Sir VANDEGRIFF stands at the lake shore at dawn, holding his ruby sword Butter in one hand and Calibyrn, the reflection of Excalibur, in the other. He beseeches the Lady of the Lake to aid him in his quest for his true love.
In the water, he sees a reflection of Baron Meladius snatch Calibyrn from his hand. The sword darkens, grows, and terrible runes etch themselves into the blade like acid. Meladius' reflection silently laughs, and he plunges the great runesword between Sir MICHAEL's eyes.
What can this vision mean?
Count BRASS has an idea. The Black Jewel in Michael's brow is made from hardened black oil, which forms subtle clockwork machinery when it condenses into solid form. Perhaps a hundred pounds of the black oil, rather than the half-pound which makes up the Black Jewel, could be formed into a mighty sword, but like all things made of liquid machinery, it will grow and feast upon the minds of men, eating them and leaving the men helpless puppets of the black oil's masters.
Baron Meladius must not have the Black Sword, declares Count Brass. Any man he kills with it will become his undead slave, till soon the world is o'errun with shambling swordsmen with dead-black eyes, killing and living only to kill.
But where can this Black Sword be? Count Brass consults his books, and concludes that it may be the legendary sword Stormbringer, spoken of in Carpathian lore. To seek it, we would have to begin our search in the mountains of southern Poland, near Krakow.
Count Brass has another idea. The vision was given in a lake, that is, in a mirror. Merlin vanished into a mirror. Could it be that Muskovia, which no man had heard a word about until the year 540, is in some way a twisted reflection of Camelot? In that case, there would be an evil reflection of the Round Table, a twisted version of Arthur, an evil Lancelot, an evil Merlin ... perhaps even a reflection of the incomparable Guenevere, and an evil reflection of Excalibur itself!
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
The Winter of 541
Sir ALBEUS earns 1300 Glory. The Warrior in Jet and Gold owes him a duel.
Sir BENILAC is seriously wounded, but spares the life of the Warrior in Jet and Gold. He also saves Sir MARTH from certain death, perhaps guided by the hand of Our Lady Herself. He earns 1800 Glory, but heals poorly, losing 3 CON.
Sir BEARDSLEY earns 1550 Glory. He and Sir Ganelon sneak into the Muskovian camp, wearing masks.
Sir GANELON earns 1550 Glory.
Sir MARTH eyeball-shoots the Lizard King before falling from his injuries. Fortunately, he is healed. He earns 1850 Glory.
Sir MICHAEL earns 1300 Glory.
Sir LEGOLAS TRUMP converts Asrovak Mikosevaar, Knight of the Mantis, to Christianity. He earns 1500 Glory.
King LUKE was not actually present.
Sir VANDEGRIFF earns 1300 Glory.
Sir ALBEUS has no son.
Queen GWENAFRA has a sickly son, but because of the expensive way she lives, he grows up okay.
King LUKE has no son.
Sir BENILAC has no son.
Sir BEARDSLEY prays for God to send him a wife.
Sir MICHAEL the Pangolin isn't, so far as I recall, married.
Sir PEREGORN and Lady BRIANNE have a daughter, whom they may name.
Sir VANDEGRIFF has gone to great lengths to marry but hasn't been able to pull it off yet, on account of his fiancee being stolen by BARON MELADIUS.
Everyone gets +1 to Battle skill for the battle of Dresden, in which they killed all those guys.
Sir BENILAC is seriously wounded, but spares the life of the Warrior in Jet and Gold. He also saves Sir MARTH from certain death, perhaps guided by the hand of Our Lady Herself. He earns 1800 Glory, but heals poorly, losing 3 CON.
Sir BEARDSLEY earns 1550 Glory. He and Sir Ganelon sneak into the Muskovian camp, wearing masks.
Sir GANELON earns 1550 Glory.
Sir MARTH eyeball-shoots the Lizard King before falling from his injuries. Fortunately, he is healed. He earns 1850 Glory.
Sir MICHAEL earns 1300 Glory.
Sir LEGOLAS TRUMP converts Asrovak Mikosevaar, Knight of the Mantis, to Christianity. He earns 1500 Glory.
King LUKE was not actually present.
Sir VANDEGRIFF earns 1300 Glory.
Sir ALBEUS has no son.
Queen GWENAFRA has a sickly son, but because of the expensive way she lives, he grows up okay.
King LUKE has no son.
Sir BENILAC has no son.
Sir BEARDSLEY prays for God to send him a wife.
Sir MICHAEL the Pangolin isn't, so far as I recall, married.
Sir PEREGORN and Lady BRIANNE have a daughter, whom they may name.
Sir VANDEGRIFF has gone to great lengths to marry but hasn't been able to pull it off yet, on account of his fiancee being stolen by BARON MELADIUS.
Everyone gets +1 to Battle skill for the battle of Dresden, in which they killed all those guys.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
541 Autumn
Sir MICHAEL the Pangolin attacked Sir VANDEGRIFF the Bear-Master, nearly wounding him. But Sir Michael was not to fault, for the BLACK JEWEL in his skull controlled him as a puppet. He awoke from a dream, breaking the jewel's power for the moment, but SIR ALBEUS could not cut it from his head, as the Jewel appears to have sunk down roots into Sir Michael's living brain.
The only man in Europe who could possibly understand the Black Jewel, with Merlin gone, is the subtle and arrogant COUNT BRASS of the Camargue. KING ARTHUR charged Sir Michael and his companions to hasten there, before the Black Jewel ate Sir Michael's soul completely.
Three champions barred their way. The Serpent Champion was ten feet tall with the strength of a giant alligator. The Bear Champion was near as large, covered in russet fur and possessed of a mighty roar. And the Warrior in Jet and Gold wore golden armor with a black surcoat, so no part of his body could be seen.
BENILAC spared the life of the Warrior in Jet and Gold, who withdrew, limping, from the field. He promised to meet ALBEUS later. Sir BENLIAC also suffered a Major Wound from the Warrior.
Sir GANELON earned 250 Glory for bravely and rashly scouting the Muskovian horde.
Sir MARTH shot the Serpent Champion in the eye, bypassing his massive hide. The Serpent Champion landed two crushing blows on Sir Marth, wounding him near unto death. But Sir BENILAC plunged a spear into the Champion's hide, which Sir MICHAEL then struck with his iron fist, piercing the Champion sore unto death himself. Then as the Champion's sun set, Sir Marth's arose anew, for Sir Benilac bound up his wounds with inspired skill, perhaps guided by our Merciful Lady Herself.
Sir GANELON and Sir BEARDSLEY undertook to sneak into the Muskovian camp, disguised with captured beast-masks. Sir BEARDSLEY prayed earnestly for success in their venture, but more generally, for God to send him a wife.
Sir LEGOLAS TRUMP earned 500 Glory for converting a captured Knight of the Mantis to Christ. His name is Asrovak Mikosevaar and he knows that Baron Meladius and his cousin, Baron Tanelorn, are competing to marry KATHLEEN, the intended of SIR VANDEGRIFF.
The only man in Europe who could possibly understand the Black Jewel, with Merlin gone, is the subtle and arrogant COUNT BRASS of the Camargue. KING ARTHUR charged Sir Michael and his companions to hasten there, before the Black Jewel ate Sir Michael's soul completely.
Three champions barred their way. The Serpent Champion was ten feet tall with the strength of a giant alligator. The Bear Champion was near as large, covered in russet fur and possessed of a mighty roar. And the Warrior in Jet and Gold wore golden armor with a black surcoat, so no part of his body could be seen.
BENILAC spared the life of the Warrior in Jet and Gold, who withdrew, limping, from the field. He promised to meet ALBEUS later. Sir BENLIAC also suffered a Major Wound from the Warrior.
Sir GANELON earned 250 Glory for bravely and rashly scouting the Muskovian horde.
Sir MARTH shot the Serpent Champion in the eye, bypassing his massive hide. The Serpent Champion landed two crushing blows on Sir Marth, wounding him near unto death. But Sir BENILAC plunged a spear into the Champion's hide, which Sir MICHAEL then struck with his iron fist, piercing the Champion sore unto death himself. Then as the Champion's sun set, Sir Marth's arose anew, for Sir Benilac bound up his wounds with inspired skill, perhaps guided by our Merciful Lady Herself.
Sir GANELON and Sir BEARDSLEY undertook to sneak into the Muskovian camp, disguised with captured beast-masks. Sir BEARDSLEY prayed earnestly for success in their venture, but more generally, for God to send him a wife.
Sir LEGOLAS TRUMP earned 500 Glory for converting a captured Knight of the Mantis to Christ. His name is Asrovak Mikosevaar and he knows that Baron Meladius and his cousin, Baron Tanelorn, are competing to marry KATHLEEN, the intended of SIR VANDEGRIFF.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
541
MUSKOVIA has attacked the KNIGHTS of the ROUND TABLE
in a treacherous ambush. BARON MELADIUS was wounded by SIR ALBEUS but fled,
swearing revenge.
Now MUSKOVIA’s legions are on the march! The Order of
the Crow scouts through the woods, finding pathways for the Orders of the Wolf
and Dragon, while the Order of the Bull charges ahead. The Orders of the Shark
and Squid raid the coasts. Somewhere in
SAXONY, the armies of MUSKOVIA and BRITAIN shall meet, and decide the destiny
of the world.
Also, MELADIUS kidnaps KATHERINE, the sister of BRIAN
BORU and SIR VANDEGRIFF’s intended.
The Muskovians use Saxons as their front line. Sir
MICHAEL THE PANGOLIN discovers that the Saxons have BLACK JEWELS embedded in
their skulls; gradually, the Jewel has eaten the Saxon’s brain, so he is naught
but a puppet of the Jewel’s master, whoever it is.
SIR VANDEGRIFF defeats the WILD HUNTSMAN in single
combat.
SIR MARTH destroys the ORDER OF THE EAGLE and its
Grand Constable, COUNT DUCLOS.
SIR VANDEGRIFF and SIR ALBEUS try to come to grips
with BARON MELADIUS. But SIR PEREGORN, the old black knight, knocks MELADIUS
from his saddle. When he swings back onto his wolf, SIR VANDEGRIFF descends on
him in a fury and destroys him with two mighty blows. But it isn’t MELADIUS at
all under the helmet, but a Muskovian knight whom MELADIUS has placed his own
wolf-mask upon! VANDEGRIFF chases MELADIUS into the distance.
SIR BENILAC chases down the Order of the Dragon and
slays its knights, but KING LUKE catches the Grand Constable of their order and
strikes him from his war-lizard, wounded but not dead.
SIR ARNO VORIAN fights side by side with KING ARTHUR
to hold back a horde of Order of the Wolf knights, and though wounded hip and
thigh, holds his place. Afterward the King clasps his arms and says he owes him
his crown and his life.
Meanwhile,
in Paris, SIR ALBEUS seeks clues to the fate of his son,
vanished along with MERLIN THE MAGICIAN. He hears that a red-headed boy is
being raised as a Muskovian prince by SHENEGAR TROTT, the Count of Novgorod and
Grand Constable of the Order of the Bear.
Meanwhile,
in Spain:
Sir Benilac’s army drives the Vandals back to the
Tower of Otranto in central Spain.
Count Brass brings in Lepidus’ two legions (must pay
100 L) and Vandegriff brings in his siege train.
The Vandals are defeated when Count Brass kills the
Vandal chieftain. They flee to North Africa.
Lepidus tells his Emperor he has conquered Spain.
Count Brass provokes a quarrel with Lepidus and kills him. The legions return
home.
Count Brass swears perpetual peace with Duke Benilac,
and makes it known that a share of the income from Spain would not go amiss.
But he cannot spare the knights to garrison Spain, so he will not insist on it.
540
MERLIN THE MAGICIAN says that he can enchant no more,
for the death of the Dragon has made the One God supreme over the many gods of
sorcery. However, the SAXONS have despaired of defeating the One God and have
turned to even worse things than dragons to pray to. Before they succeed in
heaving up something so wicked that Hell itself might seem pleasant, the ROUND
TABLE must, says MERLIN, ride and destroy the SAXONS.
His reflection in the mirror raises a sword to attack
MERLIN, so he hurls the ruby sword from himself and shields the baby in his
arms, who is SIR ALBEUS’ son.
SIR ALBEUS attacks the reflection, shattering the
mirror. When he turns round, MERLIN and the baby are gone. The dead reflection
still holds a living baby, but it has slit eyes and a forked serpent’s tongue.
The charming BARON MELADIUS of MUSKOVIA meets the
knights on the road. He has heard of our One God and wants to see him in
action. So he will come to fight the Saxons with us.
The Saxons are indeed calling up some hideous forest
monster, part stag and part rabbit, part snake and part weasel. The monster in
question fights hard but is put down.
MELADIUS rejoices – we are indeed mighty! This will
give him a fine story to tell when he brings our tortured corpses back to
Muskovia in triumph. He ambushes KING ARTHUR’s knights with the Order of the
Wolf, the Order of the Dragon, and the Order of the Bull.
Although the Muskovians lose, Baron MELADIUS escapes.
538
Fafnir, Father of Dragons, killed under the streets of Paris.
SIR CHROM, in destroying FENRIS, sacrifices his life and is reborn as a spirit of the wolves.
SIR ALBEUS finds the world's largest diamond and somehow drags it home.
SIR CHROM, in destroying FENRIS, sacrifices his life and is reborn as a spirit of the wolves.
SIR ALBEUS finds the world's largest diamond and somehow drags it home.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)