542 AD

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!

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.