Stories with Dice
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Stories with Dice
The Sword Campaign S1 E13: A Pendragon Actual Play Podcast
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While en route to a Council of Peace in St. Albans, our Salisbury knights free Lady Morgan from the hollow of a giant tree, vanquishing its enchanted guardian, the Ivy Knight. Upon their arrival, whispers of treachery abound, hinting at plots that could imperil Salisbury and beyond. Amid the intrigue, Lady Ygraine unveils a long-hidden truth: King Arthur is the son of Uther Pendragon.
Pendragon Theme by AleXZavesa via Pixabay
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Welcome to Stories with Dice.
Welcome to Stories with Dice
SPEAKER_04This is the Sword Campaign, a Pendragon actual play podcast using the sixth edition starter set from Chaosium. If you're enjoying our actual plays, please subscribe to Stories with Dice so you never miss an episode. Don't forget to rate and review us, it really helps others discover the podcast. Follow us on social media to stay updated, share your thoughts, and join the conversation. You'll find the relevant links in the description of each episode. Last time, on the Sword Campaign, Sir Ian met a noble end in the blood soaked battle of Bedugrain. At his funeral, King Arthur vowed to do all he could to bring an end to the wars of the last two years. During the winter phase in Salisbury, Sir Caradoc celebrated the birth of twin sons. Sir Histelwin defended his father in law against accusations of tax evasion, and we were introduced to Sir Nigel, a young knight who helped repel a Saxon raid. As the year five hundred eleven drew to a close, a raven appeared to our three knights and a mysterious voice asked, What do you
A New Year Begins
SPEAKER_04seek? Okay, we are back with Pendragon Sword Campaign Episode thirteen. For us it's a happy new year. It's the first time we've been back since the holidays. And I'm I am joined as always by my friends Ed playing Sir Nigel. Hello and Pete playing Sir Shistowin and Tony playing Sir Caradoc. Hello, happy new year, everyone. Happy New Year. Okay, so one question actually for you guys before we begin. So have you told anyone about the voice that asked you what do you seek? Like have you told Count Robert or any anyone in in the household?
SPEAKER_00I probably would have spoken to Sir Hiselin and asked if this is something probably to do with the gods, as we share the same religion, that would make sense. I suppose I would look at any kind of signs that they were about at the same sort of time as that. I mean obviously there was the raven, which is Yeah. I I guess I I other than that, I probably wouldn't tell anyone else. I've got no one else to really kind of speak to. And I I know that while we have different religions, I appreciate that they don't necessarily like it as much as we do.
SPEAKER_01Pete? Well, having noted that the raven was present in the previous vision, yeah, I'd probably keep it just between me and my fellow knights.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think I would take it as something very spiritual because for me I was lost in this mist or this place. So this is what is probably pushing me now to become more spiritual person and got me closer to, you know, Christianism in a way. So I would keep it between
The Council of Peace
SPEAKER_05me and my God.
SPEAKER_04Okay, you got it. Alright, so once again the lights dim in our cinema of the imagination and a title card fades into view on the screen. five twelve AD The Boy King struggles to unite the realm. After the Battle of Bedigrane, a council of peace is set at St. Albans, the sacred site where Arthur drew the sword from the stone. Whispers from the court of Carleon tell of Queen Morgos, wife of King Lot, visiting Arthur's court last summer without her husband, a gesture that raised many eyebrows. The Queen's beauty and charm captured the boy king's attention, fueling rumors of a relationship closer than propriety allows. As the seasons pass, news spreads that she is with child. Meanwhile, in Saint Albans, Duchess Egraine, the widow of Uther Pendragon, tells a tale that has drawn many. She claims that on the night her first husband, the Duke of Cornwall, died in battle, Uther, disguised as the Duke, conceived a child with her, a child taken by Merlin. And the text dissolves into a wide shot of a winding Roman
Whispers of the Past
SPEAKER_04road. The camera pans across the landscape, revealing our Salisbury knights riding alongside Count Robert on their journey to Saint Albans. Overhead clouds gather, heavy with the promise of rain, the low rumble of distant thunder, a warning of what may come. At sunset your squires set up camp in a clearing beside the old Roman road. The rest of you gather around the fire they built, the warmth pushing back the evening chill. Nearby stands a massive tree, larger than any other. Its thick gnarled trunk is split at the base, forming a dark hollow. And the evening is quiet, save for the crackle of your fire. And then Count Robert gestures at the road. Over there is where Oswolf trayed and murdered the knights that squire you. Can you believe how far we've come since then and the price we've had to pay? Has it been too high?
SPEAKER_01No, my lord, the price is the price that needs to be paid. We are sworn to fulfil our oaths and that is what we will do.
SPEAKER_05It's our duty. It's part of our our devotion to your Count Robert. And I'm sure that our you know these knights would agree with us. They're in a better place now.
SPEAKER_00I agree. That is what we do. We we we pay a price for following and being part of, I guess, the way of things. That's a lot. Do you not wish there were another way? I I I suppose it if if our friends and and family were were still here, that would be wonderful. But then in the great in the great order of things, some people have to die for others to be born again. And so with without without the suffering and the pain, we wouldn't have the love, we wouldn't have the joy. If we follow the cycles of nature, the the large tree, I point to the large tree, you know, will wither and die, and and from it will come small saplings, uh which will grow bigger and larger. That is the way of things.
SPEAKER_04What you say sounds like wisdom to my ears, but I fear this heart of mine has already grown weary of battle. Forgive me, I I I I do not know where my head is. I hope you are right. Perhaps you are. And then he yawns. Good night. I will see you in the morn. And he he goes off to the to his tent. The warmth of the crackling fire is a a shield against the chill of the night, and before long Count Robert's snores are punctuating the pop and hiss of your campfire, and then you see a mist coiling along the ground, swirling around the edges of your firelight, and Sakaradoc a golden cross of radiant light appears, suspended in the air before that old tree with the gaping hollow in its
A Test of Faith
SPEAKER_04trunk. Its brilliance pierces the shadowed grove, and within its warmth you feel a weight settle upon you, a solemnity, as though God Himself has chosen this moment to reveal His will, and you hear a booming voice What you seek is within you, my son and you can feel in your heart that what comes next is a trial that will test your faith. Sir Histowin and Sir Nigel, you do not see this cross of light. Instead, the hollow of the ancient tree glows with an otherworldly green light. The whispers of unseen voices rise from the earth itself, a low chorus that says what you seek is all around you, bound in root and stone. And you can feel in your hearts a sense that what comes next will challenge your connections to the earth and the old ways. And then all three of you see a knight lurching out of the hollow of the tree. At first glance he seems like any other warrior, but as he moves you see the truth. No flesh lies beneath his male armor, twisting ivy threads through every joint and seam, holding the armor together in an unnatural mockery of life. The vines writhe and tighten. Moss clings to his helm, but there's no face within, only darkness and the shifting green of ivy. In one hand the ivy knight grips a battered shield, and in the other he raises a rusty sword and salute, the gesture accompanied by the groan of twisting vines. A challenger the ivy knight cries, his voice a grating rasp, like branches snapping in the wind. Come, have at me, and win the freedom of the Druidus if you can. So I need all of you to make a valorous test for me. Ooh. At a negative two.
SPEAKER_00A negative two. Okay. I need a seventeen. And I seem to have rolled yep. I got a fourteen. No, I got a That's a success. I've got twelve.
SPEAKER_05Which is a success for me.
SPEAKER_00Yep. So I succeeded.
SPEAKER_04Okay, you have all succeeded. We're not gonna run away. You are not gonna run away. You also will get up plus five to your first to a skill roll in this encounter. So as the ivy knight steps forward, you can see a woman within the hollow of the tree. Her limbs are tangled in thick vines that coil around her arms and legs like shackles. Sir Histolin and Sir Karadoc, you recognize her. She is the very woman whose magic had opened the ley line for you, the woman who told you she was a student of Merlin's. And you can and you hear her cry out to you, I I helped you in your hour of need.
SPEAKER_02Help I have been trapped here since we stepped through the ley line. Please, please, the tree appears only for an hour at sunset once a year. Help me before
The Ivy Knight Appears
SPEAKER_02I am lost again.
SPEAKER_04So everyone decide your we're just gonna jump right into combat, folks. Everyone decide your combat action.
SPEAKER_05I was taken by the Golden Cross. You know, my spirituality was invigorated by this view. But then when I saw this knight appear, this fake of life, this undead being, I think I just jump to fight it because I feel like this is what my God wants to do. Like uh you know it's a it's an affront to to to my god you know this is not the way that we resurrect. Yes, ex yes, exactly. So I will basically charge. I will just unsheathe my sword and say, get away from from you mockery of life, and I just charge. Okay. No shield or anything, just with my with my the my you know, I just stand up and go with my sword like two-handed.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Guess we'll we'll we'll follow Sicarodot. Well, I don't want to speak for you, Sir Illustrated.
SPEAKER_04So the there's a mounted charge, but I don't see a charge for when you're unmounted, so doesn't matter. It's just I charge. Right. So uh is this a reckless attack or is this just a regular attack?
SPEAKER_05I no no, it's well thought, but just I just jump immediately and I ran towards him and I would just hit him with my sword.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00And the rest of you are doing the same, just a regular attack? Yeah, yeah, I'm just gonna do a regular attack. I'm not gonna be I don't I I I so carry not leading the charge, so I guess I'll try and flank them if that is something I can do, other than that.
SPEAKER_04Yes. And Ed, can you remind me, because I have forgotten, it's been like a few weeks now, with the holidays and and that one week where you were sick. What is the modifier for when you're attacking most of uh uh plus five? So it's plus five for you guys and negative five for per person, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So per person. Yep, yep. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so let's start with Sukeradoc. So Sukeradoc, give me your sword skill, and uh you can roll it right from the combat tab, it should be working now. Famous last words.
SPEAKER_05Uh attack. Do I have the plus five bonus now?
SPEAKER_04Yes. And you have a plus five bonus from from the Valorous roll that you made, so plus ten.
SPEAKER_05So then. Yep. Okay. So I roll die.
SPEAKER_04And then yep, and now I will roll. So he gets a negative five, Ed, or a negative ten?
SPEAKER_00Uh no, so it's for every person that he's in combat with. Technically, he'd be at minus ten. Minus ten, yep. Okay. It wants to be all engaged, I suppose.
SPEAKER_04So good enough. Okay. So Karadoc, you are this you have succeeded, and the Ivy Knight has a partial success, so he gets to use his shield. Roll your damage, please. It should say right there, you should see a button right there in the chat window that says roll damage. Yep. Okay. And just rolling 29. 29. Holy smokes. All right. That is a knockdown.
SPEAKER_05Let me roll my dexterity. You see all these points that I spent on size and the strength is paying off.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's right. Alright. He has not been knocked down. Sir Nigel, give me your attack, please.
SPEAKER_00Okay. That's uh I'm a bit more of a defensive fighter, so I'm gonna pick up my shield and go and wank him. So I need the note, I need an 18, I got a 14, so I've succeeded. Okay. Roll your damage. You should see that roll damage. Yep. So I roll for damage, and he gets twenty damage.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_00Could have gone better, but yeah.
SPEAKER_04Wow.
SPEAKER_00You guys have done quick work of this fella. Well, he's an abomination. He is not exactly abomination. Yes.
SPEAKER_04He is abominable. Oh, we'd have to we help some fair maiden as well, apparently. He is an abomination. You've left nothing for Sir Histelwind. So the two of you have have knocked this abomination to the ground, and you've sort of he's he's just hits the ground lifeless, and the the the the vines wither that are inside the suit of armor, and you hear this little hiss and thank you.
Rescuing the Druidess
SPEAKER_04So Histolin, how do you react?
SPEAKER_01I I see it going down. My companions have obviously got this in hand. So I'll carry on running past towards the tree.
SPEAKER_04Okay, yeah. So you Yeah, so in the in the tree you you see that druidess that you had met the year before. I imagine you free her of her bonds. Yep, well hacker anything that's holding her down and Yep, and so you you help her step out of the tree hollow. Oh thank you. Thank you, Sir Histoline. Your debt is now repaid. When I and if she looks at you, Sir Karadoc, when I when I offered the ley line to you, I was unaware of the spriggin curse that was bound to you, sir. Please forgive me against its power, I could not prevent it from pulling you into the other world and ensnaring me here.
SPEAKER_05It is nothing you could have done about it. I myself was partly aware of it, for put you know.
SPEAKER_04So you are the the the three of you each get, by the way, sixty-six glory before I I will forget by the end of the adventure. So sixty-six glory each of you. Well actually, I guess just the two of you since Sir Histowind did nothing.
SPEAKER_00No, I mean he he rescued the the fair maiden, surely that's got plenty glory to uh yeah, you know what?
SPEAKER_04Let's let's see what rescuing a fair maiden gets you, actually. Which I'm sure I'm sure it gives you something. Or or or a witch, right, exactly.
SPEAKER_01Sorry, channel links her in there. She was she was always going to be the priority for me anyway, that that smile. Yeah. And the curbs.
SPEAKER_00Are you married now, Sir Historin? Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but she is very beautiful. Fifty glory for freeing her, Sir Histel. And by the way, your your liege lord is still snoring his life away, completely unaware of what is just what has just transpired. And so Morgan Lady Morgan says, Where where are you where are your travels taking you?
SPEAKER_01Uh we're heading to St.
SPEAKER_04Albans for the uh the police tools. I've been I have been trapped for so long I I am unaware of recent events. There are there is a council of peace. That is good news. Hi. Yes. Might I accompany you?
SPEAKER_01Uh well yeah, it would be amiss of us to uh allow you to uh travel alone in these dangerous woods.
SPEAKER_04You're too kind, Sir Istelwin, thank you. So you offer her one of your horses, one of your spare horses, you know, in the in the morning when when you resume your travels. So the the I guess there's a question of where she's gonna spend the night. Do you only have tents for the three of you and your squires?
SPEAKER_00Happy to let her have my tent, and I
Journey to St. Albans
SPEAKER_00will set up like a little lean to under the tree or something and just Okay. Very kind of you, Sir Nigel.
SPEAKER_04So yeah, so she'll she'll take your tent. So the rest of the night goes by uneventfully. And just oh by the way, the for the folks at home and for those who are curious about the game, the Ivy Knight came courtesy of the Companions of Arthur series from Drive Thru RPG. The book is called Tree Hazardous, and it has a bunch of different challenges in it. One of them was The Ivy Knight, and that was written by Helen and Ash. And then the advertisement is over, and now we resume back to our game. Just wanted to give the shout-out to Helen and Ash. Okay, so you resume your journeys in the following day, and the Druid S rides alongside you. You're making your way down the road to St. Albans, the sky is still heavy with clouds, and you still hear that low rumble of thunder in the distance, though it there's it hasn't rained yet. And several days go by and the road winds through thick forests and open fields. You pass towns and little villages, and they offer you their hospitality, and you stay in these places for the night. And then after about a week of travel, the road enters a valley scattered with the ruins of a Roman city, crumbling walls and tumble-down stones that are riddled with moss and ivy. And then the hamlet of St. Albans comes into view. And it's a cluster of, you know, you've you've some of you have been here before, it's a cluster of fast cottages spread out around the old Roman ruins. And in the fields beyond, you see some brightly colored tents and banners that are fluttering in the breeze. These are the lords and knights from across the kingdom of Logris that have come drawn not only by Lady Eggrane's story, but by the promise of the Council of Peace. And you dismount, you you leave your squires to tend to your horses. A crowd of lords, knights, and common folk have all gathered on the knoll where Arthur drew the sword from the stone two years ago. The large stone is still blanketed in moss. It stands at the center of the gathering, which has now sort of been treated as a shrine, and around it there are offerings, candles, flowers, small tokens scattered about, a blend of Christians. Christian and pagan symbols, and at the base of the stone, Egraine dressed in a nun's habit. Sir Karadoc and Sir Histawin, you recognize her from she's one of the nuns from Amesbury Abbey. She sits on an old wooden bench beside the beside that stone that the that Excalibur had been in, and her voice is steady as she recounts the night of Uther's deception and the child stolen by Merlin. And Lady Morgan approaches Egraine and says, Hello, mother. And the two of them have a moment together. It appears that they haven't seen one another in a few years. Stand there with my mouth open.
SPEAKER_00Huh? Mother? I I look at Sir Istwin and Sir Carinar, because they obviously know who she is, whereas I'm just new to Right.
SPEAKER_04Well, you you know if you know of Egrain, the wife of Uther Pendragon, and you would probably know as a Knight of Salisbury that when he died she became a nun at Ainsbury Abbey, at Amesbury Abbey, mostly for protection. Right. Right. You know, the king had been had been killed, and we all know what happens to unfortunately what happens to the queen when the king has been killed, and chaos reigns in the kingdom. So yeah, she'll she went to Amesbury Abbey and became a nun. But you've probably never seen her before, yeah. Yeah. The other two, Sir Teradox or Histown?
SPEAKER_05Well, we should go and pay our respects to Eglain, don't you think? Sir Islawin? Uh certainly. We I guess we come closer, but we keep the distance by Eglain and Horgain are talking. I don't want to be disrespectful. But when this ends with approach with Sir Estalwin.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. So they have a moment, mother and daughter. There's a little standoffishness sort of between them. You get the sense maybe their relationship isn't so great. But you know, after a moment, Lady Morgan steps back and and you see your opening to approach.
SPEAKER_05It's the morning, right?
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_05You're right in the morning. Good morning, uh, Lady Migrane. Hey Eagle. Nice meeting you. Again. It's been a moment, I think, since we last met. Many things have happened to us, as you might have heard. We are happy to pay our respects with Celeste Wynn.
SPEAKER_02Oh yes, yes.
SPEAKER_04You you came to Amesbury Abbey. Yes. I remember that was so long ago now.
SPEAKER_05It is like several years now. I think two years perhaps have come by. We are both married now. We have our kids are growing. And helping. Thank you so much. And you're helping now King Arthur with our count with Count Robert as our lease. And we are here for the discussions that the High Lords are gonna have today. I guess you will be taking part of this.
SPEAKER_04I I I will t I will I will take what what what part is asked of me. My life is different to now. I I I have no desire to step into the politics of the kingdom, but I do look forward to seeing King Arthur arrive. Sir Fistelwin, your squire, Neb, hurries up to your side, and there's like this fear in his on his face, and he leans in to you and he whispers, Sir, what what what what while I was stabling the horses I overheard Sir Blaine's speaking with your father-in-law. As we as we stand here, his men his men are raiding Salisbury. And the boy is trembling. And he points over toward a half crumbled, ivy covered pillar, and you follow where he's pointing, and you can see your father-in-law deep in conversation with Sir Blaine's at the edge of the gathered crowd. And uh their expressions are tense, it looks like they might be having some words. Right.
SPEAKER_01I will head over there, but with a sunny disposition on my face, as if there is no worries in the world, as if I'm about to just greet my my father-in-law. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so you you make your way through the crowd, Sir Blaine sort of looks over at you as you approach, and then he he he he gives your father-in-law like this this nasty look that sort of shuts the conversation down, and then he just turns to you and he says Sir Historin and he walks away.
SPEAKER_01It was good to see you again, Sir Blaine. I'll turn to a father-in-law. What was that all about? How'd you know him? Oh it was nothing. Don't worry yourself about it. How are things in Salisbury? Fine. Your grandsons are doing well. You say nothing. Seldom nothing when you're conversing with a knight like Sir Blaine's. And what is that supposed to mean? I've had dealings with him before. What do you mean dealings? His interpretation of the knightly code is uh somewhat somewhat different to most. You speak in riddles, son. I'd only like to say uh whatever's going on. You can always come to me. I'm family now. Kids are safe, you say. As far as I know, they're in the c in the castle.
SPEAKER_04In Salisbury, yes. She should have brought them here like I told her to. And he just looks at you with this worried look on his face. I daren't say any more. But keep your nose out of it. Are my boys in danger? Promises me they aren't. I've paid him enough. You paid him? For what? Remember that trouble I was in? You vouched for me. I well it was true. But Sir Blaine's found out about it. He's used it against me. The man is a weasel.
SPEAKER_01Ah, he is too. By the nightly code he should have come to see me, not you. I was the one who stood and vouched for you. It was just a few coins off the top. I didn't think anybody would notice. You say you asked my wife to bring the children here?
SPEAKER_04I did. She refused.
SPEAKER_01Didn't tell me of it either.
SPEAKER_04No, of course not. I told her not to. At least she listens to me there. So what danger are they in? As long as they stay in the castle they shouldn't be in any danger at all.
SPEAKER_01So who is in danger?
SPEAKER_04They're not family, so it doesn't matter. But it does. Does to me. Don't go making a mess of things. I've got it handled. In what way? Never you mind. I'll not put your place in danger. You are a knight in Robert's court. You cannot know these things. But I could always go and ask Sir Blaine's himself. Now don't go talking to Sir Blaines. You'll just start a fight. The longer you stay here, the longer he's going to think I've gone against him. Smile and move on your way, son. Yes, yes, it's great to see you, son. I'll s I'll I'll speak to you later. Right. And he goes to get an ale from one of the merchants.
SPEAKER_01I will return to my companion knights. Okay. Everything all right, says? Something's a foot. My father in law was talking to St. Bla Sip Blaine's. There's been some dealing. There's something going on down in Salisbury. What what sort of thing? I can't get it out of my uh father in law. He's too frightened. I'll I'll ask around, see if I can find anything more about what's going on. Should we speak to uh Howlard? Especially if uh there is something going on in Salisbury. I'm reluctant to go to him without knowing exactly what is going on, but yes he should know.
SPEAKER_00Sir Caradock, did you not have uh bad blood with um Sir Blenz? Yes. Yes, I thought.
SPEAKER_05I will be happy to take vengeance on him.
Tensions Rise
SPEAKER_04I see. So as you're as you're having this conversation and you're starting to sort of look around for where Count Robert has has gone to, a hush falls over the crowd as King Arthur arrives. He's flanked by Merlin and Sir Brastius, and behind him, Sir Ector and Sir Kay lead a guard of soldiers. Some bow their heads in the crowd, some of the women curtsy, but others, including Sir Blaine's in the crowd, remain still, their gaze defiant, and Sir Brastius chastises them. Bow before your king, he says, but Arthur raises a hand. It it's okay, Sir Brastius, he says, We've come to mend old wounds. And his gaze shifts to to the three of you, and to Lady Egraine and Morgan, and and he sees that your faces are are tense, like he can read, you know, something's bothering you, and and he says, My friends, tell me, what injury festers here?
SPEAKER_01I don't get one. Uh it's it's just a bit of local business, sire. Nothing that should affect the kingdom.
SPEAKER_04Well I would know of local business.
SPEAKER_01There may be some trouble back at home, but of the nature of which we do not know yet.
SPEAKER_04And and how did you how did you come to this rumor of trouble at home? Salisbury is your is your home, is it not?
SPEAKER_01Aye, sire. It was just a a worried comment from a an acquaintance. It's just momentarily uh put us off guard.
SPEAKER_04Still speaking in riddles, Sir Hisloin. I am your king, I am asking you to tell me, do not make me command you. What is it that troubles you?
SPEAKER_01Sire, it's that I do not know what it is that troubles me that troubles me.
SPEAKER_04How did you come by this information that you do not know?
SPEAKER_01By a relative, sire.
SPEAKER_04He was showing concern for family at home. I just rolled I rolled for Neb, and he blurts out From me, sire, from me and he turns to your squire and he says OK, boy, out with it. I overheard Sir Blaine's He's he's attacking Salisbury and you hear Sir Blaine's stepping forward these are lies, Lord King and the king sort of stands between you and Sir Blaine's and and he's and and the king says to the to your squire How could Sir Blainees be attacking Salisbury? He's standing right here before us and and your and Neb, your squire, says his men, sir, he's hired men. I heard it with my own ears. The king looks at Sir Blaine's and he says, Is any of this true, Sir Blaines? And Sir Blaine says, This is but a child, so he is not a tongued one. You would take his word over that of a knight?
SPEAKER_01And I step and intervene. I would take his word, sire. I would be the knight that took his word. I will stand for whatever my squire has said. Sir Nigel take a step forward to back up, Sir Historwin.
SPEAKER_00Sir Caradoc, what are you doing?
SPEAKER_05Well me too. I step in and I take my hand to the pommel of my sword.
SPEAKER_04And so Sir Blaine sees you, Sir Karadock with your hand on the pommel of your sword, and then he looks at Sir Nigel and Sir Histowin and he says Sir Caradot dishonored me with baseless accusations two years ago. He lost to me fairly in the court of swords, where God casts favour on the honest. Yet his lord Count Robert has failed to deliver the justice I am due, and now the three of you stand before me again with baseless accusations. And then Count Robert speaks up and he says, Sir Karadoc lost his honor for his falsehood. I judge that punishment sufficient. And King Arthur says and a fair judgment it was. Sir Karadoc is young and impetuous. He spoke out of turn before fully understanding the matter, perhaps. And I trust he has learned from his mistake, haven't you, Sir Karadoc? And he could have looks at you, and you can just sort of tell his eyes are like his gaze is urging you to say yes, you've learned from your mistake. He's clearly trying to clearly trying to sort of defuse the situation, yeah.
SPEAKER_05And I would say I'm a king, I learned, but I still look at Sir Blaine's with you know intent after I I look at him.
SPEAKER_04And so the king the king says, Well, then that matter is settled. Uh uh I don't see how it is relevant to Sir Histelwin and his and his squire's story, Sir Blaine's. And Sir Blaine starts to stammer and and and he and he says uh I demand justice. Sir Histelwin, you stand by your squire. Then I demand to meet you in the court of sorts.
SPEAKER_01As is your right, Sir Blaine's turn to Arthur. My liege, Lord, if uh if you so wish, uh I will fulfil this challenge with a gentleman, gentlemen, this is meant to be a council of peace.
SPEAKER_04Our disunity is a weakness that the Saxons are only too happy to exploit. We cannot afford to keep fighting amongst ourselves. And then he reminds all of you of the recent Saxon raids into Salisbury, that Sir Nigel is all too aware of, and a few other counties as well. I would urge you both sleep on the matter, and in the morning, if you must, then we will have our court of swords. And that is all I will say on the matter from now. There are several kings and chiefs that have not yet arrived, and then he moves to Lady Egraine seated on the bench beside the stone, and Sir Blaine's is mumbling and grumbling to himself. He's not at all happy with that, that he has to wait, that he has to sleep on it. He really just wants to beat the crap out of you, Sir Distalone. And so King Arthur moves to Lady Egrain and he says, My lady, this this tale that you have shared, though I heard less than half of it, it spoke volumes of your pain. To lose a child is a wound no parent should bear. Tell it once more from the beginning. Perhaps in the telling some solace may be
The Truth Unveils
SPEAKER_04found.
SPEAKER_03Egraine studies Arthur's face, her eyes searching for a trace of the child she lost long ago. Her voice trembles as she tells the story again, and when she finishes, she says I believe you are my son, Lord King.
SPEAKER_04Arthur's brow furrows I don't understand, he says. Sir Ector is my father, and Sir Kay, my brother. Merlin, did you did you take this woman's child? And Merlin says I did. And that child, my lord, was you and the crowd gasps at the revelation. Then you hear someone in the back shout This changes nothing. We didn't bend the knee to Uther. We will not do it to his beardless bastard. And King King Arthur turns to Sir Ector, who gets on his gets on one knee and confesses that Merlin had brought the infant Arthur to him and swore him to secrecy, and charged him to raise the boy as his own. Though Ector swears he never knew the truth of Arthur's lineage, he kept his oath to Merlin, and in time and in time, you know, he came to love the child as his own son. So I need all of you to make an awareness test, and this awareness test is at a negative ten because the of the crowd and all that is transpiring. I fail. Okay, so we have a failure from Sir Karadoc and a failure from Sir Histelwin. Did you say there was a modifier? Yeah, negative ten. I'm gonna need a one, some of the Stranger things have happened. Okay, so you've all failed. The crowd grows restless. Angry voices swelling as tensions mount. Cries ring out. Arthur is the Pendragon. No, this is Merlin's trickery. We'll not have a Christian king. The high king should take counsel from the Archbishop, not the Archdruid. Chaos descends in an instant. Screams cut through the air as panic
Chaos Erupts
SPEAKER_04surges. Too late you spot the glint of chain mail and the flash of steel concealed beneath ragged peasant cloaks. Soldiers in disguise strike without mercy, cutting down nobles, pilgrims, and commoners alike. Sebrastius pulls Arthur close, his voice a rallying cry To me, to me, protect the king. So what are you guys doing? Protect the king.
SPEAKER_05We'll check where is our count Robert? What is Sir Count Robert? You've lost sight of him in the crowd. Okay, I will roll for my uh loyalty for him. I think it's part of my passion. And my fealty or homage. I'm gonna roll for my homage for him. Okay. And try to look for and I will tell Sir Issawina said Niger. Just like the king. I will look for Count Robert. Okay. I should carry out.
SPEAKER_01I'll trust you.
SPEAKER_05Success for the homage for Count Robert, and then I will look for him if that hits me a plus something.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, okay. So you're you're like pushing your way through the crowd. So the two of you, Sir Nigel and Sir Histoline, as you circle the king, Brastius tries to lead you and the king sort of away from the crowd and into the forest. And uh and he says to you, we don't know how many of them there are, get the king to Londinium. We will hold them off as best we can. Protect the king with your lives. Sir Histolin, as you and Sir Nigel try to move the king to the safety of the woods, you see Sir Blaine stab your father-in-law in the gut.