Many crestologists agree to trace back the Unholy Crest to one of Wilhelm I’s knights, Luther von Hirschmann.

Luther was an axe-wielding warrior with a deep, profound interest in the Dark Arts. It was usual for him to take on demonic beasts, hunting them down and delighting himself in overpowering them. Thus, he was appointed to do just that, even when the war was over. He established himself and what would come to be his bloodline in a territory in the eastern regions of the Empire, specifically in a valley home to what many called the Mouth of Hell, due to the prolific demonic activity found there.

Luther became more and more obsessed with these creatures, and more importantly with the Beast, itself, the behemoth that haunted these lands and the nightmares of the unfortunate souls who It had chosen to torment.

The Beast was a foul creature, a vile, cruel being, but as Luther continued to seek It out, he would come to welcome It into his own home, desperately taunting It, calling to It, provoking It- He studied darker forms of magic. Revolting, illicit, amoral practices one could abuse to call for the Beast. Luther strayed further and further from the Goddess’ light in his obsessive search for the Beast he desperately craved- all this until he eventually committed horrendous, unspeakable acts which led to his demise.

The Beast’s own blood seeped into his own, infecting Luther, his brother, Maurice, and their bloodline- and therefore, their descendants for centuries to come. As punishment for their ancestor’s crimes, they came to bear the Beast’s Crest.

wip.

Strangely enough, House Hirschmann did not have to pay for its ancestor’s crimes in ways that one would expect.
While burdened with an undesirable reputation and rumoured to be cursed, the descendents of Luther von Hirschmann lived rather comfortably due to a mystified source of wealth, a grandiose estate in the region of the Mouth of Hell, and while they had been stripped of any kind of political power outside of their territory, they lived well. Lavishly, even. Despite this, they were still reviled by most of the Imperial nobility- and even beyond the borders of the Empire. Many spoke of the Crest of the Beast with disgust and fear.

Over the years, the family had come to wear their reputation as a badge of rebellious honour. They still considered themselves noble and entitled to their privileges, but they pridefully held themselves higher than what other nobles deemed becoming of them. They cultivated a reputation of hedonists who basked in luxurious materialism and pleasures of the idle bourgeoisie. They were deemed sinners and revelled in such accusations. The Church came to avoid any attempts at redeeming them- in their prayers, however, they would always condescendingly beg the Goddess for them to either see the light… or to be punished for their hubris.

What is interesting to note is that despite their Beastly disposition and their apparent aversion of conforming to noble standards, House Hirschmann has not been entirely blacklisted from certain institutions- including Garreg Mach. Speculations as to why the children of this House are welcome to pursue their education on such Holy grounds lead to either extortion or religious clemency.

The youngest member of the family, Henrietta von Hirschmann, enrolled at the Academy in Great Tree Moon of 1180. She carried with her the weight of her Father's name with pride, again, as every other Hirschmann had done before her.

Baron Friedrich von Hirschmann is many things- some call him a dastard, others would simply say he’s unconventional. He is a womanizer and a hedonist, but also a gentleman and an aesthete. He claims to be a patron of the arts, which isn’t a lie, per se, but… His interests are pointed, precise, and above all obscure.

As the current head of House Hirschmann, he is a well-known figure of Imperial nobility. As expected by family tradition, he wields an axe and practices reason magic, all while continuing to study House Hirschmann’s forbidden, unholy tomes.
He enjoys hunting, demonic beasts or other creatures, collecting various types of spirits and liquors, and will occasionally be found sketching or even painting in his free time.

Like many men and women of his family, Friedrich values three things; his pride, his wealth, and his hunger.
A hunger for what, many could ask- quite simply put, as a Hirschmann, he will never be entirely satisfied with what he has, and he will always seek more- more. Pushing boundaries for the sake of his own cravings. Like his ancestor did, and as his daughter would do.

Friedrich loves no one but himself and his daughter, Henrietta. While considering the possibility that he may have illegitimate children left and right, Friedrich von Hirschmann only ever devoted his complete and utter adoration to the only child who bore his name and his Crest.

Henrietta was spoiled from the day she was born. Rotten.

The Baron had raised her in the very manner most children of House Hirschmann were raised; with comfort and adoration, and a sense of entitlement that was sure to shock, provoke, and offend.

While his parenting methods would be considered unfit for a child of a noble household, or any child, for that matter, it is merely a way of perpetuating family tradition… to hold House Hirschman’s absolute hubris as their defense against the world.

Friedrich is just another Hirschmann. Prideful, self-serving, and often cruel. This isn’t a surprise to anyone. This shouldn’t be. It’s what he was expected to be from the start-

Perhaps, one could assume that such is the curse bestowed upon his name.