Originally Estrago was a patchwork of fiefdoms, with serfs who worked the land in return for the lord’s protection. This stayed the status quo until a particularly devastating plague swept the land and claimed the lives of many lords and serfs alike. The established political system fell into disarray as too many nobles died, and those who survived the plague faced popular anger from their serfs over the devastation of the plague. However, a single fiefdom was spared the death that descended upon Estrago as its lord laid claim over Forest of Waldgreen and the druids exchanged their mushrooms for autonomy.  

 

Sensing an opportunity to seize greater power, the lord decreed that the mushrooms could not leave the boundary of his fief. Seeing the chaos surrounding him, he sent out his armies to conquer the other fiefdoms and established the Kingdom of Estrago. Thus, for the first time, Estrago was united under one crown. 

 

Although now a common people, the king and his heirs still refused to export the mushrooms to the rest of the kingdom and maintained the special treaty with the druids. Attempts by other religious institutions to learn the healing magics from the druids were continuously rebuffed as the crown perpetually granted the druids complete control over any magic they discovered. 

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As the population rebounded after the plague, local forums started developing where citizens gathered around every fortnight to resolve neighborly conflict, such as squabbles over which side of the fence cows should defecate, to restore neighborly love and peace. Initially the king was not concerned about these gatherings. But as more discontent brewed watching the royal family and the druids harbor a gift that could improve everyone’s lives, whispers of rebellion echoed throughout the chambers where town forums were held. When the king attempted to ban these open forums, the people responded with an ultimatum: give up the druid’s secret or face armed conflict. 

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The king managed to negotiate a settlement known as the CARES Act: Charter Authorizing the Regulation of Enterprising Sovereigns Act. In return for continuing executive power, the peasants could elect a council, known as the King’s Council, to pass legislative resolutions and conduct oversight over the fair distribution of resources to which the king was bound to follow. Additionally, the town forums now were official proceedings that could serve as a venue of justice to hear citizens’ grievances and try accused criminals, as well as a local legislative body. However, the King’s Council retained the right to have the final say over any motion, resolution, or dispute in the kingdom. The peasants believed that this would grant them enough leverage to achieve greater equality in quality of life. 

 

However, the druids recognizing the danger this new democratization produced, pretended to make a volte-face on collaboration. In a gesture of “reconciliation,” the druids offered to runically enchant the chamber where the King’s Council met that would increase the wisdom of the councilors.  

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In reality, this Trojan horse just used magic to force the King’s Council to be unable to adopt any measure that would have a negative impact upon the druids. After yearly elections, each new session of Council was asked if they wished to keep the “gift” of the druids. Thus far, no Council has overcome their greed and refuse, and all would eventually succumb to the enchantment’s allure. Although able to regulate the druids under the charter, the greed of the councilors renders them ineffective. When pushed by citizens on why the mushrooms were only “available” at ludicrously high prices that not even the king could afford, the only response afforded was “we’re trying our best to negotiate so that everyone is content with the agreement.” No specific details of the agreement have ever been published to the public. Most citizens now agree that there are no talks in progress and there probably never had been. 

 

Citizens locally started to recognize that something shady was going on in the federal council. Refusing to get tripped up by the druids, citizens once again turned to their local forums. They started adopting measures that were designed to make it harder for the druids to manipulate local politics. It was agreed that towns would vote to split when the number of adult residents within the town rises to above 2000, or if it takes more than 10 minutes by foot to reach the town center from anywhere, so that there would be higher obstacles to gatekeeping people from attending these forums. Citizens also started grassroots advocacy groups to educate more people about the corruption in the King’s Council and introduced motions to prevent the king’s taxes from being paid by each town.