Act I - Way to the Top
Chapter One - Duchy in name but all
The whole story starts in the year of our Lord 1081 in the smallest duchy of the Holy Roman Empire - the Duchy of Austria, or better, the Eastern March. Not that it is really marching somewhere - it just means that when you climb on Schneeberg, you can see into Hungary and that is not really a pleasant look. The march is ruled by Duke Leopold II von Babenberg. He is not exactly the guy you would want to hang out with but he is quite capable of ruling his lands, ehm, land. Because even though he is considered the Duke of Austria, he rules only one of the four counties of it and the only reason, why he still holds the title, is that no one else actually controls more. Not really as convincing as the Divine Right, but still sufficient.
Leopold's family is a very interesting one. He himself has two children, though he (and everybody else) does not know with whom. When we asked little Leo about his mother, he looked puzzled, started crying and then ran away. The castle is also haunted by Leopold's father - Ernest who is said to die six years ago, but from time to time, when you are walking through the corridor, it is cold and you are deeply dived into your inner thoughts (you know, like 'Yesterday, that was a really big bear we saw in Waldviertel!'), suddenly Ernest jumps out from the cupboard you have just passed by and tries to convince that he is really not dead and that he is actually pretty hungry.
Vienna, the capital of the march, provides the House von Babenberg with many trees, bears and also 345 healthy soldiers. There are also two other important holdings - the City of Linz and the Bishopric of Melk, which has one very specific attribute: If you walk outside the front gate, turn around and wait for 250 years, it will become famous. Ask for brother Adso for further details.
The Bishop of the Abbey, Stefan, called 'the Turtle' by some, is the Court Chaplain of the Duchy. He might not be the brightest mind in the Empire, but still he is infinite times cleverer than Leopold. At least he can read.
The position of the Steward is held by the Duke's brother, Adalbert who managed to win in the duchy finals of the 'Count to ten' competition with only two mistakes. The Mayor of Linz, Engelbrecht, is the Ducal marshal, mostly because of his mighty name. And the ability to slay bears. They can become a real problem during summer.
The Chancellor of the march is a fellow named Burchard. He once arrived in Vienna with his sister, of course without money, claiming to be long-lost members of a forgotten branch of the von Babenberger family which sadly lost all of its possessions. Leopold allowed them to stay because their story seemed legitimate and according to the family tradition. Since the foundation of the House in Bamberg, its members have been rulers of many places who have managed to actually lose almost everyone of them. At the moment, there is one landed (Leopold) and many non-landed Babenbergers who really love to come to family visits.
But whom we have forgotten? Oh yes, the spymaster! Thanks to his ability of being dead AND alive at the same time, Ernest, being considered the master of cunningness (even though he usually tells you about his plans), have gained the position. You know, no one suspects the dead.
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The first ambition Leopold II has, considering that he already has an heir, is to get married. He chooses Adelheid Staden, a beautiful daughter of Lothar-Udo II, the Duke of Brandenburg. She is a suitable choice - she is good-looking, her name is the similar to Leopold's mother (oh, these beautiful memories!) and the marriage also secures an alliance with one of other German dukes, you know, with one that actually has enough territory to be called a duke.
After seven days (it has taken a while for Lothar to find Austria on the map), the marriage offer is accepted. And there comes the fourth reason for the marriage - Leopold uses it as a chance to squeeze some money from his subjects. After selling the gained bear skins, he earns 50 ducats (which is like 300 months of the Duchy's income).
While waiting for Adelheid to arrive Leopold is...thinking. He has been forced to such drastic measures by a strange feeling that hunting bears and trying to find in which cupboard his father dwells at the moment (so no more servants die of heart attack) are not the things a Duke should spend his time on. After a week he comes to a conclusion: He shall no longer be the Margrave of Nowhere.
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