he Kingdom of deGrance, ruled over by the House of the same name, has long been known to neighboring realms as a brutal, warlike, and cruel place—and, worse still, one with very ambitious rulers. Situated some ways east of the city of Raven's Bluff, near Castle de Avinok and just outside the Amber Forest, the land of deGrance has long been hostile to the gentler, kinder winged Trileron folk, and the soldiers who serve King deGrance have fought a number of skirmishes against the winged ones. The nobles of Raven's Bluff fear that if deGrance were ever to defeat and conquer Castle de Avinok, they might then turn their attention westward.