485: The Battle of Mearcred Creek

To the Abbot of St Anselmo di Aventino,
in the Holy See of Rome, be this lettre take.

I write this messaj in greate earnest to report that all does not go well in Britannia. The Enemies of the Faith, the Heathyn Saxon hordes have caused no end to worry and even our gracious King Uther seems hard pressed. For as the summer campaigne drew high, he met on the battle field the South Saxons under Alle, who is a soverign king of those who occupy the old Cantiaci lands. King Uther's glorieuse knights crossed the River Mearcred and engaged the horde and fought a pitched battle, from Prime to Sext, that only managed to check and enhaust either side. The Abbot Constrensus reports that there were mass dissertions on both sides after heavy losses, again equally on both sides. Were it not for our Roman trained knights all would have surely been lost and all Logres overrun.

Most worringly, my good friend the Abbot confides that Nephilim have arisen again, and that among the Saxons themselves were giants from the Old Times. Surely Christ was on our side for King Uther to have checked such a host! Surely we must not forget our most holy charge:

Mortui non vivent, gigantes resurgent.
Isaiah 26:14

Our Good Christian knights fought with the courage of lions, though, and, yea, it is such men as these that hold this fractured land together. The Abbot Constrensus tells tale of one such unit, composed of Knights of Earl Roderick, of Salisbury. They were a young band, newly knighted that season, and every member of their unit, save three, was sent to Heaven and their commander captured. The three young knights rallied under one of their own, a vassal, Sir Gerin fis de Leslie, who picked up the fallen banner and led his comrades wild against a sea of berserking heathyns, sending many back to stinking Hell. It was reported that Sir Gerin fell, but was rescued from the field by friend and squire, and heals now with the Sisters of Perpetual Diligence-in-Chastity, who tendeth his wounds under the guiding hand of Our Lord.

Alas, all does not go well, despite the bravery of men such as our King Uther and his Knights. Another Saxon host, crossed by sea and breached the fortress ring of Caercolum, a bulwark of our Eastern Shore. At Colchester, Duke Lucius was forced to retreat and the Saxons are now on both sides of the River Themesis. Londinium is now vulnerable from North and South shores. I tell you this out of pity and caritas for the good people of the civitas there, many of whome are the devout faithful and benefactors of Your Moste Holy Roman Church. Not a few are makinge the decisioun to leave, but most have faith in Our Lord and in our gracious King Uther, and trade goes on for now.

I write in haste, already knowinge your answer to my ultimate question. You cannot garner support to pay for a Papal Envoy to the Senate so that soldiers can be sent to defend our Eastern Shore. Such has been your answer before and I have no reason to suspect that it has changed. I can only pray that Our Lord moves your heart and that you remembre the sufferinge and plight of your Faithful in Londinium, whose tireless and at times lavish support of Holy Mother Church surely deserves notice by the Father in Rome.

Despite our small difference in minor matters of faith, I remain ever Your Brother in Christ,
The Abbot of St. Albans

The Squires Three Are Knighted!

Gobrwy the Bard sings:

I sing a tale of fresh new youth,
with brazen airs and short-in-tooth,
a baudy group of squires three,
in the deep green woods of Salisbury.

They hunt a beast with terrible claw,
black as night and fierce of jaw,
with rows of teeth like daggers be,
in the deep green woods of Salisbury.

For days and nights the companions ride,
sniffing at spoor and bits of hide,
they close in on the beast and strike with glee,
in the deep green woods of Salisbury.

With might of arm Squire Llyr did slash,
and killed the beast with bloodied gash,
and hung its hide from a drying tree
in the deep green woods of Salisbury.

The Squires Three to their master returned,
and all at Court their adventures learned.
Maidens and damosels swooned to see,
the brave Young Squires of Salisbury.

At Winter Court in Sarum's Hall,
Our most gracious, most generous Earl did call
for the knighting of the Squires Three,
who killed the Beast of Salisbury.

They stayed awake in solemn prayer,
at vigil on the church's stair,
In Jesu's name it came to be,
each Made the Leap in Salisbury!

The Story of Sir Leslie

Welcome reader, please sit awhile and join me in a cup of mead. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Gerin of Wylye, son of Leslie. I am but a humble squire nearing the completion of my training. But my tale is as yet not one worth spinning, instead let me share with you the glorious story of my father, Sir Leslie!

The story of Sir Leslie of Salisbury can truely begin on one dark night in the year 463, "The night of Long Knives" as that evil evening would become known. My father would not speak much of that night, save it was one which cost him his left eye, many of his brother knights, and his lord, The Earl of Salisbury. He fought the vile Saxons, led by the traitor Vortigern, deep into the night. Upon surviving to see the dawn, he emerged a changed man. He vowed that morning to make the Saxons pay for their savagery. He also began taking trophys from defeated Saxons, cutting out their eyes.

The next winter he was wed to my mother, Lady Ester of Wylye. Their's was a marrage of state, not of love. I don't believe my father was capable of enjoying much after that fateful night.
Newly married, my father marched with Aurelius Ambrosius to take back our land, fighting at the Siege of Carlion. Maybe it would not of made a diference, but forced to serve garrison duty, Sir Leslie fumed when in 468, Vortigern was killed at the battle of Snowden, all the while my father was forced to sit playing cards in some keep. He became bitter and taught me much of the Saxon's devilish ways and trickery that winter.

Throughout my childhood, I remember he would campaign against the Saxon invasion returning with more and more trophies, Until the summer of my 13th year of life, 480, when Sir Leslie marched with King Aurelius and Lord Uther. It was at the Battle of Salibury where my father rode with Uther Pendragon. Sir Leslie tells he personnally slew two dozen savages and indeed, he earned the respect of the soon to be King Uther. With the glory he earned at the battle, Sir Leslie was invited and present for both King Aurelius's funeral and the coronation of King Uther.
I rememer that year, for I would begin my training to become a knight the next summer. That winter I saw my father laugh for the first time. It was as if at the battle of Salisbury my father began to feel he at last accomplished his vow to repay the Saxons. It was a time for celebration at Wylye manor.

After some well deserved rest, in the year 484, Sir Leslie once again took up arms and marched with King Uther to fight the Saxons. Serviving the battle of Eburacum, it is said that on the next evening, during the night raid upon the drunk and celebrating Saxons, he removed his eyepatch and with a fury proceeded to slaughter unsuspecting Saxons! But eager for more glory, he immediatly continued to the battle of Mt Damon where he received a fatal belly wound. He survived the long trek home only to die in his bed. Seeing my father survive three nights of fever and pain, cursing the Saxons to his last breath, I could only pray that our land will one day be free of their flithy presence. Upon his deathbed my father bade me to take up his vow and I knew my life will be spent fulfilling this oath. I will not rest as long as a single saxon remains upon this great isle, bespoiling our peace!

Gerin, son of Leslie 485 A.D.

Squire Gwinas Sends a Letter Home

In the Yeare of Our Lorde 485, to Baverstock Manor be this lettre tayke.

To my moste honorable mother, the Lady Branne. I am pleased to dictayte this lettre to this upryght scrybe who is in the moste excellent service to our Lord Roderick, Earl of Salisbury. Know then that upon your readynge of this lettre I am fyn and in goodlye healthe, of sound mynde and bodye. My sprits are high at the moment, as my goodlye companyons, the most excellente squires, Gerin of Wylyeyee and Llyr of Wynterbourne , and your son, that is, myself, are about to embarke on a grande adventyre of grayte importaunce to all of Salisbury.

But firste I must relayte a humerous tale that you, my lovynge mothyr must tell my sisters, as I know they are wont of good tellynges of tales that make them laff. I am pleased to tell you that I won the horserace between the beste squires under the care of Sir Elad, the Marshall of our Lord Roderick's entire armye. He presented me with great honour for my excellente horsemanshipe. Do you remember young Gerin of Wyleyeeye Manor, not too far from Baverstock? Well, he fell three tymes durynge the race and I nearlye laffed so hard that I almoste fell myself! I thyng I am going to calle him "Thumpity Thump" for a goodly long time. Thumpity Thump Gerin he shall be!

Llyr of Wynterborne came in seconds and wert an goodlye rider. He had a ruff patch tryinge to control that most excellente courser he inherited from his father' stables. I am jealous for the owning of such a lovely steed is surely a sign of grayte honour. Thems from Winterbournes always been a goodly ridynge bunch, and I learn moste from just watchinge him ride.
In a shorte tyme, my mother, your son and his companions will be off to the vilage of Imber up north a ways where we'll meet a priest of God. We are to hunt a terrifynge Bear who hath been eatynge peasants. I know that we will fynde this greate beaste and the three Companyons will end his terror.

For now I leave you, my moste honorable mother, with great joy and peace. May God be with you and my sisters.

Your Gwinas, at Vagon Castle, in Sir Elad's land.

Introduction to Pendragon

What a great night and what a great group of guys! Seriously, I had a blast. One of the players, a chef, baked meat pies in honor of the game's genre. I heartily recommend having a chef as a player!

The players rolled their characters last night. We used the King Arthur Pendragon, 5th Edition rules to produce two Cymric knights...well, squires, actually. They'll be introducing themselves on this blog a bit later on.

For the first time I used the Family History & Fatherland option and the players learned about their great-grandfathers, grandfathers, and fathers. Both of their grandfathers died early on, but their fathers miraculously made it to 484, before the mandatory papa-kill of that year. I really liked the flow of the system, and how it creates a background for characters rooted in Arthurian pre-history. It also nicely establishes a reason for defending and loving the starting homeland of Salisbury. As a suggestion to Greg, perhaps creating such a system for other homelands would be of value for future supplements?

We also started the Introduction Scenario, also a first for me. I loved how it taught basic Pendragon mechanics and fostered jovial camaraderie and playful rivalry between the players.

We'll be playing again this Sunday and I can't wait. We'll finish the Introduction Scenario and get the players knighted.