the small keep after the surrender of the duchy and the end of the civil war. For the first time in about a century and a half, House Stafyr was unlanded and Jakob died shortly after.

Thomas and Jakob’s reigns were both brief and with the death of Jakob no lord of Stafyr were to be found. Thus with no clear successor many believed that his had been the death of Stafyr and the end of a house stretching from the early beginnings of the Imperial annals causing a interregnum of Stafyr until the ascension of Altaron Stafyr almost thirty years later.

Stafyrian Renaissance

Many noble houses throughout the lands could trace lineage to Stafyr but no trueborn Stafyrs were to be found for many years. Until the son of a distant Galtorian line Altaron made himself known and with his diligence and name established the barony of Arnault under the service of the Archduke of Lorraine.

Altaron re-established a competent Stafyr military and had a bustling village. Together with this he was named master of coin of Lorraine and served the archduke diligently for many years. More Stafyr descendants resurfaced from exile and the house was slowly regaining its footing in the politics of man.

Altaron was in some ways a mixture of Saint Godwein of Huntshill and Lord Athelstan. He had the diligence and vocabulary of Saint Godwein but lacked ambition and a clear sense of political manoeuvring such as Athelstan. Leaving Altaron as a very humble and content man in life and he ruled as lord of Stafyr for many years as Baron of Arnaut.

But Altarons long reign had him old and with this age came negligence of his barony and duties as master of coin and Altaron was eventually stripped of his titles with the abolition of Lorraine and died as a landless nobleman at the age of seventy. Leaving the title as lord of House Stafyr to his cousin Eadwulf.

Eadwulf was granted the Barony of Thurant by virtue of being a long-serving captain of the Mardonic military. Shortly thereafter, his friend the Duke of Raetia passed without heir, declaring by will that Eadwulf would become the new duke - the first such occurrence in family history.

At the same time, one Christopher Louis of the Hanethorian line had risen to prominence in the heartlands, in the Kingdom of Lotharingia. First a mercenary captain fighting for the Rutherns in the Greyspine Rebellion, then hired by the Lotharingian crown after the assassinations and coup attempts of its later years, he was granted nobility and a keep as the Baron of Reims therein just prior to the Lotharingian-Romstun War. His valor in the two wars and marriage to the last known Vladov of the time, Camille Vladov, led to the newly reborn Haeseni crown negotiating a transfer of vassalship from the Lotharingians - losing the Barony of Reims but being granted the Viscounty of Grauspin in its stead.

This created a rift where the Galtorian Stafyrs would under Eadwulf would be called formally the Stafyr-Thurants and the Hanethorians under Kristoff would be called the Stafyr-Grauspins.

The rift would not last long; within three years, Eadwulf's mismanagement of Raetia led him to be stripped of the title of duke. Shortly thereafter, he declared his abdication from the Lordship of Stafyr, passing away in his sleep.

Christopher was now made Lord of Stafyr and had a long and peaceful reign under the adopted Haeseni name "Kristoff Ludvik". One of the agreements made with Eadwulf before his death was that Kristoff would take on Eadwulf’s only son Godwein III as a ward. After Eadwulf's death, however, his widow Aurelia refused to hand over Godwein to the rightful Lord Stafyr - and thus he was disowned by order of the crown of Haense. Thus mending the Thurant – Grauspin rift, leaving Stafyr-Grauspin as the only true rightful heirs of Stafyr. Kristoff later served under the governments of the Palatines Henrik Bihar and Josef Van Alban as ambassador and emissary. He was an avid writer and wrote many treatises on diplomacy and state affairs, the most famous work being Vayrkilar and was an avid critic of the imperial economical systems.

He passed away peacefully leaving his lordship and titles to his second son Sergei Heinrik Stafyr who for a long time served as Lord of Stafyr and Lord Marshal of Haense. However in a drunken stupor he’d attack his own son Leopold, attempting to murder him. However Leo, being surrounded by loyal Stafyr men was saved by the Hans of Sybilla shooting a crossbow bolt into Sergei. Leopold was made lord of Stafyr after his fathers death and Hans was pardoned as the act was seen as an act of righteous self-defence. Sergei tainting his legacy and being mostly written out of the history books as his son rose to lordship.

Leopold quickly rose through the ranks, establishing the County of Nenzing in the far north once more elevating Stafyr to a comital status. He quickly married Lady Valeria of Baruch whilst his cousin Ser Gerard married the King's sister, Princess Nataya. His diligence in the Haeseni politics quickly granted him the title of Lord Kastellan and assisted the Houses of Vanir and Baruch to establish the counties of Ayr and Vasiland. After the abdication of Konstantin Var Ruthern, Leopold was given the position of Lord Palatine. Together with Marius II of Haense Leopold took part in the Nenzing conspiracy where the lords of Haense and Ves swore fealty to the Joseph I, Holy Orenian Emperor after Antonius I, Emperor of Man had dissolved the Empire of Man.

During the War of Two Emperors, House Stafyr fought alongside the armies of Oren in several battles including the Battle of Upper Rodenburg and the Siege of Helena, during the siege the Lord of Stafyr directly commanded the the Haeseni men together with Godfric of Alimar. Leopold continued to lead the house through the war becoming a more bitter, blunt and resentful man after seeing his men die. However loyal to their cause he kept fighting. Receiving plenty of scars on his body and losing one eye, Leopold would perhaps be the Stafyr lord in history to have seen the most war and combat.

In 1718 the Orenian and Renatian forces would clash once more in what would be known as the Second Battle of Leuven which ended as a Renatian victory after the Orenian army got dissorganized and scattered by the Renatians chock tactics. During the battle Leopold received a wound to his side but due to the continued risk of remaining outside of Reza he ordered his men to begin the march north to Nenzing. After about one day and a half the lord collapsed, an infection had gripped his body and after another fourteen hours of bedrest. Leopold died of his wounds. A combination of sceptic chock and bloodloss. His young son Erich was now elevated to lordship with Ser Gerard "The Bear" assuming the mantle of regent until the young boy would come of age.