King Hugo is the king of Avantia and Tangala. He resides in the palace in the capital of Avantia, the City. It was King Hugo who sent Tom on his first Beast Quest. The second child of King Theo and Queen Rosalind of Avantia, Hugo became first in line to the throne when his brother Prince Angelo was killed in the Border War in combat with the Wildlands' leader Uthrain. He was made king following his father's death. Known for his peaceful nature and charisma, King Hugo is an extremely popular king willing to offer aid to any of his subjects and place himself in danger to help lead Avantia. Hugo is also known to be an effective general and warrior, leading the Avantian military, and as such the population of Avantia often refer to him as the Warrior King. It was Hugo's relationship with Taladon (his squire) that gave his friend the chance to become the Master of the Beasts, and was also responsible for allowing Tom to go on his first quest which would place him on the path to become Master of the Beasts as well.
Early Life[]
Prince Hugo was born to King Theo and Queen Rosalind of Avantia as their second child. As a royal child, Hugo was beloved from an early age by the people of Avantia. Due to being part of the royal family, Hugo became well acquainted with the allies of Avantia, and developed a strong friendship with Princess Aroha of Tangala, however the two were forced to turn their backs on each other's kingdom due to Avantia and Tangala becoming involved in the Southern Wars, although they kept in contact afterwards. As it was expected Angelo would become king, Hugo received lessons that differed from his brother due to the difference of their expected roles. Hugo was given a squire to assist him, Taladon.
Magror Ogre of the Swamps[]
Prince Hugo attended the ceremonial duel between Sir Lennard, the new Master of the Beasts, and the young yet skilled soldier Tristan Harkman, sitting with the other members of the royal family. When Taladon volunteered to fight Sir Lennard after the fight with Harkman, Prince Hugo grabbed his arm and told him he didn't need to fight him and that he was a skilled swordsman, lowering his voice and continuing to tell his squire if he did fight him to give him a hard hit in battle, having taken a strong dislike to the Master of the Beasts due to the arrogance he displayed in his duel. When King Arun of Gorgonia appeared in the throne room, fleeing from creatures created by Malvel to hunt him. The prince joined his brother Angelo in drawing his weapon and helping defend both kings from the creatures. After all the creatures were destroyed, Hugo asked where they had come from, receiving the story of Malvel's usurping of the Gorgonian throne from Arun. After Taladon, Harkman and Lennard returned victorious from Gorgonia, Hugo stood with his family to greet them, exchanging a silent smile with Taladon when King Theo officially declared him Master of the Beasts.
Taking the Throne[]
The united Wildlands under Uthrain of the Blood Valley Tribe attacked northern Avantia, presumably to plunder the northern territories. King Theo tasked Prince Angelo with leading the Avantian army against the barbarians. The army pushed the barbarians back into the Wildlands, but the two armies wiped each other out, with not a single Avantian soldier living and less than a dozen barbarians surviving the final battle. Prince Angelo succumbed to lethal wounds he had received in single combat in his fight with Uthrain. Hugo unfairly carried the guilt of his brother's death, believing he should have been sent to war instead of Angelo. With the crown prince dead, Prince Hugo was now next in line to the Avantian throne. Prince Hugo was now prepared to be king when his father inevitably passed away. A few years later, Theo died and Hugo was coronated as King Hugo. He kept his father's adviser and wizard Aduro to assist him in his rule.
Hugo, Aduro and Taladon worked together to govern Avantia to the best of their ability, enjoying a mostly peaceful rule. The only major event that happened during this time was Ospira's betrayal, which Hugo played no major role in.
Where It All Began[]
King Hugo giving Tom the key to Ferno's collar.
During Malvel's enchanting of the Good Beasts that caused them to spread chaos across Avantia, King Hugo was inundated with pleas for aid across the kingdom from his subjects that even with the resources of the crown he could not manage. He sent his best warrior, Caldor the Brave to free the Beasts, however the knight was incinerated by Ferno in battle with the Fire Dragon. King Hugo was feasting with a now grim court when Caldor's page returned to the City with the news and his master's charred gauntlet, coming before the king as Tom snuck in under the guise of a servant. Upon hearing the news, Hugo was shocked and terrified, exclaiming Avantia was doomed. Aduro quickly ordered the servants to leave so the king's council could discuss the matter, however Tom hid himself. The boy was unable to stop himself from gasping in surprise when he heard the Beasts were enchanted, a noise heard by Hugo who assumed he was a spy and ordered Tom to be captured. Despite Tom's pleas, the king ordered he be locked in the dungeons, however the order was rescinded when Aduro told Hugo Tom was there for good reason. He asked his king if he could see the likeness, with Hugo admitting he couldn't, before Aduro showed Hugo the likeness of Taladon with magic. As Tom asked if he knew his father, Hugo told him he was one of the bravest men he knew before Aduro requested the courtiers leave, with Hugo adding they should treat Caldor's page Edward as an honoured guest. Now alone, Hugo and Aduro explained Malvel and his control over the Good Beasts and the danger they placed Avantia in. He gave Tom the key, explained Aduro's magic had shown him the boy's potential, and asked Tom to take up a quest to free the Beasts. Upon the defeat of each Beast by Tom he was informed of the young warrior's success.
Tom kneeling before King Hugo after finishing his quest.
Upon Tom's return to the City after defeating Malvel at Stonewin volcano, Hugo greeted and thanked Tom. He told him the past of Taladon (now retconned) as a young knight who had archived knowledge of the Beasts. He told him Aduro had summoned someone to see him, with Elenna entering the throne room afterwards, laughing as Storm and Silver entered afterwards. After telling Tom he was in debt to the boy for his actions, he went to address a gathered crowd to announce the end of their recent hardships.
Vedra and Krimon Twin Beasts of Avantia[]
King Hugo attended a feast held by his court to celebrate his birthday, with the new additions Tom and Elenna present. During the feast Aduro, Tom and Elenna left the event to deal with the birth of Vedra and Krimon.
The Golden Armour[]
King Hugo hosted a later celebration for Tom and Elenna's success for his court, watching the new heroes of the realm from a raised dais in the throne room. He was unaware Malvel was stealing the Golden Armour in the festivities and remained unaware until Tom and Elenna were dispatched to return it.
The Dark Realm[]
Upon his return to the City following his imprisonment in Gorgonia, Aduro informed King Hugo of Tom and Elenna's quest to defeat Malvel and the Beasts of Gorgonia. Upon discovering the pair were coming close to victory in the dark realm, Hugo and Aduro awaited their return in the throne room. He greeted them as the portal dropped them in the throne room, telling Tom that Arcta (who had travelled back from Gorgonia with the Avantians) had returned to the Northern Mountains. He told the group he had already prepared a feast (under unknown false pretences to maintain the secrecy of the Beasts) and lead the group down to the banquet hall.
Arax the Soul Stealer[]
Early in the morning of the day following the feast, the now soulless Aduro was found in his chamber. King Hugo was alerted to the plight of his friend and adviser and gave a soldier orders to send Tom and Elenna to Aduro's chamber. When they arrived and agreed the king could also be in danger, he revealed himself to already be in the chamber and perfectly fine. He told them Avantia once again required their aid and that he feared Malvel had sent a Beast to strike at the heart of Avantia through Aduro. He showed them the small cloth Arax had left after his attack on Aduro which had Tom's name sewn into it in hair and tasked them with defeating Arax and restoring Aduro's soul, telling them it warmed his heart that they agreed. When Tom asked why Arax hadn't stolen his soul with Aduro's, Hugo warned him Malvel may be making a twisted game from the attack, also telling them to take extreme caution on their mission.
The Amulet of Avantia[]
For their services to Avantia, King Hugo offered both Tom and Elenna the chance to hold any positions they desired in his court. Both chose positions in the military so they could continue to serve Avantia, positions that would end up short lived as they relinquished them when they went on their next quest.
King Hugo was in his throne room with Aduro and his courtiers when Taladon returned from Gorgonia, now a phantom trapped between life and death. The shocked Hugo spoke quietly to Aduro and ordered his courtiers to leave. Aduro and Hugo explained the Forbidden Land and the Ghost Beasts, with the king stating he had wished they never would have risen again to threaten Avantia again. He and Aduro agreed to send Tom and Elenna to defeat the six Ghost Beasts, with Hugo giving the pair a scroll telling the reader they were on a mission for him to ensure they faced no resistance.
King Hugo telling Tom and Elenna it was too dangerous to allow them to enter the palace.
King Hugo and Taladon addressing the crowd.
Following the defeat of four Ghost Beasts, Malvel sent Blaze and Stealth to attack Avantia. Stealth reached the City and began attacking the people, inflicting scars that left them psychotic and in the service of the Ghost Panther. To prevent the new servants of the Ghost Beast gaining access to the palace, the entire palace was sealed. As Tom and Elenna reached the palace and tried to enter, Hugo appeared out of a window above, silently watching. Taladon appeared, shook his head to deny them entry and left. Hugo apologised and told them Stealth's attack meant they couldn't trust anyone and he feared they may be under the Beast's power, he asked them to pull up their sleeves to show they had no scars from Stealth's claws (used as a sign of pride in the transformation by Stealth's minions) but still refused to let them in. Following the Beast's defeat, Hugo ordered the palace be reopened and embraced Tom, congratulating them for their victory and apologising again for refusing to let them in. He led them to the armour room so they could place the now complete Amulet of Avantia. He then joined Taladon (now fully human again) and addressed a gathered crowd from the battlements, announcing Taladon's return.
Kragos and Kildor the Two-Headed Demon[]
Aduro's vision of Hugo and himself as husks.
King Hugo and Aduro appearing before Tom and Elenna after the Cup of Life was recovered.
As King Hugo's soul was tied to the magic of the Cup of Life as the monarch of Avantia, the theft of the cup by Kragos and Kildor placed King Hugo in significant danger of becoming a husk devoid of love for the kingdom he governed. As his strength waned from the connection to the Cup of Life, King Hugo allowed Aduro to communicate with Tom, Elenna and Taladon alone to task them to recover the Cup of Life (with only Tom and Elenna going after the cup after Taladon burnt his hand). On their quest, Aduro sent a vision of King Hugo and himself as the husks they would become if the Cup of Life was not returned to warn Tom and Elenna. When they successfully recovered the Cup of Life Aduro sent a vision with King Hugo, congratulating the pair on their success, with King Hugo going on to tell them Avantia owed them a great debt of gratitude.
Creta the Winged Terror[]
King Hugo thanking Tom and Elenna after Creta's defeat.
Under orders from Malvel, Creta attacked the palace. King Hugo gave orders for Tom and Taladon to return from their trip to the Western Ocean so they could help address the issue. He grimly greeted them when they entered the throne room, becoming uncomfortable from the growing heat (all of Avantia was warming from the stabiors clogging Stonewin volcano to force an eruption). When the stabiors brought down a palace tower he joined the group in rushing to ensure no one was hurt. Asking around, he discovered Captain Harkman was missing. Soon after he was informed the Stabiors had stolen every part of the Golden Armour except the breastplate, which the master of arms had managed to maintain a grip on in the attack, and locked himself in the throne room to consult Aduro. He reopened the throne room to speak to Tom and Elenna, but Epos had requested Tom's aid at the volcano, and as such Hugo allowed them to leave. King Hugo visited Tom when he was rendered ill by a Stabior burrowing into his palm, however his visits were short due to the swarm holding most of his attention. The king greeted Tom and Elenna when they returned from the Shadow Mountains having defeated Creta and force the Stabiors away. He thanked the pair for clearing Avantia of the Stabiors once again.
Mortaxe the Skeleton Warrior[]
King Hugo was in the City when Petra caused an explosion to enter the Gallery of Tombs and revive Mortaxe. King Hugo heard the explosion and leaned out of a palace window to yell down to Aduro and ask what was happening, however the wizard told him to remain inside for his own safety, believing whatever enemy was attacking the City could be after him, with the king agreeing.
The Lost World[]
Hugo and Aduro turning back to see the emotional Tom and Elenna.
When Tom failed to return from Kayonia, King Hugo was forced to send word to Uncle Henry and Aunt Maria to tell them it was possible he would not be returning. When a portal from Tavania opened in the palace Hugo and Aduro were alerted and rushed to investigate, fearing it was allowing evil into Avantia. He was as such relieved to see Tom and Elenna leave the portal. He told them he feared evil was had entered Avantia, with the pair showing the captured Malvel in response. He agreed with Aduro he would be justly punished for his crimes against Avantia and Tavania before telling Tom he had told Henry and Maria of him possibly not returning and that he could now rescind that with news of his return. As he was telling Tom this he noticed Silver, Freya and Marc were missing and asked where they were, being told Marc was dead and Freya and Silver were stranded in Tavania. He told the pair to come and rest in the castle, calling for them when Elenna stopped due to her grief of losing Silver and Tom paused to reassure her.
The Pirate King[]
After Aduro freed himself from Sanpao's enchantment, he fell into a coma. King Hugo and Taladon visited him often. On one visit, the king pondered if he would ever wake up, agreeing with Taladon any other wizard would have died throwing off the spell. As King Hugo mentioned that without Aduro's magic they would need to gather soldiers to defend the City against the pirates, a war horn sounded as Bloodboar was spotted. King Hugo and Taladon rushed to the battlements and King Hugo ordered archers to ready their weapons, however Taladon told him not to bother due to the Buried Doom's impenetrable armour. When the Beast destroyed a small settlement outside the City, Hugo ordered the villagers be offered refuge in the City and the drawbridge be raised to prevent Bloodboar from entering the City. As Bloodboar tried to find a way in, Hugo assured his soldiers he wouldn't be able to break through the walls, however the Beast dug under the walls. As they watched, the Tree of Being appeared in one of the palace's courtyard. He gave the order for the tree to be protected while Bloodboar was held at bay.
The beaten Sanpao kneeling before King Hugo, falsely requesting to be finished to lure Taladon.
Tom and Elenna used Arcta's feather to glide down from the Pirates of Makai's ship into the throne room, and were met there by King Hugo and Taladon. The king told them they couldn't hold back the Pirates of Makai for much longer and lead them to the battlements, telling the archers to save their arrows. From his ship Sanpao demanded the Tree of Being, being flatly refused by Hugo. The Pirates of Makai began to descend, Hugo lead his men in defending the tree, surrounding it with his soldiers. He fought alongside them, felling pirate after pirate, greatly impressing Tom with his ability. The king ordered Sanpao to be bound after his attempt to kill Taladon failed. He greeted Freya when she was able to return from Tavania through the Tree of Being's portal, telling her how proud the kingdom was of her son. As the Tree of Being vanished through the ground, it brought down rubble on the prisoners in the dungeons, and King Hugo lead the group in helping clear the rock from the prisoners.
Raksha the Mirror Demon[]
King Hugo, Aduro and Taladon became aware of strange activity in Gorgonia (presumably Kapra and Feldric's preparations to come to Avantia and revive Raksha) a few days before the Knights' Banquet. The trio left for Gorgonia to investigate, however the groups missed each other as Kapra and Feldric arrived in Avantia, planning to attack King Hugo on arrival, while they left for Gorgonia. Aduro discovered Daltec's presumed death and hurried King Hugo and Taladon back to Avantia, arriving after Raksha's defeat.
The Warlock's Staff[]
Aduro explaining Seraph's quirks to King Hugo.
After Aduro had died from the Warlock's Staff leaving Avantia, King Hugo was informed Tom and Elenna had left for Seraph to pursue Malvel and Petra. Within a few hours due to Seraph's accelerated time, Tom and Elenna returned and restored the Warlock's Staff to its proper place. They then went to the king to report, who rose from his throne with concern and questioned why they were back so soon. When they told him they had completed their quest and had been gone for multiple days, he told them it had only been a few hours, with the now alive Aduro explained the issue with Seraph's time. He proposed festivities and a feast due to Malvel's defeat, but Aduro's grim look caused him to stop, although the wizard put on a visage of merriment and agreed with the king.
Grashkor the Beast Guard[]
From the great wasteland beyond the Forbidden Land, a barbarian army appeared and began to raid the eastern border of Avantia. King Hugo lead his forces to the border, choosing to leave Tom behind should danger arise, and spent a month in the east engaging the barbarians, organising a recruitment drive to increase the armies forces. During his short campaign against the barbarians, Elenna was imprisoned in the Chamber of Pain by Petra's magic and freed by Tom and the army cadet Sebastian after defeating Grashkor. Hugo lead his army to victory and returned Avantia to peace.
Master of the Beasts[]
King Hugo was helping oversee preparations for a festival commemorating the summer solstice when Malvel's dark magic fused the souls of the Knights of Forton to those of the Evil Beasts they slew in battle centuries before and revived them. King Hugo was unable to see the possessed knights flee, but on his way to the scene of the incident saw a Varkule leaving the City. He overheard the order being given for the king to be informed of what had happened and demanded to know what he had to be told and what the creature he had seen was, being told it was a Varkule. He helped Aduro to his feet as Tom and Elenna left to pursue the knights.
The Golden Knight turning into Doomskull to capture King Hugo.
The vision of the Golden Knight threatening to kill a terrified King Hugo.
King Hugo officially making Tom Master of the Beasts.
King Hugo learnt Taladon and Tom would be fighting the White Knight, who was possessed by Tecton, in the Icy Plains. Relaxing in the palace orchard with Daltec, the young wizard tried to turn an apple into an eagle, however only managing to transform it into a sparrow. The king told him not to mind the spell failing and insisted to know if he had checked his crystal ball for updates on the battle, unaware Taladon had been killed by the knight controlled by the Armoured Giant. When Daltec admitted he had been distracted that morning, Hugo told him he was aware he had spent much of the morning eating pastries and told him to remain vigilant as he had never known Avantia to be in such danger. He sent Daltec to check the crystal ball for news of the battle, with the apprentice wizard rushing off to do so. Malvel had sent the final Knight of Forton, the Doomskull-possessed Golden Knight to kidnap King Hugo to force Aduro to break the spell of the Eternal Flame holding him in Gorgonia in return for the king of Avantia's life. The knight infiltrated the garden, with his golden armour making Hugo believe he was Taladon until he lifted his visor. The Golden Knight continued to advance, with Hugo reaching for his weapon, forgetting he had not brought his sword with him to the garden. He demanded he not be struck as he was unarmed and the pair not fight now but rather the king be allowed to get his sword before engaging in fair combat, however his request was completely ignored. Doomskull took on his true form, forcing Hugo to shield his face from the heat. He demanded the King of Fear stay back, however Doomskull attacked and dragged King Hugo away. Near the village of Errinel (where the Beast took Hugo before reverting to the form of the Golden Knight), the knight pressed his daggers to Hugo's neck so Malvel could send a vision to Tom with the threat of Hugo's death if he didn't receive help to get back to Avantia. During Doomskull's fight with Tom and Elenna, Aduro was able to locate Hugo and teleport him back to the City. After Malvel's death, Daltec teleported himself, Hugo and Aduro to Errinel, accidentally warping them into a chicken coop. He told Tom he was a true hero, told him to kneel and in a standard knight ceremony in the centre of the village, made Tom the Master of the Beasts. He told Elenna she would be recognised as the Master of the Beasts' faithful companion and placed a silver circlet on her head.
Ferrok the Iron Soldier[]
The Iron Warrior Samuel kicking King Hugo from the battlements.
Upon learning the Beast who had become active in Avantia was Ferrok, Aduro informed Hugo the Beast would need to be met by stiff military resistance and would be attacking the City. Hugo had his men prepared, dressed in his silver army, and climbed to the battlements to lead his men. The apprehended Petra was brought before the king by the Master of Arms, who demanded to know what she was doing in the City and being told she was caught trying on the Golden Gauntlets. He ordered she be thrown in the dungeons while the City was occupied with preparing for Ferrok. When Tom mentioned they would need every available soldier manning the walls, Hugo paled and told him half of the soldiers had been sent to patrol the kingdom at Aduro's request to find the evil active in Avantia, now known to be the Iron Soldier. When the Beast appeared with his forces, King Hugo ordered the catapults be prepared and following Epos's lead, ordered the flaming boulders be fired at Ferrok, who caught them and absorbed their flames to become stronger. King Hugo assured his men the walls could not be breached by the Iron Warriors advancing towards the City, however they created molten metal hooks and used them to scale the wall. During the battle Samuel, one of Harkman's cadets turned into an Iron Warrior, reached the king and began to choke him, only squeezing his foe's throat harder when Tom ordered him to stop, but being forced to release his foe when Tom delivered a strike with the flat of his blade to the back of his neck. After forcing Tom back, Samuel struck Hugo with a vicious kick that sent Hugo tumbling down a set of wooden steps into the courtyard, uninjured but dazed. As Ferrok overran the palace, he gathered a group of soldiers not yet transformed and hid with Tom behind ablaze hay bales. He advised they fall back as Ferrok had an advantage in the open, with Tom agreeing and the remaining forces making their way inside. Following the Iron Soldier's defeat, King Hugo helped give orders to tend to the injured and see to the destruction of the City. He disregarded Elenna's apology for allowing Petra to escape and Harkman's apology for being corrupted by Ferrok. Harkman had captured Petra on his way from the moat to the king and as such it was up to Hugo to decide her punishment. Petra demanded to know what was wrong with her taking the Golden Armour, being told by Hugo it was earned through honour, not bloodshed, before asking the young witch what had possessed her to awaken Ferrok. As it fell to the king to pass judgement, he told Petra he was not by nature vengeful, however Avantia required justice and it had become apparent no Avantian prison could hold her and as such ordered Aduro to banish her.
The New Age[]
King Hugo attended Taladon's funeral grimly, staying after the processions had finished and telling the driver of the cart containing the coffin to the Gallery of Tombs carefully. He approached Tom and told him his father was the bravest man he had ever met and Avantia owed him a debt beyond vast wealth. He witnessed Kensa's attack on Epos and the lightning bolt allowing her to return to Henkrall via the Lightning Path, asking if the strange assailant had been killed by the lightning strike. When Aduro explained she was Kensa, a sorceress banished to Henkrall long ago, he told the wizard he had never heard of Henkrall, being told in return there was no need for him to know of it as travel between the two was forbidden. The king asked what Tom was doing when he pressed the red jewel to his shield, being told he was reading the Beasts' thoughts from a distance. When Aduro began contemplating using Lightning Magic to allow Tom and Elenna to pursue Kensa, King Hugo was cautious of the idea and asked both Aduro and Tom if they wanted to undertake the risk, telling Tom no-one would think less of him for not pursuing the sorceress, but both told him they were willing.
Upon the group's return from Henkrall, King Hugo witnessed Kensa liberating Sanpao from his cell and escaped with the Pirates of Makai and Aduro being arrested by the Circle of Wizards for using Lightning Magic. He told Tom and Elenna with Kensa and Sanpao now at large, Aduro and rested and them exhausted, the situation seemed more dire than ever.
The Darkest Hour[]
King Hugo giving Tom the shard of tracking glass.
Following Aduro's arrest, Hugo gathered Daltec, Tom and Elenna in his throne room. He explained the Circle of Wizards was made up of the most powerful good magic users in the realms and not even he could overrule them and told them there was nothing he could do. Tom attempted to demand Daltec teleport them to the Chamber of Wizards so they could argue Aduro's case, however the apprentice wizard was unsure whether to do so or not. Hugo ordered him to do as Tom requested and that he would take responsibility for any punishment. Following their confrontation with Jezrin and the Circle of Wizards, Tom and Elenna were returned to the throne room, being asked by the king if they found what they were looking for. King Hugo entered Tom's bedchamber as he prepared to leave to capture Kensa and Sanpao, telling Tom there was no need for him to kneel when the Master of the Beasts did so. He told him he had never expected the Judge to be so cruel, agreeing with Tom it could have been from a jealousy of Aduro, saying even absent power could corrupt. He gave Tom the shard of tracking glass and explained what it was, telling him to use its power wisely due to its limits. When Sepron's token began to vibrate, the king asked what was happening, being told it likely meant Sepron was in trouble.
Following Aduro being stripped of his magic by Jezrin, he, Tom and Elenna returned to the City. Hugo told Daltec he would have to act as the new wizard of Avantia. He questioned how the Judge could overwrite his rule and remove his wizard without his permission, being told by Aduro even a monarch must respect the ancient laws of magic. As Petra entered he demanded to know what she was in Avantia for, being shown the reality of the situation: Jezrin had manipulated the situation to strip Aduro of his magic for an easier attempt on invading other realms. Jezrin detected the group watching them and warped them onto the deck of the Pirates of Makai's ship where he, Kensa and Sanpao attacked. King Hugo fought alongside Elenna against Kensa. He aimed a kick at her legs as she slashed with his sword, forcing the sorceress back. As the battle turned against them, Jezrin used magic to force his enemies off the ship, with Daltec catching Hugo with magic.
The Warrior's Road[]
Hugo helping Tom and Elenna prepare for the Master's Trial.
After Jezrin summoned Tom, Elenna and Daltec to the Chamber of Wizards and destroyed the Warlock's Scroll, which forced Tom to walk the Warrior's Road to regain the Master of the Beasts title, the group met with King Hugo and Aduro. The king told Tom it was a quest too far, however relinquished to Tom and Elenna's insistence they undertake it. When Aduro forbade Silver from accompanying them due to the danger, King Hugo asked why and what lay at the end of the road, being told by Aduro he'd heard tale of the ultimate Beast (presumably Koba).
During Tom and Elenna's quest, Jezrin took advantage of their absence and attacked Avantia on his own. He took the throne and locked Hugo in the dungeons, stripping him of the role of king so he could take it himself. Hugo wasn't released until Jezrin was teleported from the City after being struck by one of the beams of magic that emerged from Koba's eye when Tom destroyed it. He strode into the throne room and told Tom he knew he wouldn't fail his kingdom.
Anoret the First Beast[]
After Kensa was able to escape with pages related to Anoret, he met with Daltec, Tom and Elenna in his throne room. He asked Daltec if the librarian, rendered unconscious by an additive Kensa snuck in her breakfast to steal her place for the day to take the pages, would be alright, being told she would be fine. When Aduro arrived with the Journals of Tanner, Hugo asked why he had brought ancient legends, being told they always had a scrap of truth. When Aduro mentioned he hoped Kensa had no way of awaking Anoret, Hugo grimly asked what could happen if she was able to stir Anoret from her sleep, being told Avantia would be in great peril if she could.
The Cursed Dragon[]
Hugo requesting Tom and Elenna take a break.
For their achievements on the Warrior's Road, Hugo organised a feast in honour of their success, officially being for the anniversary of King Hugo's coronation to keep the Beasts secret. As Tom and Elenna entered the king raised a goblet, causing the courtiers to erupt in applause. He retired early into the night. He spoke with Daltec and requested he fetch Tom and Elenna, telling them he had a quest for them. He and Aduro jokingly told them he had a quest for them to travel to Errinel for some rest, telling them they had defended Avantia for long enough to merit time off, giving them a direct order to do so when Tom hesitated to accept. Shortly after, Vedra and Wilfred, injured by Kensa when the sorceress attacked the young Good Beasts to corrupt them, crashed in southern Avantia. Hugo ordered a platoon be sent out to collect the dragon, ensuring Daltec hid him so the Beast was not revealed to the soldiers. After the platoon returned to the City with Tom, Elenna and the hidden Vedra, King Hugo, Daltec, and Aduro inspected him, with Daltec telling the king the Green Dragon had been infected with Lunar Blood. Hugo told the group to be wary as evil had become active again in Avantia.
King Hugo marching out to lead the forces against Kensa and Krimon.
As Kensa and a corrupted Krimon crashed into the City pursuing Tom, Elenna and Epos, Hugo quickly donned his armour, grabbed his sword, and moved to lead defence force against Kensa and the Red Dragon. He told Tom and Elenna to see to Vedra and he would protect the City, riding Storm at Tom's request. He lead the soldiers against Krimon and Kensa, ordering the archers to hold their fire after Vedra purified his brother. The king was informed no sign had been found of Kensa after she was caught in Vedra's purifying flame, and she was incorrectly assumed dead. Hugo contemplated her death, agreeing with Aduro it would have been preferable if she faced true justice, but telling the former wizard she had faced a justice of sorts. Laughing, Hugo admitted after such a wild battle over the capital city, it would be impossible to deny the Beasts existed from now on.
Okawa the River Beast[]
Aware it was Tom's Uncle Henry's fifty second birthday soon, King Hugo requested Tom take a break to attend his uncle's celebration in Errinel. While Tom protested due to the possible need for him to be in the City if danger arose, Hugo told him he would call for him if he was needed. He gave the Master of the Beasts a flagon of his finest wine as a gift for Henry, which Kensa would use as the vessel of her Riverturn Poison which turned Henry into Okawa. As the Infected began to overrun the City Hugo presumably sealed himself in his palace to protect himself.
Skolo the Bladed Monster[]
King Hugo and his retinue heading south to Spindrel.
King Hugo presenting the prize sword to the mysterious winner (Sanpao).
Aduro tending to the fatally ill king.
Hugo further degrading from the Skolodine.
With Avantia believed to be at peace again, Hugo had the time to partake a royal tour of Avantia. He agreed to go south to the town of Spindrel first, who upon discovering they were the first visit of the king, organised a royal tournament due to a pride in their sporting and battle prowess. King Hugo and those who travelled with it agreed to take part and judge. Throughout the tournament the king relaxed and enjoyed the events. Hugo announced Elenna had triumphed in the archery contest before turning the gathered crowd to the jousting contest about to start, presenting a jewel-encrusted sword made of rare metals as the prize of it. When the mysterious black knight (the disguised Sanpao) won, he attempted to present him the sword, however the knight refused, saying he was yet to truly prove himself. Hugo asked how this could be as he had bested Avantia's best warriors, but the knight told him he was yet to defeat Tom. Sanpao had laced the poisonous Skolodine on the tiny spikes of his gauntlet, and hoped to poison him by offering a hand when he knocked Tom from Storm, but he was helped up by Elenna before he could get there. Panicking, Sanpao changed tact and shook Hugo's hand, causing him to wince as the needles barely grazed his flesh, enough to pass on some of the Skolodine. Hugo invited him to dine with him that night, but the knight refused and rode away so his true identity could not be revealed. Hugo quickly began to succumb to the effects of the Skolodine, being bedridden within the hour and becoming delirious shortly after. His condition was kept secret to avoid panic however rumours began to circulate the village. Aduro was able to discover it was Skolodine after Tom was able to get the tainted gauntlet from Sanpao in battle.
Hugo close to death from the Skolodine.
King Hugo beginning to recover after the antidote was administered.
By the time Tom and Elenna had retrieved the eggshell from the Darkmaw Caves that could cure him and returned to Spindrel, King Hugo was on death's door. He had become thin and skeletal quickly, looking by Tom's estimate thirty years older. Daltec was able to grind the eggshell into a paste, which was applied to his hand. The antidote worked its way through his bloodstream by entering through the tiny wounds Sanpao's spiked gauntlet had made, and quickly destroyed the Skolodine in his system. Without the Skolodine Hugo quickly reverted, with his hair darkening to its normal shade and movement returning soon after. He was able to leave his tent shortly after the antidote was given to him and by nightfall his appetite had returned. He asked why they hadn't been aware of the Good Beast Skolo living in Avantia, being told by Daltec it was his fault for not knowing, telling him jokingly he would forgive him this time.
Jakara the Ghost Warrior[]
King Hugo met with ambassadors from Tangala to discuss the possibility of political marriage with Queen Aroha of Tangala, greatly pleasing the king who wished for the two kingdoms to return their former alliance. He held a grand banquet for the ambassadors attended by his court. During the feast Aduro became troubled as he began contemplating leaving for Krikos to try and discover the reality of Kara's death, as his master Mivan spent the last decade of his life trying to uncover it, however Hugo failed to notice his friend and advisor's change in demeanour.
When Aduro, Daltec, Tom and Elenna returned from Krikos having defeated Jalka, they relayed the quest and Kara's fate to Hugo. Troubled by the Krikosians' undeveloped tribal lifestyle, he sent his finest craftsman to the island to assist in returning them to a more Avantian way of life by building settlements.
Velmal's Revenge[]
Rotu aiming his crossbow at Hugo and the Avantians
Aroha giving the Avantians a tour of the palace, arm in arm with King Hugo.
Tangala and Avantia managed to finalise the agreement to marry King Hugo and Queen Aroha after Aroha vetoed a near finished agreement with Emperor Jeng of Gwildor. The two sides agreed to hold the ceremony in Pania, capital of Tangala, and King Hugo and a small retinue travelled to the southern kingdom. During the journey Hugo became visibly nervous, often fidgeting with his reins. Prince Rotu and his hunting party saw the approaching group and surrounded them, believing them to be enemies. He spoke with King Hugo, who ensured him they weren't enemies and that he was here for the wedding, swearing on the throne of Avantia they would not be a danger. He introduced him to Tom and Elenna (with the two sides taking an immediate dislike to each other) before the group continued on to Pania. While distressed by the evident poverty in the capital, in order to remain polite to Rotu he told him what a beautiful city Pania was and taking an immediate liking to the impeccable craftsmanship of the multitude of statues. While Hugo and the rest of the Avantians disapproved of Rotu tormenting a child, he was unable to intervene due to the need to maintain respect between the two kingdoms. King Hugo was the only one not to kneel to Queen Aroha on her arrival. The two locked arms as the queen showed the group around the palace, with both monarchs agreeing the two kingdoms would share all they had after the marriage. That night, the wizard Velmal raided the palace and stole the Treasures of Tangala. While Hugo knew fully well Tom and Elenna weren't behind the theft of the Treasures that had allowed the Evil Beasts to reenter the kingdom after over a decade of being sealed out of the realm, he was unable to defend them due to the continued need to maintain Tangala's authority before the wedding to avoid angering them and was forced to watch Tom and Elenna be sentenced to remain in Pania's dungeons for eternity.
Hugo and Aroha's wedding.
As the Council of Pania made further pushes for war with Avantia, Queen Aroha was forced to lock King Hugo, Aduro and Daltec in the dungeons. He remained there as Quagos attacked Pania under orders from Velmal. During the fight Tom and Elenna reached the dungeons and pondered freeing King Hugo. The trio overheard them and ordered them not to, with King Hugo telling them that until the Treasures of Tangala were safely returned as they could not risk angering the Tangalans further. After Velmal and Rotu had revealed their involvement in the theft of the Treasures of Tangala, King Hugo and the others were released. He prepared for the royal wedding and arrived at the tent just after Grashkor had apprehended Velmal. He heard the commotion of the Beast Guard pulling the dark wizard away and immediately asked if anything had happened to Aroha, being told she was perfectly fine. He told Tom he had met Aroha when he wasn't much older than Tom and Elenna, winked at them meaningfully, and went to the alter where he was married to Aroha, returning the alliance between Avantia and Tangala. He returned to Avantia with Aroha soon afterwards.
Yakorix the Ice Bear[]
Hugo eating with Aroha, Daltec, Tom and Elenna.
Hugo trying to assure and comfort the farmers from Yotai.
Suffering from the extremely harsh winter, King Hugo sat eating breakfast in the palace with Aroha, Aduro, Daltec, Tom and Elenna. He offered his new wife tea, agreeing with her that if he knew Avantian winters could be so harsh they would have ruled from Tangala. As Daltec pondered if the weather could be unnatural, Hugo asked if it could be the work of one of Avantia's enemies, being told it was fully possible. He met with a pair of farmers from Yotai, seeking aid as the winter had ruined the late harvest. He told them they were not alone and that southern fields had also been frozen over before telling them he would offer what aid he could but even a king could not control the weather. He ordered Harkman to take them to the kitchen to collect food to take with them, however one of the farmers mentioned a Beast they had seen. When Aroha mentioned the ancient Avantian Beast Yakorix who had brought on an eternal winter centuries before, he agreed with her and continued the story. He gave Tom and Elenna permission to go north to investigate, which lead to their battle with Yakorix.
Falkor the Coiled Terror[]
King Hugo attended Daltec's induction into the Circle of Wizards, sitting with Aroha on a raised dais as he watched. Daltec cast a small spell over them that created petals to entertain the crowd. Berric saw this as an opportunity to frame Daltec of attempting to cause chaos which he used as a diversion to create Falkor. Berric's spell caused a wooden pillar nearby to fall, almost striking the king and queen, but the pillar was caught by Tom, who held it up long enough for them to get clear. After the Circle of Wizards left to prepare for Daltec's punishment, Hugo told Aduro he would have to speak with the Circle on his former apprentice's behalf only to be told that he no longer had any authority with them. When Petra was detected watching them, Hugo ordered the watcher to show themselves or he would throw them in his dungeon if they were found, causing Petra to reveal herself. Following Berric's defeat and Falkor returning to his slumber, King Hugo held a private and small feast to celebrate Daltec's name being cleared.
The Trial of Heroes[]
King Hugo was in the City when Epos, driven berserk by a poison dart embedded in her wing, attacked the capital of Avantia. She was defeated by her poisoners Amelia and Dray and bound in the City, the king thanking them for their accomplishment. When Tom and Elenna returned from Gwildor, King Hugo introduced them to Amelia, stopping the two sides' arguments when the debate of who should have the title of Master of the Beasts arose. He told Tom it may be hard to accept but Avantia owed Amelia and Dray greatly. He approved of them taking the Trial of Heroes to settle the debate.
Upon their return from the Nowhere Lands after defeating Karixa, they arrived at the throne room. Hugo, Aduro and Daltec were in the room at the time, greeted them and the king asked where Dray (destroyed by Karixa) was and was told the full story of the quest to the Nowhere Lands. He gave Aduro permission to take the trio to the Gallery of Tombs in order to show them the room dedicated to the Trial of Heroes.
Kyrax the Metal Warrior[]
King Hugo heard the cries of Aroha as his wife came under attack from a Henkrallian raiding party gathering metal for Igor and rushed up to help her. By the time he reached Aroha's chamber the Henkrallians were escaping, leaving the queen injured after the battle and having gathered enough valuable metal for Kyrax's creation. Following this Hugo and Aroha moved to the throne room to discuss the matter. Hugo asked Aroha what she was thinking trying to fight off four armed assailants single handedly, being reminded queens of Tangala were capable warriors. He chose not to lead the Avantian forces against Kyrax when the Beast arrived to attack Avantia, delegating the role to Captain Harkman.
The Sorcerer's Revenge[]
Shortly before Berric opened a portal to the Isle of Ghosts in an attempt to return Malvel to Avantia, Aroha's pregnancy drew close to completion. King Hugo joined her in travelling to Tangala to deliver the child. He was informed Malvel had managed to possess Berric's body and returned to Avantia, and as such he chose to return to Avantia to help lead it in its time of plight, being joined by Aroha and the newborn Prince Thomas.
Travelling north, the royal stagecoach and its retinue entered the Ruby Desert on its journey to the City. Malvel had brought the Netherworld Beast Tarantix into Avantia nearby for the ritual that would open a portal to the Netherworld, who smelled the retinue and desiring human flesh quickly rushed over to attack. After driving Tarantix below the sand, Tom reached the stagecoach first. The king heard Tom speaking to a guard and emerged from the carriage to greet him, telling him he barely recognised him in his exhausted state and ordered a guard to give the Master of the Beasts some water. Tom told him a Beast was approaching, and as such Hugo told him the Beast could not be allowed to reach the carriage, showing him Aroha and Prince Thomas, who Tom was unaware were returning with Hugo. Tarantix emerged from below the carriage and knocked it over, trapping Aroha and Thomas and causing Hugo to ignore the Bone Spider to try and free his family. Tom helped him pull the carriage door off, allowing him to hand Prince Thomas off to Elenna to get him to safety. With Thomas safe, Hugo turned his attention on the Beast, who slowly began to push him and his soldiers back. After Aroha was free, she and Hugo charged the Beast, aiming for the underbelly, however Aroha was knocked aside and Hugo was lifted from the ground by the Bone Spider and hurled away, striking the ground and falling still, having been knocked unconscious on impact. He came to after Tarantix was defeated, clutching Aroha and declaring the safety of Avantia depended upon how fast they could return to the City.
King Hugo and the group reached the City in good time, being let in by Captain Harkman as soon as he saw them approaching. Retrieving Prince Thomas from Elenna, he told her she had likely saved his son before ordering the soldiers injured in battle with Tarantix be taken to a healer to help deal with the wounds dealt by the Bone Spider. After Lypida and Malvel had been defeated, King Hugo and Queen Aroha revealed the crown prince's name which hadn't been decided on. The two agreed Hugo would reveal they had named him in honour of Tom as Prince Thomas.
The Lost Beasts of Makai[]
King Hugo was with Queen Aroha in the throne room as the City celebrated a festival. Tom and Elenna brought the young prince gifts, however Thomas punched Tom on the nose as he gave the crown prince the present, causing Hugo to proudly smile at the Master of the Beasts' misfortune. When Admiral Ryker brought a slave of Makai who had washed up on the west shore to the monarchs, Hugo took Tom's advice and allowed him to speak, who told them Ria's preparations to invade, confirming to the king the entire fleet would be flying ships when the king asked. Hugo allowed Tom, Elenna, and Daltec to travel to Makai to defeat Ria and the Beasts she had resurrected.
Ospira the Savage Sorceress[]
King Hugo was playing with Prince Thomas when Tom and Elenna heard his playful growls and assumed it was a threat, bursting into the room to find the king crouched over his son. Spotting them, the king straightened up to greet them. He gave Tom and Elenna permission to travel to Errinel, telling him to bring back some of Maria's cherry pie as he was trying to convince Aroha Avantian food was superior to that of Tangala and he hoped her pie would finally prove it. He introduced the pair to Ursula (the disguised Ospira) who was serving as Prince Thomas's nanny. He allowed her to take Thomas away to care for, however Ospira took the opportunity to put her plan into motion and kidnap the prince, however she was seen casting magic by Tom, who told the king and queen what had happened. Hugo, Aroha, Tom and Elenna hurried to find her, however Ospira was already leaving the City. When Tom returned having been unable to reclaim Prince Thomas and Aroha began to blame herself for allowing it to happen, Hugo assured her Ursula had taken them all by surprise.
King Hugo attends Ospira's quiet funeral
He requested Daltec read from Ospira's journal after he brought it to them, continuing to listen to the readings when Tom, Elenna and Aroha left to find Prince Thomas. When the group returned after defeating the Beast possessing Ospira, though Aduro's sister had perished soon after, Hugo chose a burial spot for Ospira and attended the private funeral with Aduro, Tom and Elenna, telling the group while she made some poor decisions in her life, she sacrificed herself to protect them from the magic she unleashed. After the funeral he requested another quest for Tom and Elenna, the glint in his eye betraying the fact he was going to request cherry pie again.
The Shattered Kingdom[]
King Hugo sat with Queen Aroha at the queen's party on a raised dais during the celebration. He spoke with the bard and requested a song: a famous song focusing on Prince Angelo's sacrifice in the Border War. By the time the song ended the king has tears in his eyes, emotional after hearing of his brother's sacrifices once again. He was informed a group of riders were nearing the City, and Hugo ascended to the battlements to await their arrival. As they arrived and the lead rider removed his helmet, Hugo ordered the archers not to fire after recognising the rider as his brother Angelo. In reality Angelo had died in the Border War decades before and the rider was the Beast Xerkan, a shape shifter aiming to exploit Angelo's birthright to take the throne. As the two approached each other, Hugo collapsed to his knees in emotion, being helped up by the disguised Beast. The two embraced and entered the palace at Angelo's insistence. After the Beast finished his false story Hugo told him he had made the greatest sacrifice in Avantian history by fighting for decades. Angelo began to belittle Harkman, being told by Hugo he was not the same man he knew before the Border War, with the Beast replying that Harkman was doubting the woman who saved his life and she would be pardoned by the king of Avantia. Hugo attempted to refuse, however Angelo went on to say he was the true king and demanded the crown from Hugo, who was forced to hand it over. The next morning he found Angelo and Tom fighting after Tom had opposed a harsh royal tax which had escalated to combat. As Angelo rose his blade to deal a significant and potentially fatal wound, Hugo rushed forward and wrestled the sword away, telling the hidden Beast Tom was one of the most loyal subjects he had ever known. Angelo told him he'd gone soft and should leave for Tangala with Aroha, where cowards could prosper, causing Hugo to fervently deny that he was a coward and that he had been as willing to lead the military in the Border War as Angelo but their father had chosen Angelo, however the hidden Xerkan told him he'd taken the throne willingly enough after he left. the new king ordered him to leave for Tangala before stripping Tom of his title and tokens. Hugo was forced to comply and left shortly afterwards.
After learning Angelo was not who he said he was after finding the buried skeleton of the real prince, Tom and Elenna were able to send a message to Daltec, who sent words to Tangala requesting King Hugo and Queen Aroha's return to Avantia although he didn't mention the full details of Tom and Elenna's discovery. The pair returned with the Warrior Women of Tangala, the strongest contingent of the Tangalan military, with the new king's personal army made of criminals rushing to meet them, however Hugo ensured both sides there would be no battle and demanded to speak to Angelo. As the hidden Beast told him he was still the rightful king, Tom and Elenna tried to tell him the king was a Beast. However Xerkan told him after so many quests the pair were simply becoming paranoid, continuing on to tell Hugo he had been hasty to send him away and requested Hugo and Aroha to stay and help rule. While the pair began to agree, Kapra betrayed Xerkan in retaliation for being blackmailed into the Shape Stealer's service and stabbed him in the back, the wound causing him to take on his true form and reveal the deception. With the Beast revealed, the two armies engaged as Xerkan ordered his forces to defend him. Hugo helped lead the Tangalan forces to a near victory before trying to find Tom and Elenna. As he approached, Xerkan took on his form and the two accused each other of being the Beast before battling. During the fight Hugo lunged at his doppelganger, however his boot slipped and he fell onto one knee, with Xerkan instantly kicking the real king's sword away, pushing him down and holding his sword to the king's neck. However the fake Hugo's bloodthirstiness proved to Tom he was not the real one and as such the Master of the Beasts stabbed him through the chest, causing him to return to his true form. After the battle was won, Hugo oversaw the removal of Xerkan's tapestries celebrating the Beasts of the Wildlands' torment of humans and the return of King Hugo's banners. He was presented with the real Angelo's ring, given to the prince decades ago by King Theo. While Hugo was uncertain of whether or not he could take the ring, he was assured it belonged to the king of Avantia, and as such Hugo took it, stating it would one day be Thomas's. He thanked Tom and Elenna for their quest in the Wildlands.
Scalamanx the Fiery Fury[]
Following Tom and Elenna revealing what they had learned of Angelo's death in the Border War, King Hugo commissioned a tapestry celebrating Angelo's sacrifice. He watched the tapestry be hung from the wall of the throne room with a group of the most influential Avantians, telling the gathered group now Angelo's sacrifice would never be forgotten. The Circle of Wizards' representatives Sorella and Stefan warped themselves into the throne room to request the Avantians' aid in reclaiming the contents of the Circle's vault stolen by the Locksmith, which the group agreed to. When Petra was apprehended and Sorella attempted to begin torture, Captain Harkman opposed it as the king was responsible for law in Avantia, as such Sorella and Stefan met with the king to discuss the matter, which gave Petra time to convince Tom and Elenna to free her in return for a map to the Locksmith's lair.
Blood of the Beast[]
King Hugo sat with Queen Aroha on a raised dais during Tom's reclamation ceremony where Tom was given back his reforged Golden Armour and the jewels of Gorgonia. Upon their arrival, Sorella and Stefan bowed to the king and queen before turning to the crowd, playing to the audience. What they did not know was that the Golden Armour had been corrupted by Ria using the blood of Krokol and Tom fell unconscious after donning it. King Hugo joined Tom in the medical room, watching Aduro and Daltec try to free the armour. He was unable to stop Tom from fleeing the City when the Master of the Beasts awoke corrupted. Because of this dire situation, the king later allowed Elenna and Daltec to pursue Tom and Ria to Pyloris.
Arkano the Stone Crawler[]
King Hugo speaking with Queen Aroha.
King Hugo oversaw the construction of royal seating for Prince Thomas's first birthday celebration, chatting to the gathered group as he ensured the workers continued as expected. He questioned the difficulty of Tangalan sport as Aroha began to speak of typical Tangalan sports, praising her skill when she threw a lance through a target. Noticing that neither parent had Prince Thomas, Hugo and Aroha began to call for their son, who was found by Captain Harkman. Kensa, disguised as a miner and going by Sanek, arrived at the City demanding payment for killing an Evil Beast, a reward for any peasant able to defeat an Evil Beast in battle according to an ancient Avantian law, presenting what the group believed was a Beast skeleton, but was in reality the dormant Arkano. Hugo confirmed the tradition and told him he would have a chest filled with wealth as his reward, allowing him to also take food and drink at his request, choosing not to correct him and tell him Tom wasn't a servant.
On the night of Prince Thomas's birthday, Hugo and Aroha gathered with the courtiers in the celebration grounds. Having discovered the truth of Arkano, Elenna and Aduro rushed out to inform the king and queen, however as they were explaining Kensa and Ria awoke the Stone Crawler, causing Hugo and Aroha to retreat inside. They returned when Arkano was defeated and found Kensa clutching Prince Thomas and preparing to leave, refusing to trade the crown prince for the captured Ria, however the prince bit the sorceress's hand to free himself and returned to King Hugo and Queen Aroha. Later on, he had the two witches locked up in the dungeon.