After the Orcs' invasion of Cuileux, the neighboring Dukedom of Quenelles claimed Cuileux's lands, absorbing them into its own domain.[1b]
Cuileux was one of the original tribal territories of the barbaric Bretonni, much like Glanborielle, and it played a part in the early history of Bretonnia before the kingdom was unified. In the year -48 of the Bretonnian Calendar (-930 IC), Cuileux faced an overwhelming Orc invasion led by the Orc Warlord Gragabad. The knights of Cuileux mounted a last, desperate stand, fighting valiantly but ultimately being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the Greenskin horde. The knights of Cuileux perished to the last man, and the territory was effectively destroyed.[1a][2a]
After the fall of Cuileux, two neighboring dukedoms -- Quenelles and Brionne -- defeated the remaining Orc forces in the region. Rather than continuing to fight over Cuileux's lands, the dukes of Quenelles and Brionne resolved their territorial claim through a duel. The lord of Brionne was cut down, and Quenelles was expanded with the teritory of Cuileux.[1a]
The destruction of Cuileux marks the beginning of the wars that culminated in the unification of the Bretonnian kingdom. In –46 (932 IC) Balduin of Brionne, the young Duke of Brionne, led his armies to victory, defeating the hordes of Gragabad and slaying the Orc warlord in single combat. In the battle, Gragabad's greataxe became lodged fast in Balduin's shield, and the lord fought the entire battle with the axe in place. Afterwards, the axe was adopted as the symbol of Brionne in memory of this event.[1a]
History[]
Scions of Cuileux[]
The knights of Cuileux all died in their last battle, but some had children at home, and the arrival of the armies of Brionne and Quenelles meant that the Orcs had no chance to wipe them out. Thus, descendants of the Cuileux army still live in Bretonnia. It is possible that a village has maintained a tradition of marrying only among the descendants of those knights, and since Bretonnian kings through the ages have paid tribute to the sacrifice of the noble knights of Cuileux, that means that those peasants are all, legally, nobles. It is not unheard of for villagers with an interest in proving this to bring their claim to the courts of Bretonnia.[1a][2a]
Just recently a peasant from Cuileux circulated through the countryside, claiming to be the true heir of the last Duke of Cuileux. The Bretonnian nobility are treating him as a bandit and revolutionary, but he is acting more like a Faceless and winning the support of the peasantry.[1b]
Cuileux's Legacy[]
The sinister Barrows of Cuileux[1b]
However, the courage of the last stand of the Cuilen has made them legendary in Bretonnia. A large area of the region is known as the Grave of Cuileux and is not farmed. Stories say that anyone who tries to do so is killed by the Ghosts of the knights of Cuileux, who believe that only an Orc would disturb their rest. The occasional discovery of Orc and Human bones in the area tends to suggest that this really is the site of the last ride of the Cuilen.[1b]
The Grave of Cuileux should not be confused with the Barrows of Cuileux. The Grave is the site of the last battle between the knights of Cuileux and the Greenskin horde. The Barrows of Cuileux are where the Cuilen buried their dead. The barrows are scattered over a wide area north of the River Gilleau, some in the Forest of Châlons and some in the mountains of the Massif Orcal.[1b]
A typical barrow has about twenty burial chambers linked by tunnels, but some are far, far larger. Adventurers claim to have seen a barrow the size of a town within the forest but said that they were driven off by the Undead guarding it. Most of the barrows in the lowlands are now merely empty shells, long looted of grave goods by Orcs and Bretonnians alike. There are a few with Undead guardians, and these still survive intact.[1b]
Undead from one of the Barrows of Cuileux are currently plaguing the local communities. Knights have been sent to deal with the situation, but there are too many to defeat and more seem to arise all the time. Investigation reveals the Undead are taking revenge because some particularly sacred grave goods were stolen. Further investigation reveals they were taken by Orcs.[1b]
The people of Quenelles are most renowned for their unrelenting hatred of the Greenskins that constantly raid their lands. This is a little strange: it is certainly true the inhabitants of the Massif Orcal raid very frequently, but Greenskin raids have not had the same effect in other regions. Some people think that the dead of Cuileux have placed some sort of curse on the inheritors of their land, compelling them to continue the fight. Certainly, it is notable that every single Queneller festival involves burning a Goblin or Orc, in either effigy or a real one.[1b]
The Duke of Quenelles is the only Bretonnian duke to use a lesser title with any frequency. He is also Earl of Cuileux, and out of respect for the brave knights of that land, he issues charters and decisions affecting that region using that inferior title.