514

We started the year knowing that we must find Sir Alain de Gros and recruit him to help the Fisher King.

We heard rumors that King Lot was furious because his wife delivered a baby, and Merlin came and stole it while Lot was gone. Lot was mad at Arthur, and everyone expected there to be a battle with him this year. Kay was now the seneschal of Arthur.

Merl and Senorix went to see Arthur and updated him on our mission. Kay told Merl that Sir Alain was in the Tower of the Boar in the Forest Savage. Merl went to see Giles to ask him about Alain. Merl told him that he heard that Alain has three brothers and an evil daughter--called the Wild Damsel--who was working for Belors.

We headed into the Forest Savage to see if my cousin knew anything about Alain. My cousin Eddard said that Alain's brother Bruenor wanted our holding. He also heard that Alain's daughter is a demon, and that there was a painted rock in the forest, and if you placed a loaf of bread under it, she would appear and grant you a cursed wish.

The next morning we went looking for Alain's tower, which was said to move locations. As we left, Eddard pulled Giles aside and told him that he was in love with Giles's sister, Christine.

We found ourselves going through a swamp and were forced to dismount. Senorix and Merl noticed some large eyes, and then Merl was attacked by a bizarre creature and pulled into the water. Senorix threw a spear at the creature in the water and hit it. We slew the creature, and Giles saved Merl from drowning.

Our passage was blocked by more frogs, and so we headed into the hills, wasting a day. We found some large human tracks. Merl tried to avoid the giants, but we were spotted. Merl decided to attack, but lost his nerve and ran into the woods, screaming. The other three of us fought the giant, and I dealt the killing blow, even though Senorix wanted to grant the giant mercy.

Senorix tracked Merl into the forest and found where the trail ended, but Merl was not there. We found a ring of mushrooms, and Senorix danced in them (oh, magnificent dance!) and disappeared. Giles and I tried to dance, but did not disappear.

In the fairy world, Senorix found a knight with a white shield and a knight with a black shield entertaining a beautiful woman. Senorix talked to the white knight, who said that he owed Merl a third pass. He introduced Senorix to the lady, Titania, and said they were entertaining her, and asked Senorix to entertain her with his skill. He showed them some mace work. He then explained he was looking for Merl. Titania explained that Merl had entered the glade, but was most conflicted. She did not believe he would return to the mortal realm without some symbol or person that would remind him of the importance of his place in the mortal realm.

When Giles and I awakened, Senorix was there. Then a wild man calling himself Gavin and his wife appeared and exclaimed that he was looking for Merl. We told him that we had recently lost Merl. Gavin was shocked to find that Merl had been found and then re-lost. We invited Gavin to join us, and he led us to the Tower of the Boar.

We were brought into the castle, and we saw people preparing for war. We met Sir Alain, and he said he was preparing to go to war in the fields of Joy. When I asked him about Eddard's manor, he said that he claimed it because his relative had been killed by my father. We almost fought, but Senorix's calm prevailed. Alain told us that if we could rescue his daughter from Belors power, he would cease to work with Belor. He told us that his daughter loved unicorns and found one slaughtered in the woods and made a pact with some power, possibly Belor, to protect the creatures of the forest.

We headed off to find the daughter's stone. At midnight, we put bread on the stone, and heard hoofbeats. A few moments later, a woman on a black pony, wearing only a cloak appeared. We talked with her, but tried not to make a wish. Finally, Senorix wished that she would be able to talk with unicorns again. She said that she would renounce her ways if we could prove that unicorns would return to her. We headed back to Eddard to see if he had any virgins that could help us get a unicorn. He said that we should check the nearby town of Etroit. We headed there.

The old woman, the wife of the knight whose hounds Baldulf had slain years before, who lived there served us some, predictably, horrid stew and asked if Eddard had changed his mind about marrying her daughter, Courtney. We told her that we were looking for a virgin to find a unicorn. Her daughter agreed to go with us.

We then tracked a unicorn and found a small one. Courtney met with it and we led it back to the stone. The Wild damsel saw it and cried, renouncing her ways. The unicorn went to her and she was freed from her evil power. She gave us a token and told us to give it to her father.

We returned to Alain and gave him the pendant, and he agreed to turn against Belor. We headed to the field of Joy and met with the Kingfisher. He told us that a fearsome battle was being fought at Castle Terrible, and we needed to decide which battle we should join. Gavin left us to help Arthur, but the rest stayed to fight with the Kingfisher.

At Terrible, Rhynes called out Arthur, and Arthur defeated him.

At Joy, we defeated wave after wave of fomorians and giants. As we fought harder, Arthur's forces won more, and Lot's forces were defeated.

We won the battle of Joy and the Kingfisher gave us a boon, but told us that we would never be able to return to his lands, but his vassal in Glass would fight for our king anytime he needed her.

When we returned, we heard that King Claudius had attacked King Ban and Bors, killing them both. Supposedly their wives were able to get their sons away without dying.

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513

We were called by Lord Robert and told that Arthur had been given a quest, and Robert wished us to fulfill it. We were to recruit Princess Alice in Glas.

We headed out with Prince Galigantis, and Merl led us to a village, and Giles noticed that there were claw marks high up in the trees near us. We rode to the village, and the cold weather had driven everyone inside. We spoke to an old man who told us that they had not heard from Glas for months. He said that a flying creature has been seen, and it probably made the claw marks. He gave us directions to Glas, and we headed that way. We came to a bridge made of a massive sword, laying on edge, and saw the castle ahead, surrounded by blasted wasteland.

Senorix headed to a nearby forest because of something he saw, and a massive, furry creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion leapt out and announced that it was Sir Karrinor, servant of King Belor, the third fairy king--a worshiper of the devil. Merl charged the creature. Merl held him off while Senorix killed him.

Senorix and Giles crossed the bridge, and I fell into the raging river when trying to cross, but Giles rescued me with his rope. Merl also fell into the water, but Giles could not save him. Luckily, I was able to use my lance to rescue him.

We found a nearby tomb, freshly built, bearing the heraldry of Sir Balan and his brother Sir Balin. We built a fire and warmed up and then headed to Glas. As we arrived, the people came out and begged for food. Merl gave them some food and we were escorted inside. We were tended by serving women, and they told us that for the last year, the lands had wilted and died, and the city had been under siege from King Belor's army. The women told us they wanted to meet with us later. We dined with them and then met with Alice. We explained, poorly, why Arthur had sent us. She listened but seemed preoccupied with the devastation of their land.

We were each visited by a lady in waiting. Belina visited Merl and told him that she wished to learn to sing like him to please Alice. A woman also visited Senorix with a wound that would not heal, and Senorix healed her. Giles would not allow his woman (Elfweena) to visit him. I was visited by Hermione and my romance won her over, but I never found out why she visited me.

The next morning, Alice met with us and told us that her maids were pleased with us, and so she would tell us her predicament. A foe had fallen upon her lord at the Castle of Joy from the Castle Mortal, and she now needed our help. We agreed to help her. The women visited us again that night. Senorix tried to feed people, Merl tried to heal, Giles prayed, and Hermione helped me work myself into vengeance. We found it difficult to leave the women the next day, but we took a map from Alice along with a healing draught, and headed off to help King Fisherman.

Along the path from the map, we found mostly more devastation. We came upon the valley of monotony, but were all energetic enough to make it across, except for Galiganthis. We came out of the valley and found a vale of gifts, each with gifts left for people we loved. Merl could not resist the gifts and took one and wandered off into the mists. The rest of us found a cliff that tested our justice, and we moved on. We found a crevasse, and on the other side was Accalon, begging forgiveness for his sin. We forgave him, and moved on, finding an old hag. She said that Senorix was the most chaste and merciful knight in the world. Senorix and Giles passed on, but I was too proud. As Senorix and Giles rode on, there was an earthquake, but their valor carried them through. We all found ourselves reunited at the end of the trail, and saw a castle, and to its right is a military camp, and to its left was a scorched field.

We attempted to ride straight to the castle. A group came out from the camp to follow us, but we rode on. A guard in the castle challenged us, but we answered their challenge, and they let us in. Inside we found that the walls were manned by brass robots. We were taken into the main hall and met the king, lying in a bed, bleeding. We were invited to dinner, and were led in by a boy carrying a white lance, dripping with blood, some children carrying candles, and a woman carrying a cup that glowed (the holy grail). The woman told us that the cup was guarded by the king. She also thought that some of Belor's army could be convinced to change sides before the army attacked next summer. She also told us that Sir Balin was the one who wounded the king. We should find allies and talk to Alain deGros to see if he would switch sides. We went to sleep in the king's castle, and when we awakened, we were back in our beds in Salisbury.

 

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512

We find ourselves at court again. A woman came to court, dressed in Frankish style, and wearing a sword. She said that she had been wandering, looking for a knight who could draw the sword from her belt. Merl, and Senorix and I attempted to draw the sword, and failed. Then a poor knight named Sir Balin drew the sword, but refused to return it to her, and she warned him that there was a curse to the sword that he would kill his best friend. He kept the sword anyway.

Then there was a blast of trumpet and Nineveh came into court and talked to Arthur, reminding him that she owed him for giving him Excalibur. Arthur agreed, but the lady claimed that she wanted the head of Sir Balin or of the woman who brought the sword. Arthur refused. Balin returned to the court and chopped off Nineveh's head. Arthur banished Balin from court. Giles and I armed ourselves to go after Balin, and I arrived outside ahead of many of the other knights.

We found that a rich knight had already been killed by Balin, and another knight sat nearby singing about the battle. The people of Camelot built a memorial to the knight and his lover. Merlin appeared and said that at some point the two best knights in the land would fight at this spot.

Arthur sent a small contingent to distract Lot, and his main force directly to Malahaut. We prepared to fight the Centurion King's forces. The Centurion king came forth in new armor, and Pellinore led the charge, killing the Centurion King. Then he killed King Nentris of Garloth. As Giles, Kay and I were fighting. Sir Galegantis (son of Nentris) emerged from Lot's side. Merl's unit attacked him, and the Brown knight killed Galegantis and forced Lot's forces to retreat. After the battle, Arthur made peace with Barak. Galegantis was handed over to Arthur and asked for a share of his father's lands, and Arthur refused--saying that Nentris had taken the lands from someone else, and Arthur would hold the lands until the rightful heir came of age.

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511

(Roderik)

Roderik (son of Baldulf and Jenna) and Giles III joined Sir Senorix and Sir Merl. While we were waiting at court, we saw Sir Gawain arrive with Margausa (king Lot's wife) and his two brothers (Agravaine and Geharis). That afternoon, there was a feast. Merl noticed that Arthur and Morgausa were flirting with each other. Senorix noticed that when Hervis went by, Arthur seemed to to like him. I noticed that Merlin was staring at Giles and seemed anxious, like he was waiting for something. A wild looking common woman came in and said something to Merlin, and then Merlin left.

While eating, we noticed a horse being led up the road, with a body draped on the horse. We ran out to meet him, and he told us that his knight, Sir Grifflet, had been wounded. A knight near Ottmor was guarding a road, and he would not let any pass. He had injured Sir Grifflet. We went to tell Brastius about the knight. Brastius told Arthur, and Arthur made a speech about the honorableness of knighthood, and sent us to take care of the knight.

On the way, we passed a squire bringing Sir Pennin to Court;he also had been bested by the knight at Ottmor. We arrived at Ottmor and saw the knight. He was wearing new armor and a crown, and I recognized that his heraldry was of King Pellinore. He said he was challenging knights hoping to get Arthur's attention. I accepted his challenge. I hit him hard, but he unhorsed me in the second pass. Giles took up the challenge, and was hit twice, the second shot killing him. Merl attempted to smite him with a mace, and he was also unhorsed. Senorix was also defeated.

We returned to Arthur and headed to the chirurgery. I told Arthur and he became enraged, heading off with Excalibur to find Pellinore. Damien went with Arthur. When he got there, Pellinore praised the honor of Arthur's knights, and then they battled. They passed two times, and on the third time, Arthur's sword exploded into three pieces and Arthur was laid low. We returned in silence to Camelot.

In the morning,we found that we were all healed, and Giles was again alive, although Excalibur was still broken. Over the next three days, we waited. On the third night, Senorix and Giles couldn't sleep and they wandered around the castle. They saw Arthur and Merlin talking, and then Merlin told them to go get their armor. They rode into the darkness, and Merlin talked to Arthur, reminding him of his vision, that the knight whom he trusted the most would betray him. They arrived at a lake and rowed into it, threw the pieces of the sword into the lake, and then a woman's arm appeared with the sword, recreated. For this to happen, Merlin said he had had to unloose the ties to the fairy world. And Merlin rode off again.

While riding back, Arthur told the younger knights about his vision. He had been in the woods when he saw a strange beast (perhaps Pellinore's questing beast), and then he fell into a trance and saw a vision of a great battle, where one of his knights turned on him.

Also that night, Giles the Elder was visited by a raven which told him a place to go. When he went, he found Akkalon and her other knights with Morgan, and she said that the time had come to save England, and asked each of them if they were committed to their cause. Giles said he was committed. They plotted to kill Arthur on a hunt.

The next morning at breakfast, Merl noticed that Ban's wife, Queen Elaine, was making eyes at Senorix, although he was oblivious. At the end of breakfast, Arthur announced that the men of Gannis were leaving to return to their fight against Claudius, and the knights of Camelot would be at peace this year.

Giles convinced Arthur to go on a hunt, but Arthur invited Brastius and Giles and Merl. Jenna wanted Senorix to help Queen Elaine take a pilgrimage to the Pendragon burial site.

The rest of us went on the hunt. We agreed to split into groups of two, with Arthur and Brastius together; myself and Merl, and Bors the Younger and Giles. In the first day of hunting, Giles was the only one to return with game.

The next day, Bors and Arthur hunted together, Giles and I did, and Merl and Brastius went together. Again, Giles was the only one to return with game.

The next morning there was a heavy fog, and Arthur thought we should not hunt, but Giles convinced him it would be the best challenge. Merl and everyone else agreed to team up against Giles and Arthur. Bors told Merl that he thought that morning he had seen a small woman lurking near the camp, but when he investigated, she had disappeared. Merl found some small barefoot footprints at the edge of camp. Brastius and I agreed to follow the tracks while Merl and Bors hunted.

Giles led Arthur to the clearing where Accalon waited. Accalon told Arthur he was a false king, and Arthur drew Excalibur, but it did not glow. Accalon drew his weapon, and his weapon flared a bright light.

Meanwhile, Brastius and I heard the sound of fighting. Accalon shattered Arthur's fake weapon, and smote Arthur, who took no damage. At that point, Brastius burst into the clearing. Giles intercepted him and slew him. I blew the horn and rode away, with Giles chasing me. I rode off and found Merl and brought him back towards the clearing. We found Accalon injured and saw blood leading away. Giles had followed the trail and found Arthur. Merlin asked Giles what he was doing, and Giles said he had to save Briton. Giles refused to return to Camelot and answer for his crimes, so Merl attacked him. Arthur's stroke injured Giles and Merl knocked him unconscious. We returned to Camelot.

In captivity, Accalon turned over the rest of the conspirators. When Giles was questioned, he was unable to speak Morgan's name. Bors got Baldulf to return to talk to Giles. He could not help Giles, but he convinced Merlin to go get Morgan. We returned to court.

Meanwhile, Senorix travelled with Elaine. He wound up in her wagon. He found that she had two sons, Lionel and Lansel, but they remained in Frankia. She gave Senorix some clothes to wear.

Senorix had refused to wear the clothes she offered, and Elaine attempted to woo Senorix, but he was completely oblivious. The next morning, Elaine offered him some wine in her coach. Senorix told her about the legends of Stonehenge. She continued to ply him with wine, and finally got him drunk, but he finally staved off her advances, angering her. He returned to court.

Merlin returned later with Morgan. She asked for anyone who could accuse her to speak, but none of the conspirators could do so. Arthur pondered, and said that the conspirators had sinned, but that God commanded that we forgive sinners, so he released the knights of Logres. Giles and Accalon were ordered to live in the castle and to renounce their arms.

 

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