[Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Pendragon: Tales of Chivalry and Sorcery is the place to go if you want to play Pendragon. Cpt._Funkotron will be your GM, with assistance from CarrieVS.

[Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Cpt._Funkotron » Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:26 am

The Cast of Player-Characters, ranked in order of Glory at the end of the previous adventure year.


Sir Arcadia of Winterstream, Chatelaine of Ebble - Glory 2,845
APP 8, SIZ 14. Female, Pagan. Age: 26.
Has short red hair and an otherwise beautiful face marred by an old burn scar on half of it.
Famous trait: Vengeful.
Maintenance: Rich
Wife to Sir Amig, Lord of Ebble.

Sir Terwynn of Larksnest, in exile from the court of Salisbury - Glory 2,693
APP 15, SIZ 13. Female, Pagan. Age 23
Features - Blonde, has a nice smile.
Famous Trait: Worldly
Maintenance: Ordinary
Widow to and murderess of Sir Jaradan of Knife Oak.

Sir Caius Persidius Pacilus, called Persidius of Wayford. Court Champion of Sir Roderick, Earl Salisbury. - Glory 2,531
APP 14, SIZ 15. Male, Roman Christian. Age 23
Olive skin and an aquiline nose.
Famous Trait: Forgiving
Maintenance: Rich
Husband to Lady Adwen of Pillarford.

Sir Bleddyn of Barleyfield - Glory 1,953
APP 16, SIZ 11. Male, British Christian. Age: 23
He has a scar across his nose and suffers from a mild stammer.
Famous Trait: Suspicious
Maintenance: Ordinary
Husband to Lady Llewella of Imber

Sir Eliver of Woodford - Glory 1,684
APP 10, SIZ 10. Male, Roman Christian. Age: 24
He has expressive green eyes, and favors his left hand whenever possible.
Famous Trait: Energetic.
Maintenance: Rich

Sir Miles of Wylye - Glory 1,426
APP 9, SIZ 17. Male, Pagan. Age: 22
Famous Trait: Merciful
Maintenance: Basic

Sir Elspeth of Durnford - Glory 1,167
APP 12, SIZ 11. Female, Pagan. Age: 22
Ambidextrous
Famous Trait: Reckless
Maintenance: Ordinary


--

Year 487

The green has passed to red and brown, and the red and brown to grey and white. The harvest behind them, the Britons wrap themselves tight and shutter themselves in against the freezing winter winds.

---

It is said that Praetor Sygarius of Gaul has paid visit to both the King of Cornwall and Malahaut, pleading for an army with which to beat back the Franks. He hasn't had any more luck there than he had at the court of Uther.

Although Prince Madoc and Duke Ulfius claimed great victories in the eastern war, battles won, chieftains killed, treasures claimed, little of strategic value was truly accomplished. More longships line the coast with each changing tide. The chief among them, a man called Aethelswith, has declared himself the King of the 'Eastern Saxons', shortened in their tongue to "Essex".

Against the pleadings of his mother the Lady Pomponia, Sir Lucius of Caercolun, the Young Duke, a boy of only twelve, personally sallied his army out against the Saxon invaders in October, but fell foul of an ambush and was slain without mercy.

Thousands of Britons in the southern half of the dukedom, where Aethelswith now claims sovereignty, have fled, been enslaved, or killed. The bulk of the poor souls with worthy trades have settled in the City of Londinium, or nearby in the town of Southwark. The rest find work or lodging elsewhere in the Thames Valley or beyond, some as far afield as Sarum.

Apart from a rumor of some business in Salisbury with a giant and a nukalavee, no one has heard from or seen the wizard Merlin.

---


In times such as these, King Uther Pendragon is seldom stationary, and wherever he roams, the royal court, also known as the King's Eyre, follows him. In point of fact, Logres does not have a fixed capitol of any kind; the seat of government is always wherever the King and his Eyre happen to be sitting at the moment. Unless directed otherwise by an emergency or seized by a sudden flight of fancy, the Eyre follows a scheduled and orderly tour of the kingdom known as the Royal Progress, plotted a year in advance at a time, hundreds of guards and courtiers riding from castle to castle, making local inspections, hearing local pleas, and feeding itself from local hands. This regal, gargantuan, and perpetual procession consists of over four hundred souls and at least as many beasts at a given time, half that alone consisting of the King's Guard.

It pleases the King to winter this year in Salisbury. The Christmas feast of Sir Roderick is always a grand affair, but to play host to the King's Eyre, it is something otherworldly.

The Great Hall has hardly enough room for more than two hundred revelers at once, so upon your arrival, the city itself is teaming with new life in the dead of winter, knights squires and courtiers from all over the kingdom merrily stalk the alleyways wrapped in warm cloaks, colorful lanterns have been set up over every door, the taverns overflow into the streets, both monestaries and the cathedral all alternately offer up their choir's music, filling all the city with it. It is as if, momentarily, the troubles of the outside world are forgotten.

The castle proper is packed from postern to foregate, with the ordinary motley crew of servants, squires, footsoldiers, and officers, more than doubled to include those of the king. The hall itself is reserved only for men and women of distinction, and the great door is watched over by a mountain of a man of Uther's known as Sir Moneval, whose charge it is to keep it that way. Upon entering, each guest is announced by the herald, with a stomping of a staff and a shouting of the name. Inside are sat in order of precedence the King himself, in Roderick's throne, beside the Earl and his family, the rest of the head table filled with privy councilors including most notably the Crown Prince Sir Madoc, the Marshal Duke Ulfius, the Chancellor Abbot John, and the Chamberlain Brother Hugh, the lower tables packed with Peers of the Realm both low and great centering clusters of knightly guards, followed by the vassals and officers of Earl Roderick, followed by the knights of his Household, followed lastly by the knights of the King's Guard. Ladies (including some of your's wives, Adwen, Llewella, etc.) and Pages are also in attendance, but they do not sit, they are instead obliged to serve the knights. This is not seen as a degrading charge, merely a facet of the pomp and circumstance of the proceedings.

You are free to interact with each other or the court as you see fit.
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Last edited by Cpt._Funkotron on Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Kivutar » Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:58 pm

Miles pays Eliver a visit in December, staying at Woodford for a few days before they travel to Sarum together. They arrive earlier than most from Salisbury, although on their first day in Sarum, the castle is already crowded with Uther’s entourage.

Late that night, Miles manages to purloin a jar of his favourite, mead. He sits on a bench in a corner of the hall, and, between swigs, regales a gaggle of small pages (who really ought to be asleep) with a slightly hyperbolic rendition of the events of the previous year.

Eliver spots Miles sitting in a corner and apparently enjoying himself. He heads over, to find his friend describing their fight against the nucklavee last spring, and sits down beside him.

"That was quite a fight. But don't forget about the most fearsome monster of all: so terrible it was that the noble and valorous Sir Rufon was prostrated with fright before it, here in this very hall!" He grins at the youngsters and leaves it to Miles to explain.

Miles does not explain. Instead, he giggles and throws an arm around Eliver’s shoulders.

“This fellow defeated it, though. That’s a story for tomorrow, eh? Now run along, all of you!”

As the pages reluctantly scatter, Miles turns to Eliver, and looks at him for a long moment. “Glad you’re here,” he mumbles. “El - you have beautiful eyes, anyone ever told you that?”

Suddenly he pulls Eliver close, very close, and whispers in his ear. “Eliver, you’re so beautiful.”

Eliver is too astonished to say anything for a moment - did he really hear what he thought he heard? - but he thinks fast. He shrugs out from Miles’ embrace and stands up, not daring to meet his eyes. “You’re not making any sense, Miles. Maybe you should go a bit easier on the drink.”

He turns his back and walks away. Looking around, he spies Gwiona in a different part of the hall, and goes over to her, putting on a cheerful smile as though nothing’s happened. He talks to her for a while, though he finds it difficult to concentrate.




Miles sits frozen and stares after the retreating Eliver. He waits a few moments, in case he turns around, but no, Eliver is chatting happily with that girl.

The full realization of what happened cuts through the fog in his brain. He’s ruined everything.

As soon as he can get to his feet, he heads to the door and stumbles out of the hall.




Could Miles really have meant what it had seemed like he did? Surely he wouldn’t have said such a thing right here in the hall, where anyone could have been watching. But in vino veritas, and mead was practically the same thing... But then perhaps he’d only meant to pay him an affectionate compliment but had misspoken - perhaps he really had been more drunk than he appeared, and not known what he was talking about. By the time El ventures to glance in his direction, hoping to see some clue to Miles’ real intention, the big knight has vanished from the hall.

This is a collaborative post, and hence contains both of our actions. So go thumb Carrie or Miles will joust you.
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Cpt._Funkotron » Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:09 am

I have edited the topic post to include what I was meaning to write, consider this candle officially lit. If people don't feel like doing stuff I'll give it 36 hours from the dropping of this reply before I start moving time forward again.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby sunglasses » Sun Oct 01, 2017 6:45 pm

Bleddyn fretted as Llewella poured him a beer.

His mother insisted that she'd be just fine on her feet while pregnant and that she wasn't made of glass. Still...

He smiled nervously as he looked about the throngs of people.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby CarrieVS » Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:13 pm

Eliver wakes early, as he usually does, in spite of the dark December morn. He had not seen Miles again the previous evening, and his friend had made sure to lay his blankets down where there was no room for Eliver to choose a place near him. In the cold light of dawn it seems fanciful that Miles could have meant what he thought he meant. Maybe it was just a mistake, and he’s offended by Eliver’s rudeness - as well he might be. El simply has to find out the truth of it, and make things right between them if he can.

Once it’s light enough to see and late enough not to arouse the ire of disturbed sleepers, he goes looking for him again. It’s clear he’s not in the hall, so he ventures outside, drawing his cloak around him against the falling snow.



Miles has been avoiding people in general and Eliver very much in particular. Eliver finally tracks him down behind the stables, with no one else in sight.

When he spots Eliver, he looks for a moment as if he wants to run away, but instead opens his mouth and closes it a few times.

Finally he says, “I’ve been trying to think of some words for a while, Eliver, but I can’t find any. I don’t know if you can forgive me, but please - for the sake of whatever friendship we’ve had - don’t tell anyone else. I’m so sorry.”

He makes an attempt to look Eliver in the eye, but stops short.

“So you did mean... what I thought you meant?”

Miles just hangs his head.

Eliver looks around him, making doubly certain they are alone. “Miles, I would kiss you,” he laughs, briefly, “but I can’t reach!”

Miles’ head jerks up. Hardly daring to breathe, he reaches out slowly to touch Eliver’s cheek. Then, suddenly, he steps forward and gathers Eliver into his arms, lifting him entirely into the air.

The gap between their lips turns out to be quite easy to breach, after all.


This is a joint production, so go thumb Kiv too if you think it deserves upvotes.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Scarik » Mon Oct 02, 2017 1:30 am

The Persidii make the most of their time and arrive at noon of Second Advent after lighting the Candle of Bethlehem at Wayford and then going to sleep to be rested for the ride. Caius at least meant to go straight to sleep but Adwen insists upon him performing his duties regardless of circumstance so in the morning he's more tired than he intended.

He insists his house arrive as one unit as well so the vassals arrive at Wayford to join his two household knights and then they ride on to Sarum. With five knights and their consorts, squires and maids as well as pages and grooms its thirty people covering the short miles from the manor to the city.

When they arrive its hard not to marvel at the crowd that has come. It will be some effort to enjoy it all with everyone about jostling for space, but as a vassal lord and his liege's champion Persidius at least knows he will have a good seat.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Cpt._Funkotron » Fri Oct 20, 2017 5:29 am

The winter-time revelries proceed more or less as they do every year, excepting a more lavish grade of foods and guests, and a marked shortage of elbow room. Since dancing is out of the question, the greatest shuffling of feet comes in the annual ceremonies of gift-giving. First, the servants, officers, and landless knights of Sir Roderick's personal court cue down the length of the hall in a serpentine around the fire-pits, at the far end receiving new clothes and other small gifts beside as fit one's rank and service. Next, the gargantuan Eyre of Uther does the same thing. After all others have passed, Prince Madoc steps up before the dais and there his father presents him a shimmering suit of newly wrought armor with a silver-inlaid helmet to match. Furthermore, Uther names his son Baron Windsor, making a grant of that same castle and a dozen fat fiefs along the Thames to go with it. This ending, it is then the barons' turn to give gifts to the king. Roderick brings forth a cloak of white bear fur, imported from the frozen lands beyond the northern sea. The other present barons follow him. Again going last, Prince Madoc calls for his servants, and ten retainers bearing great chests between them file into the great hall, and lay them in a semicircle behind him. On his signal, they are all thrown open to reveal that they are full of treasure, no doubt looted from the saxons. There is one chest of silver coins, another of gold. One of plates and goblets, another of jewels, a third of fine silk and samite. He then takes from a squire a rolled up bolt of cloth and unfurls it on the ground in front of himself like a carpet; it is the battle standard of a Saxon earl. The King descends and walks among the treasures, admiring them. He then begins taking things and fondly pressing them into the hands of guests, his vassals first and then the crowd in general. A gold necklace to one, a bolt of silk to another, etc. Each of his household knights receives two handfuls of silver, each of the visiting knights (you lot) receives a fistful of gold (£1). There is still quite a lot of treasure left when the king returns to his throne, left out in the open to be marveled at, hardly in any danger of being stolen. The feasting more or less resumes.

Not five minutes later, the doors blow open and every fire in the hall is snuffed out at once.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby sunglasses » Fri Oct 20, 2017 1:04 pm

"W-who t-tturned out th-the c-candles?"
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Scarik » Fri Oct 20, 2017 7:32 pm

Persidius joins the eager cheer at the king's generosity, "Ave rex!" And he is one of many who jostles forward to marvel at the riches on display. With such a bounty from the campaign it is clear that a significant blow was struck against the invaders.

When the lights go out he keeps one hand on his dagger and the other on Adwen so that they don't get separated in the dark, "Stay close, my lady," he says to her while keeping as best a watch as he can in the circumstances.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Cpt._Funkotron » Fri Nov 17, 2017 8:10 am

Just as soon as they had burst open, the doors can be heard to slam shut again, the howling winter winds suddenly muffled again. A single flame at the end of a staff illuminates the face of its wielder, robed with long braided beard.

The hall is in total silence, until the newcomer speaks.

"Sorry about that" he says nonchalantly.

The wizard walks forth, illuminating the awestruck revelers as he passes them. He reaches the foot of the dais where all the grand gifts have been lain, raising his staff over each of the treasures to see them better. "Presenting Merlin the Magician" comes the belated announcement of the herald at the far end, almost inaudible from a lack of enthusiasm, not that the Archdruid wasn't already known to all present. Merlin addresses Uther.

"Gold and Silver. Jewels and Silks from far distant lands. Surely these are gifts right and worthy for a true king. Surely no king in or without of Prydain has set as high as you, not even the Emperors of Rome! Yet there is one thing that you lack. The best king must have the best of everything. Is this not so? One who would unite our fair islands in peace surely deserves all that will give him victory, does he not?" both questions meet audible but nonverbal affirmation from the crowd.

"I bring a gift of my own for the gracious sovereign, but first, a gift for all. Something best suited for these frostbitten tides, all the better for crowding around the fire with food and drink. A tale of great deeds and great perils!"

The wizard casts his hand above his head and begins to gesture, pulling the tendrilling smoke from the extinguished fires swirling above him. The smoke changes color and takes shape, forming figures and faces, trees and rivers. He tells a tale of Water and Blood, of a patrol of knights, calling them out by name, who he tricked into slaying a giant, and led into a forest of magic, beyond the perils of a cursed river, to the sacred lake where they bested the dread nukalavee. He keeps the nature of his dealings at the lake secret until the very end.

"It is from the hands of that lady that I bring you this gift. Held by kings from the dawn of time, forged by the gods of old when the world was young..."

He reaches from inside his robe and pulls out a sword of great beauty and power, shining in the dim hall, raising it upright over his head.

"EXCALIBUR: THE SWORD OF VICTORY!" he declares.

Gasps and mutterings fill the hall, followed by a round of applause.

Merlin lowers the sword and approaches Uther, kneeling before him and presenting the sword to him. "For the High King". The King takes it in hand, and admires its beauty. He gets a gleam in his eye, looking over to Sir Ulfius beside him and saying, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I think it's high time we paid visit to our friends in the north, wouldn't you agree?" which relieves a few dark chuckles. "Salisbury, I trust we can rely on your company?" he asks Roderick. "Of course" he replies.

"This is an occasion for celebration if any there was one. For God's sake, someone get those fires going again, and bring more wine!" this is met with cheers and the feasting resumes as before. Merlin can be seen whispering something to Sir Roderick, who then looks over at the player-knights and smiles, nodding.

Two sub-camps seem to emerge in the hall once the eating has subsided, one among the Earls and Dukes discussing the embassy north, the other centered around Prince Madoc, who plans to launch a naval raid of the Saxon coast.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Scarik » Sat Nov 18, 2017 11:02 pm

Persidius prefers to follow the Earl north, though if a sizable contingent of Salisbury knights were to go with Sir Madoc he thinks perhaps he could be made their captain. Until the way his companions think becomes clear he keeps his own counsel.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby KleinerKiller » Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:39 am

Arcadia, though heavily pregnant and merely hoping that she'll give -- and survive -- birth before any action kicks off, is always aching to kill some Saxons. Doing it via a naval raid just makes the idea even more appealing. She will follow her companions if they all decide to follow the Earl, but she hopes at least the majority of them feel the same way as her.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby KryingKraken » Sun Nov 19, 2017 8:18 am

Elspeth, although intrigued by the idea of following the Earl, feels strongly inclined towards the naval raid. Her thirst for recklessness and naval exploits weighs heavily on her mind; to top it off, she could use some combat practice against the Saxons. She will proudly stand by her decision, even if it places her in the minority.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby sunglasses » Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:13 pm

Bleddyn would follow Roderick.
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Re: [Pendragon RP] 487 Adventure - "Sword of Victory"

Postby Kivutar » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:35 pm

Once he realizes that the spectacle is only Merlin's theatrics, Miles relaxes. His head is whirling from the events of that morning, and the pomp of the court seems almost unreal in comparison.

When the revellers begin to drift to different sides of the hall, Miles looks at Eliver. He doesn't much care with whom he spends the evening, as long as the little knight is by his side.
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