Pendragon, AD 487

AD 487

Dramatis Personae (in order of Quality):

Sir Owain of Over Wallop (1507 Glory)
Sir Teryrnor of Southcott (1333 Glory)
Sir Cyfan of Teffort (1297 Glory)


Absent this session:

Sir Lug of Winterslow (1545 Glory) (absent)
Sir Nidian of Haxton (1454 Glory) (absent)

We part the curtain over Dark Ages Britain with messengers arriving at the knights' manors -- Uther will be holding Christmas court in Sarum this year, and Earl Roderick requests the knights' presence!

The three knights arrive at Sarum and it is horribly crowded with the retinues and hangers-on of everyone wanting to suck up to Uther.  The knights find their places as best they can.  They hobnob a little bit with people.

Teryrnor attempts to dig for some juicy gossip!  Alas, whenever he walks up to a group of whispering nobles, they change the subject.

Cyfan is a veritable horn-dog, hitting on demoiselles far above his station.  Or rather, attempting to approach them and getting intercepted by handmaidens and turned away.  He is not dismayed.

Owain, the master harper (Play [Harp] 25) wants to play in front of the many worthies and impress them with his skills.  Alas, he does not have the social cachet to get a gig in front of Uther and settles for a lunchtime performance in front of some minor nobles.  Perhaps for the best, as he gets a rather mediocre success.

During the Christmas feast itself, there is much gift-giving amidst the ridiculous number of courses.  Roderick gives his knights some fine clothing, which was much needed.

The climax of the feast involves Uther receiving gift after gift, none more extravagant than those of his son, Prince Madoc.  Uther generously re-gifts much of Madoc's plunder, including a handful of silver pennies to each of our heroes.

Then Merlin enters.  The wily magician flatters the king, but says he lacks one thing -- a thing which will bring peace to the land.  With a flourish, he draws the sword (which the knights saw him get last year) and presents it to the king: "For the High King," says Merlin, "Excalibur, the Sword of Victory!"  Everyone cheers and applauds wildly.

"Surely now," Uther says, holding the sword and admiring it, "no one can stand before me."

"All you need to do," adds Merlin, "is to remain just."  (Ominous pause.)

Uther remarks that he will pay a visit to some of his "friends," implying the vacillating lords of Britain who have been coming up with nothing but endless excuses for not support Uther's wars against the Saxons.

Merlin adds one last thing before the final feast begins.  In front of Uther and all his high lords, he turn to Earl Roderick, gestures to Owain, Teryrnor, and Cyfan, and says, "Watch these men well, and give them rein to help Britain."  (Players get 50 Glory for being so recognized!)

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Later, as the feast is winding down and the lords are dispersing back to their lands, Roderick approaches the knights.  He has been requested to accompany Uther to visit the lords of dubious loyalty.  Also, Prince Madoc has mentioned that promising knights of quality are needed to join him in raiding the Saxon-occupied coasts, putting their ships to the torch and generally killing the Saxon pig-dogs.  Unusually, Roderick gives them a choice.  More glory is certainly found in military endeavors, but the chance to be involved in Uther's political machinations could expose them to many potential powerful allies and (from Cyfan's point of view) their highly marriageable daughters.

The knights decide to accompany Roderick (and Uther).

They ride to Lindsey and are called upon to recite the Adventure of Sword Lake.  Duke Lindsey is impressed and throws his lot fully behind Uther.  Uther is pleased, Roderick is pleased.

Uther needs messages taken out to outlying lords.  Perhaps the players would like to volunteer?  Of course they would.  Riding out to Ebaracum, the lord is out fighting Saxons.  The players grab a guide and ride out to look for him.

But … SAXONS!  A small Saxon raiding party ambushes them!  Luckily the sharp-eyed Sir Teryrnor spots them.  The knights charge!  Rolling randomly, Sir Owain is up against a berkserker!  The berserker is afoot, -5 to his Greataxe skill of 22.  Sir Owain gets a +5 for being horsed.  Owain rolls a middling success.  The berserker rolls a 17.  Critical, doubling his 8d6 damage.  Sir Owain's success allows his to get his shield into play.  But it doesn't matter.  Almost 50 damage; poor Owain's head flies across the field as the berserker roars his fury.  Teryrnor and Cyfan dispatch their enemies without issue.  The berserker, outnumbered, runs off.

A moment of silence for Sir Owain, first of the knights to fall in this campaign.  As he was without issue, his player will have to start from scratch with a new knight.

Somberly, the two surviving knights manage to find the King of Ebaracum with news of Uther and the Sword of Victory.  Ebaracum is unimpressed, and tells the knights that he will visit Uther when the Saxons stop attacking Ebaracum.  The knights ride away.  It is a cold and lonely trip back to Salisbury.


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During the winter phase, Sir Cyfan manages to find a wife, who immediately graces him with a daughter, but dies in childbirth.  The baby lives.

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Standings:

Sir Lug of Winterslow (1545 Glory) (absent)
Sir Teryrnor of Southcott (1494 Glory)
Sir Nidian of Haxton (1454 Glory) (absent)
Sir Cyfan of Teffort (1449 Glory)

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RIP Sir Owain of Over Wallop, 464-487.