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Baldulf

Court this year was held in Eschavolon, where I had to go to swear the fealty of Salisbury to Nanteleod's kingdom. Everyone of importance in Salisbury went.

At court, we noticed that Morgan had a number of ladies waiting on her, but none were nobles. Also, a number of knights followed her around, including Giles.

A group of knights from Cornwall were also in attendance, and made everyone nervous.

Nanteleod announced that the Collegium had voted that he should be High King. He also said that he was going to give the land of Avalon to his wife, Morgan, and he announced that Sir Elain was his son, and he named him his heir.

During the night, Prince Mark of Cornwall and Prince Elain taunted each other throughout the night, and they seemed to hate each other.

Leslie

Late at night, Kay told us (me, Marius, and Merl) that Morgan had told him that there was a creature in the woods called the Great Huntsman and that we could get great glory from killing it. We headed into the woods and waited, but we didn't find anything. While we were joking around, we heard laughter, and realized that we had been followed by Robert and Arthur. And at that point, the Huntsman appeared with his pack of spectral dogs. We battled.

We demolished the dogs, but could not hurt the Huntsman. Marius grabbed Robert and rode away. The Huntsman charged after them, and an old, bearded man stepped out of the woods and scared off the creature. In talking with him, we learned that his name is Merlin.

He told us that the way to kill the Huntsman is only known by Magog of the Forest Savage. Marius suggested that we could give Robert to Merlin for safekeeping until we found a way to kill the Huntsman. We refused the suggestion and headed to the Forest Savage.

Kay and I argued about who was smarter before we ran into some laughing magpies. One of the magpies said that it was watching us, and I slew it. The other magpies flew away, and we continued on. The road got darker. We crossed a dangerous bridge and found ourselves in front of a castle. A man stood by the road and called out to us, and invited us into the castle of Sir Garmin. In the castle, we found all sorts of pleasures: gaming, oratory, singing, dancing, etc.

Two days later, Kay snapped me out of my reverie two days later. But Marius and Merl were trapped in their dreams.

Back at the castle, the older knights realized what had happened. They sent Giles, Akalon, Damian, and Reginald the watchman to go track the missing knights. Before they left, Giles and Akalon stopped to talk to Morgan. She told them that she sent the knights out to fight the Huntsman, but she saw no reason why Robert would have gone. She also told them that the Huntsman could only harm his single prey, and all wounds inflicted on others would disappear in the morning. She and her ladies were trying to confuse the Huntsman, so he would not find his prey.

On Day 4, we roused Merl from his dream gaming. And Marius awakened as well. We moved on, looking for Magog. We eventually came across another mott and bailey castle, with the drawbridge up. The knight of the castle, Sir Eave, said that we could only pass over the river if we bested him in a riding test. We raced, and I fell off, of course. The others raced on, avoiding pits and spikes. While the rest continued on the horse race of death, I went into the castle and attempted to lower the drawbridge, while the guard tried to stop me. I got the drawbridge open, and shut the gate and told Sir Eave that he could have his keep back when he brought back Marius. He collected Marius and we crossed the bridge.

As we rode, we saw a dove fly across the bend, and when we turned around the corner, we came across a small, walled city. We rode through the city. A citizen told us that we should see Sir Felix. At his house, he invited us in, to the sound of women's laughter. We went in and saw many women. Merl wrote some poetry and Felix invited us to stay for dinner so Merl could read some of his poetry. Arthur tried to stay, but we dragged him away, and we headed on.

A day later, we arrived at a massive castle worked by silent peasants. Merl made a fart joke and a peasant laughed. When he laughed, a griffon arose out of the woods and attacked the peasant. Merl leaped to defend the peasant, and we all joined the fight. Robert and Marius were almost killed, but Kay slew the griffin with a well-placed arrow.

The peasant told us that Magog is a turbulent man whose temperament changes day to day. We arrived at the castle which is huge, but only a dwarf is there. He told us his lord would be here soon, and then disappeared. A dandy in the corner welcomed us and told us that he was the one who decided who could see Magog. The first day we had to best him in falconry to see the king. I, for a change, was magnificent and was allowed to pass into the private banquet hall of Magog.

He offered me a castle if I joined him. I made sure that he would tell the others how to kill the Huntsman. I became The Lord of Southampton in service to Magog. Magog told the others that they must go to the town of Stevington and dip their weapons in the fountain.

A servant told the group how to get to Stevington, and the group headed off. They followed the directions and arrived. They met Lady Vithelen, a most beautiful woman, who handed each knight a chrysanthemum. She told them that only an honest man may draw water from the well, and only one man may come with her. Sir Merl went with her to the fountain. She asked Merl what he is most afraid of. He said, "his father." As she talked, her gown fell slightly open, and Merl and the woman made love. She asked Merl to remain with her and marry her. Merl refused and took the water from the well.

After leaving the well, they became lost, trying to get out of the fey wild.

Damien

Meanwhile, I caught the trail of the missing knights. We headed into the Forest Savage, but got lost. Five weeks later, Giles led us into the Feywild. We came across a castle where the castellan told us that there was a man in the castle that said he is the best warrior. Giles did not rise to the bait, and we rode on by. Next we came across the castle of Sir Eaves, but we rode across the drawbridge. Next we arrived at Southampton, ruled by Sir Leslie. Leslie told a long story to delay us, and Akalon was enraptured. Reginald and I were ensnared by Leslie's wife's sisters, and Giles moved out on his own.

Finally Giles arrived at Magog's castle and passed the falconry test. Magog attempted to sway Giles to join him. He also told Giles that Giles was ensorceled, and could use his one wish to remove the effect of the spell. Instead Giles asked to have everyone transported out of the Feywild. We were all reunited, and we heard the horns of the Huntsman. Merl sprinkled the holy water, and we went to battle.

Merl and Akalon destroyed the Huntsman.

We returned to court and told our story. Morgan seemed visibly relieved when she heard the Huntsman had died. Salisbury swore fealty to Nanteleod, and we finally headed home in late September. It was obvious that there would be war between Mark and Nanteleod the next year. Kay was knighted, and Arthur became his squire.

In the winter, Sir Giles's wife died, ending the betting about whether Giles would die in battle or at the hands of his wife.

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