![[dukal_congress.webp]] Every year [[3rd Winter]] hosts the Dukal Congress, a gathering of Dukes across Pangolune to discuss the interests of the ruling houses. Only the Duke of San Con, the Emperor, is excluded, because the purpose of the Dukal Congress is to balance their power against the Emperor's. If they were divided, [[imperial troopers]] could eat any of their houses. ## History In the Dukal Congress of year 344, someone poisoned the punch. The Duke of [[Awast]] and several of his party fell to the emetic illness, as they were fond of the punch. Due to the deceit of [[Yuzu]] and [[Eithan]] in [[elder's path 1]], [[Captain Eddard]] of Awast blamed this on 3rd Winter, igniting the first regional conflict in eighty years.