Major Event Derailment

[Leingod]

I think it's important to keep in mind that the PKs need to succeed on multiple rolls throughout these events to even get a whiff of the actual story that's going on with Gorlois's sudden rebellion (though of course the players are likely to know at least the gist already); most of Uther's followers wouldn't have been there when it happened, or wouldn't have had the opportunity to find out even what little the PKs potentially can, or just failed their rolls to do so.

For example, when Uther first develops his lust for Ygraine, a PK has to succeed on some rolls even to notice that Uther is having that reaction (especially because a lot of people present are having that exact reaction anyway). Certainly even in-universe it's not hard to guess that Uther would want Ygraine once he's put down this rebellion; he's notoriously lusty, after all. But on the other hand, there's a difference between Uther being well-known to sleep around (and it's not until Ygraine, and also when Ygraine spurns him for letting Arthur be taken away, that he's ever stated to resort to sleeping with married women) and thinking that naturally leads into this whole war that's going on even as the Saxons continue to be a major threat in the east being solely as a result of Uther wanting to kill Gorlois and take his wife.

EDIT: Now, the people closest to Uther, and who know him best, will probably know or at least suspect what's going on, but those are the people most likely to be blindly loyal to Uther anyway, and unlikely to spread around anything that could discredit their king. Ulfius might try to convince Uther to see sense in private, for example, but he's 100% in Uther's corner the whole way regardless.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Leingod

[Atgxtg]

16 hours ago, merlyn said:

Or they believed that protesting Uther's behavior was a sure-fire way to have him invading and ravaging their lands next.

Yes, somewhat. Only it depends on just how much they are aware of. People, even nobles, don't likethe idea of someone being able to take thier wife away from them, and, if it were a habit, would probably band together against such a ruler. Since Uther's army is mostly comprised of the armies of his vassal, he could easily find himself in trouble if said vassals refuse to support him in this. It then risks turning into a situation of "when will it end" and "my wife/daughter could be next". That's probably why Uther and/or his advisors would try to put the right spin on this. It's much better to paint Gorlois as a rebellious vassal than Uther as an old lech who can't keep his hands off of another man's wife, especially the wife of one of his most pwoerful vassals. That's the sort of thing that led to the Magna Carta. 

16 hours ago, merlyn said:

 (In Geoffrey of Monmouth's version, Uther's army takes the initiative in attacking Gorlois'  castle while Uther is in Tintagel, begetting Arthur, which makes it less likely that they were only obeying Uther out of fear of him.)

Yes, they were probably quite enthusiastic about it, seeing the battle as a chance for glory and plunder.  Remember the common story passed around was that Gorlois slighted the king by leaving court without permission, and then refused to return to court to explain himself. On the surface, Uther is the aggrieved party and Gorlois' is not showing him his due as King and liege. So this was seen as an opportunity.