Duchy of Malustar

The **duchy of Malustar** is a small but wealthy duchy in western High Rock. It owes nominal fealty to the King of Daggerfall, although the duchy has enjoyed *de facto* independence intermittently throughout its history.

Malustar's wealth is derived from agriculture, facilitated by its extremely fertile landscape. Most notably, the duchy grows an abundance of apples, from which its famous cider is produced.

Despite the georgic traditions of Malustar (from which all its heraldic devices are inspired), the ducal court is one of High Rock's most colourful centres of artistic and intellectual patronage. By long tradition the lords and ladies of Malustar have, at great expense, cultivated the finest poets, troubadours and musicians in the region. Many consider the lavish ducal court to be profligate and debauched.

The duchy is ruled by the House of Verger and the ruling Duke is Raoul IV, who succeeded his father in 2E 579.

## **Timeline**

**2E 510 — Raoul III becomes the Duke of Malustar.**

* He succeeds his grandfather, Duke Hugues II.

**2E 534 — Duke Raoul III weds Emma Orbec.**

**2E 536 — Hugues III is born.**

* He is the only child of Duke Raoul III and Duchess Emma.
* Four days before his birth, Duke Raoul acknowledges an illegitimate daughter, Helene. This sours his marriage to Duchess Emma, who vows never to never share a bed with him again.

**2E 540 — Bernard FitzRaoul is born.**

**2E 555 — Raoul IV is born.**

**2E 559 — Hugues III becomes the Duke of Malustar.**

* Duke Raoul III, aged 61, is rumoured to have died in the bed of his mistress.

**2E 563 — Emma, the Dowager Duchess of Malustar, dies.**

* She contracts the Knahaten Flu whilst distributing alms to the poor.
* Bernard FitzRaoul is knighted by Duke Hugues III.

**2E 568 — Duke Hugues III pays homage to King Folbert of Daggerfall.**

* Bernard FitzRaoul is exiled from the duchy.

**2E 575 — Henri Gestel becomes the Bishop of Malustar.**

**2E 579 — Raoul IV becomes the Duke of Malustar.**

* Duke Hugues III, aged 45, dies.
* Bernard FitzRaoul returns from exile.

## **Dukes and Duchesses of Malustar**

 Hugues III | 534
 Raoul III | 555

## **Lordships of Malustar**

The Duchy of Malustar is divided into numerous fiefdoms - land tenures held by a Baron or Baroness exchange for fealty and service to the Duke. These vassals are entitled to the rents, taxes and service from their own subtenants. They are also responsible for administering justice and enforcing the law within their fief. Baronies are generally small divisions of land, encompassing a single castle (the Baron or Baroness's seat) and a handful of farming settlements providing an income to their lord.

Most place names in Malustar relate to agriculture.

## **Religion**

Malustar's **Temple of Mara**is a religious organisation dedicated to the goddess Mara. Reflecting that deity's local popularity, the Temple is the foremost religious cult in the duchy - such that its High Priest or Priestess is accorded the title of *Bishop of Malustar*.

The temple - called the **Mother Chapel**- is located in the city of Malustar. It provides services pertaining to the goddess's attributes - such as matrimony, family and agriculture - to the denizens of the capital. Numerous smaller Maran chapels, subordinate to the Mother Chapel, are found throughout Malustar's countryside. The priests and priestesses of these rural temples are often sustained by granges.

The Temple of Mara advocates the virtues of love, compassion, marriage, chastity and charity. Its priests and priestesses provide care for the needy, particularly the poor, orphans and widows. Such virtue is often at odds with the decadence and depravity of the Verger regime, which has contaminated some parts of the Temple. Detractors censure the Temple's sanctimony and hypocrisy.

Henri Gestel is, since 2E 575, the current Bishop of Malustar.

The people of Malustar - whose livelihoods depend on agriculture (directly or indirectly) - especially hate and fear Sheor, the god of bad harvests. Demonisation of Sheor is as central to the duchy's religiosity as the veneration of Mara; the dichotomy between the goddess of agriculture and the god of crop failure.