The Rule of Mad Duke Marghulf Drakowald

Summary

Long before The River Kingdoms became a more mercantile feudal state, it was largely seen as a land of barons, counts, dukes, viceroys, and kings. All fractured and warring over their own petty claims on land. Favoring politics instead of the spread of wealth and their personal treasuries, with a far more harsh look on the peasantry.
The Rule of Mad Duke Marghulf Drakowald tells the tale of a Duke who, because of the ideals of the kingdom he was under, had gotten away with his madness until it caused a revolt so severe that the king was deposed and became the first region ruled by patriarchs and matriarchs of the trade families. In many ways, The Rule of Mad Duke Marghulf Drakowald seems to detail the foundation of the core tenants of the modern River Kingdoms.
The Duke, who became so fed up with power at a young age, it is said he killed his father when he was thirteen simply so he could assume the throne and rule over his people. He was a cruel and evil ruler who exploited the tradesmen and instead of paying for their work, instead forced them to work or put them to the blade and did this until they produced goods fit for his noble status. Sometimes, for simply producing an inferior piece of work he would put them to the sword, especially at the demand for pay.
His own guards became known as the Headsmen, especially since they were some of the only few loyal to him. Despite this, he still managed to rule his dukedom through fear for several years through fear and butchery, and despite all the pleas to the king who ruled over the Duke, nothing came of it. Instead, those who pleaded to the king ended up a stake outside their house, oftentimes with a 'Traitors will be dealt with' scrawled nearby. Though no one knew if it was the Duke himself or some secret supporter who caught wind of the incident. However, no matter the where or who, the result was always the same, until they all had finally gotten enough.
After several years of this tyranny, the tradesmen had started building a secret group of supporters, creating weapons and armor and storing them. Holding private meetings in the workshops of the wealthier tradesmen, and rallying the peasants to rebellion. Training with the guards who defected from the Duke. In a few short years there was an uprising that spanned the kingdom. The craftsmen, tradesmen, commonfolk all, even guards and garrisons who couldn't stand to butcher their own people anymore all rose up in one force, sweeping across the kingdom, barging into the palace of the Duke and the King and beheading both before a crowd, announcing that the Tradesmen and Guilds will now rule the realm, so that tyrants may never rule over them again.

Date of First Recording

A6 6722

Date of Setting

A4 6620