A popular man doing an unenviable job, Griegson has been Chairman of Jalkin Town Council since 1321. Despite coming from one of Christoté's richer families (he isn't the chief heir), Griegson has a well-earned reputation for honesty, diligence, caustic intelligence and a willingness to kick the arse of Authority. His career has consisted of tireless campaigning for various goals; higher personal taxation, more money to be moved away from glamorous construction projects and into poor relief and education, a greater control over the antics of merchants and aristocrats, more protection for smaller industries and so on. He is hardly a radical, certainly by Jalkin standards, and is more conservative on certain issues (censorship and prostitution for two - more of the former, less of the latter) but is recognised by most people as better than the usual gang in charge. For some years he has been trying to build a coalition of left-wing Councillors, though rivalries between the three Cities constantly hamper his plans. Naturally his principles have caused conflict with various political colleagues; the perennially conservative Forgar Council, his superior Lord Fortraine, a few of his fellow Jalkin Councillors and not least, Chela Tatel, the relationship with whom is growing increasingly tense. For all that, Griegson is always able to work with people and can quickly move to a compromise if necessary (too quickly, some would say) and his feuds tend to be simmering and ongoing. His pragmatic approach is seen by the fact of his presence on Chancellor Acrippa's later Privy Council, in which he was practically the only left-leaning advisor present. Griegson is a fine administrator with a knack for handling crises, possesses excellent financial awareness but is only fair-to-middling at managing people, giving them rather too much rope at times. He instinctively mistrusts charismatic leadership, makes public appearances when necessary but in as mundane way as possible (like Tatel he is a poor orator) but tries to keep the Council and Town Hall accessible to Jalkin voters. Naturally gloomy and sardonic, the sight of Griegson muttering darkly in a corner is a familiar feature of a Society party. Critics would argue that for all his promise he hasn't really achieved too much. Jalkin is as much of a mess as ever and Griegson was often too busy playing at federal politics. On the other hand, he has latterly spent less time on the Privy council & more working for his city. The recent construction projects, and the long-overdue outwards expansion of Jalkin to the south are rewards of this.
Griegson is in his late fifties, a typical career politician whose meagre pay for his labours being supplemented by a rather larger family salary. His rise to the top hasn't been wholly smooth, but driven all along by his dogged ambition and occasional ruthlessness. After spending early adulthood managing his family's estates, his first drive at office came in 1308 when he stood for the Emissarial seat at Stechel. He was originally 'promised' the seat by the dignitaries of the ward. However, part way the campaign through they switched their support for another candidate, who was duly elected. Some say this betrayal first created Griegson's anti-authority streak; unkind perhaps, but he'd shown no sign of it hitherto. He established himself in Jalkin and in 1314 successfully ran for the Education post after the incumbent died. In 1318 he successfully ran for the more senior Fiscal job and, for good measure, won his first Huwdone House position, in Federation Office. Three years of scheming later, he was able to unseat the elderly Myca Laclo and win the Chairman's post; a snap election won him a public mandate for the job. He was himself deposed the next year but won the position back after only five months and has gradually made himself unassailable. The 1325 reshuffle of Acrippa's Privy Council saw Griegson take a seat in the inner quorum, by what nefarious means no-one has ever found out. In 1329 another classic piece of plotting saw him replacing Stefan Anders, Tatel's successor, as Chairman of the Combined Councils; the next year he became a Principal Member of the Privy Council. Griegson is married to Jastac Miers, the equally trenchant and ambitious head of Huwdone's Records Office. Miers is also a Tatel protégé and Griegson a cousin of Lord Brightson's wife Hyrena; facts which, as much as his ability, explain his enduring success.