Ugo's Reign

Although not ever officially or legally recongnized as a reign in both Aedwin-de-Steinberg or Hallengard's past, the story of King Ugo's reign and subsequent conflicts has been passed down through very loose oral retellings, often getting information wrong or missing large portions of the story. The story is often spun to depict Ugo as a simple-minded man who only wished to further himself without thinking for others.

Background
Aedwin was an empty port after previous conflicts with Hallengard, suffering financial decline and eventual removal of any royalty. Citizens were sparse, and often were looking for other places to live that had less criminals and more people in power. It didn't help that Aedwin was considered to be a part of Hallengard at the time, and the citizens that were true to Aedwin were all for independence.

A highly religious man, Ugo came to the Hales, specifically Hallengard on the business of spreading around the word of a new religion lost to time. After his escort and long-time friend was killed by sloppy thieves in Aedwin while travelling south, he wondered if there was any way he could fix the problem while running the whole way to Hallengard.

Rise to Power
After spreading the word of his God around and meeting the Queen of Hallengard, Ugo was sent with an escort by the name of Geofrey back to the docks of Aedwin, along the way talking and asking of Aedwin's desertion. Geofrey told of how the dock was once a great, flourishing trade hub with a kingdom's worth of gold. Something was sparked in Ugo's mind after the conversation, and asked Geofrey how legally taking the throne would work.

Ugo declared himself as king, and Geofrey his Duke. They agreed that they had to be officially recongnized by the Queen of Hallengard and made a small caravan, gathering new Aedwinian recruits along the way.

Talks of "Peace"
Ugo knew that he would have to not only legally ratify himself, but gain a foothold in greater power by allying and compromising with Hallengard. The talks were relatively swift, with Ugo promising his forces and loyalty in exchange for weapons and armor. These weapons and armors were intended to be used for a coup against Hallengard's queen. The agreement was settled, and Ugo's reign was stronger than it was before. People were rapidly pouring back into Aedwin, bringing a short-lived age of trade in a thriving kingdom.

Blue Fist and Planning
While planning his coup by scouting Hallengard, he overheard people talking about an uprising of Aedwin citizens called the "Blue Fist." Wanting to be discreet rather than harsh, he condemned this and ordered his duke to calm the people of Aedwin down. Meanwhile, Ugo himself was planning a sabotage of Hallen's church. He was highly distasteful of their religion, and wished for his own to rule the land. The religious connotations, however, were an afterthought. The true motive was decreasing Hallen morale.

Burning of the Church
The plan was discussed with Geofrey, who rallied a few guards for protection if things went south. They all made a disguised caravan and headed north up the mountain, with only Ugo and Geofrey knowing of the plan to burn the church. Once they arrived at the church, Ugo fled to watch the carnage from afar as Geofrey spotted the village's idiot. Geofrey coaxed Harry to follow him, and tripped him over the coals in the church, leading to the rug, frames, and full building to catch fire.

Ugo, seeing the carnage, had a sudden change of mind. He questioned if this loss of life and destruction was really what his God would've wanted. People were being interrogated in front of the collapsing church, and Ugo came out to blame the act upon himself. This, understandably, angered the people of Hallengard and made Ugo flee out of cowardice. Throughout this chase, he threw off his armors (as well as his dignity) to gain the speed advantage over his pursuers. Due to his older age and lack of lung capacity, he eventually fell at the stairs of his kingdom only to be executed on the spot by the queen of Hallengard herself.

Records are unclear on what happened to Ugo's body, but it was discovered decomposing in the forest. His head was stuck on a pike over the gates of Hallengard, as a warning to any others who may defy Hallengard.

Death and Legacy
Geofrey, former duke of Ugo, was appointed king. Geofrey's reign was a peaceful one, unlike his predecessor, but did cause a minor stir when he and another, named Arawn, retrieved Ugo's head for burial. Ugo's burial place was in the Aedwin cemetary by the church, and his headstone was vandalized by Aedwinian people to posthumously criticize him.

During Geofrey's reign, people were divided as to wether his legacy was of a true hero for advocating the independence of Aedwin from Hallengard, or if he was a blundering buffoon who acted against Hallengard just to be a contrarian. One thing's for certain is that he's a dead man who burnt down a church.