Morganne was the Duchess of the Upper Bloodwine following the War of the Sorceror King, and was one of the first in Lencenor to marry a Moon Elf and elvenize into the new Lorentish culture. Her marriage to Alvarion Duskwatcher split the duchy in half, breaking her arranged marriage to her former vassal Beltram Ventis.
Once lovers, the Beltram and Morganne have become bitter enemies since that fateful day. From a young age they walked the vinyards and of the Upper Bloodwine together and grew to love each other as they became adults. Morganne was the only child of sil Kyliande of the Upper Bloodwine and thus was groomed to inherit the duchy.
Since the arrival of the Remnant Fleet carrying the elves in 1000, Cannor has changed, the Upper Bloodwine not spared of that change. The Lorenti began to adopt the culture of the Elves, and as Beltram and Morganne grew up their two families drifted apart from the change. Morganne’s family emulated the elves, while Beltram’s remained proud of their Lorenti culture. Morganne often found herself presented before elves and was expected to emulate their behavior. Despite the growing gulf between the families, Morganne and Beltram were bound together to strengthen the dynasty: in case of death leaving one of them as head of the family, they were to be married.
Growing up during the War of the Sorcerer King was a tumultuous time: their parents told them of a great battle upriver at Lorentaine in 1000, spooking them by saying the Bloodwine turned the same color as it’s namesake. While Beltram was gone at war his family’s lands were left to his mother: who quickly fell sick. Without a lord overseeing the land, Morganne was tasked by her father to administer it. While she was at the court in Palevine, her father fell in an accident that many believe was intentional murder. Morganne ruled the Upper Bloodwine for nearly two years before Beltram arrived home in 1019. A bittersweet celebration was planned, for as the survivors of their family they were to be married.
The marriage was planned to happen on the first day of 1020, until then they had ruled jointly the duchy of Upper Bloodwine. Morganne was apprehensive about the return of Beltram: he was different from the boy she fell in love with, mean and resentful. She also felt threatened that her rule over the duchy was questioned by her betrothed, when before she could make her own decisions. Meanwhile the war was approaching its end, with more of the Lorentish men returning. Among those who arrived at the court in Kyliande was a beautiful Elf by the name of Alvarion, on the very eve of the wedding. The bride walked through the moonlit gardens that night and glimpsed the tall figure tending to a rose; Alvarion handed that rose to her. Before the evening was over Morganne had fallen for the enchanting Alvarion. And Beltram snuck to her chambers in the night before the wedding and saw the two.
Beltram left Kyliande for his home of Palevine and restored rule over it for himself. He proclaimed far and wide of Morganne’s betrayal and of his claim to the duchy, for she was the one who broke the pact created by their parents that had promised their marriage. Many in the duchy agreed with his words and flocked to his banner, having followed him in the war or being disgruntled with the elves, but many pledged loyalty to Morganne as the duchess of the Upper Bloodwine. She claimed that the duchy was her birthright as daughter of the late duke, and that as ruler of the duchy she had full authority over whom she could marry.
The Queen-Regent Ioriel has so far mediated the peace between the quarrelling couple. The two sides have fortified their holdings over the Upper Bloodwine, almost clearly separated between the old Lorenti and the elven-aligned Lorentish. The duchy would have been split were it not for Beltram’s pride and rage: for he had insulted the Queen-Regent’s son Rean, calling him a halfblood bastard. Although she resents this biting remark she cannot take immediate action, for his claim is as valid as Morganne’s and his popularity as a war hero.