When King Henry died in 1135 leaving his throne to his daughter, Empress Maud. Before his death, he made his barons, including his favourite nephew Stephen, swear their allegiance to her several times. However, no woman has ever ruled England in her own right.

Not surprisingly it did not work out quite like King Henry had hoped. Stephan claimed the throne, stating King Henry had changed his mind on his deathbed and named him as his heir. Stephan entered London and was acclaimed king by the townspeople. Once crowned, Stephen gained the support of the majority of the barons and the Pope. The barons ratified the usurpation, with the opposition of Maud's illegitimate half-brother, Robert, the Earl of Gloucester.

In 1139, the civil war had begun. The Earl's first moves were revealing. He commanded raids. Stephen faced the forces of Empress Maud at several places around the country. Bad omens haunted him before the Battle of Lincoln, at which Stephen faced Robert. Stephen fought bravely but was captured by a knight in Robert's army. Stephen was defeated and brought before his cousin Maud and was imprisoned at Bristol. The Empress's victory was imminent.

Stephen's wife, Matilda of Boulogne, rallied support amongst the people of London and the barons. Maud was forced out of London. With the capture of her most able lieutenant, her half-brother, Robert, he was captured fighting a rearguard action which allowed his sister to escape. This was followed by losing of Arundel Castle in Arundel, which had been a stronghold for the Empress. The Empress was distraught. After two months of imprisonment for both Stephan and Robert a bargain was struck, a trade of Stephan for Robert.

A sudden violent storm has driven the inhabitants of Arundel inside and those unluckily enough to be traveling in search of shelter. An inn, The Crown, on the edge of the town is suddenly full of people as many find shelter from the weather within its walls and wait for the storm to blow over.