Anno 769, the First Year of the Reign of King Carolus
Winter
Renaud, son of Aymon, was knighted at the winter court by King Carolus himself and presented with the enchanted sword called Froberge by his father. It is said that Sir Maugis won the sword as well as the magic horse, Bayard, from the demon Ranas. He gave the sword to his cousin Sir Aymon, and the horse he gave to his younger cousin himself.
Later that week the king's cousin Bertolai challenges Renaud to a chess match and when he loses the older man strikes the young knight. Renaud protests to the king and demands satisfaction with the sword, but King Carolus denies the enraged man who shouts that all know that it was King Pepin who had Renaud's uncle, Bevis the Enchanter, murdered and that alone entitles him to his vengeance.
Carolus again refuses and the furious Renaud then strikes Bertolai in the back of the head with the chess board that lead to their dispute and then flees from court along with his brothers. Ashamed, Sir Aymon is forced to renounce his sons and chase them from his own hall. It is said that the banished sons fled into the deep Ardennes though no one has seen them since.
At the same time King Carloman and Princess Gerberga of Pavia become engaged. This infuriates Sir Ogier, who feels King Carolus should have requested the lovely princess for himself, instead!
Spring
At the May Field in the city of Tours nobles from across the realm come once more to swear fealty to the new king and to toast to his health. King Carolus holds dominion over the north of the realm and his brother reigns in the south. Aquitaine is part of the north, but Duke Hunold denies any oath to the Franks.
Enraged, King Carolus promises the Duke war, but he finds no aid from King Carloman who is content to let his brother suffer the insult alone.
The King also sends word to Sir Maugis to attend him and become Court Magician just as the great Merlin served King Arthur. But Maugis refuses for the King has defamed the House of Mayence by banishing Renaud and failing to right the murder of his father Bevis. Carolus is irate but the magician's insult must wait until the rebel Duke is crushed.
So King Carolus calls on his vassals, and Duke Theirry is among those who answer.
The Duke of Ardennes calls up the soldiers of his realm and manages a host of 100 sworn knights and 1000 men-at-arms to serve the king's justice. He departs at once with the first half of the army and commands the second half, which is weeks longer to muster, to follow along under the command of Sir Egier of the Gate.
June
The rest of the knights arrive and the final mercenaries are assembled when terrible news reaches Bastogne. The rebel sons of Aymon have been seen in the company of a terrible knight with a wolf's helm set with a gleaming, emerald. They have appeared from the deep forest along unknown paths and are raiding villages in the east.
To the dismay of the cousins that can only mean Sir Dagobert has fallen under the spell of the Jewel. But whereas before the Ogress Gisele controlled the Jewel Knigh,t what sorcerer could possibly command it in her place? Suspicion falls on quickly on Sir Maugis despite him last being seen 100 leagues away in Paris.