Pendragon - Session II

Last night saw me return to my Pendragon character, Sir Docimedis, for another session of adventure and courtly derring-do. I have only played in two sesions of this game so far (and had three or four years of catch-up played by email) and I can only say that I am thoroughly enjoying it. Last night's evening of intrigue and battle was no different.

Our Gamesmaster, RM, is running us through a humungous tome called The Great Pendragon Campaign. When I saw the book I thought it was a main rulebook, not an adventure background. It truly is a magnificent tome that the late Greg Stafford apparently spent over twenty years perfecting for publication. He certainly knew his onions.

Last time out we left Sir Docimedis and companions on their way home from an adventure in London to purchase some uprated mail armour. Whilst dispatching a Saxon raiding party, Sir Docimedis picked up a wound from a spear thrust and was knocked from his horse for a further insulting injury. He managed to get home to his manor where he was healed fully and the adventure was picked up from here...

A few weeks of Raiding (Pendragon – 26/04/19)

Sir Brutus (Ja)

Sir Docimedis (M)

Sir Errol (C)

Sir Goodrick (I)

Sir Lleddren (Ju)

The return to Salisbury was uneventful. Every knight was dismissed from military duty and returned to his own manor. Sir Docimedis used this time to heal and prepare for the winter court.

Winter Court 488 AD

The king, Uther, was in a more convivial mood than last time round and the court were happy to listen to Sir Brutus tell his tale of the skirmish with the Saxon raiders, which prompted Sir Docimedis to orate his deeds from the Siege of Bayeux in the previous campaign season, earning him some glory. Both Sir Errol and Sir Goodrick delivered their gifts and pledges of betrothal to their prospective future wives and weddings were tentatively announced.

Spring Court 489 AD

The following Spring Court was attended by the king as well as the dukes of Lindsey and Silchester. The meeting was headlined by the announcements of the king concerning the Saxons and the recalcitrant Duke of Cornwall, Gorlois. The northern Saxons were stirring up trouble around Eboracum and Logris and Uther demanded action against them; he called for all knights to be put onto a war footing. On a less grand scale, the wedding of Sir Goodrick to the Lady Indeg, a wealthy, but ageing widow, was announced for later in the year (after the campaign season) and Sir Lleddren announced a feast at his manor to celebrate his betrothal to the merchant’s daughter Jayne.

Main Campaign 489 AD

After the rousing speech from the king, his forces marched on Cornwall as a show of force against the duke, Gorlois, whilst the Duke of Lindsey marched north to face the Saxons. The king’s army met Gorlois’ army on the Somerset border at a point where Gorlois held a small hill, was flanked by a forest and the valley ground before him was split by a stream making the potential going difficult; a fine set up for him to win a battle should one occur.

Although Sir Errol spotted the potential for an ambush, and Sir Lleddren reported the movement of skirmishers and archers hidden in the forests it took a while for the information to rise up the chain of command. In the meantime, King Uther had begun a steady march up the valley towards his foe. He and a few advisors split from the main body of the army and were joined like-for-like by Duke Gorlois’ parley. A negotiation broke out and didn’t appear to be going well for the king until Merlin advised that he draw Excalibur. The light from the noble sword showed the king all of his enemies, including those hiding in ambush, and this caused the duke to back down and accept Uther as his overlord.

Lord Gorlois returned to Cornwall whilst those under the command of King Uther journeyed north to join with the Duke of Lindsey in order to take the fight to the Saxon invaders. When the two armies joined, commands were given and the army split; each raiding party headed out to hunt down their quarry.

Sir Brutus’ Command – First raid - 489 AD

Due to being the highest-ranking knight amongst his companions, Sir Brutus led his small band on the hunt for a raiding party or two to dispatch. Very soon, Sir Errol had hunted down a small roving band of Saxon raiders and battle orders were drawn up.

The knights thundered towards the Saxon shield wall on their horses and battle commenced. Sir Brutus charged straight for the leader and took him out of the battle with his first strike. The rest of his knights followed suit with Sir Errol taking out one of his adversaries and Sir Docimedis killing two on his first charge. Unfortunately, Sir Lleddren was knocked from his horse by a particularly stubborn Saxon warrior.

Now that the shield wall was broken, the knights proceeded to pick off their adversaries one-by-one, but the unfortunate Sir Lleddren was grievously wounded whilst trying to regain his feet. Luckily, Sir Brutus was right next to his fallen comrade and was able to stop any further attacks going his way whilst his squire pulled him to a place of safety as the battle raged on.

Next to be unhorsed was Sir Goodrick. He had been lightly wounded by each of his foes but one of the Saxons got in a lucky strike and was about to finish him off when Sir Docimedis rode in and put the Saxon to the sword. Sir Brutus took out the second attacker on Sir Goodrick just as Sir Errol finished off his last foeman. The last Saxon on the battle field was then put to the sword by Sir Docimedis.

In the aftermath, Sir Brutus was able to administer some aid to the injured Sir Lleddren and the unconscious Saxons were ransomed for a tidy sum for each of the knights.

Second raid – 489 AD

Whilst the knights recovered from their skirmish, word went around that knights were required for garrison duties or should head out for further raids into enemy territory. It should have taken a while for Sir Lleddren to recover from his wounds, but his burning hatred for the Saxons meant that he wanted to be out again fighting his foes. Sir Brutus was happy that he showed such zeal and the companions set out again on a second raid for the season just two weeks after the first one.

Again, Sir Errol used his tracking skills to find a small band of Saxons that were strung out whilst foraging. A quick command and the knights were charging into their foes.

Sir Brutus went straight for the leader and took him out with one swing of his sword. Sir Lleddren, memories of his injuries already distant, also dispatched his first foeman with one swipe of his sword. The other knights managed to land injurious blows upon their adversaries but the Saxon shield wall held firm.

However, the tide of battle turned at that point as a second wave of Saxons joined the fray. Although the knights were able to hold their own and kill one or two warriors, Sir Docimedis was knocked from his horse by a glancing blow. Sir Brutus was again on hand to help defend his less experienced brother and managed to keep Sir Docimedis’ adversary at bay long enough for him to be re-horsed by his squire.

Sirs Goodrick and Errol managed to defeat their foemen and began to push them back but Sir Lleddren, injuries obviously still paining him, was again knocked from his horse. The injuries this time were mostly to his pride, but the re-horsed Sir Docimedis would not see his brother cut down again whilst trying to rise to his feet and rode down the Saxon hovering to give a killing blow to Sir Lleddren. Upon seeing the rest of their fellow raiders cut down in so quick a fashion, the last remaining Saxons surrendered.

The Saxon prisoners were returned to the city where they were ransomed for a small sum for each of the knights. There would be some rest and recuperation required for a few of this band, but lessons were learned and pride was put firmly in its place.

Pendragon RPG

Pendragon - Thursday 11th April 2019

A bit of a change of direction for this post today. We go from Middle Earth to post-Roman Britain for a quick visit, and an actual gaming session, albeit an RPG rather than tabletop battle game, even though we ended our session with a little skirmish.

After I was forced to stop playing my regular Wednesday 5e D&D session due to family circumstances I didn't really get to play much in the way of RPGs as I just didn't have the time available during the week to do so. Fortunately, I was able to make a few sessions to finish off the first part of the Ravenloft campaign when my eldest was temporarily back from uni for autumn half-term and Christmas. I was also able to play in another adhoc campaign with a new Ranger character run by one of the other players.

In addition to the three or four sessions of 5e D&D, I also had the opportunity to roll up and do the pre-gen preparation for a Pendragon character just before Christmas. I have played this game once or twice in the dim and distant past, but I have no recollection of how it works in practice. That all changed this evening.

The rest of the players had had several sessions already under their collective belts, so I was a relative newbie to the campaign. Before the session I had to run through three years' of catch up (I only manged the first year - I will do the rest today) to get my character, Sir Docimedis (name taken from a fifth century listing of Romano-British names), up to date.

Here's the story of the knights' first visit to Londinium...

A week in Londinium (Pendragon – 11/04/19)

Sir Brutus (Ja)

Sir Docimedis (M)

Sir Errol (C)

Sir Godrick (I)

Sir Lleddren (Ju)

Sir Docimedis rides to war
(this was the figure used but the GM's version was painted in much nicer colours than the drab used for my Rider of Rohan)

In the 488th year after the birth of our lord, at the end of the campaigning season (around September time), the freshest and youngest knights of Earl Roderick of Salisbury collected their wealth and travelled to London in order to improve their status and fighting prowess by having a new suit of reinforced mail fashioned to replace their existing coat of chain armour.

Day 1

The week long journey from Sarum ended as the small band of warriors entered the city of Londinium. The sounds and smells of the city assaulted their senses as they passed through Lud’s Gate and the numbers of unwashed denizens astounded them in their number – the city was at least ten times the size of their home town.

The streets were busy and full of throngs trying to make a living by fair means or foul. A small street urchin approached Sir Brutus and haggled for employment. Sir Brutus hired him to be a guide for a small handful of coins and was therefore able to get directions to the various inns and abodes of dignitaries within the city.

On the way to the armourer’s establishment, at which the party were to have their new suits of mail fashioned, Sir Brutus’ horse happened to step upon a discarded nail, went temporarily lame and had to be led the rest of the way around the city until it was delivered to the stables at the inn for proper care. To add to the party’s woes, Sir Godrick fell from his horse due to it being startled by a gang of street urchins darting in and out beneath its legs.

The armourer agreed to take on the job of making the mail for each of the knights but the work would take three days for the first suit to be completed and then the other suits fashioned on subsequent days, meaning that the band of warriors would need to keep themselves entertained in the big city for around a week.

The knights paid the armourer for the job he was about to do for them and then headed towards The King’s Arms inn, close to the basilica, where they stabled their horses and settled in for the evening. A few drinks in the common room loosened tongues and the rumour that the self-styled Anglo-Saxon king Aethelfrith had increased his raiding upon Londinium was uncovered. After his latest successes in Essex and Kent he was obviously emboldened to push deeper into British territory.

Day 2

The following day, the streets were noticeably quieter. Sir Godrick bought a fabulous jewel for his intended and Sir Errol a love poem for his bride to be. Unfortunately, a mangy stray dog put paid to Sir Errol’s perfect day by savaging his best riding cloak. The evening was spent in the slums that made up Southwark on the other side of the Roman bridge. Bear baiting and cock fighting were the order of the evening with varying success or failure for each knight on the gambling front, but all woes were forgotten when upon returning to the inn the rest of the evening was spent at a knight’s wedding feast.

Day 3

After a long rest at the inn, the band of warriors walked to the White Tower to see whether it would be worthwhile staying there, but rumours of a mustering for war soon put paid to their presenting themselves to the lord as they did not want to be sent out on raids before their new armour was ready. Instead, they introduced themselves to a grizzled veteran of the lord’s retinue and challenged him and his best knights to a tourney – best of three strikes. All of the errant knights proved themselves worthy and won a small amount of glory for their troubles and bruises.

The evening was spent watching a few fist-fights at the Axe Head tavern after Sir Errol had collected his new armour. Again, monies were lost and gained on the outcome of each fight.

Day 4

Whilst the knights wandered the streets to collect Sir Godrick’s new armour he got splashed with the contents of a pail of night soil. This put a sombre mood onto the young lord but it didn’t spoil his enjoyment of the play that the knights went to see that evening. Sir Docimedis must have eaten or drunk something untoward as he was ill for the rest of the evening and most of the following day.

Day 5

It took a while for Sir Docimedis to recover from whatever had upset his stomach, but nothing would have stopped him from picking up his new suit of mail. To celebrate three of the knights gaining their new armour, the party headed out for a night of gambling, again with mixed fortunes. Sir Errol had been ahead all night only to lose it all and more on the last throw of the dice.

Day 6

The entertainments in Londinium were wonders without cease for the errant band of warriors. They had seen a variety of the best on offer in the city but it all paled into insignificance against the spectacle of four bandits being executed for robbery. Gambling was again the order of the day as the knights bet upon how many strokes the executioner’s axe would take to separate the miscreants’ heads from their bodies. The axeman was on form that day and a couple of the knights made a tidy sum on the outcome.

To make up for their ungodliness during their stay in the city so far, the band of warriors paid penance in one of the many churches that dotted the city. After feeling shrived of all their sins, Sir Lleddren collected his armour from the smith.

Day 7

After the festivities of the week, the party decided to take things a lot more quietly this final day and did not pursue any of the remaining delights of the city. Sir Brutus, due to his huge size, was the last to have his armour completed, so the party waited until the allotted time to go collect it. Upon returning to the inn they were once again accosted by the knight who had married and passed another evening drinking and merry making.

Day 8

Now that all of the armour had been made and collected Sir Brutus suggested that the party go hunting for Saxon raiders. Sir Errol, the best tracker, was able to spot two small bands of raiders (one of nine men with a leader and another of six men) and Sir Godrick, the best tactician, was able to set up a spot for an ambush for the nine-man band. The six-man band was left for some of the White Tower’s retinue to take care of.

Within a few moments of clashing, Sir Brutus had downed the leader with a near fatal blow and the Saxons facing Sir Errol and Sir Lleddren were knocked off their feet. The warriors facing Sir Godrick and Sir Docimedis took minor wounds.

The Saxons rallied after the initial clash and felling of their leader. Those knocked to the ground got back onto their feet but were almost instantaneously killed by Sir Brutus, Sir Lleddren and Sir Errol. Sir Godrick and Sir Docimedis decided to draw their swords but this was the undoing of Sir Docimedis as he was hit by a spear and unhorsed.

Sir Brutus, Sir Errol and Sir Godrick killed their opponents both on foot and prone and came to the rescue of their brother Docimedis before he could be injured further.

Sir Docimedis’ wounds were tended and the Anglo-Saxon leader was returned to London for ransoming. The party made good money on the raid, but Sir Docimedis would be sore for a long while afterwards.

Next week should see the resumption and finishing off of the preparation of the rest of the Lord of the Rings figures in my collection. There are not too many to go now, so hopefully all should go well. After the game last night, and seeing how my friends painted their miniatures (much brighter and nicer than the drab colours I used for my Riders of Rohan), I will take another look at my Arthurian collection to see what they can be used for - perhaps future games of Pendragon if I am able to host at my house, or maybe as denizens of Middle Earth who are not attached to any particular faction I have collected? It is amazing how an enjoyable game can change one's perception and outlook on the hobby. My creative juices are flowing and my imagination is back in action again.