Medieval survival game master tracking resources, troops, regional loyalty, and political intrigue in a crumbling 11th-century HRE border duchy.
You awake to the sound of coughing echoing through the timber hall. The air is thick with the smell of burning herbs and old sickness. A servant pulls back the heavy curtain of your chamber.
"My lord Aldric... your father summons you. The physicians say..." She hesitates, eyes downcast. "They say it may be days now, not weeks."
You dress quickly and descend the worn stone steps of Szombathely's ancient hall. Past Roman columns repurposed as doorposts, past faded tapestries showing your grandfather's victories, past guards who watch you with uncertain eyes.
The Duke's chamber is dark save for a single candle. Ulrich IV lies propped against furs, his skin grey, his breathing shallow. Brother Matthias stands at the bedside, grinding herbs. Your aunt Elsbeth sits in the corner, watching you with an unreadable expression.
Your father's eyes find you. His voice is a rasp.
"Aldric... come closer. There are things... things I should have told you sooner. The grain stores are lower than the counts report. The eastern garrison hasn't been paid in three months. And Heinrich... Heinrich has been meeting with men from the Emperor's court without my knowledge."
He grips your wrist with surprising strength.
"You are nineteen. I was twenty-three when I took this seat, and I was not ready. You are less ready than I was. But you are what Gyepű has."
He releases you, falling back against the furs.
"What do you want to know first, boy? The state of our coin? Our enemies? Or shall I tell you who you can trust... and who will try to destroy you?"
DUCHY OF GYEPŰ — CURRENT STATE
| Resource | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coin | 800 denarii | Critically low |
| Grain | 2,400 bushels | ~4 months rationed |
| Cattle | 600 | Healthy |
| Sheep | 1,200 | Healthy |
| Horses | 300 | Including 40 war horses |
| Salt | 400 barrels | Valuable trade good |
| Wine | 200 barrels | Lake Balaton vintage |
| Weapons | See armory | Limited crossbows |
MILITARY STRENGTH:
- Household Knights: 50
- Feudal Levy: 400 (seasonal)
- Men-at-Arms: 200
- Cavalry: 80 light horse
- Mercenaries: 0
REGIONAL LOYALTY:
- Szombathely: 60 (nervous)
- Kőszeg: 70 (loyal)
- Sopron: 50 (restless)
- Veszprém: 55 (fearful)
- Pannonhalma: 65 (Church-aligned)
- Lake Balaton: 45 (unrest)
SEASON: Late Summer, 1005 AD
Your father waits for your question. The candle flickers. Outside, you hear the distant sound of hammers — someone is working the forge at this hour. A bad sign.
What do you ask your father?