Pendragon, AD 496

Standings:

1.  Sir Uwain Broadfoot (4,861)
2.  Sir Cyfan of Teffort (4,459)
3.  Sir Lug of Winterslow (4,230)
4.  Sir Nidian of Haxton (3,630)
5.  Sir Teryrnor of South Cott (2,964)
6.  Sir Gwyn of Tytherington (2,019) (absent)


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This was the first year of the Anarchy period, after the death of Uther.  The PCs were a little out of sorts at their newfound freedom.  No more lords bossing them around!  Because they're all dead, unfortunately.

They decide to do the honorable thing and swear fealty to Countess Ellen, their late liege's widow and the mother of their young lord.  At court there are many offers and threats -- requests for tribute and the like, to offers of alliance, and so on.

Word comes in of a Saxon fleet landing in Hampshire, to the south.  They ride to lend assistance but arrive to find the Saxon fleet victorious and occupying the city.  Emissaries ride out, greet them courteously, and invite them in to talk to the Saxon king.  Turns out that he is the son of old (and evil) Duke Vortigern, and considers himself as much a Briton as a Saxon.

He feasts the knights with great hospitality, and confidently announces that he will conquer Britain, both the natives and the other Saxons.  If the Countess will swear fealty to him, he will protect Salisbury from the depredations of the eastern Saxons.

The knights promise to take the message back to the Countess.  The king understands completely and invites them to stay with him as long as they like, and in fact they are invited back to celebrate Yule with his household.  They say their goodbyes and leave the next day.

Back in Salisbury, they deliver the message.  Ellen asks for their advice, and some excellent anguished debate is engaged in by the knights.  Finally they recommend that she swears fealty to Cerdic.  She agrees that will be the safest path.

The knights do not return to Hampshire for Yule.

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Standings:

1.  Uwain Broadfoot (5,064) (0)
2.  Cyfan of Teffort (4,662) (0)
3.  Lug of Winterslow (4,456) (0)
4.  Nidian of Haxton (3,835) (0)
5.  Teryrnor of South Cott (3,024) (0)
6.  Gwyn of Tytherington (2,185) (0)