What notable people would show up at an meeting with Uther in Salisbury?

[redmoongoddess]

This is circa 490-492.

The context is that Uther is visiting Salisbury as part of his Royal Progress, and also to discuss plans to rescue the babies of a village, that was kidnapped by Saxons.

Assuming everyone can make it, who would be at the meeting? So far my list is:
Uther, Rodreck, Madoc, Ellen, Elad (from the introduction scenario), obviously the PKs (Just one in my campaign, doing a solo game), and the villagers who had their babies taken away.

Anyone else? And, general pointers for running a court scene would be helpful!
 

[7dot62mm]

This would be a good opportunity to foreshadow future scenarios and have player characters see or even meet prominent NPCs who feature in them. So for example they'll meet the young Sir Bercelak in 492 and that way when they 20 whatever years later meet the old Sir Bercelak in his castle you can remind them of meeting him here. This gives world more depth - there are recurring NPCs living their lives.

[Morien]

6 hours ago, redmoongoddess said:

Uther, Rodreck, Madoc, Ellen, Elad (from the introduction scenario), obviously the PKs (Just one in my campaign, doing a solo game), and the villagers who had their babies taken away.

Assuming you are following default GPC:

1) Madoc might already be dead.

2) Uther might not be all that keen on some peasant babies. Just look at his reaction to the massacre of Anderida. Frankly, this is a local problem, definitely below Uther's paygrade, possibly even below the Count's, if it is a single village under the PK.

3) Given Uther's misogynistic tendencies, I doubt Ellen would be there.

Of course, Your Pendragon Will Vary.

Edited October 16, 2020 by Morien

[Tizun Thane]

Ok. sir Brastias, the new bodyguard of Uther, should be there. He is an important figure during the Anarchy and the Boy King period.

Actually, the Book of Uther would be very useful to you. There is the whole court presented.

IMO, you should present characters of local importance (sir Elad, and a few others) who will be important during the Anarchy. An arrogant banneret, a scheming seneschal, and a few others NPCs.

2 minutes ago, Morien said:

2) Uther might not be all that keen on some peasant babies. Just look at his reaction to the massacre of Anderida. Frankly, this is a local problem, definitely below Uther's paygrade, possibly even below the Count's, if it is a single village under the PK.

Totally! They don't really care. They don't have time for this petty problems.

[redmoongoddess]

You're all right about the idea that Uther wouldn't care. I think that should be the point of the session, that despite being the king who your lord is loyal to, he doesn't give a shit, and is in general an total asshole. In regards to my original question, I should take this as an excuse to pull out original NPCs who I have no plans for, but will use later, to make it seem like I have a plan, because honestly, a lot of my GMing is just improv (and I'm not interested in running an direct copy of the GPC, because there are too many damned battles in it).

[Leingod]

1 hour ago, redmoongoddess said:

You're all right about the idea that Uther wouldn't care. I think that should be the point of the session, that despite being the king who your lord is loyal to, he doesn't give a shit, and is in general an total asshole. In regards to my original question, I should take this as an excuse to pull out original NPCs who I have no plans for, but will use later, to make it seem like I have a plan, because honestly, a lot of my GMing is just improv (and I'm not interested in running an direct copy of the GPC, because there are too many damned battles in it).

While yes, Uther is definitely a callous jerk, it also isn't his job to care. Player Knights are vavasours, the vassals of his vassals, who aren't in any direct relationship with the king and thus have no mutual obligations he has to consider. The PK on whose manor those peasants lived was the person primarily responsible for protecting them, and secondarily it falls on Count Roderick as the PK's liege from whom the manor was sub-infeudinated (and even then, Roderick caring enough to actually do stuff like bring this up to the king is shockingly nice of him, and implies the PKs are among his favorites). That's part of the whole feudal contract; when you're given that land and the produce of the peasants on it, you take up the duty of dealing with local threats. Unless there's a big army of Saxons coming your way, this whole thing is too small-time and too removed from the king for him to bother with. It sucks, and Uther could still do more about it if he felt like it, but at the same time that's a good object lesson in how feudalism works.

Even Arthur probably wouldn't do much more beyond looking around at his assembled knights and going, "Missing babies? That sounds like an adventure. Anyone up for it?"

[Morien]

5 minutes ago, Leingod said:

Even Arthur probably wouldn't do much more beyond looking around at his assembled knights and going, "Missing babies? That sounds like an adventure. Anyone up for it?"

Exactly. Of course, in Arthur's court you probably would find some knights willing to assay such a quest. In Uther's, not so much.

Frankly, Roderick should know better than even ask Uther's help, except perhaps asking for the use of one of those ships from Naval Raids and a crew. Assuming that the PK had an idea where the kidnappers came from. Time for a quick amphibious counter raid, get the babies/kids regardless of ethnicity and organise a kid swap later if you missed any.

[Morien]

2 hours ago, redmoongoddess said:

In regards to my original question, I should take this as an excuse to pull out original NPCs who I have no plans for, but will use later, to make it seem like I have a plan, because honestly, a lot of my GMing is just improv

Yep, pretty much. Especially as there can easily be a host of different people around anyway if it is a royal court visit.

[SaxBasilisk]

On 10/16/2020 at 5:42 PM, redmoongoddess said:

You're all right about the idea that Uther wouldn't care. I think that should be the point of the session, that despite being the king who your lord is loyal to, he doesn't give a shit, and is in general an total asshole. In regards to my original question, I should take this as an excuse to pull out original NPCs who I have no plans for, but will use later, to make it seem like I have a plan, because honestly, a lot of my GMing is just improv (and I'm not interested in running an direct copy of the GPC, because there are too many damned battles in it).

Even if you're mostly improvising, the Book of Uther might be useful as a source of inspiration. It lays out the various court offices, provides different personalities you can steal if needed, gives a lengthy example of how the king's court and progress might work and who might come along, and even has a section of charts for courtly adventures.