Our fair land of Bretonnia is well renowned for its strong code of honour. From the lowest born peasant to the mighty kings and dukes, this reputation is almost completely deserved. But there are some who rennounce their vows of loyalty for their own personal gain.

Decades before our most nobl king, Louen 'Leoncouer', took the throne, his great-grandfather, Duke Theobald of Couronne, fathered two children. However, the first child, Mordred, was bastard born to a young peasant girl. This was covered up by Theobald, and almost everyone believed that Mordred was indeed the son of the duchess. Only those close to the duke and duchess knew the truth.

Two years later, the duchess did bear Theobald a son, Phillip, who was raised without the knowledge that he was indeed the oldest legitimate heir of his father. There was a very strong bond between the boys, and they had a childhood very similar to many boys of their age and rank. They were both schooled in military and political skills, and in the chivalrous nature of Gilles le Breton and his companions.

However, the duchess, Anne-Marie, was adamant that her son should be made the duke when Theobald died. Reluctantly Theobald agreed, and so, on his fourteenth birthday, Mordred was told that he must go on Crusade, relinquishing his power to his younger brother. Mordred agreed, and two years later he embarked for Araby with a large army of knights and men at arms. There are many tales of what occured during this crusade, which can be read in other places. Phillip was happy for his brother at first, for he knew that he had a very adventurous spirit that could not be content in the lands of their fore-fathers, but as the months passed, Phillip began to feel a sense of betrayal that he had been left behind.

As the years passed, Theobald became weaker and weaker and Phillip was forced to take up much of the responsibility of running the dukedom. And so came the inevitable day, when Theobald passed away from the material world and joined the Lady of the Lake in her ethereal realm. Just before he died, he decreed that Phillip was to continue to rule his realm, even if his brother returned. Phillip dutifully accepted, and so he became Duke of Couronne.

The next year passed without much event, Phillip wedded one of the daughters of the duke of L'Anguille, and the realm flourished. Then news came of the return of Mordred, and an army....