Count Grai Zukonian is the Lord of House Bendoria and commands the Sea Dogs

From an unmarked land in the north, beyond the rocky edges of Norda Stello, a band of fierce seafaring voyagers hoisted their sails and departed to the south in search of foreign riches. They spent many nights at peace, though their peace would soon be interrupted. As they drew closer to new land, they found their ship being attacked night after night by the ever-loathing merfolk. For once in their lives, the raiders felt true fear.

After many sleepless nights, the group decided it best to return home.
Just as they began to turn the bow, Captain Grai’s brother, Fireclaw, spotted a large range of land off in the distance. Perhaps their troubles had been a gift from the gods in disguise.

Their travels led them to an open river-way with nothing but a clear path before them. The sailors knew an escape from this one-way journey could result in an ambush of the natives, but Captain Grai knew that whatever waited for them in this new land would be worth it.

For days they sailed along the narrow pathway, careful to be sure their ship never collided with the ridges of the coast. Small villages along the waterway were raided and pillaged to the core, leaving the people stranded and having to seek other house’s protection from these new threats.

It had been weeks since the crew's beginning adventure and news of their arrival had spread all across the land. Towns evacuated in preparation, the peasant folk taking what little they held precious and moving inland.

It was only when the ship arrived in a vast riverbed that they fully dropped their anchor. The men departed their vessel and began to take a formal look around at this new land, their war dogs at their side. They hunted, fished, and replenished themselves for the journey back to the north.

It was then that the hound belonging to Captain Grai himself, Bender, came running back to his master. He was howling and patting at the ground, a signal that he had found something worth investigating. The group traveled forward on foot, leaving their ship behind on the coast.

Bender led them straight to a large stone keep. Ivy and ranges of moss grew along its cobbled walls. The windows held no light, the halls held no living. It was abandoned. A large meeting was held that night back on the ship. Were they to return home to their snowy wasteland? Or were they to settle here and start anew? The votes were tied up until the end when Captain Grai raised his voice.

"Here we will stand." was all he said.

That was all it took. The respect and adoration for their leader was enough for the stone cold raiders to bend their will, as well as their knees. Soon there after, Captain Grai was named Lord. It took weeks, months even, but soon enough the once crumbling keep was restored and both light and warmth filled the halls once more, only this time a black flag hung on every wall. It was adorned with colors of teal and violet, hints of silver stitched in-between. There, in the center, bore an image of a wave and a war dog. The sea, from which they came, and the mighty hound which gifted them a new beginning, Bender.

From salt and stone, the bitter house of Bendoria was born.