Salisbury Knights - a playthrough of the Great Pendragon Campaign

[BioKeith]

Year 516

The knights of Salisbury enjoyed some much needed rest at their various estates. Sir Alfred returned from his long stay in the Kingdom Inapercu. ‘What happens in Inapercu stays in Inapercu’ is all he would say. Sir Edwin returned much later than everyone else from Merlin's quest for the Thirteen Treasures and was of dark demeanor for much of the winter, ashamed of having dishonoured himself, but refusing to say what had happened. Sir Blackmore settled in with his new wife, who bore him a daughter in the spring.

In April, the knights returned to Carlion where King Arthur was holding court. A feast was to be held in honour of the newest member of the Round Table – Sir Bedivere.

The feast hall was crowded, Sir Bedivere and Sir Ysabel Starling enjoyed positions of honour near the salt. Because of the number of knights present, seats were not available for everyone and Sir Caoilfhionn and Sir Henri were amongst the knights who were sat on the floor with the squires. Sir Edwin was jostled  by a drunken Sir Agrivaine, but the two seemed to hit it off and became boozy best friends – spilling drinks and hitting on eligible young ladies. Sir Alfred continued in his attempts to woo Lady Jenna, but was interrupted by Agrivaine and Edwin’s taunts.  Alfred sulked for much of the evening until the musicians started up and Agrivaine swept Jenna onto the dance floor. Unable to stand it any longer, Alfred swooped in and danced Jenna away with an incredible display of timing and footmanship (Crit to his dancing!). Agrivaine just laughed and went back to drinking with Edwin.

After several hours of feasting, the proceedings were interrupted by messengers. Arthur rose to speak and told the gathered assembly that an army of Saxons and other freebooters had landed in Deira and had fast marched to Eburacum and taken the city by surprise. Barant de Apres, The King of 100 Knights had barely escaped, fleeing northward to Catterick. An angry Arthur ordered the army to prepare to march immediately – not willing to wait for a full muster. Bedivere and Ysabel glanced ruefully at each other, but then left to prepare. The army marched north and joined up with Duke Derfel and some of his forces before meeting the Saxons one afternoon north of Lincoln. Arthur's scouts informed him that the Saxons had stolen a march and were already forming to attack, having a sizable advantage in numbers over Arthur’s advance force, and so the Battle of Humber was joined.

 

The Battle of Humber

Arthur tried to form up his army but they were still disorganized as the first charge was sounded. Sir Lucas confidently led an eschelle of Salisbury knights, but up and down the line, Arthur’s charge was disastrous. Sir Lucas, Sir Alfred and Sir Caoilfhionn were all unhorsed, and the only knight able to hold their own against the Saxons was Sir Ysabel.

The knights tried to regroup, but as dusk approached, Arthur blew the horns to retreat. Sir Lucas – his confidence shattered by the first charge, yelled for his eschelle to make haste and retreat before thundering off, pursued by the Saxons. Arthur’s army retreated from the field and tried to regroup back at their camp. First Aid was given to those who had been wounded while Sir Bedivere and a few of the other round table knights tried to firm up morale. However soon the alarm was heard. The Saxons had swept into camp in a surprise night assault.

All was confusion in the dark and the knights fought desperately for their lives. Saxons ranged through the camp. Sir Alfred and Sir Blackmore were confronted by flashy looking noble Saxons, while screaming warriors threw themselves at Sir Caoilfhionn and Sir Henri. Sir Lucas faced down a young warrior with a mace, while Sir Ysabel found herself beset by the hugest berserker she had ever beheld. Sir Blackmoor was knocked unconscious by a blow from the butt end of an axe, and Alfred and Ysabel were both knocked flying by their opponents. Fortunately Sir Caoilfhionn and Sir Edwin were able to take care of their opponents and came to Ysabel’s aid just in time. Lucas, in a clumsy fight, finally bested the young Saxon. He turned and heard Sir Gawaine nearby calling for him to come with him, but Lucas refused and instead rushed back to find out the fate of his comrades.

With the skirmish winding down, Sir Ysabel and Sir Blackmoor were both unconscious - Sir Ysabel near death. Sir Edwin attempted first aid, but was nervous and wherever he touched Ysabel it only seemed to make things worse, as her bleeding started anew (Good old fumbled first aid rolls, she was down to 1HP at this point). Sir Bedivere appeared, and threw Edwin aside, taking Ysabel in his arms and bearing her to the hospital tents. Ysabel barely clung on to life with Bedivere refusing to leave her side.

In the pre-dawn light, Arthur and Gawaine and some of the round table knights were seen coming back into the camp. In the confusion, they had come upon a conference of the enemy commanders and launched their own surprise attack. In the ensuing fight, the Saxon commanders were all killed. Now in the morning light, as the Saxon troops looked around they discovered they had no leaders. Arthur urged his men to attack the Saxons in their confusion and the Saxons were soon routed and fled.

 

The Siege of Eburacum

Arthur rallied his army and marched in an attempt to cut off the Saxons who were trying to withdraw to Eburacum. The King of Malahaut joined Arthur, and together they laid siege to the city. Arthur sent his wounded back to Lincoln. Scouts reported the approach of another Saxon army and Arthur sent troops led by Sir Penelope to ambush them.

Penelope led from the front, and the first charge shattered the Saxons. The Saxons never recovered from their initial shock. The Salisbury knights repeatedly threw back a group of Germanic nobles and soon found themselves disengaged and in the rear of the saxon army. Spotting the enemy commanders, the knights charged and in hard fought fighting, vanquished them. The rest of the Saxons fled the field with some of the knights in pursuit.

Sir Penelope led the victorious knights back to Eburacum to join Arthur’s siege where she arrived to find King Arthur in mid-preparation to launch an assault – despite the army’s lack of siege equipment. Penelope tried to dissuade Arthur, as this seemed like a particularly bad idea, but Arthur’s blood was hot and he pressed ahead. Resigning herself, Penelope took volunteers to join the assault, and apart from the severely injured Sir Ysabel Starling and Sir Blackmoor (the ever prudent), the knights of Salisbury were eager to volunteer. The futility of the assault became immediately evident. Only Penelope (briefly) and Sir Lucas made it to the top of the wall. As the rest of the army reorganized and the retreat horns were sounded, Lucas reluctantly gave up his position on the wall and joined the rest of the army.

 

Autumn in Salisbury

The knights passed the rest of the summer back at their estates, but were called back to Sarum by Earl Robert for what he promised would be a ‘special’ feast. In the feast hall, the knights were in good spirits despite how Arthur’s campaign had ended. Sir Lucas and Sir Henri both flirted with, or more accurately, were flirted with by a beautiful woman, Lady Uffington. Henri was quite taken with her, and possibly slightly drunk, and disappeared with the Lady for an hour mid-feast. Part way through the evening, Earl Robert rose to announce the reason for the feast – his engagement. As he looked around he seemed to spot someone and beckoned a young lady forward - who turned out to be, Lady Uffington. Henri, who had also just reappeared and was fixing his small clothes, looked chagrined, torn between his new passion for Lady Uffington and his loyalty to Robert. At the end of the evening, Henri pulled the Earl aside and in as subtle a terms as possible, confessed that the Lady might not be as pure as he thought.

Earl Robert did not seem to take this news well, rebuffing Henri for so casually disparaging the lady's honor, and Henri quickly left court. The Earl and Lady Uffington were not seen out in public over the winter.

[BioKeith]

And after a bit of an interlude...we continue

 

Year 516 Wrap Up

Back outside of Eburacum, Sir Penelope arrived to find King Arthur in mid-preparation to launch an assault – despite the army’s lack of siege equipment. Penelope tried to dissuade Arthur, as this seemed like a particularly bad idea to her, but Arthur’s blood was hot and he pressed ahead. Resigning herself, Penelope took volunteers to join the assault, and apart from the severely injured Sir Ysabel and Sir Blackmore, the knights of Salisbury were eager to volunteer. The futility of the assault became immediately evident. Only Penelope and Sir Lucas made it to the top of the wall to establish a 'beachhead', but elsewhere, the knights met stiff resistance and as the retreat horns were sounded, they beat a reluctant retreat.

Penelope arrived back at Arthur's tent to find the King steaming. Scouts had reported another saxon army rapidly approaching, and for once, Arthur's prudence showed forth and he ordered his forces to return home for the winter.

Winter 516

The knights passed the rest of the summer back at their estates. In the fall they were called back to Sarum by Earl Robert for what he promised would be a ‘special’ feast. As they caught up In the feast hall the knights were in good spirits,  despite how Arthur’s campaign had ended. Sir Lucas and Sir Henri both flirted with, or more accurately, were both flirted with, by a beautiful woman, Lady Uffington. Henri was quite taken with her, and possibly because he had been overserved, he disappeared with the Lady for an hour mid-feast. Part way through the evening, Earl Robert rose to announce the reason for the feast – his engagement. As he looked around he seemed to spot someone and beckoned a young lady forward - who turned out to be, Lady Uffington! Henri, who had also just reappeared and was fixing his small clothes, looked chagrined, torn between his new passion for Lady Uffington and his loyalty to Robert. At the end of the evening, Henri pulled the Earl aside and in as subtle a terms as possible, confessed that the Lady might not be as pure as he thought. Earl Robert did not seem to take this news well and told Henri that if he ever again disparaged the Lady, things would not end well for him. Henri quickly left court.

Year 517

In the spring, the knights returned to Arthur’s court in London. A large ceremony was held to honour the newest round table knights: Four of the “Old Knights”: King Uriens, King Dirac, Duke Hervis de Revel, and Sir Galegantis. And Four of the “Young Knights”: Sir Gawaine, Sir Griflet, Sir Kay, and Sir Tor. The feasting continued for several days, before Arthur withdrew with his advisors. At the end of court, Arthur ordered the army to prepare to march north to recapture Eburacum from the Saxons.

The knights of Salisbury marched with the army, confident in retaking the city. This year, siege engines had been constructed - surely nothing could stop them this time. The Saxons, however, were not waiting in Eburacum. They had marched south to besiege Lincoln but turned to form up as Arthur's army approached.

 

The Battle of Lincoln

Lucas was given command of an eschelle of the young knights of Salisbury and led them into the first charge. Sir Nikolas and Sir Lucas performed well, but the rest of the knights; Sir Bellana, Sir Blackmoor, Sir Caoilfhionn, and Sir Alfred, all seemed overwhelmed by the mayhem of battle. Sir Blackmoor was unhorsed and knocked unconscious. Sir Lucas held the remaining knights together and fought a fierce holding action near Blackmoor’s body while Bellana performed first aid on the fallen knight, bringing him to, and setting his squire to bring him back to the hospital tents. Back together the knights fought on in the midst of the killing zone. Slowly the quality of the knights began to show and the Saxons were gradually thrown back.

Then, an unknown knight wearing gleaming white armor appeared on the Saxon’s flank and attacked the Saxons, driving them before him. The Saxons were smashed, their resistance crumbled and they fled the field.

 

The Pursuit

Arthur quickly ordered the army to pursue the retreating Saxons and succeeded in cutting them off from retreat to Deira. The bands of Saxons streamed north, sacking one of the old roman forts at the wall as they moved passed with Arthur in pursuit. Eventually they ended up in the wide forest that lies between Lothian and Strangore, where they were trapped in a valley in the Caledonian Forest.

Arthur ordered the construction of a defensive wall around the valley as he decided to simply starve the saxons out. After several weeks, the hungry Saxons launched a desperate assault on the wooden palisades, manned by the knights of Salisbury. The strength of the knights held firm and soon the Saxons were throwing down their arms and surrendering. Paraded before Arthur, he forced them all to take an oath to sail back to Saxony and never darken the shores of Britain again. He even forced the saxon princes to leave their eldest sons as hostages to make sure of their word.

 

Meanwhile in Logres

As the army dispersed to the south, it became apparent that while Arthur had been busy in the north, swarms of Saxon warriors had been busy raiding most of southern Logres. Much damage had been done, and Arthur was in a dark mood. Rumours came that King Aelle had declared himself 'Bretwalda' and had sworn to rid Britain of this false High King (Arthur) who had been pretending for too long.

Over the winter, rumours swept through Salisbury. Merchants from the continent said that every port they had come from was full of saxon warriors - each of whom was seeking passage to Britain.

Sir Gawaine had further news, as it seemed that the northern saxons had forsaken their word and joined their southern cousins, further boosting Aelle's forces

Arthur left everyone with a stirring speech: 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. The Saxons are preparing as much each of you. Ready yourself, for in the spring, the true heroes of Britain will rise and face down the Saxon horde for once and for all'.

The knights returned to their estates, with the prospects of 30 000 saxons facing them in the spring.