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OOC Thread   The frost of winter has given way to the slush of February's warmer weather, yet the air is still cold and the sun selfish with its warmth. But today is a glorious day nonetheless, for Sir Elad, the Marshall of Salisbury, Castellan of Vagon Castle, and trainer to the county's squires, has recognized your skill, temperament, and service as dutiful squires. And so today is the best of all days, for after dinner at the hall of Earl Roderick himself, Elad will present you as candidates for knighthood. The hall is festooned with banners and trophies of the hunt. Servants carry platters of suckling pigs, roast venison, and bear steaks to the long tables. Jugs of wine and ale clatter and slosh freely. And though you note the more sumptuous platters travel only to the tables near the throne, the food brought to you far at the end is still more delectable than you are used to. The mood is warm and merry, the music bright and rousing, and winter is completely forgotten for a couple of hours. And then suddenly, from his throne, Earl Roderick claps his hands and silence descends. He calls out to the high table, the one nearest his throne, and asks the lords present if they know any man deserving of knighthood. Sir Elad rises and answers, "In truth, I wot well six men. Squires true, they are well ready to take the spurs and the sword in your service." The Earl nods and barks, "Then gather them forth." Sir Elad waves you up and lines you before the high table, after which the Earl whispers to the herald by his throne. The herald unfurls a scroll and cries out, "Bledri, come forth and kneel before the throne." A servant steps forth and places a bundle by the Earl's feet, consisting of mail, a shield, spurs, and a sword. Reading further from the scroll, the herald says, "Be it known to all men that I, Earl Roderick of Salisbury, am minded to raise Bledri by virtue of his honor, loyalty, valor, and skill at arms, to the high rank of knighthood." He lowers the scroll and asks, "Bledri, do you swear and acknowledge Earl Roderick of Salisbury to be your true and lawful liege?" Note the proper response is "I do so swear." Upon Bledri's assent, he continues. "Do you also swear fealty to Uther Pendragon, to defend and obey him until he depart the throne, or death shall take you?" Again, the proper response is "I do so swear." Earl Roderick rises and stands before Bledri. "Let this be the last blow you receive without just recourse," he says, then strikes him a blow strong enough to knock him to the floor. You of course want to get back on your knees, but this time, with your hands out and raised palms up. The herald intones, "Repeat after me: 'I, Bledri, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood.'” Upon Bledri's recitation, the Earl smiles and addresses him thus: "And I, for my part, do swear to defend and honor Bledri as befits a true knight." He takes the sword from the floor and lightly taps Bledri on both shoulders. "I dub thee Sir Bledri. Receive now your spurs, your right to suitable arms, and take this, my sword, to your side to serve and defend me well. Arise, Sir Knight." As he speaks, Earl Roderick hands him his spurs and shield, then sheathes the sword and girds it onto Sir Bledri. He receives the rest of the squires in turn, making them knights in his service, then presenting them to the hails and applause of the hall. Soon, a cry goes out---"Leap! Leap! Leap!" and, laughing, Earl Roderick orders the new knights to dress in their mail and spurs. You know this custom well: fully caparisoned, you will dash from the door of the Earl's manor to your horse outside. Leap onto the saddle and prove your quality, or land on your backside in the mud and provide entertainment. Either way, everyone is watching. OOC: For your first post, recite your oaths of knighthood per the above, then go ahead and make the Leap! You want to roll equal to or below your DEX score. Make it and you get 10 extra points of Glory. If you want to mingle or do anything else afterward, go ahead and post it. You have no duty assigned yet, so can hang out at Roderick's hall or leave as you like. Edit: Also, please put your character's name at the top of each post. ibntumart fucked around with this message at 06:06 on Oct 27, 2013 |
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Oct 27, 2013 05:47
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Derek This is the day I become a knight Derek ‘s mind was racing as he looked at Roderick, Derek, son of Sir Derrick son of Sir Yorrick son of sir Erick the shepherd the first man of his family who became a knight. It was his duty to honor his ancestors and to serve and protect the earl of Salisbury. He heard the herald speak with a clear voice "Derek, come forth and kneel before the throne." A servant steps forth and places a bundle by the Earl's feet, consisting of mail, a shield, spurs, and a sword. Reading further from the scroll, the herald says, "Be it known to all men that I, Earl Roderick of Salisbury, am minded to raise Derek by virtue of his honor, loyalty, valor, and skill at arms, to the high rank of knighthood." He lowers the scroll and asks, "Derek, do you swear and acknowledge Earl Roderick of Salisbury to be your true and lawful liege?" “I do I swear” Derek answered keeping the proper pomp for the situation Upon Derek's assent, he continues. "Do you also swear fealty to Uther Pendragon, to defend and obey him until he depart the throne, or death shall take you?" Derek nodded slightly more to himself than to the crowd “I do I swear” Earl Roderick rises and stands before Derek. "Let this be the last blow you receive without just recourse," he says, then strikes him a blow strong enough to knock him to the floor. Derek got back to his knees as he raised his hands and raised his palms The herald intones, "Repeat after me: 'I, Derek, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood.'” Derek answered with a strong voice to be heard clearly “I, Derek, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he departs his demesnes or death shall take me and to uphold the honor of knighthood” HE had heard this oath so many times in his youth he knew it by heart and now it was his turn he finally was swearing the oath of knighthood to sir Roderick Upon Derek's recitation, the Earl smiles and addresses him thus: "And I, for my part, do swear to defend and honor Derek as befits a true knight." He takes the sword from the floor and lightly taps Derek on both shoulders. "I dub thee Sir Derek. Receive now your spurs, your right to suitable arms, and take this, my sword, to your side to serve and defend me well. Arise, Sir Knight." As he speaks, Earl Roderick hands him his spurs and shield, then sheathes the sword and girds it onto Sir Derek. Derek got ready as quick as possible. The chants of “Leap! Leap! Leap!” echoing on his ears. This was his chance to shine. He gave a small glimpse to the crowd before dashing as fast as he could. He looked at his horse at the seat he had trained in his spare time to not screw this up he jumped and felt his movement through the air Leap on the horse for the first time (VS14): 1d20 17 When he opened his eyes he could see the sky above him he sat and saw his horse and the crowd. What went wrong? Did the horse move? Did he miscalculate? Never mind the result is the same the crowd was entertained. He stood up and patted the horse gently before letting out a boisterous laugh he would hit his head against a wall in private later. dereku posted:Aight so first of all… I’ll add +1 to Hospitality and +1 to hate Saxons
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Oct 27, 2013 06:12
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Sir Rhun (OOC Note: above image is link to most recent updated version of Rhun's character sheet) Rhun - shortly to be Sir Rhun - awaits his turn patiently, staring straight ahead - for once passing up the chance to smile and wink at the various ladies-in-waiting and damosels to be found in Earl Roderick's hall, as he often does. Even during the meal, he was less jovial with the pages - and Rhun is the kind of man who loves to joke with them. This is a moment of solemnity, and it weighs on him. Truth be told, no one has given him a hassle about his beliefs during his training. Well, not much of one, at any rate. No more than could be expected. Sir Elad gave him some ribbing, but that is his job. But as the sole candidate for Knighthood this day who still cleaves to the Old Ways, who still praises the Goddess and her Consort in the sacred groves rather than abandoning them for the Christ-God and his chapels... it is not for himself, that he feels this weight. It is for those like him, those few in Salisbury who have not given up the ways of their ancestors, who still feel the power and the life in the ways of old. He will be an example for them, he knows this. If he falters and fails, how can their faith not do the same? But if he comports himself well, if he holds himself as a Knight should, if he can prove that the Old Ways can inspire a man to greatness even as the New Ways try to do... ...well, that would be an aspiration worthy of a Knight. And oh, how it is needed. Rhun cannot help but think back to standing his vigil with the other Squires in the castle's chapel - a chapel to a God he does not follow, words of a creed not his own ringing in his ears. If he is just, if he is righteous, and if he is deserving, perhaps one day Rhun will be a lord, knighting another. And on that day, Rhun swears to himself, he will not force any man to pay homage to a faith not his own. But the time for rumination passes, then, as his own name is being called by his Lord's Herald. His back is straight and his head held high as Rhun approaches the throne, kneeling as commanded and trying not to look at the bundle of gear - his gear, soon - that is placed before him. "Rhun, do you swear and acknowledge Earl Roderick of Salisbury to be your true and lawful liege?" "I do so swear." "Do you also swear fealty to Uther Pendragon, to defend and obey him until he depart the throne, or death shall take you?" "I do so swear." Earl Roderick rises and stands before Rhun. "Let this be the last blow you receive without just recourse," he says, then strikes him a blow strong enough to knock him to the floor. Rhun gets back to his knees, trying not to visibly wince - Roderick is not the sort to hold back on that 'mere formality' of a blow - and holds out his hands, palms facing the sky. That's going to leave a bruise. The herald intones, "Repeat after me: 'I, Rhun, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood.'” "I, Rhun, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood." As he is knighted, Rhun stands to be girded with his new sword, and as he turns to face the assembled crowd he cannot resist beaming a bright, sunny grin. He is feeling awfully proud, and why should he not? He earned this, after all, through blood and service and hard work. He stands aside, then, to let his fellows receive their honors (and blows) as well... ....and then it is time for the Leap. Truth be told, Rhun has - when he can do so in relative privacy - been practicing this maneuver, as all Squires do from time to time. And so he arms himself, adjusts his spurs, and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his fellow Squires as they make the mad dash towards the exit and their waiting steeds... The Leap (target: 11 or lower): 1d20 7 ...and for him, at least, the practice has paid off. Rhun vaults into the saddle, and though his horse bucks under the sudden crashing weight, the newly-minted Knight is able to grip the reins and keep from being thrown; he turns his horse towards the crowd, then, lifting a gauntleted hand in a proud, cheerful salute. And then... well, hell. He's on his horse. It seems kind of wasteful to just hop back down, now doesn't it? And so Rhun - Sir Rhun, now - sets his hard-earned spurs to his mount's flanks for the first time, aiming to race around the courtyard of the Keep. horsemanship (target 15 or lower): 1d20 16 It doesn't go so well; his steed has had quite enough excitement, what with the whole jumping and landing and yelling and all, and rears again, stubbornly refusing to move. Far from being put out, though, Rhun just laughs, and climbs down, patting his charger's flank. "All right, all right, I take your point. It's a time for celebration, not work, eh?" If he is at all embarrassed or chagrined that his attempt at a dramatic flourish didn't go so well, he does not show it. I confess to having taken some liberties with the Horsemanship roll there, but I'm hopeful that it's all kosher - hey, if not, Rhun can end up in the mud even WITH a successful Leap, and that'll be funny in and of itself, right?  GLORY THIS GAME: 10 DivineCoffeeBinge fucked around with this message at 07:00 on Nov 13, 2015 |
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Oct 27, 2013 06:39
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Briant of Newton The day had finally arrived. Briant had waited his entire life for this chance. His father had been an insignificant, pathetic excuse for a knight, and his grandfather had been even more shameful, a far cry from the glorious deeds of his great-grandfather. It was not as though his great-grandfather was especially famous, but he had distinguished himself well enough that his grandfather received more respect by association than for anything he'd ever done, himself. Two generations of mediocrity was two generations too many, and Briant had sworn that he would end the cycle. Unlike his fellows, he had been kept from knighthood for five years, supposedly due to "not displaying the proper knightly values" or some such rot. Briant no longer cared, for he would be denied no longer! When he knelt before Earl Roderick, he did so with an enthusiasm that surprised even he. As the oath was read to him, Briant gave his answers firmly and calmly, not wanting to betray his eagerness to finally claim his birthright. Even so, his voice's natural qualities caused each response to reverberate through the hall, such that it was as if a choir of Briants were in attendance. "I do so swear," he says, and again he says it, acknowledging his allegiance both to Roderick and to Uther Pendragon. When Earl Roderick struck him, Briant did not react as those who knew him might expect. As the other squires had done, he simply returned to his knees, palms up. He would not hold this against his new lord, for the powerful must ensure that their vassals are not weaklings who cannot take a hit. One day, he knew it would be him sending young men sprawling as part of this rite. When addressed once more by the herald, Briant repeated exactly, "I, Briant, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood." When the cry went up for the Leap, Briant quickly donned his armor and spurs, and ran to his faithful charger. Briant of Newton is not a fast man, nor a particularly agile one, and few expected that a person of his size could ever possibly make the Leap, he'd be simply too large to manage it. Not even Briant himself held out much hope, but deep down, he could feel that spark of desire. To prove them wrong, to show them that he is better than his progenitors, to show them just what he was capable of! Maybe he could make it! Maybe, this once, on the greatest day of his life, his hopes might come to fruition! A smile graced his lips as he reached the rear of his horse and lept. As he slid backwards from the charger's flank, Briant of Newton reflected on why he never usually allows himself to hope. He landed with a dull thud, met with the raucous laughter of his new peers. As this had been the expected result from the start, Briant did not feel particularly embarrassed by the fall, only by his own foolishness in thinking he'd actually succeed. Dismissing the dreary line of thought, he joined in the laughter, lifting himself from the ground to mix with his fellow knights. He'd need friends if he were to ever achieve his goals of acquiring power and influence, and who knows, he might even grow to like them!
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Oct 27, 2013 07:53
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Sir Owain Owain tries to eat and enjoy the festival atmosphere, but it's difficult when he knows what's coming. Give him rather a foe to meet with steel on steel, even if it were a giant or legendary beast, for then he could confront his enemy - but simple nervousness is rather harder to vanquish. There's a lesson in there somewhere, he thinks, but it escapes him for the moment. When called up before the throne, it's all Owain can do to focus on the Earl's words. "Owain, do you swear and acknowledge Earl Roderick of Salisbury to be your true and lawful liege?" "I do so swear." He's practiced the response so many times in his head it's automatic. A moment of relief as he realises he did not, in fact, trip over his tongue. "Do you also swear fealty to Uther Pendragon, to defend and obey him until he depart the throne, or death shall take you?" "I do so swear." What other responses could he give? A knight was loyal to his lord and to the king. He was to be a knight. He would be loyal to his lord and to the king. Quod erat demonstrandum, as his tutor would say. Owain had thought it would be hard to take the Earl's blow when he knows it's coming, but his lord is fast and strong and even if he were afoot and defending himself it seems likely the outcome would be the same. He can taste blood as he climbs back to his knees, palms up. "I, Owain, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood." He knows the pledge by heart, of course. He suspects all the squires here do. And when he speaks it, he means it: when a man has nothing else, he has his loyalty and his honour. He stands straight as the Earl girds him with his own hands, relief mixing with pride at his new-minted knighthood. Pride is a sin, Owain reminds himself, but what else should he feel? And surely the Lord will forgive him this once. Dressed in his mail and spurs and in front of so many, the sprint to his horse has never felt quite so long. Salamander eyes him as he thunders forward - Owain is not a small man or a particularly graceful one - and the charger shuffles uncertainly in the mud. Owain does not hold back: he leaps atop Salamander, the saddle holding, his hands finding the reins as the willful horse rears and whinnies at the unwanted shock - but Owain stays on, clutching with his legs, striking a surprisingly heroic figure as he brings Salamander back under his control. As the crowd cheers, he wonders if the Lord will forgive him two moments of pride. Leap!: 1d20 11 I believe that's a critical success! Dismounting, Owain hands Salamander's reins to a stable boy and turns to regard his fellow knights, paying special attention to their coats of arms. When one is known for his knowledge of heraldry, failing to recognise those who were knighted with him would be most humiliating. Glory This Game: 10 potatocubed posted:Sir Owain the Just Glory This Game: 21 Experience Checks: Lance, Loyalty (Lord) potatocubed fucked around with this message at 10:43 on Nov 7, 2013 |
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Oct 27, 2013 13:55
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 Pellogres had always known this day would come if he was strong enough to see it come to pass. His father had made quite the name for himself in death, even if most of his life was spent on minor garrison duties, and Pellogres knew that he would someday be called up to knighthood to prove his own worth. His forefathers had been strong and noble and that gave him a position of strength in this society. Pellogres did not take this for granted but he had also worked hard and tried to make himself into a perfect vision of knighthood to live up to his father's name. He waited patiently for his name to be called, a soft smile on his lips as he mentally prepared himself. He looked around the room and took note of many familiar faces around the feasting table, especially around the head table. Before he knows it, he hears his name called and stands to his full height, walking as calmly as his joy will allow him to Roderick's throne. "Pellogres, do you swear and acknowledge Earl Roderick of Salisbury to be your true and lawful liege?" "I do so swear." "Do you also swear fealty to Uther Pendragon, to defend and obey him until he depart the throne, or death shall take you?" "I do so swear." Pellogres knew little about Uther himself, but where kings were concerned, Pellogres believed loyalty was a given until the liege proved himself unworthy. As he took the blow, Pellogres had expected to have to roll with the punch to make it look favorable to his lord, but was pleased to find that the Earl was strong and able-bodied. Respect for the liege swelled within him as he returned to his knees and held his palms up. "I, Pellogres, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood." Pellogres stands and dons his equipment, once again trying to contain his excitement and comfort himself nobly as is the custom. And then he hears the chants of the crowd. He watches as his fellows leap to their horses - some succeeding, some failing - and eagerly rushes to his horse, allowing himself this one moment of exultation. Whether he makes it or not, he knows that he will please the crowd just the same, and there will be many other chances to prove his quality. LEAP!: 1d20 14 As he lands, he laughs heartily, falling backwards into the mud and smiling before standing up and walking to his fellow knights, grinning ear to ear. quote:Sir Pellogres the Mighty Lager fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Apr 18, 2014 |
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Oct 27, 2013 16:13
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Bledri Bledri receives his blow and recites his oath. After first swearing the oaths to recognize Uther and Earl Roderick, he says, in response to the Earl, in a loud voice, 'I, Bledri, do solemnly swear and pledge my sword to Earl Roderick, my liege, to defend and obey him until he depart his demesnes or death shall take me, and to uphold the honor of knighthood.'. As he swears the oath, he thinks how sad he is that his parents weren't here to see the day. His father, Sir Rhodri, died but last year, in the disastrous ambush at Eboracum, leading the rear guard, who sacrificed their lives so that Uther and the rest of the army could escape. His mother never recovered from the news, sickened, and soon followed her husband into death. This left him alone, to take care of the manor, to take care of his sisters and brother. It was almost too much. But he was a knight now. It was his duty. And what choice did he have but to do his duty. And, while his parents might be gone, his uncles were still alive, and still in the audience; his father's younger brother Tewdwr, bluff and boisterous, and his older brother, a natural half-brother named Daffyd, somber and sorrowful. His mother's brothers were there too, Caradoc and Mervyn, and his brother-in-law and cousins, all ready to welcome him into the brotherhood of knighthood. After the ceremony is over, it's time for the ritual of the leap. Bledri is nervous about it, for to leap in full armor upon a horse is difficult, and he has shorter legs than most, making it even more of a challenge. But it's expected. Still, he hates being laughed at. Taking a deep breath, he charges out and, running sideways to the horse, jumps up and into the saddle, to everyone's surprise, not least of which, his. Bledri smiles, on the horse. It was, after all, a good day. After the end of the ceremony, he goes to introduce himself to the the other new knights. They would be his companions and his competition, after all, and it was good to know them. "Hello!", he says to the rest of them. "I'm Bledri, out from Stapleford. Congratulations! We're knights now." The Leap: 1d20 8 Glory 10 quote:
Epicurius fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Dec 1, 2013 |
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Oct 27, 2013 19:25
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Sir Derek Derek smiles back at sir Beldri "Greetings Sir Beldri from Staplefort" Derek said with his voice filling with joy for the situation "I'm Sir Derek from Baverstock. A pleasure to meet you" he said and waited for everyone else to introduce themselves
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Oct 28, 2013 16:24
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Pellogres "Sir Pellogres," he smiles broadly as he speaks the words, "of Woodford. A pleasure."
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Oct 28, 2013 17:41
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Sir Briant of Newton The large man answered briefly to his fellow young knight's greeting. "Briant of Newton. Good to meet you." Turning from the other newly-knighted lads, he headed towards the other knights of the court, looking to make their acquaintance. Perhaps one of the older men might be without heir, but with a marriageable daughter. Mayhaps he might even chance upon a widow at court looking for a young husband. "Greetings, sirs. Long have I dreamt of receiving the honor of serving among your vaunted number. Briant of Newton, delighted to make your acquaintances." (Mingling and generally trying to schmooze a bit. I rolled Courtesy if you require it, but I kinda hope you don't... Where were those high numbers when I was rolling my family history?)
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Oct 29, 2013 09:02
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Sir Rhun "Sir Rhun," the flame-haired man supplies, even as he heads over to offer Pellogres a hand up. "Well met, all of you." Ordinarily, of course, these men would be acquainted already; six years they have trained as squires, after all. But in this instance (OOC: I'm sort of inventing a detail to explain away how we've not met, ibntumart, and if you tell me to knock it off I will!), the squires had largely been trained by their families, only coming to Earl Roderick's court in the last few months or so - and have been too busy to really socialize. So it is that Rhun knows the barest essentials about his compatriots - Bledri is the deliberate sort, Owain is Just as all get-out, that sort of thing - but to say he knows them as people would be a stretch. Depending on Earl Roderick's intentions for his newly-knighted vassals, they will either spend a lot of time together, or be virtual strangers... but in case it's the former, best to make friends now, yes? As Briant heads off to chat with the other knights of the court, Rhun stays back with the others, adding, "I will admit - I have always enjoyed the Leap as a practice - but I do wish our armor had a bit more padding for the occasion, no? Land on the horse or on the ground, it's not a soft landing, either way..."
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Oct 29, 2013 09:36
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Bledri "What you say is true. The armor is uncomfortable. Better in that regard to be dressed in silks and soft leathers. But they do little to stop a blow, and I've always thought, tis better to be uncomfortable than dead. And might come a time when we're facing an horde of Saxons or Picts, and only a quick leap on our horse saves us from being overwhelmed." "Besides", he says, glancing over at the older knights, "I think it makes them merry to see us so in pain. Our agony is their sport. But well enough. It's pain that makes men brothers."
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Oct 29, 2013 12:09
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Sir Owain "Owain of Shrewton," Owain introduces himself. "I think it does a man good to fall from time to time. It reminds us we are imperfect, and that there is as least as much virtue in rising from a fall as there is in never falling in the first place." He gives the clouds overhead a thoughtful eye. "Do any of you gentlemen pursue the art of falconry? Spring is coming, and with it plentiful game. I know of several places near Shrewton where birds can find a fine harvest, if you would like to visit."
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Oct 29, 2013 13:10
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Pellogres Pellogres takes Rhun's hand with gusto and pulls himself up to his feet easily, though without much grace. "I don't know that I agree, Bledri. We are knights - the highest calling of a man. Surely our elders would rather we succeed than fail. The leap is all in good fun, of course." He smiles warmly, his kind nature showing through. "Still, I look forward to standing with all of you in battle - I doubt there are many Saxons or Picts who could stand against the likes of us!"
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Oct 29, 2013 18:44
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Sir Derek "Yeah and if today's experience is something to go by I'd rather stand and fight than trying to jump and fall on the mud with saxons and irish on my tail" Derek said before turning to Owain "Can't say I'vegot more than a passing interest on falconry. Baverstock has good hunting game and thats the hobby my family uses to bond." He smiled widely "But I can't say no to your invitation and on the sumer months we can go hunting on the woods around baverstock"
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Oct 29, 2013 20:42
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OOC: Oh, that roll counts, EclecticTastes, that roll counts. Also, thanks, DCB---saved me from my forgetting to mention you probably already knew each other! As the new coterie of knights exchanges pleasantries, some of the notables come up to congratulate them. They poke gentle fun at those who missed the Leap (or in Rhun's case, at his horse's refusal to budge once leapt upon). As for Sir Owain, the cheers and applause from the crowd are great indeed... but greater still is that the Earl himself, a huge grin on his face, claps his hand to Owain's back and cries out, "Well done! Truly the blood of a knight pumps in your veins." OOC: No rules for a critical Leap success, but there should be, so Owain gets to add another 10 Glory to represent the Earl taking notice of your supernatural leaping prowess. Briant breaks away to introduce himself with the other knights and nobles present, but for some reason, they are distant. Most of them want to get to know that heroic Owain fellow or the exuberant pagan knight, who managed both a skillful Leap and to provide a few laughs regardless. Sir Elad sighs, a world-weary exhalation Briant has heard (and indeed, himself often elicited) from the Marshall's lips many a time. He leans in and whispers harshly, "Be bold on the field of battle, but meek in the company of your betters, and mayhap you may find yourself styled a man worth speaking with." Suddenly, he feels a hearty clap on his shoulder. "Brother!" cries the sibilant voice of Sir Floridas. "Wot well I had not missed your knighting, save I was on the Earl's business tending to tales of a great bear plaguing the peasants of Imber. Such exaggerations, the bear was scarcely half again taller than a man!" He turns Briant to face him and says merrily, "But tell me, did you make the Leap? Not so hard as Sir Elad warned, was it?" Elad grins. "Ah, now here is knightly company indeed. Tell us of your adventure serving the Earl in Imber." There is a little time before sunset and the Earl has not required your service at the moment, so you are free to mingle, to head to your manors, or even just retire at the Earl's hall for the night as you choose. Feel free to make Courtesy, Dance, or other relevant rolls to show how well you comported yourself at the hall (or be wallflowers and don't make any rolls, choice is yours). The following people of note are in attendance. You are free to make Courtesy rolls to make your introduction and try to earn their trust.
We will wrap up and move to the first actual assignment shortly. ibntumart fucked around with this message at 00:41 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 29, 2013 21:32
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Sir Rhun Rhun accepts the knights' gentle poking of fun with grace; it was pretty silly. Serves him right for pushing too hard; his beliefs may eschew false modesty, but they don't promote arrogance, right? So he accepts the laughter, and even plays it up a bit; he's willing to poke fun at himself. Better to be spoken of with laughter than not to be spoken of at all! As the evening wears on and the celebration gets into full swing, Rhun takes to the dance floor; he does quite enjoy dancing, and besides, it's a good way to make a good impression without actually talking. He's still a bit tongue-tied around his betters; the pressure he feels (deserved or no) at being one of a very few Pagans openly practicing their faith in Salisbury (well, aside from some of the peasantry, but let's be honest, they don't count) makes him stammer and cast about for words. Dancing, though? Dancing he can do. Dancing (target 10 or less): 1d20 6 And do well, as it happens. Still, one cannot cavort forever; it weighs on Rhun's mind that his behavior here reflects directly upon Earl Roderick. Roderick has not just elevated Rhun and his fellows to knighthood, after all; one of the important aspects of the feudal contract is that the actions of the vassal reflect upon the lord, and vice versa. By being a goodly knight - by accruing Glory and comporting himself in an honorable fashion - Rhun demonstrates that Roderick is worthy of respect and loyalty, for he was wise enough to raise his knight to service. And, contrariwise, should Rhun or his heirs have vassals of their own one day, his actions will reflect upon them, as well, for none will trust the vassal of an untrustworthy man. All of which is to say, Rhun finds himself reflecting on the duties of a knight - and not merely the martial ones. And so, if he wishes to be a deserving Knight - if he wishes to demonstrate his fealty to his Lord - he cannot permit himself to be tongue-tied on this day. Loyalty (Lord) (target 15 or less): 1d20 2 A successful Loyalty (Lord) roll grants Rhun a state of Inspiration; this gives him a +10 bonus to any one skill, which for this scene will go into Courtesy. This also gives Rhun an Experience Check for Loyalty (Lord); for a Trait or a Skill you get a check only when getting a critical success (or at the GM's discretion), but Passions are designed to be a little more dynamic. So it is that Rhun steps away from the dancing and approaches Sir Hywel - not because the Banneret is a wealthy man with an unmarried daughter, but because he has refused to remarry after the death of his wife. That speaks to a purity of feeling, of passion, that the young Pagan cannot help but respect. So he speaks with Hywel about affairs at West Lavington, saying "Should our Lord be so gracious as to grant me the Manor of Broughton" (OOC: which we will, we know that out of game, but in-character he's not received the land officially yet, so far as I know!), "I know I will have a lot to learn. It is my hope, good Sir, that you might see fit to advise me, that I might be better able to do right by our Lord and by his people." Courtesy (target 13 or less): 1d20 5 Good thing I rolled that Loyalty roll, with only a 3 Courtesy! Dancing and chatting up his betters, that's Rhun's plan for the evening. Note that the successful rolls may, at ibntumart's discretion, grant Glory - but unless and until he hands it out, it would be premature to add it. So thus far Rhun's character sheet changes stand at: Glory This Game: 10 Experience Checks: Loyalty (Lord) It bears noting, BTW: don't assume you can roll a Passion. Ideally you want to check with the GM before even rolling; I did no in IRC. DivineCoffeeBinge fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 01:05
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Sir Bledri Bledri watches the court around him. Some are dancing, but that is an art in which he has little skill, and, newly knighted, he wants to avoid a reputation for foolishness. Bledri considers that his actions now and this year may very well determine his reputation for the rest of his life, and if he stumbles, it will be a long way to regain his footing. So, he does not dance. Instead, he watches. He sees Sir Rhun approach Sir Hywel and thinks, "Ah, there's a man with his eye on a prize." Sir Hywel's daughter is still young, but in a few years, she'll make someone a wife. "And bring a dowry that will make her the catch of all of Salisbury", he adds to himself. Still, mercenary though Rhun seems to be, Bledri can't bring himself to blame the man. For all that the church prizes poverty, wealth is certainly more comfortable. Perhaps he will speak with Hywel himself, sometime soon, as far as that goes. But not now. Not while he's busy with Rhun. Instead, he walks over to Sir Jaradan, who seems to be not otherwise engaged. The man's said to be the best swordsman in Salisbury; maybe one of the best in Britain. He approaches and says, "Greetings, Sir Jaradan." Or at least he tries to. But he's so nervous at speaking to someone so renowned, so skilled, it comes out more like, "Greetingsirjaradan", and blushes slightly. Courtesy (10 or Less): 1d20 12
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Oct 30, 2013 03:58
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Sir Derek Once the adecuate pleasantries are shared with his fellow recently knighted companions Derek exclaims "Well My friends. Let's enjoy this party" he said before going to dance too as his family was renowed for being lightfooted Dancing King (X<15): 1d20 2 Derek was having fun the dance always helped him relax and focus if it were for him he would dance all night long but no... He now had a duty to lord and family to be able to bring glory to his family. ((If I understood DCB post then I would be able to make a roll on Love family to get a bonus in a skill roll if I get a possitive result. Right? I love my family (X<15): 1d20 12 wich I could use the bonus on courtier to get it to 13)) After his dancing display he approached Earl Roderick he was repeating to himself as he walked to him Just keep calm just keep calm just keep calm Being courtly as gently caress (X<13): 1d20 14 As he reached Sir Roderick he blurted "Just keep calm... ImeanI'm" He then stuttered a little and blushed as he felt the eyes of not only his lord but the people with him focusing on him. suddenly Derek felt like a lamb among lions, tigers and bears
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Oct 30, 2013 06:08
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Pellogres Pellogres smiles and laughs as the elder knights rib him about his performance in the leap. Surely it's all in good fun, and they are laughing with him! As the feast winds down and the dancing and flirting and courtly politicking begin, Pellogres finds himself heading towards the man identified as Sir Floridas. He looks over to his Lord, and nods to himself as he considers that he is now a vassal of a great man - a man entrusting him to comfort himself as a wise and honorable man - not just in combat, but in the court as well. Loyalty was one of Pellogres's defining traits as much as his great strength of arm, and it swelled within him as he set off to show his quality. Perhaps courtly politicking would be more his pace this evening. Going for a Loyalty (Lord) roll to get my courtesy rolls up some - Loyalty (Lord) Check: 1d20 16. Winds up with a critical success! I believe that boosts my passion score up by 1 point and gives me an experience check also, from what I'm reading in the book. So that gives me a +20 to my roll, making my courtesy check a 30! With loyalty surging through his mind, Pellogres becomes an image of focus and grace as he strides over to Sir Floridas. He had picked this knight to introduce himself to as he was known to be a brave warrior as well as an honest and kindhearted man - something Pellogres admired and strove for himself. As he approached, Pellogres gave the older knight a deep reverence, bending his knee as deeply as he could in the mail which was stiffer and more difficult to move in than he anticipated. Still, his efforts to prove himself gave him agility he had never known before. As he stood, Pellogres began to speak. "Hail to you, Sir Floridas. I have heard much of your bravery and skill in battle, as well as your gracious nature - a testament to the true spirit of knighthood." His tone was so sincere that his words could not be mistaken for here brown nosing. "I am newly Sir Pellogres, son of Sir Pellandres of Woodford. I merely wished to speak with you, as I have long been inspired by your example. I am honored to stand in this hall with you." He holds out a hand in friendship to Sir Floridas. Welp I would have made that courtesy check even without my passion roll but still felt pretty awesome to get my very first crit. It's the one that says "Courteous Motherfucker" on it.: 1d20 3. Becomes a 13 since I get a +10 to my roll for having a 30 skill check, as the book says that you get an additional skill check bonus for how much your skill is pushed up over 20.
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Oct 31, 2013 17:49
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Sir Briant Floridas. As if his chastisement were not humiliation enough. Briant seethed internally, taking care not to let it show on his face. The insufferable milksop was constantly showing Briant up, always more handsome, more charming. He lacked Briant's strength and stood nearly a full head shorter, but being far more well-rounded, Floridas was quite the successful knight. Floridas hadn't just made The Leap, he'd done so while his horse was running at full gallop, startled by a snake. If he had any flaws, he was an expert at keeping them hidden. His one redeeming feature in Briant's eyes was that he was too foolish to realize that Briant hated him enough that, could he get away with it, he'd run his cousin through with his blade without a second thought. Worse yet, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sir Hywel being charmed by one of his fellows, Sir Runt, or something like that. Briant had been keeping an eye on the aging widower for months, planning to get into the older knight's good graces in order to marry the man's daughter and secure a rich inheritance. Combined with the irritation of Floridas, the thought of his long plotting being ruined by yet another weakling with a pretty face filled the mountainous knight with a rage so pure he might have burst into flames. He refused to let this opportunity slip by so easily, even if it met thwarting one annoyance with another. Floridas was sickeningly helpful, particularly towards family, but Briant loathed taking advantage of that fact, as his cousin's mere presence was like walking with a boot full of gravel. (Love (Family) roll to stomach the thought of asking Floridas for help schmoozing with Sir Hywel: 14 Just barely enough to pass. Putting the bonus into Courtesy to reflect the benefit of having Floridas around.) Forcing the words out as gently as possible, Briant turned towards Floridas. "Ah, how nice to see you, cousin. I'm glad you were able to come. If you'd wished to see me make the Leap, then know that you sooth did not miss much. My size does not lend itself to jumping, so I was sadly unable to clear my charger's flank. I do so hate to impose, cousin, but mayhaps you might assist me in meeting with the more experienced knights, that I do not make a fool of myself again." This last part was especially odious, but Briant's ambition was more important that his dislike of his cousin. "You see, long have I admired Sir Hywel's accomplishments, not to mention his nobility in remaining faithful to his wife, even after God had called her to his kingdom, and I wish dearly to meet him, that we might become better acquainted. Perhaps, dare I say, friends." Briant put on his most practiced false smile, and naturally, the oblivious fool jumped at the chance to help his dear cousin. With all haste, Floridas pulls Briant along with him and begins the process of introducing the larger knight to Sir Hywel. Little can stand in the face of Floridas' legendary charm, and Briant has a feeling that his clever scheme will prove wise in due time. (Hope you don't mind me using Floridas as fluff for my Inspiration source here, but it fit pretty well. Here's a Courtesy roll, skill presently at 20: 2. Not bad.)
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Nov 1, 2013 00:58
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Sir Owain Owain can't help but match the Earl's grin - to be so complimented by his lord is an unexpected boon, and fills his young heart with warmth. "It is all in service to you, my lord," he says, and means it. "Any knightly accomplishments I may achieve are dedicated to Salisbury and its Earl." Inspiring myself with Loyalty (Lord) <= 16: 1d20 16 - two rolls, two crits! Surely appalling failure awaits in the near future. Anyway, gettin' all Courteous with the Earl: 1d20 2. Success! Hopefully his impression of Owain is all smiles and rainbows. Floridas! Owain had heard many stories of this well-spoken and courageous knight, and the opportunity to hear his tales and learn from his example is one not to be missed. He trails over to the gathering around Sir Hywel but has little to say in the face of their accomplishments; modesty demands he not boast of mediocre deeds, and he finds that among real knights he has nothing to compare to their exploits. That will have to change. Courtesy <= 10: 1d20 13 And there's the failure. I'm not sure how to narrate it, so I'm going to assume Owain just fails to make an impression until ibntumart comes up with something better. Glory This Game: 20 Experience Checks: Loyalty (Lord) potatocubed fucked around with this message at 12:54 on Nov 1, 2013 |
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Nov 1, 2013 12:51
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Hobnobbing and Mingling Sir Hywel is somewhat surprised, but pleased at Rhun's combination of bold approach and humble---but not deprecatory---speech. "We are all in service to our lord, the Earl, but some do forget that service to him sometimes means service to one another. Glad I am you are not such a knight, though I know not what advice I may give that such excellent knights as Sir Elad and Sir Amig, and the others entrusted to your training, have not passing well parted to you." Meanwhile, Sir Elad barely has a chance to ask Floridas the bear hunt before Briant interrupts him, eliciting a frown from the Marshall. But Floridas fair beams at Briant's words, and clasping his hand to his cousin's, exclaims, "Your humility does you credit, my brother of the sword! Always are you welcome at my manor for what instruction I may provide. But come, let us hie to Sir Hywel. Many grovel and simper before him, but in truth, I have found him ever a forthright and humble man such as yourself." And so Rhun finds his conversation with Sir Hywel with a pair of extra ears. Floridas waits politely for a lull in conversation before introducing Briant, declaring the deep bond between the two and predicting that great deeds are in the new knight's near future. Hywel looks at Briant appraisingly, then smiles slightly and engages for a while in meaningless but friendly conversation for a few minutes. Then Sir Lycus, one of the older knights, summons Sir Hywel away to speak in confidence. Hywel claps Rhun's shoulder, saying to Rhun, "Speak with me when next we are gathered at court, and tell me how you have fared" and simply waving to Briant. Unfortunately for Owain, this is the exact moment he chooses to approach Sir Hywel to introduce himself. The banneret frowns and says, "Another time, perhaps, Sir Bowen," and then he is off, disappearing with Lycus and several other knights of renown into the castle's chambers. Ah well. At least the Earl seems to be fond of Owain's company. Pellogres sees Floridas step away from Hywel and the other knights, which gives him a chance to approach. The knight laughs merrily at Pellogres' kneeling and, grabbing his hand, hoists him up and claps both shoulders. "Good sir Pellogres, I am no lord, but a knight no greater or less than yourself. Do not bend a knee to me. Rather take a cup of wine as I will do and tell me how went the knighting ceremony this day. My heart is sore at missing it." As for the Earl, Derek's fervent wish to do his family credit unfortunately remains a wish only. The grace and quickness his feet so nimbly displayed at dance apparently are not qualities his tongue shared. The Earl is kind enough to give him a moment to compose himself, but quickly grows impatient. "Out with it, man!" he says. "Have you not suffered my fist and yet cried not nor neither quaked a jot? Then speak your mind or speak not." Derek hears the titter of ladies' laughter behind him. Sir Jaradan meanwhile has eschewed courtly company and lingers apart with several women that Bledri recognizes as servants and maids. He raises an eyebrow at his approach. "Yes, well met, Sir... Bledri, right?" Jaradan says. "Is there aught you wish of me? I have pressing business." He nods meaningfully at an auburn-haired scullery maid. OOC: Your PCs can make any last remarks, but we are otherwise moving on. Rhun and Briant both made favorable impressions with Sir Hywel, but Rhun got the lion's share of his attention. Bledri, Derek, and Owain haven't made an impression at all on Jaradan, Roderick, and Hywel respectively, but at least they haven't got on their bad sides. (Roderick's always a bit gruff, don't take it personally, and Jaradan is just Jaradan: he's a dashing, skilled knight and he knows it.) Owain did make a good impression with the Earl at least. Pellogres, Floridas thinks you're aces at the moment, but he is pretty friendly to begin with, after all. Summoned to Sarum Two weeks from your knighting, you are called on your first real duty in the service of Earl Roderick and Salisbury. You are summoned to appear in Sarum on a Thursday morning to assist Sir Elad on patrol. This is a regular, if routine, duty of the knights of the county, and especially the younger knights. While sometimes one comes across bandits, Saxons, or even a foreign knight of ill intent, Sir Elad also uses patrol duty as a way to help newer knights learn the lay of the land from corner to corner. So it is early on the last Thursday of February you take breakfast with the Marshall on a plain table, hastily set up outside the Earl's hall and set with a board of dark rye bread, cheese, and a few strips of boiled beef. A flagon of weak ale accompanies the repast before you. The Marshall opens conversation by saying, "We have much ground to cover today, and will not dine again till the day is half-done, if not later. So eat well, but quickly! And have out with any questions. I know well some of you have never wandered east of Sarum even a mile, after all." OOC: Sir Elad isn't really that rushed, despite his words, so feel free to ask any questions you have for him or to converse with one another. Make sure you tell me if you are bringing anything unusual on this trip, or *not* taking something (e.g., leaving a horse or two behind). Your standard gear on patrol would be your charger (which you're riding on), a rouncy for your squire and the bulk of your gear), a sword, two spears, a dagger, your armor, personal gear, and travel gear. ibntumart fucked around with this message at 02:13 on Nov 2, 2013 |
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Nov 2, 2013 01:56
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Sir Bledri "Oh! No, Sir Jaradan! I just wanted to say how much I admired your sword skills. I'll leave you to your business. Well met, Sir Jaradan.", Bledri says as he excuses himself, glad he didn't offend the other man. At Breakfast Bledri eats quickly, not wanting to be the one to delay the patrol. The morning is cool and bright, and Bledri feels a sense of anticipation in the air, although how much of that is just his own nervousness, he can't tell. "Sir Elad", he asks as he eats, "What can we expect on patrol? What sort of things do we face?"
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Nov 2, 2013 02:39
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Sir Rhun At Court "I will do that, Sir Hywel, and gladly," Rhun tells the Banneret, flashing a smile. "I look forward to it." With a pleasant nod of greeting to Sir Lycus, Rhun returns to making his way around the room, making friends. Before the Patrol Rhun is fairly quiet as the preparations get underway. The importance of his new manor of Broughton - on the easternmost reaches of Salisbury, near to the defensive stronghold of Du Plain - is not lost on him; if there is danger from the east, he will be on the front lines. As such, he has spent the last two weeks getting to know his new home and its attached lands; he hopes to get in touch with whichever Lord has been granted Du Plain Castle to discuss ways in which they can coordinate their efforts. So he's got a lot on his mind, so to speak. Still, Bledri's question jars him from his reverie, and he breaks out in a broad grin. "Whatever it is, we will handle it, Sir Bledri. Rather than worry overmuch about what we might face, I say we focus on making sure we're ready to face it, eh?" That dark bread is pretty good, judging by how much of it he's having. Glory This Game: 11 Experience Checks: Loyalty (Lord)
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Nov 2, 2013 03:01
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The Festivities Wind Down Sir Jaradan bids a Bledri distracted goodbye and cups the chin of the scullery maid, who blushes and whispers to him words Bledri is sure he is not meant to overhear. Breaking Bread With the Marshall Sir Elad answers, "A simple enough affair. We will travel by the river Bourne through the eastern valley, there to look for bandits or villainy being done, and to keep well the Earl's borders. It is not only Saxons who sneak and raid, but sometime a knight sworn to another lord will come a-spying or a-pillaging. And on the very borders you may hap upon a guard post that was not there last season. That, too, deserves our care."
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Nov 2, 2013 03:05
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Bledri "It seems best, before beginning a thing, to see what opposition and opportunities you might face. My da' used to say, 'Better to walk into trouble with your eyes open than run in with your eyes closed', Bledri answers Rhun. He then asks Sir Elad, "Sir, do we have much to fear from our neighbors? I thought Clarence and Sommerset were quiet, and the other lands have all sworn to Uther."
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Nov 2, 2013 03:41
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Sir Elad Speaks "Ah well, even quiet neighbors may have restless knights," says Sir Elad. He continues, a twinkle in his eye, "And daring into another lord's land, seeing how far you can go before spied and chased out... that can be good sport." Serious again, he adds, "For a young knight. Or so I am told. Not that any such foolishness will happen today."
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Nov 2, 2013 03:57
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Derek Derek took an obvious deep breath and put his arms behind his back as to not show himself playing with his hands to try to ease his nervousness "I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your knight my lord." Derek said still nervously "I'll do my best to be up to the task" he then waited for his lord to give him permission to remove himself before quickly moving away. =========== "Well. Let's have our eyes and ears open." Derek said before taking a bite of his bread and swallows it "If we are lucky then we will find little to no problem and this patrolling will go quickly. But if we find villainy being done we will deal with it"
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Nov 2, 2013 04:29
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Pellogres Before Pellogres smiles and lifts a cup of wine, nodding to the more experienced knight. "Your words do me honor, and I thank you. The knighting ceremony was splendid. Greatest day of my life, no question about it." He continues to discuss the knighting ceremony for a brief time as they drink, trying his best to hide his obvious admiration and pretend to be at ease. While not entirely successful, he gets the impression that Floridas does not mind and the excitement of being able to talk as a peer with one of his idols becomes evident on the young knight's face the rest of the evening. After Pellogres eats merrily, though normally somewhat abstemious in his diet. He is obviously eager for the patrol, and tends to become a bit more indulgent when he is excited. "Of course we shan't go looking for a fight, but I think we can more than handle anything we may find."
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Nov 2, 2013 04:48
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Sir Owain Owain strives to walk the boundary between eating with haste and eating with decorum, but manages to fit a few words in around his breakfast. "Well-spoken, Sir Derek. Truly a peaceful land is the best we can hope for, but should villainy be found it will be an excellent opportunity to show our valour and our might."
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Nov 3, 2013 12:29
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Sir Briant The remainder of the celebration went smoothly for Briant. Once he was into his cups, he even made merry with Floridas of his own free will. Briant, for all his dourness, was quite friendly when drunk. Now, as he eats breakfast before setting off on his first task as a full-fledged knight, he grunts his assent with the group. "If anyone comes looking for sport, we'll give it to them in abundance. We'll give them such a thorough sparring session that they'll ache for weeks."
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Nov 3, 2013 18:30
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Spring - Patrolling the Bourne Sir Elad chuckles at Briant's declaration. "Keep that vigor and readiness upon you, young Sir Briant, and you will accord yourself well today," he says. "As I expect all of you will. Now, I go to my horse, and when you have done with breaking your fast, do you likewise and we shall ride." About a quarter of an hour more sees the knights out of the gates of Sarum and down the road to the valley of the Bourne. The air is crisp and cool in your lungs, and the grass wet with sparkling dew enchants the eye as your company rides at a moderate pace down the old Roman road that follows the river more or less half its length, then curves further northeast through the Chute Forest and to the very borders of Salisbury and Levcomagus. This you all well know, though never have you had reason take the road this far before. Rhun finds much of the early day's ride familiar going, for he alone of the knights grew up in an eastern manor: fair Broughton, nestled along a tributary of the Test River and a short ride from the castle Du Plain. The others spent their youth and squiring days in the western valley, somewhat more heavily dotted with manors and villages than the eastern half of the county. Sir Elad points out the manors that dot every mile or so along the road by the river, sometimes calling on Rhun to test his knowledge. By noon, however, they have just crossed the stone bridge over the Bourne and none of the knights find much of the scenery unfamiliar. After an hour or so more, Elad stops the party and his lectures so that you may have lunch. His squire brings out savory pies of beef, onion, and gravy, apples from the Earl's own garden, and white Cheshire cheese. This is a heartier meal than you used to have as a squire (indeed, Elad's squire and your own share a loaf of dark bread and some of the cheese as their repast) and tastier besides. OOC: You may make a roll against your Temperate trait if you so desire. You only gain an experience check if you make a critical roll, and if you fumble, you both get a check for Indulgent *and* will overeat, which will give you a -2 penalty to any combat action. As you finish lunch, washing down food with bitter beer or cool water from a nearby stream, your company is suddenly interrupted. A young man on a pony gallops from the meadows toward your company, pulling up sharply a few yards away and crying for aid. "Knights of Roderick, alack and alarum! Enemy knights have taken to the fields outside of Allington to raid our villages! Pray ride and meet them!" Before his entreaty is done, the Marshall is already on his feet and halfway toward his charger. "Mount up, knights of Salisbury! Today we mete the Earl's justice as a knight should, by spear and sword!" In a few minutes, the young knights are riding down the rolling green of Allington's land; scant minutes later, they spy the gleam of sun-touched metal along the field. A party of seven fully-caparisoned knights canter through the mud and grass, spears in their hands and swords fastened upon their saddles. The knights see and hear you approach at the same time you do them. They yell to one another and quickly start to turn to face you. Sir Elad draws you up short and speedily directs to you a wedge formation. "Use spear or sword as you see fit," he instructs you, "But set yourself or draw, for we ride NOW!" With a raised sword and a lusty shout, Elad leads the charge! Each of your enemy number couches a spear under their arm and gallops forth in a counter-charge. Now is your first true fight against a peer---no quintain or wooden sword now, or even common bandit. This is a fight of men and steel before God and your fellows. OOC: This battle is going to be fought using Skirmish rules. This is a small-scale mass combat, which means that the commanders on either side---in this case, Sir Elad and a corresponding enemy knight---will make a Battle roll. The outcome of that roll can affect your combat skills. In this case, Elad rolled a 3 against a Battle of 15, which is a simple success with no modifier. For simplicity's sake, we will say the enemy knight similarly rolled a plain success. What I will need from each of you is a decision as to which weapon you use, whether you're using any special tactic (listed below), and of course, for you to make and link to your weapon roll. You have two weapon options here: 1) Use your spear as a makeshift lance. You will do 6d6 damage. Ordinarily, you would also have +5 bonus against your enemy, but this doesn't apply if he is also charging you with a spear or lance (which the enemy knights are all doing). If you successfully hit and roll an odd number for damage, or if you fumble, your spear breaks. You can either take a full round to draw your sword or take a -5 penalty, and give your opponent a +5 bonus, if you draw and attack in the same round. 2) Use your sword. You will roll your Damage statistic without any bonus or penalty. Your sword will not break even if you fumble, and if you tie in an opposed roll against someone wielding any other weapon, your sword will break their weapon. Other notes: Switching Weapons: You can either take a full round to draw your sword or take a -5 penalty, and give your opponent a +5 bonus, if you draw and attack in the same round. Defensive: You can take +10 to your relevant weapon skill for a roll, but you do not inflict any damage regardless of how well you roll. (This does not hurt your Honor or Glory, by the way: knights may be a bit crazy, but they're not stupid. Well, not that stupid anyway.) Uncontrolled Attack: You can take +10 to your relevant weapon skill, but cannot use your shield. You can't use this on a charge. Also, your opponent may choose to strike his blow first or opt to go on Defensive.
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Nov 5, 2013 04:21
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Derek ((Temperate roll Temperance roll (Vs 13): 1d20 15 miss non fumble)) Lunch was delicious tasting better after a morning of riding. But what seemed to be a tranquil day turned suddenly violent with news of attacking knights. Derek ran behind Sir Elad and rode behind him with spear in hand. He saw the group of knights and rode to Sir Elad's left "BAVERSTOCK!" Derek screamed at the top of his lungs ash his lance broke against his enemy shield (Spear this fool!: 1d20 20) he threw the spear aside and trying to not leave an opening he drew his sword ((Taking the full round))
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Nov 5, 2013 05:14
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Sir Rhun Rhun does, in fact, try to take the time to point out some of the familiar landmarks of the region - familiar to him, at any rate - to his fellow Knights; part of the purpose of this patrol is for the young knights to familiarize themselves with the whole of Salisbury, after all, and thus it is only right that he assist in this endeavour; hopefully his fellows will return the favor when there are patrols of the western valley to be had. All that talking works up an appetite, however, and Rhun sits down to eat their repast eagerly. Trait rolls! Trait rolls are fun. I'm going to choose to roll so we can talk about how it's handled: Temperate (target 10 or less): 1d20 14 Now, under the rules set down by ibntumart that's the end of it; I did not succeed but I did not fumble, either. HOWEVER, I'm going to go a bit further to illustrate how the Trait pairings are typically handled. Whether ibntumart wants me to make a habit of this is entirely at his discretion; hell, he could say "throw out everything past your first roll, DCB." So don't assume you have to handle things this way - but we'll need paired rolls like this at some point, almost certainly, and I figure it's better to explain them now. Do not start handling Traits this way unless and until ibntumart tells you to, but when he does tell you to, now you'll know how it works! A simple failure on a Temperance roll means that I should then roll Indulgent. This is how the Trait pairs work; you roll one, and if it succeeds you're all set, but if it fails you roll on the opposing Trait. If that roll is a success, you must act in accordance with that opposing Trait instead; if both rolls are a failure, you may choose which Trait your character acts in accordance with (but get no special benefit for doing so, as you sometimes do with a successful roll). In this case, then, if Indulgent succeeds, Rhun will act Indulgent; if it fails, I may choose how he acts: Indulgent (target: 10 or less): 1d20 6 A success! However, as it is not a critical success, Rhun should be able to avoid overeating so badly that he impairs his combat ability. As neither roll was a crit or a fumble, neither Trait gets an experience check. Rhun sets to the repast with a will, clearly enjoying the richer, more indulgent fare; he rarely gets cheese this nice even when residing at Broughton, and his pleasure is fairly obvious. On the other hand, well, the guy's a Pagan; they don't make a show out of self-deprivation the way Christians tend to do. There's food, it's tasty, it's there to be eaten, so eat it. While he might wish for the meal to go on longer, however, there is no time; he is not long behind Sir Elad in the run to the horses, for if there are bandit knights here and they go unpunished, it will not be long before there are bandit knights on his lands as well... and say what you will about Rhun's appetite, he's always been Energetic enough to be quick on his feet. So it is that he does not lag behind the others when it comes time to charge the interlopers; his spearpoint glistens in the light as he spurs his charger into action, with a full-throated cry of "SALISBURY!" on his lips. Lance Charge (15 or less): 1d20 5 A hit, a palpable hit! A low number, though, so there's a chance that the other guy's roll will be higher-yet-still-successful. However, a success is important, because if you roll a success on your weapon skill, even if the other guy rolls better, then you are able to use your Shield if you take damage, and that six points of armor is no joke! Just in case my enemy rolls poorly,, however, I'm going to roll Rhun's damage in advance: Lance Charge Damage: 6d6 13 That is a pathetic roll (two 2s and three 1s! Ugh!), so even if Rhun is successful in his attack the other guy probably won't feel much (if he fails his roll and is unable to use his shield, then assuming he has the same 10-point Norman Chain that we do, he'll take all of three damage. Bleah). Since his damage roll was odd, as well, Rhun's Lance shatters, so next round we'll have a decision to make...
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Nov 5, 2013 06:50
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Spring - The Melee Begins Derek Spears locked, Sir Derek bravely tilts at the foe charging before him. Unfortunately, luck is not with the young knight. His spear shatters in twain upon contact, whereas his enemy's spear impacts heartily on Sir Derek's breast. His mind explodes with pain and he struggles to keep seated as his horse swings around. OOC: Okay, that's the first example of combat! So let's break down what happened. Dereku fumbled on his roll. His opponent has a Lance of 15 and rolls a 10. That is a success, and since Derek failed (actually, worse: a fumble!), the enemy knight is the winner and thus the one dealing damage. The damage from a charge with a spear or lance is 6d6. The knight rolls 22 for damage. Sir Derek thankfully is wearing armor. The armor reduces damage by 10 points, so he winds up taking 12 hits points of damage. That is less than his CON of 13, so this is only considered a light wound, not a major wound. But it is equal to his SIZ, which means dereku must roll vs. Horsemanship to see if he is knocked off of his horse. Rhun Sir Rhun fares somewhat better. His enemy has good aim with his lance, but puts little power behind it. Rhun quickly brings his shield up to his chest and scarcely feels the blow at all. OOC: The enemy knight also has Lance 15 and rolls an 11. We now have an example of a partial success. Both Rhun and the enemy knight successfully rolled under their Lance skill. Since this is an opposed roll, the success goes to whomever rolled the higher number, but still under their skill. The 11 beats Rhun's 5, so the enemy knight is victorious this round. Rolling for damage: 12 Since DCB did roll a partial success, his knight can use his shield. His armor alone reduces damage by 10 points and the shield grants another 6 points, so Rhun is completely unharmed. ibntumart fucked around with this message at 07:14 on Nov 5, 2013 |
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Nov 5, 2013 06:54
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Derek The impact of the lance makes Derek scream in pain. Horsemanship. Please don't fall (VS 13): 1d20 10 Lucily he manages to keep ahold of his horse as he reaches for his sword ((Derek will spend his next turn taking out his sword don't want to give them any extra benefits at hitting me))
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Nov 5, 2013 07:11
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Sir Briant (Here's my roll vs. Temperance: 3. A non-critical success, just as planned!) Briant eats his lunch with the sobriety he's known for when in the field. As much as he enjoys his meat and wine in the feast hall, he's entirely too calculating to overindulge during an important mission. The arrival of the foreign knights is met with an eager grin from Briant. Where words failed him at his knighting, perhaps his deeds shall shine through. Atop his horse, he does not so much as glance at his spear. He draws his sword swiftly as his charger reaches a full gallop, and he meets his foe head-on. He did not give a cry, preferring not to boast until he's won. His blade sings as it cuts through the air, aimed at his charging enemy. Not his best swing, Briant muses, but the battle's only just beginning. (Rolling Sword, got 8, under 15. Not bad, I guess. My damage roll is 20, which, like my to-hit roll, manages to be just barely above the midpoint for a successful attack. Briant must be saving his strength for the second swing.)
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Nov 5, 2013 10:34
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Spring - First Round Continues Briant On the other side of the melee, Briant eschews the spear for the sword, but cannot find a solid opening to strike under the other knight's spear. But at least Briant is quick enough to twist away from the biting spear and strike the spear with his shield as the rider lunged, causing the wooden shaft to crack and shatter into several pieces on the ground. His opponent calls Briant's mother an unspeakable name in response. OOC: Keep in mind that your opponent gets a +5 to his effective Lance skill since he's attacking someone not charging back with a lance/spear. He has a modified Lance 20 and rolls a 15. Ironically, if he hadn't got the +5 bonus, the enemy knight would have just scored a critical! (That's 12d6 damage.) As it is, he receives a normal success and wins this round. Luckily, the knight just rolls for normal damage: 15 Briant can use his shield, so after 10 points for armor and another 6 for the shield, that's no damage at all. Plus the spear breaks, so the enemy knight's going to spend time rearming next round. Also, you can roll against Love (Family) or Honor based on the untoward allegation the other knight just made toward Briant's mother.
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Nov 5, 2013 11:32
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Sir Owain Choosing not to make a Temperance roll because I don't want to risk being a fatlord. Owain eats with the others, appreciating the rich fare Sir Elad has brought. He spares a thought for his squire, eating only bread and cheese, but the experience did no harm to him and his squire will subsist likewise until he too becomes a knight. All part of the way of the world. He is quickly atop Salamander when the alarum is sounded, snatching a spear from his squire as the charger accelerates to a gallop. "FOR GOD AND EARL RODERICK!" he bellows and levels his spear. Chaaaaaaaarge!: 1d20 11 That's a failure if I'm using Spear skill (9), or a(nother) critical if I'm using Lance (11). I wasn't sure which was more appropriate. P.S. 42 damage on a hit.
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Nov 5, 2013 12:28
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