"War is the Trade of Kings", John Dryden King Arthur

From the pen of Benvecula Scristos, Rotemaster of Heralds recording at the Court of Flavus d’Erebia Gore Barnabus Micreta the Usurper, First Duke of Lygol, Twenty Fourth Count of Cerwyn, Count of Bereduth, Baron of Kalos and Steward of the Mines, this day of Midsummer’s Eve, the 1st day of the 1st year of the Duchy (the 331st year of the County of Cerwyn).

So it is accomplished. Today marks the self coronation of Flavus Barnabus the Usurper as the First Duke of Lygol, following a campaign of political manoeuvre, assassination and conquest that has spanned the previous fourteen years. The Duchy has been born of blood, ripped from the belly of its dying mother state – the County of Cerwyn – and is mewling like a new born child for the nursing of its surrogate mother – the City League.

For, indeed, but for the political and material support of the Katar of that great city, it would not have been possible for the Duke to have achieved his title. Nevertheless, the Katar’s support has come at a price: the agriculture of the County is in ruins; famine and disease are rife; and the silver mines of Osport have been exhausted of their richness. It must be said, however, that the Katar has awoken a sleeping dragon: the Duke is greedy and still even more ambitious. He has ordered the miners at Osport to dig deeper in search of new veins in the silver mines, he has increased taxes on his already impoverished subjects, he demands more tithes from his vassal fiefs and he hungrily turns his eyes on the coffers of the Katar himself. The Katar must suspect that the Duke intends to besiege the City. The Duke has committed what little remains of the wealth of his domain to the retention of humanoid mercenaries from the surrounding wildernesses and the Katar has ordered that the gates of the City are barred both against a steady stream of refugees and the impending onslaught of the Duchy of Lygol.

"The Trade of Kings" is a campaign set in the Duchy of Lygol in the months following the self coronation of Flavus Barnabus, the Usurper, as Duke of Lygol.

The Campaign begins in the north west portion of the County of Cerwyn. Duke Flavus Barnabus has assembled his armies in the Lygol Valley and has commenced the siege of the City League. Meanwhile in the rest of the County, poverty, famine and disease remain rife. Against this backdrop, the player characters find themselves in the town of Hyrpum at 'The Crossroads Inn'. Despite the troubles of the times, the townsfolk have succeeded in reaping a modest harvest and are celebrating Harvestide with a week long festival in their town. Visitors have come from afar, including from the Kingdom of Korrath just over the Kahgaz Mountains, to celebrate, trade and renew old friendships.

On the evening that the Campaign begins, the player characters are enjoying the entertainment provided by a travellling troup of musicians, jongleurs and acrobats. Their leader, the Jester named Ben Scristos, gives a rousing speech at the end of the show. He talks of earlier times, when wealth, health and fortune were well known throughout the County, and of the Heroes of that age. In particular, he talks of Heroes who keep a secret that may well be the downfall of the Duke. A secret which the Duke is trying to stifle at all costs ....