Ugo's Reign

Ugo during a trip to Hallengard.

Although not ever legally recognized as an official reign in both Aedwin-De-Steinberg or Hallengard's past, the story of King Ugo's rule 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 nearly empty aside from the odd person after previous conflicts with Hallengard and financial decline had driven everyone, including the previous king, away. Citizens were sparse, and often were looking for other places to live that had fewer criminals and actual authorities. It didn't help that Aedwin was considered to be under Hallengard's jurisdiction at the time, and most still living in Aedwin wanted only independence.

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

## Life

### 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 discussing Aedwin and its desolate state. Geofrey informed Ugo on how the capital proper was once a great, flourishing crown of the glorious kingdom. A fire was sparked in Ugo's mind after the conversation and he asked Geofrey how legally taking the throne would work.

After receiving the unsure answer, Ugo declared himself as king with Geofrey as his duke. They agreed that they had to be officially recognized 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 also 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 later be used in a coup against Hallengard's queen.
The agreement was settled, and Ugo's rule was beginning to take a solid form. People were gradually moving back into Aedwin's capital, bringing a new age of trade for the once-abandoned kingdom.

### Blue Fist and Planning

While planning his coup by scouting Hallengard, he overheard people talking about a rising group of Aedwinian 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 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 Hallengard's resident idiot, Harry. Geofrey coaxed Harry to follow him, and tripped him over the coals in the church, leading to the rug, frames, and full wooden 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 who chased Ugo out of the kingdom. 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 was appointed king, bringing in a peaceful reign, much unlike his predecessor. Though he 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 cemetery by the church, and his headstone was vandalized by Aedwinian people to posthumously criticize him. Later his headstone was removed and his body supposedly exhumed.

On the subject of Ugo's reign, people were divided as to whether 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 furthering his own religious agenda. One thing's for certain is that he's a dead man who burnt down a church.