The Court of the Lion (as this group soon became known) has worked to strengthen the Camarilla in England for over four hundred years, battling its enemies with in and without.  So successful is this group at maintaining order that it is rumored that Richard has been asked by the inner circle to be troubleshooters during extremely controversial events. They have helped out in several investigations over the centuries.  Should either a Justicar or Inner Circle position (Ventrue, of course) open up, it's quite possible that Richard would be in the running for such.

Richard O. Hanes was turned during the war between England and Scotland by an English Ventrue hoping to bring peace across the isle by placing his progeny in the savage land.  Richard, himself a noble, quickly rose to power through the shadows of his family and the son who now sat in his position....  Using what influence Richard could, he did his best to smother the raging fire in his people's hearts, but as we all know, he wasn't successful.  In the years after the war he made damn sure it would never happen again by creating a coterie that would see to the peace across the isle.  His immortal life became dedicated to building this unity which found itself in the four other members of his group, all pulled from the noble and not so noble stock of both people...  It was under this coterie that England has enjoyed it peace.

Lady Katherine Cornel: a prominent Toreador of London who has a fondness towards the theatre.  She is rumored to be the one who truly inspired Shakespeare in more ways then one.  Though politically inept, her charms and wiles make her valuable at any negotiation table.  For a period in time she served as the Seneschal of London, though it was rumored that it was as the Prince's lover that she obtained the position.  However, any who have tried to hide in that city realized the impossibilities of such an action.  On the other hand, it is joked among the Toreador that the only reason she developed auspex was for her to better enjoy the arts.  Katherine was likely sought out by Richard due to her abilities, and was seduced by his large donation and support of the arts.

Lady Morgan  Chester (known as the black witch) was the original Prince of York, however due to her clan  affiliation, Lasombra antitribu, she was removed from power and blood hunted.  Richard came to her aid,  recognizing her usefulness and abilities, not to mention power.  Richard quickly corrected the upstarts' hasty decision to blood hunt Morgan (Richard told his childe that he was put only in that position to unseat Morgan not to hunt her--for she, Morgan, would be of use to Richard--and a use she was).  Behind every great man there is a women, is Morgan's motto...unfortunately, she has added the part: with a dagger ready to strike.  Lady Chester has been the wife behind numerous inept men, controlling them and exploiting them for her own uses.  On some occasions, she desires to step out of the group and into the shadows.  This is an act she would have already done, if not for both the debt she owed to Richard, and his keen understanding of her.

Born in the Early 1600's to a noble family of small holding in the Highlands, not much is know of Lord Christopher Philin. There are records of a Gangrel running lose in the Highlands in the 1650's.  The  Philin Clan disappeared after the eldest son died in an wolf attack and the younger disappeared in 1642.

Lord Christopher Philin fell out of touch with the world shortly after he was turned, to run the highlands of Scotland as he was always meant to enjoy them.  He was a steadfast youth when he was turned after trying to fight the Gangrel off his brother (who it had killed), and who then left him turned to a breed of the night.  A night which he embraced and found peace within, and began his life as a predator.  Until he came across a pair of maidens running desperately to protect their virtue from a small group of English invaders.  Chris had always known of the war, but it never struck home until he saw his countrymen in danger.  He quickly dispatched the vagabonds, and let the women run screaming home while he removed the arms (weapons) of the soldiers and set himself south to wage     war against the whole of England. If it had not been for an encounter with Richard, it was a task which would have most likely ended in his death. Richard took Chris under his wing and showed him a different way to fight the invasion.  He's done his best to direct the fire that burns brightly in Chris' heart....  Chris was the first, and is the most loyal of the members of this coterie. The rest of the members are convinced of some relationship between the two of them, Richard and Chris, beyond that of countrymen.

Lord Christopher Has been close mouthed about his past, speaking only of it to his Coterie, the Court of the Lions, and then only rarely.  He has been travelling with Lord Richard Haines since the formation of the Court in the 1680's.  Christopher is very protective of the members of the Court and always attempting to live up to the Honor which Richard has taught him.

When the Court of the Lions was asked to come to Denver, Christopher was there.  During the investigation, The Scot developed a relationship with the Gangrel of Denver, specificly Jeff Larson.  How close this relationship is remains unknown.

Sir Regis Franklin Dormar of the clan Nosferatu was brought into this group after facing Christopher on the field of battle as the other members were making their way through northern England.  Regis had been charged, as Sheriff of a nearby city, to keep out all Kindred from the city (due to unrest within and suspicions of Sabbat lingering close by).  When he hailed Richard and his group to stop their entry and they would not comply, he drew this sword to defend his town against the overwhelming odds of four other Kindred to find only one stepping forward,  Chistopher.  The two warriors locked horns in a battle which was not won by Regis' strength, skill, or speed, but by his resilience and determination (odd in a Nos).  When Regis found himself being drawn out of torpor by Richard, the graveness of his error became apparent.  He quickly swore his loyalty to the man who saved his life, and kinship to his worthy adversary.  After the completion of their visit to his town, Regis realized the true nature of the group and humbly asked to join.