Alea Iacta Est

Racial and religious tension is high in the land beyond the forest at the turn of the 12th century: the native Vlachs are largely subjugated by their Hungarian overlords. While hard-working Saxons brought in from the north and west may displace native free-persons and landowners, and Szekler overseers claim taxes on behalf of their Magyar lords, Hungarian attempts to spread Catholicism have made few inroads against the natives' Orthodoxy and older pagan beliefs. It seems that the stalwart folk of Transylvania have little need of 'civilisation' from the west.

They know what they need to fear...

June 1197:

Leustachius rules in Transylvania as voivode (roughly 'prince' or 'duke') on behalf of King Emeric of Hungary. In an effort to appease the few native nobles he has decided to honour them with a marriage: his son Legforus will take as wife a daughter of one of the remaining Vlach noble lines.

The lords of the seven major Saxon cities are invited to the celebrations at Alba Iulia, along with countless other dignitaries. No expense will be spared in laying on the greatest of feasts and entertainments, and all manner of other folk can be expected to be in the castle, either as permanent residents, guests or other visitors.

That's where the characters come in. They could be practically anybody who might be in the castle at the time. A few people are off-limits, of course: I'm clearly not going to let anyone play the voivode of Translyvania, although if someone wants to be a native princess I'd certainly allow that. Others could be other visiting nobles, local churchmen, travelling entertainers or various other things, although the wackier it is the more slack I may need when we actually try to get a coherent party out of it.