Stories with Dice
Stories with Dice is an actual-play podcast where a fellowship of everyday gamers explores fantastical worlds, distant futures, and parallel realities through tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) from Free League Publishing, Chaosium, Modiphius Entertainment, and more.
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Stories with Dice
The Sword Campaign S1 E14: A Pendragon Actual Play Podcast
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In the season finale, a sneak attack shatters King Arthur's Council of Peace, sending our Salisbury Knights on a desperate mission to protect their king and rescue their liege lord, Count Robert. Join us as they confront the treacherous Sir Blaines in a fateful showdown, witness King Arthur face the cursed Sable Knight, and encounter the enigmatic Lady in the Lake.
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Welcome to Stories with Dice. This is the Swampaign, a Pen Dragon actual play podcast using the sixth edition starter set from
Introduction to the Sword Campaign
SPEAKER_01Chaosium. If you're enjoying our actual plays, please subscribe to Stories with Dice so you'll 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 While journeying to a council of peace in St. Albans, our Salisbury Knights freed Lady Morgan from captivity within the hollow of a giant tree, defeating its enchanted guardian, the Ivy Knight. At St. Albans, whispers of treachery spread. Sir Blaine's was rumored to have hired raiders to strike at Salisbury, forcing Sir Hispowin's father in law into complicity. Meanwhile, Lady Egraine revealed the long guarded truth of King Arthur's parentage. He was the son of Uther Pendragon. Before the council could begin, chaos erupted. Mercenaries disguised as peasants launched a brutal assault, plunging the gathering into bloodshed and betrayal. And we're back with the Sword Campaign Episode 14. This might be the last episode, we're unsure. We'll see how it goes. But let's get to introducing our players. We have, as always, Sir Ed Sir Ed. We have Sir Ed playing Sir Nigel. I I like Sir Ed. I think we should keep that in forever. Okay. Hello. And we have Pete playing Sir Histelwind, and we have Tony playing Sir Caradoc. Sir Caradoc. Sir Tony, the sexy Spanish person. That's fine. Sir Karadoc has gone rushing into the crowd, into the chaos to find Count Robert. Sir Histelwind and Sir Nigel have been charged with protecting King Arthur and whisking him away. And Sir Brastius has commanded them to get him to Londinium, which is not too far from St. Albans, probably about a day, maybe two days away, I think. Now, in order for you guys to escape, the two of you will need to succeed at an evade combat action or face some some combat. If one of you succeeds and the other one fails, you've both failed. That that's how that's going to work. Sir Karadoc, as you are moving through the crowd, I imagine you're perhaps shouting Kunt Robert, Kunk Robert, you know, looking for him. Yeah. You see directly, almost directly in your path, you see the snarling face of Sir Blaine's, and he says to you, he shouts your name, Sir Karadoc, our business is far from finished. I shall make orphans of your sons, corpses of your parents, and claim your wife and your land as mine.
SPEAKER_00Will Ans give my sword, pull out my shield, and I say it will be my pleasure to shut your mouth with my sword. Alright, so what's your combat action? I know that he's a better fighter than me because you know from two years ago I got better, but I still remember that he was quite skillful. He was fast in dealing with me. So I'm gonna for the first round probably approach, like, you know, just understanding him, trying to see gauge gauge a little bit, how good he is, if I'm better now. So I'm gonna be perhaps you know more defensive for sure in a way. Okay. To let he come at me and see how can I counter.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so you're gonna defend. So that's your weapon skill plus ten versus your opponent's action, so versus his weapon skill. So it's your sword skill plus ten is what you get. So make that make that roll for me.
SPEAKER_00Okay, my god. Partial success, okay.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so that means you can uh deduct you can use your s your shield to deduct some of this damage as well as your armor.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so 13, so my armor is ten, my shield is six. So I take nothing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so you're he just you know, his his sword just hacks against your against your shield, and you're just you're you're holding fast, yeah. Sir Nigel and Sir Fistalin, both of you give me an evade combat action. So that's your movement rate versus I'm just gonna pull up a random guy here that's in the crowd that you're gonna have to move your way through. Any modifiers, or is it just a straight move? It's just a straight move roll.
SPEAKER_03Okay. I have a move of 16. And I completely failed. That's that was a nineteen. Okay. Yes, we're gonna combat.
SPEAKER_01Oh no, okay.
SPEAKER_02We really want to fight. Yep. All right. So anyone I could have failed on as well.
unknownYep.
SPEAKER_02My move is 19.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so both of you give me your your combat action as you face these two mercenaries. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01And because you fumbled, sir Histelwin, I am going to say your combat action is going to suffer a negative five penalty, whatever that action is. I imagine it's attack, it could be defend, you know, it could be disarm, whatever you choose.
SPEAKER_02I'd I think, yeah, if if I I'd probably be a defend, actually, if I've stumbled, fumbled, but not.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so it's your weapon skill versus the opponent's weapon skill, and the defend action gives you a plus ten, but because you have a plu a negative five, it's going to be a plus five. Go ahead and give me that. Right. So you have a success. He has a partial success. Okay, so give me your damage. Okay, so you guys are you're you're sort of pushing and and hacking your way through this crowd, and you've you've your sword connects on this mercenary shoulder who's standing between you and King Arthur's life and escaping. Sir Nigel, give me your roll. Sure. Yeah, I'm gonna just straight up attack him.
SPEAKER_03Straight up attack him, okay. A thirteen, I get a seven. He rolls a two. Excellent. So success for me then. Yep. And a partial success for him. How about seventeen damage for uh the mercenary? Yeah, I guess I'm kind of like I've got my I've got my shield, I'm just kind of like bashing into him and just gonna be a little bit more.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so you're yeah, yeah, so you're like you're sort of bashing your shield against him and then s swiping him with your sword, and you you connect and and and you draw blood.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean I guess my main aim is to kind of we kind of want to get through rather than get stuck, so it's trying to push, but I'm guessing they're pushing back. Exactly.
SPEAKER_01Sir Karadoc, let us go again, shall we?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Can you remind me what Ray Clex does apart doing damage, and they cannot use a shield, right? Uh yeah, so it's basically more damage if I get it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you can't you can't use your shield, but neither can he.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So weapon skill versus the opponent's action. Opponent is rolling a weapon skill, they receive a plus five bonus. Okay. Neither combatant may apply shield parry protection under any circumstances.
SPEAKER_01But I think you get extra damage for a an extra two D6 on a regular success and a six d6 on a critical. On a critical.
SPEAKER_00Since I I know that he's better than me in any case, I think, you know, I manage to parse. Yeah, I think I really don't care. Um what I'm gonna do now because I I I'm aware that if I don't manage to get him, he's gonna get me. So I just wanna recklex. Can I roll for my request, actually, to see if I can get an extra plus to me, or that's not possible? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's a it's a trait, it's not a passion.
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's not a passion. No, you need it would need to be a passion.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Do I have reckless as a passion? No.
SPEAKER_03Could it be um a like for the for the for the for the honor of your lord, I suppose, maybe?
SPEAKER_00Well, that's what I wrote before, but when I was looking for Count Robert, can I have the the role that I did before, homage, the plus five for this attack? Yeah, yeah. I'll I'll give you a few. Yep. Okay, because I'm I'm trying to, you know, this guy I hate his guts, but he's not letting me find my lord. So in a way I wanna kill him and get on with my life. Okay, so I'm going reckless. I cannot select reckless on combat action though. Okay. I guess it's normal attack. I guess.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, just yeah, I don't think they have the full list there. I don't think he's okay at it either. But just and then give yourself the plus five.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I just did. Okay. So let's hope for a critical. Okay. Because then he's gonna have a lot of pain. State success. This is amazing.
SPEAKER_03Both suffer damage minus the armor and shield power protection value.
SPEAKER_01So the parry protection value is plus three for a sword.
SPEAKER_03Oh, but you can't use it because you're you're you're acting recklessly on, so neither one of you can use it. Okay. So no, so you just basically damage the living data outside of each other plus two d6.
SPEAKER_00So I will roll what they have here, and I will add two d6. Oh, but twenty-five. Plus. Plus. Come on, make pain, make pain plus six. Thirty-one. Thirty-one, okay. Oh, I think he's gonna give me pain. 18. So that's eight for me.
SPEAKER_01And wow, thirty-one for him, okay.
SPEAKER_00It's an old wound for me. Oh, the thirty-one is nasty.
SPEAKER_03Kick his ass, Sicaradog. Kick his ass. Foreign.
The Duel with Sir Blaine's
SPEAKER_03He's not down.
SPEAKER_01He's knocked down. So yeah, so the sell blend is your mouth, man. So you you go at him, you go at him. You you did your first round with him dancing around a little bit, sort of understanding his skill. You know that he's a better swordsman than you, and you remember how he how he whooped you last time two years ago. And so this time you you you study him a bit, you do that defensive move, you get your opening, and you just pummel him with your sword and shield, you know, and you just shove him to the ground. He has suffered a major wound. I give it to me. Can you remind me what the major wound means?
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, so it means that you have to make a roll for being unconscious, I believe. I will tell you in just a second when I can find it.
SPEAKER_01You knock Sir Blaine's to the ground, silencing him with a sharp command to hold his tongue. As he sprawls in the dirt with a major wound, out of the corner of your eye you catch sight of two mercenaries dragging Count Robert away. His hands are bound tightly behind his back.
SPEAKER_00Can I roll for I was thinking if I will do the Coup de Gras to Serblane.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00I don't know how to because I can do this kind of merciful or cruel, or is the just arbitrary thingy? What is the let's see mercy? I guess it's more I can roll for the decision, but I don't know which one of the two traits because I'm very arbitrary and not very just, but at the same time I'm half and half between merciful and cruel. So in this case when uh good at night even to attack the crap, take into account that I really hate the guts of this guy. And I know that he's putting into problems a restal win. So I think he deserves to die and and be. So I don't know what what good w what would I base my decision on? My arbitrary or my cruelty.
SPEAKER_03Well, I can tell you what happens with the matrion when you're ready.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Yeah, so are just an arbitrary. It doesn't sound I'm looking at the description of the traits here. It doesn't sound like that fits, so I think it's gonna be merciful and or cruel.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so I'm gonna roll to make a decision. Let's leave it to the chance. Okay, so I'm gonna click on it and choose straight. Which one do I need to pick one? It doesn't matter, both are the highest ones.
SPEAKER_01You have to roll the highest one for or they're both ten.
SPEAKER_00They're both ten. So I'm gonna roll for cruel. Okay and if uh if it goes, if I succeed, then I will kill him. Okay. If I fail, then uh he's safe, I guess. Yep. Safe for now.
SPEAKER_01For the folks at home, Tony succeeded in rolling his cruel trait.
SPEAKER_00So will I spit on him, I say, you deserve this. And I just put the the sword through the neck. Through his neck, okay. Through his net in between the the helm and the thing, and I just look him right there like a bit.
SPEAKER_01So I I guess Ed and I guess it doesn't matter whatever it is you have, but just tell me anyway so I can remember.
SPEAKER_03So yeah, as soon as they um take a ma as soon as you take a major wound, you fall unconscious, regardless of your unconsciousness rating. And then you make some roles to determine loss to attributes and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_01Okay, but you don't always fall completely unconscious, at least not right away. I feel like I remember reading that. You can be in and out of it, perhaps even say a few words. So Sir Blaine's, let's say, isn't fully unconscious. His eyes flutter open, unfocused but aware, just enough to register Sir Karadoc standing over him. Blood pools beneath him, his breath ragged and slow. Sir Karadoc leans down, spits in his face, you deserve this fate, he snarls, his voice blaced with disgust. The blade flashes, cutting clean through the flesh of Sir Blaine's neck. A strangled gasp escapes his lips, a searing pain floods his senses, and then he feels his own life ebbing away, his body growing cold, the sting lingering even as the world fades into blackness.
SPEAKER_03I do believe that's called a comeuppance.
SPEAKER_01I do believe that's called a comeuppance, yes. I didn't expect that to happen until a little later in the episode, but that's cool. Sir Histowin and Sir Nigel, give us your combat action, please. Uh if you want to try another evade, you can, but you'll both have to succeed because you're you've you're I'm not evading. Then you're forced then Sir Then Sir Histowin, you are forced to choose another option.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, I'll I've I've gained my balance, so uh I'll make an attack, standard attack.
SPEAKER_01Ooh, a tie. So you get a plus three to your armor and shield. So you add up your armor. So when you're when you're deducting the damage, Pete, you you deduct the armor points plus the shield points, and then three for your sword parry. So let's roll our damage here. We're both gonna damage each other. So the mercenary, his sword bites at you for sixteen damage.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm yeah, I've got with the plus three at thirteen, and then the kite shield is six, so Ian. Cool.
SPEAKER_03I'm just gonna attack as normal shield and sword. I think it's a critical. Ah.
SPEAKER_01Ooh, a fumble. Ooh. So a sword does not break on a fumble, but perhaps he drops this weapon. We'll see. What is your damage, sir? He gets a grand total of 19 damage. He most he mo he most certainly drops his sword because you've killed him outright here. Give us a describe to us uh this moment.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so I kind of bashed him before and went to stab him. This time he kind of goes to stab me. I kind of lure him away with my shield, and then I just come underneath the shield and I stab straight up into his uh underneath his armpit to suck out of his armor and shuffle my sword in.
SPEAKER_01Alright.
SPEAKER_03He's not pretty, it's just effective.
SPEAKER_01Efficient, yes, yes. So he he crumples to the ground, dropping his sword and his and and f and falls to his death.
SPEAKER_03Okay. I'll take a step back to the king so that I'm back in his guard, I suppose. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So you've just ended Sir Blaine's life. You saw two of these mercenaries dragging Count Robert into the woods. If you're scanning the the chaos around you, you see Sir Nigel has just killed a man, just killed a mercenary, Sir Histalwind is fighting another, and they're protecting King Arthur as they're trying to ri get him to get him to safety. What do you do?
SPEAKER_00I go after Count Robert, of course.
SPEAKER_01Okay. One success. Okay, yeah. So you've caught up with these guys. They haven't gotten very far because Con Robert is putting up quite a struggle. They're just a just a few paces into the woods outside of the area where the the the melee is taking place.
SPEAKER_00I will look at him and look, release my lord or face the consequences. You see what they did behind. I just killed Servlanes, one of the most dangerous knights in this country. Now you will be next. I don't know if I can intimidate them, but that's what they try. Give me an O rate roll and give yourself a plus ten.
SPEAKER_01So success. Okay, yeah. So they they they look over your shoulder and they see Sir Blaine's.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01They look and I use ORA8 because it it seemed on the fly the quickest thing for trying to intimidate someone since there's no intimidate skill. I'm sure that was incorrect, but that's okay. So they look at that and then they look at one another and let me roll their valoris. That's what I will do. I will give them a negative. Oh my god. They push Count Robert at you and then they just run into the woods. Amazing.
SPEAKER_00You are. We untie my my lord. They say, Are you a pool, my lord? Yes, yes, I I'm fine fine. Where's the king? He's been protected by Sir Nigel Estarwin, but we should join them and protect our king.
SPEAKER_01Yes, agreed. Let us go. So you make your way through the mob of people that are fighting, and you know, Arthur's men and and others that are loyal to him that were there, they're all fighting against these mercenaries. You don't see Merlin, you don't see Sir Kay, though it is very difficult to pick people out in the in the chaos of the fight. Um but the Lady Agrain and Lady Morgan and and a lot of the commoners and and and the women and the children have fled to safety. Or so you assume. You reach Sir Histowin and Sir Nigel and King Arthur. They've just dispatched two mercenaries. I can't remember if Sir Histowin dispatched his or not. I do not think so. No, no.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01So as you as you are approaching Sir Histowin is making a swing. So let's let's do this last mercenary here and see what happens to him. So you have a success, and he has a partial success. And eleven bashing the shit out of this mercenary. So you blow, cuts him across his chest, he falls to the ground unconscious, and then you hear Sebrastius, who's who's nearby fighting off several several mercenaries with a few other of Arthur's men, say, Get him out of here. So you're cut off from where your horses are being stabled, so you go on foot and into the woods, and you come upon what used to be a
Escape into the Woods
SPEAKER_01Roman road. It's now it's a little more than an overgrown game trail, and you start making your way south to Londinium. And Arthur says, But what what if Lydia Green? We can't we we can't leave her, and he and he's turning around and he's looking behind him, and where is Merlin? And you can hear the clash of steel and all the sounds of battle behind you start to ebb away the deeper you go into the woods. Sorry, my king, I grab him by the shoulder and put him.
SPEAKER_00It's important that you are not taken by these mercenaries. We need to take you to safety. I'm sure that they are after you. If we are away from here, nobody else will be endangered.
SPEAKER_01My council of peace these fools all they know how to do is hack and maim and kill.
SPEAKER_03Sorry, my king. We need to get off the road, and I'll pull him into the trees and the bushes. But we'll carry parallel to the road but off the road.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So you move swiftly through the woods parallel to that ancient road long reclaimed by nature. The clash of battle fades into a distant echo, and soon even that gets swallowed up by the forest. You're unsure how much time has passed as you press south deeper into the woods. Eventually the overgrown road you've been following intersects with a well travelled road at a crossroads, where a weathered pavilion stands near the ruins of a crumbling Roman fountain. Moss creeps over its stones. Beyond it, through a break in the trees, you glimpse a lake. Thin tendrils of mist drift across its glassy surface. Beside the pavilion you see Sir Kay, wounded on a makeshift pallet, his squire kneeling beside him tending to his injuries. Sir Kay's armor is dented and bloodied, his sword broken on the ground beside him. Merlin sits on a nearby stone, lost in thought. Huddled close to the druid are a group of commoners from Saint Albans, weary and fearful. As you approach, Merlin turns around and says, Ah, you've found us.
SPEAKER_03Yes, here is the king. He says I walk towards them. We will not expect them to find you here.
SPEAKER_01Beware, Sir Kay warns, his voice is hoarse and strained. This strange knight, and he's pointing down the road, is bound by some enchantment. None have bested him. And the king shoves the two of you aside and he steps forward. And he looks at this knight. The knight is clad in black armor, he's got a black cloak and sword and shield, and the king demands that he step aside, so he's now stepped onto the road, and the the black knight says I cannot. I am bound to fight anyone who comes this way. The king, let me do this. Should then be fighting. He puts his hand up and holds you back and he says, You have done enough fighting for me this day. This is the king's road, and this man will yield to me, or he will taste my blade.
SPEAKER_03If I remember correctly, King Arthur wasn't particularly great at fighting from the battles that that we've seen him in. So what do you guys want to do? Well, King has given us an order, so I'm gonna stand back.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but they stay you know vigilant and next with you know my sword that's ready.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so Arthur draws Excalibur, he raises his shield, he moves toward the Sable Knight. The two meet in a clash of steel, the sound of their blades ringing through the air. The fight is fierce, but swift. The sting of betrayal at Saint Albans clouds Arthur's mind. The Sable Knight exploits every mistake, and with a crushing blow sends the young king crashing to the ground. So Caradoc, you're reminded of your first battle with Sir Blaine's, how quickly a fight can turn against you, and the bitter sting of defeat. Do you yield, sir? The Sable Knight asks. This is the king's road, Arthur says. He stands up, sword in hand, and I am the king. He strikes a powerful blow against the Sable Knight's shield. The Sable Knight retaliates with a series of ferocious blows. Arthur drops his shield, stumbling to his knees. The Sable Knight asks again for Arthur to yield, but Arthur grips Excalibur with both hands now and swings one last mighty blow, cleaving through the Sable Knight's shield in a blinding flash of light and force. The sheer power of the strike flings both of them and all of you several feet backward. You crash to the ground the wind knocked out of you. And as you sit up, your eyes fall on Arthur. In his hand he holds Excalibur but only half of it, the blade broken cleanly
The Broken Excalibur
SPEAKER_01in two. He cries Merlin, Merlin, what have I done? You have broken that which is unbreakable, Merlin says. The group of commoners who have been watching this whole time gasp in horror. My pride broke it, Arthur says. My anger. Even kings are not immune from the humiliation of defeat. This knight cursed though he may be, to fight all who cross his path, fought with honor and skill. He bested me fairly. It was meant to be my fate to lose this contest. But with Excalibur's power I tried to change that fate. Arthur gets up, throwing the broken pieces of Excalibur into the lake. I failed. The sword was meant to bring men together, to serve the cause of justice, not the pride of one man. Forgive me, the cable knight says, but you did not yield, and I am now compelled to complete this dread task. He rises, sword in hand, but before any of you can intervene, Merlin speaks. Enough, says the Druid. The spell is broken. The Sable Knight drops his sword. Merlin lifts the visor on his helm. You are Pelinor, King of Gomrit, in Cambria. You have been absent from your throne for many years. Merlin taps the man's forehead and says Remember who you are. And Pelinor comes back to himself as if he had just woken from a bad dream. Now, Sir Nigel, your gaze is drawn to the still surface of the lake. Beneath the water you see a maiden in a flowing gown, her long blonde hair spreading out around her head like a halo, and in her hands she holds Excalibur, its blade reforged, gleaming and whole once more.
SPEAKER_03I'll point towards the lake and go the sword the lady has the sword I try keep pointing at it.
SPEAKER_01Everyone turns to look, and at the center of the lake a hand rises from out of the water, holding aloft the gleaming blade of Excalibur. And Merlin says the lady in the lake quickly to the boat. You hadn't noticed it before, but now you see there's a small boat on the shore of that mist shrouded lake. You scramble to it, untying it from the post. It has no oars, no mast, no sail. Yet as soon as the three of you, along with Arthur and Merlin, get into the boat, it begins to drift across the water, propelled by some unseen force. Arthur gazes at the lady with awe and asks if he may take the sword, and she says I grant it, O king, but in time I will ask for a gift in return. And Arthur says I accept. Then he reaches out and takes the sword from her outstretched hand, and as he does, the maiden's form shimmers and vanishes, and the boat brings you back toward the shore. What do you do?
SPEAKER_03I'm probably quite shocked and sort over overall with with what's happened. So I don't really say very much.
SPEAKER_00So uh Sir Caralogi Sol say no. And uh have we reached the the shore already? Yeah. So I will go on my knee and I will say, My king, this has shown me that you are the rightful king of this country. You are able to do miracles that no other has done before. Please I I I plead fealty to you and I go on my knee, I uh I I bend my my you know my head and I wait for him.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So Historin. Hi sire, we have all failed in our tasks in the past, and have been lucky enough to live to take a second chance to improve things. I see you have been also been granted such a chance, and I will follow you, for I believe our goal is justified and righteous and will be done.
SPEAKER_01I will not take this faith that you have in me lightly, my friends. And Tony, roll two d6 and add that to your loyalty king passion. And the same with you, Sir Histowin. It's a five. So that makes your loyalty ten, I believe.
SPEAKER_00Oh twelve. Twelve. Okay.
SPEAKER_01There you go. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_01What did you get, sir?
SPEAKER_02I got seven. So you get up to fourteen.
SPEAKER_01Wow, okay. I'll change that for you. Yep. Sorry, Nigel. Sorry? Unless, you know, at the last moment you see your two comrades action and it inspires you to do the same. No, no, I I think that I I'm very proud.
SPEAKER_03Proud is like one of my big things. So I think that he's still my king, which is fine. But I think I probably have He's he's my king, it's fine, whatever. It's fine, whatever. Yeah, he's my king, but I I and I and obviously I I I've already sworn fealty to him once, so and I think I'm probably overawed more than anything, so I don't really have the sort of like the the thought process to do and say everything that's said.
SPEAKER_01Okay. As all of this is happening, you see Sebrastius step out of the woods with some of his men. The commoners rush to him eager to tell the story of how Excalibur had been broken and reforged by the lady in the lake. Sebrastius tries to listen, but his eyes are scanning the area for the king, and when he spots all of you he moves swiftly to the shore. Your Majesty, he calls out, the fighting at Saint Albans has ended. We've captured a few prisoners and driven off the rest of the mercenaries. Turns out they were hired by King Lot. We still don't know what role Sir Blaine's played in all of this. His lord the Duke swears, King Arthur puts his hand up. I've heard enough. The mention of King Lot and the possibility of Sir Blaine's treachery lands like a heavy blow on Arthur. He stands for a moment thinking it over, and then he says We must return to make do with what counsel we have left. And with that you form an honor guard to escort King Arthur back to Saint Albans. When you arrive the tale of the sword and the lady in the lake spreads quickly to the people gathered there. The priests declare that the reforged sword is a sign of Arthur's divine right to rule, while others claim it marks him as the shining one, foretold by the druids of old to save the land in its time of need. Lady Eggraine embraces her son, overjoyed to see him safe. Lady Morgan kneels before King Arthur and expresses her relief that her brother the king has returned unharmed, and the crowd hails Arthur as the Pendragon, heir of Uther and Aurelius. He brandishes Excalibur aloft, and their cheers fill the air, and in the distance a raven cause its echo carrying across the square. So that concludes our version of the sword campaign, the three part adventure in the sixth edition
Reflections and Future Adventures
SPEAKER_01starter set. But wait you say, what about the winter phase and what happens when our Salisbury Knights return home? Did Sir Blaine's really orchestrate an attack on Salisbury while the Council of Peace was convening at St. Albans? You'll have to find out when we return for season two. What I can say for certain is that Sir Histowin's father in law did not survive Saint Albans. Now, before we close, I want to take a moment to reflect on a missed opportunity that I regret. At the end of our last episode, Sir Histelwin witnessed Sir Blaine's stab his father in law, a pivotal moment I did not follow up on properly. In hindsight, this should have been a critical decision point for Sir Histelwin at the start of our final episode, given his conflicting passions. With love of family at sixteen and loyalty to the king F seven, I should have paused to ask him how he would react, weighing his duty to protect King Arthur against his duty to his family. The tension between these values was an important dynamic that deserved attention. Unfortunately, I let the flow of events overshadow that moment, and we missed a valuable opportunity for role play and character exploration. With that said, your pen dragon may vary. This has been ours.