Wednesday Pendragon Campaign

Session 008 - The Giant King of Deira and the Fairy Road

4 min read

In-game year: 481

Player synopsis

Summary

Newly elevated to knighthood, the companions begin service as household knights of the High King, based in Londinium. With the death of the Baron of Winchbank, the High King reclaims the baron’s lifetime feudal grants; Lady Ellen of Winchbank remains under crown wardship.

Court clarifies the broader political picture (and the High King’s unusual strength in direct household knights). Three missions emerge:

  1. accompany the High King north to Lindsey to coordinate with regional leadership ahead of a campaign against the Angles
  2. fulfill Count Roderick of Salisbury’s request to investigate Lady Rosalyn at Lambor Castle as a marriage candidate
  3. fulfill Merlin (Merdwyl)’s request: hunt and slay the wyvern that escaped battle

Before departing, Liam consults Merlin. Merlin confirms wyverns are solitary and not typically human-associated, provides pungent healing balms, and gives Liam an alchemical bomb.

Journey to Lindsey

The party rides north along the King’s Road. Millicent notices a small band of men in the woods west of the River Trent, but they do not investigate. In Lindsey, the High King holds a marching ceremony and meets with the Duke of Lincoln; the companions are then dismissed to pursue their own missions and ride south toward Lambor.

The Giant of Deira (Eosa)

In the Lincoln Forest near Newark, the knights spot ~20 armed warriors. Drustin stealth-scouts and identifies them as Saxons under a massive leader bearing a blue-and-white spiral shield: Eosa “the Giant” Horsason, King of the Deira Saxons. The Saxons have killed a white stag and celebrate the hunt.

Rather than assault alone, the knights enlist Rori of Newark and his men. Millicent again leads their conroi.

Battle and mercy

The group advances on foot but is spotted; Eosa seizes the initiative and charges into battle with terrifying strength. The squires fight hard—Asterius beheads a Saxon, Millicent decapitates another, and Beon holds off multiple foes. Drustin finds a weak point in Eosa’s armor and Millicent knocks the giant king down.

Liam offers terms: Eosa and his men may withdraw peacefully in exchange for ransom. Eosa agrees and presents a heavy golden torque as token of surrender. The Saxons withdraw; victory is won without unnecessary bloodshed.

Lambor Castle (Rosalyn)

At Lambor Castle, Duke Duke Edaris of the March hosts a feast with his daughter Lady Rosalyn. Rosalyn is generous and kind—perhaps excessively so. Sir Beefy appears as a competing suitor. Observant members of the party note Rosalyn’s attention seems unusually focused on Millicent. The duke indicates he wants an answer regarding marriage negotiations by year’s end.

The wyvern hunt and the Fairy Road

The companions resume searching for the escaped wyvern, gathering increasingly strange rumors from town to town. Credible reports eventually point toward the Forest of Dean. They purchase traps, bait, and a goat.

Deep in the woods they hear distant singing and find a perfect ring of trees enclosing tiny hanging houses and miniature stables with rabbit droppings—suggesting fairies who use rabbits as mounts. Asterius offers ten denarii; Liam and Millicent leave food; the group retreats without provoking whatever lives there.

Winter in Caer Bannog

The hunt drags on for two months with little progress. As winter snow falls, the knights reach Caer Bannog and are welcomed by Lady Rachel of Carbonog and Sir Ector. Locals speak of a creature called the Wyvern of Idris (possibly the same as Wyvern (escaped)). The knights remain in Caer Bannog until spring.

Timeline entries to add

Next: Session 009 - The Death of Aurelius and the Fall of Bedegraine

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