|
Jim Patching
United Kingdom
Cardiff
-
There seems to be a growing craze for Romance in Logres of late. The tales told at the feasting halls have tended to focus less on great battles and the number of limbs hacked off but rather more on stories of love and romance. Queen Guenever herself has got caught up in the craze and at court this year unveils a set of rules she’s codified and called The Rules of Love.
Sir Hywel is currently the only bachelor amongst Team Salisbury. He’s spent the last couple of years courting Lady Portman of Gorre. To aid him in this endeavour he’s hired a scholar to teach him the ways of flirting and romance. In Pendragon you can hire scholars to train you in any skill. We normally picture these as old men with extraordinarily long beards who are experts in Latin, or history, or religion.
As Sir Hywel's scholar is the ‘love’ doctor, we picture him like this:
The other big announcement at court this year is that King Arthur has decided to exhume The Head of Bran.
Sir Breakius explains:
“Bran was an ancient god who lived in Britain in the old times. After being mortally wounded in battle he gave his followers strange instructions. He told them to cut his head off and bury it outside London. As long as his head remained interred there, no enemies would successfully invade Britain.
Before burying the head, his followers placed it at the head of their table and left it there for seven years. During this time, it regaled them with stories and kept them entertained.”
There is much doubtful muttering at Arthur’s announcement of his intention to disinter the head. Arkan quietly voices what many others are thinking – “Why would he do that?”
The king hasn’t heard Arkan but his next words could easily have been a direct response. “Now is the time of men. We don’t need to rely on old stories and superstition for protection. If we can’t defend these isles by our own strength of arms then we don’t deserve them!”
There is much cheering at Arthur’s words, although many folk (chief amongst them the Lady of the Lake) still look worried.
A Shrine in the Woods
The knights all return to their manors and wait for the appointed time for the disinterment of Bran's head. Sir Owen takes the opportunity to invite the other knights around to his holding Ebble Castle. The fortification guards the southern approaches to Salisbury and at present there is much building work going on at the site – two enormous towers are being constructed to add extra protection to the gatehouse and a large curtain wall is going up.
As the knights sit around Sir Owen’s banqueting table, a roaring fire doing it’s best to keep out the winter chill, the castle steward (an old man called Durnham) approaches his master with a problem. Apparently a poacher has been seen taking animals from the nearby woods. It seems as though he’s been getting more bold of late and has started taking livestock from the nearby farms. He’s only ever seen at night – he’s a large, barrel-chested man, with a big beard and an overhanging gut. He carries a large wood axe and always seems to be accompanied by a big shaggy dog.
The next morning Owen and his comrades set out to put a stop to the poacher’s activities. Marshal Arkan has brought his dodgy tracker Henry Hook and once again puts him to work, picking up the trail of the poacher. It doesn’t take Henry long to find the spoor and he leads the knights deep into the woods. Presently they come to a small, well tended cottage. There’s a large pile of chopped wood outside and what looks like a shrine of some sort in the garden.
Owen takes charge (this being his manor) and approaches the cottage, calling out to those inside. The large, bear-ish poacher emerges to meet him, closing the door carefully behind him.
“I have reports that you’ve been stealing live-stock from my subjects,” says Sir Owen, getting straight to the point.
“I won’t deny it,” says the poacher brusquely. “It’s a hard life out here in the woods and I’ve got my old mam to look after inside.” He gestures to the cottage. “I only take from those farms what can afford to lose the odd chicken.”
“Poaching can’t be tolerated,” states Sir Owen flatly. The poacher folds his arms defensively and shifts his weight uneasily. “Having said that,” Owen continues, sizing up the large man, “perhaps I could offer you employment instead? I am in need of a woodsman and you seem to know your trade. What do you say?”
The poacher is somewhat taken aback by Sir Owen’s generosity. He’d been expecting a fight of some sort (whether it be words or fists) and for a moment he doesn’t know what to say. He finally splutters “Why yes. Yes! Look Sir Owen, you’ve been more than kind to me. In return I have something to show you.”
The poacher takes Sir Owen to the shrine by the side of his cottage. Marshal Arkan is already stood there, having checked out the site whilst Owen and the poacher were talking. For some reason he’s got a spade from his squire’s horse resting on one shoulder.
The poacher gestures at the shrine and says “A brave and gallant knight is buried here. He died a dozen years or so ago. My mother found his battered and broken corpse near the field of Baden. Yes Sir Owen – this is the final resting place of the mortal remains of your father, Sir Albyn."
Owen goes very quiet for a moment. You can tell from his face that thoughts of his father must be swirling around in his head. Marshal Arkan respectfully gives Sir Owen a couple of moments to gather his thoughts before saying “Right then – shall we dig him up?”
The other knights looks at Arkan in shock. Owen slowly turns his head to the Marshal and says “Excuse me?”
“When Owen died he was carrying that magical stone that Merlin gave us all those years ago,” explains Marshal Arkan. “You know – the one with the hole in it and when you look through it it shows you things as they truly are? How many times have we wished we still had that stone? Now here it is …. Wait a minute! Poacher – you did bury him with all of his belongings, didn’t you?”
“Er …. Yes,” stutters the poacher.
“Excellent!” beams Marshal Arkan.
“Dude, you are wrong in the head,” says Sir Breakius sadly.
“How about showing a little respect for the dead,” says Sir Hywel.
“It’s what he would have wanted!” explodes Marshal Arkan.
“You think my dad would have wanted to be dug up and robbed?” queries Sir Owen incredulously.
“Look Owen I knew your father well. Me and Albyn went way back and I knew him better than anyone. He was all about winning and doing whatever it takes to get there. We need that stone. If Albyn’s ghost were here right now he’d be yelling at you to dig him up and take it. But hey, it’s your decision.”
Arkan thrusts the spade at Owen.
Owen looks from the spade to Arkan to the grave of his father.
“Actually I think you’re right,” says Owen.
And thus the body of Sir Albyn is dug up and the magical stone is reclaimed. Owen keeps Albyn’s bones in a casket (well, a barrel actually) donated by the poacher and his mother. By the time the party return to Ebble Castle night has fallen and a fierce storm has blown in. The knights sit around the feasting table (with Albyn placed at the head) and do their best to snap Sir Owen out of the melancholic mood that appears to have overtaken him.
Presently Durnham the castle steward appears and explains that a party of monks is at the gates requesting shelter for the night. Owen and Hywel go to the gates to meet them. The bedraggled group is made up of eight monks and two warriors dressed in Eastern style armour and armed with enormous scimitars.
“My name is Simon and I beg shelter from the storm for myself and my companions,” says the leader of the monks.
“Of course,” says Sir Owen and ushers them in. He allows them to dry themselves by the fire in the great hall where Simon explains that they are pilgrims from Byzantium, travelling across the continent and visiting holy places of significance.
“Sir Breakius!” calls Marshal Arkan with a smirk on his face. “You’re some sort of Templar aren’t you? Why don’t you suggest some places for these fine monks to visit?”
A look of panic briefly flashes across Breakius’s face before he is blessed with a touch of inspiration and says “the church at Canterbury is well worth visiting.”
The monks soon retire to the guest chambers to rest. Our knights stay up late into the night drinking and listening to Arkan relay stories of Sir Albyn’s deeds before they too retire to their rooms.
Owen wakes early and goes downstairs to get some breakfast from the kitchens. Straight away he can tell something is wrong – whilst the servants are up and about, they don’t seem to be going about their tasks with their normal efficiency. The steward Durnham would normally be taking charge but he is nowhere to be found. Owen goes to Durnham’s room to look for him there and is horrified to find the old man beaten and bound and close to death.
“I need help!” roars the knight as he cradles his faithful servant’s head in his arms.
Breakius and Arkan rush to Owen’s aid. Arkan is a master at tending battle wounds and does what he can for the old man. “His wounds are too severe,” he mutters. “I don’t think he’s going to pull through.” Breakius takes the fragile fragment of healing altar cloth the knights recovered last year and lays it on the steward. Instantly many of his wounds heal and some natural colour comes to his face.
“What happened?” demands Sir Owen.
“It was those monks!” gasps Durnham. “They were looking for some sort of tomb. They wanted to know where it was. Seemed to think it was the resting place of some man called Simon Magus or something like that. I kept telling them there was no tomb in the castle. They hurt me so much! The only notable tomb I could think of within a castle anywhere near here is the one at Castle Vagon. I told them that and they finally stopped hurting me.”
“You told them about the tomb at Castle Vagon?” says Marshal Arkan. “That means they’re heading straight for my home!”
Death in Vagon
Our knights are dismayed to find that horses have been stolen from Ebble Castle’s stables and that the gate guards have been murdered. They ride hell for leather for Vagon Castle, knowing full well that the rogues have a head start on them.
Vagon is on the other side of the county and by the time they arrive at the castle it is obvious something is wrong. The fortress seems to be on a state of high alert and the gates are closed.
Arkan being the lord of the castle is admitted entry at once. As he rides straight into the courtyard and dismounts he is met by a party of his own men-at-arms led by his wife Enid and his son Wade. Enid throws herself at Arkan and wraps her arms around him.
“Ohh Arkan!” she sobs into his shoulder.
Arkan gently pulls her off him, looks into her eyes and simply asks “What happened?”
“A group of monks arrived seeking shelter last night. Naturally we admitted them. They were discovered at midnight down in the crypt, robbing that strange tomb of its contents. Without warning they exploded into an orgy of violence, trying to fight their way out of the castle. Our men killed six of them although several were wounded in the process.
Wade and I rushed down to see what all the commotion was, only to find ourselves confronted by one of their bodyguards – some sort of foreigner with a huge curved sword. I fear he would have killed the both of us if …. If our son Cain hadn’t arrived and hurled himself at the brute. He bought us enough time for more men-at-arms to arrive and drive them off but …. Oh Arkan, Cain’s dead!”
Sir Cain is Arkan’s oldest son. Arkan’s lined and gray bearded face is completely impassive. “You said six of them were killed – what of the others?”
“Their leader the man they called Simon, one other monk and the two warriors managed to fight their way out. They had the bones from the crypt in a sack. They rode south – I despatched some riders to hunt them down but haven’t heard anything from them yet.”
“I’ll kill them,” says Arkan simply.
“Arkan, you can let us do this,” says Sir Breakius gently. “Your son ….” He trails off, not quite knowing what to say.
Arkan pulls himself up onto his horse and says “There’ll be time enough for grief later. Now is the time for vengeance.”
The knights get fresh horses from Albyn’s famed Anadlusian horse-breeding stables and ride after the murderers. They easily pick up their trail and are so successful that they can also tell that the men-at-arms Enid sent after them went the wrong way.
Just a few scant hours later our knights come upon the fleeing scoundrels. Our heroes have fresh horses and easily close the distance with their prey.
The two bodyguards break off in an attempt to buy the ‘monks’ some time and ride straight at the Salisbury knights, whooping ululating battle cries and twirling their scimitars over their heads. Breakius and Hywel charge at them whilst Owen and Arkan ride on for the monks.
Arkan easily catches up with his opponent. He doesn’t mess around. Riding alongside the miscreant he stands up in his stirrups and brings his cursed sword down in a decapitating chop. The head flies off in a spurt of blood and Arkan notes that it isn’t Simon.
Owen bashes his opponent off his horse and then dismounts to face him fairly. It’s Simon and he brandishes the sack with the bones from the crypt at Owen and yells “With these bones we’ll ensure Simon the Sorcerer rises from the dead and strikes you down!”
What … this guy?” queries Sir Owen.
“No! This guy! Haven’t you ever read the Book of Acts?”
“Did you know that Chris Barrie from Red Dwarf did the voice acting for that game?”
“What!?”
Sir Owen runs Simon through with his sword. “Never mind. It was an anachronistic conversation anyway.”
The two bodyguards are also eventually slain and the party returns to Vagon Castle. The bones (whomever they may belong to) are returned to the crypt and Arkan tends to his family. Sir Breakius the Templar does a bit of research into Simon the Sorcerer (aka Simon Magus). He appears briefly in the New Testament in the book of Acts but is also mentioned in a number of other apocryphal books. Seems as though a cult built up around him who thought he was some sort of messianic figure and who were convinced he was going to return from the dead one day.
The Head of Bran
Later in the year the Head of Bran is dug up with all due pomp and ceremony. Almost all of the Christian church is present as are all of the representatives of the pagan community. A grand tournament is scheduled to take place after the exhumation.
Most of the great and good of the land are present although Marshal Arkan is not here. He’s in a state of mourning and has sent one of his younger sons Sir Dax to represent him.
As the pit is dug deeper and deeper the gathered priests begin chanting an exorcism rite. A fierce wind blows in from the west and lightning rents the sky. Finally the head is uncovered. Volunteers are called for to jump into the pit and tie ropes around the ancient god’s skull so that it can be raised from the earth. Many knights jump into the hole, including Sir Breakius and Sir Dax. Although Bran’s lips don’t move, everyone in the pit hears a deep eldritch voice say “LEAVE ME”. That’s more than enough for most of the knights to scarper but Sir Dax to his credit remains to get the job done.
As the head is raised it begins booming doom laden prophesies about how Britain will fall and how it’s destroyer is already born. Whilst everyone around him quails Arthur stands defiant and says “The land must be held by courage and strength, not old magics. This is the New Age. This the Age of Men.”
Almost at once the storm dies down and the head becomes silent. It is dragged to a nearby bonfire and burned to ashes. Almost immediately Sir Gawaine rides up and announces “My Lord, the Saxons of Anglia have risen up in open rebellion! An Irish army led by King Galeholt has also landed in the north and teamed up with that scoundrel the king of Malahaut and are besieging the city of Surluse in Gorre!”
“I said digging up the head was a bad idea,” mumbles Sir Breakius under his breath.
“I thought you were supposed to be a Christian knight, eh Templar?” mocks Sir Owen.
War With The Irish
The planned tournament is cancelled and Arthur hurries north to Surluse. By the time he arrives there the city has fallen and the Irish retreat within its walls, their turn to become the besieged. However, over a number of days many more Irish arrive and before long their numbers are so huge that the defenders within the city feel bold enough to sally forth and attack Arthur on the field of battle.
The battle is fairly short. After a couple of hours of hard fighting a strange knight in black armour appears amongst the British lines. His skill at arms is outstanding and almost single handily he drives the Irish back within the walls of Surluse, following them inside. The gates close behind him, trapping him within.
Arthur’s army continues besieging the city for a further week before the gates open again and a delegation rides out to meet with Arthur. Amongst the group is the strange black knight.
The leader of the Irish, King Galeholt, says “My lord Arthur, after spending a week in the company of your most excellent vassal here I would like to pledge my allegiance to yourself. Any man who can recruit a hero such as this man is worthy of respect. I propose we work together in the future as one, as brother kings. What say you?”
Arthur thinks for a moment before saying “Agreed. Black knight – I would look upon your face. Remove your helm.”
The black knight removes his helmet and shakes out his golden hair revealing himself to be none other than Sir Lancelot.
*
You can find the previous adventures of the Cardiff Boys on this Geeklist.
-
-
panzer-attack wrote:
The two bodyguards are also eventually slain and the party returns to Vagon Castle. The bones (whomever they may belong to) are returned to the crypt and Arkan tends to his family. Sir Breakius the Templar does a bit of research into Simon the Sorcerer (aka Simon Magus). He appears briefly in the New Testament in the book of Acts but is also mentioned in a number of other apocryphal books. Seems as though a cult built up around him who thought he was some sort of messianic figure and who were convinced he was going to return from the dead one day.
Didn't the bodyguard that killed Caine survive? I thought Arkan took him to his playroom (the torture chamber) in Vagon Castle.
If nothing else the guy probably wishes he were dead.
-
|
|
|
Posted Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:53 pm
