The Story of The Imporium

With his friend frozen in stone, the remaining imp fled the cathedral and wandered through the city. For years, he roamed the streets of Lincoln, desperate to find a way to save his companion. Eventually, he returned to the cathedral and, in a moment of desperation, made a bold move: he struck a bargain with the angel. The imp promised that if he dedicated his life to capturing other imps and returning them to where they came from, his friend might one day be freed.

With a new purpose in hand, the imp embarked on a journey to capture other mischievous imps, hoping that each capture would bring him one step closer to being reunited with his friend.

Over the years, the lone imp realised he couldn’t accomplish this monumental task alone. In the 15th century, he partnered with a group of sympathetic locals who shared his vision of capturing the wild imps that were causing trouble across the land. This marked the founding of The Ancient Order of Fabled Imp Catchers. The Order’s duty? To find and capture imps wherever they were causing chaos.

The Order grew in strength and influence, and for centuries, they tracked down wild imps, one by one, preventing them from wreaking havoc in cities, towns and villages.

Once captured, wild imps are brought back to Lincoln, where they are taken across the boundary of the sacred Cathedral Quarter. It is said that when an imp crosses this threshold, its soul returns to where it came from, leaving behind a solid stone form.

Each stone imp is a physical reminder of the imp’s original promise to the angel—to capture its fellow imps in exchange for the chance to free its frozen friend.

Though the Order thrived for many years, over time, many of its members found themselves drawn to other pursuits—some became inventors, explorers, or even poets. As the centuries passed, the Order dwindled, but a few loyal members remained, continuing their mission to find the imps still at large.

Now, with reports of a new outbreak of wild imps, the Order faces its greatest challenge yet. Imp numbers are growing, and for the first time in history, the Order is calling on the public to help. The Lincoln Imporium, home to The Ancient Order of Fabled Imp Catchers, invites you to learn the story of the imps, choose one to rehome, and keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t get up to any more mischief!