The Barony of Fuk’U lies in the Southern Pale. Its seat, Fuk’U, is the Empire’s smallest city.
Founding and the Southern Crusades
The Lord Paladin founded Fuk’U during the Southern Crusades. He intended it to be the capital of a new Southern Empire, with infrastructure to rival the capital or the Home Islands. The city has an impressive cathedral and ample space for markets, shops and residents. Only 25,000 people live there. Many are recent arrivals sent to the city on punishment postings by the TBA or while performing National Service.
The Lord Paladin declared the crusade on his accession after the Equal’s assassination. Imperial forces seized a third of the continent and two of its lakes, establishing Ska’Kil and Fuk’U as strategic footholds. The campaign ended in disaster when he led an assault on the Sacred Pool, the capital of the United People of the Pools (UPP) and the site of their underground breeding lake. He was captured and executed. The fighting gave way to a cold war of fortifications, raids and gradual demographic shifts.
Lake U’Grra and the hinterland
During the Southern Crusades, the Lord Paladin ordered Lake U’Grra dammed. The Southlands are largely desert, and life centres on three lakes, rivers and scarce underground water. Fuk’U was built near U’Grra. The dam flooded the old shoreline, allowing drought-resistant crops to grow and making the lake a strategic asset.
Some chroniclers report accounts from captured UPP Scalids that Lake U’Grra is sacred to the Water Dwellers, a small offshoot of the Hand in the Water. According to those chroniclers, the Water Dwellers believe the Lizardfolk were once aquatic and that their future lies in returning to the waters of their birth.
In 3A 200, the census recorded 100,000 people in the hinterland. As the city’s population declined, families moved to better land and away from the people sent to Fuk’U on punishment postings. Residents who were wealthy by rural standards brought resources to the satellite towns and their industries.
The barony and its succession
After General Gr’Muth Sextus retired, the Imperial Dukes approved the creation of the barony in the Emperor’s absence. They granted him the title for his services to the Empire. The Office of the Scribe estimated that he was 507th in line for the throne. He had commanded the 3rd Legion in the war zone for 80 years and then served as a senior general for five years. Military scholars argue that he lacked political support among the traditional leadership of the Imperial Army.
During the defence of Balla, in the Kingdom of Tir, Baron Gr’Muth and his retainers were killed. During the battle he formally named his niece Va’Kra Sextus as his heir, and the title passed to her. His last order was for his soldiers to hold the wall. Bardic accounts across the Empire preserve the circumstances of his death and his final command.