In-game year: 488
Summary
After the victory at Calais, the companions choose to remain and help reform the battered XX Legion. Uther Pendragon has apparently told the Romans that the British conroi are the finest strategic minds in Britain, and the Roman officers accept their direction. While Drustin, Sir Madoc, and Sir Gerry train the Romans around Calais, Millicent, Assterius, and Liam move into the countryside to restore the army’s ability to sustain itself. Their operations drive the remaining Frankish forces south into Gaul, and the garrison at Dunkirk surrenders on terms: safe passage if they leave arms and plunder behind. By the harvest moon, the Saxon Shore on this side of the Channel is back under Baroness Pomponia’s rule, and the XX Legion withdraws to its own territory, notably improved.
A messenger from Wildenburg brings news of murders and missing bodies. The town has imprisoned a young woman, Clotilde, in the church and plans to burn her as the murderess after the priest and sheriff were killed. Inside, the companions find Clotilde still gripping a bloody candlestick beside the bodies; she claims the killings were done by the cubs of the Lord of Wildenburg, wolf-headed men who walk on two legs. She says the angel Michael warned her that “silver shall keep the path safe and only the bravest shall defeat the darkness.” The companions arm themselves with church silver, have a blacksmith fashion silvered spears, and hunt into the Wildenwald, where they battle werewolves at an ancient shrine. The slain werewolves revert to human form, including the true Lord of Wildenburg. Drustin is bitten, and the trail leads onward to a strange Roman Manor in Wildenwald behind a high granite wall.
Scene/Beat Log
- After Calais: The companions debate next steps and elect to remain in Calais to reform and retrain the dilapidated XX Legion.
- Training the Romans: Drustin, Sir Madoc, and Sir Gerry train the Roman troops around Calais; each succeeds through a tested passion, trait, and skill.
- Clearing the countryside: Millicent, Assterius, and Liam lead operations to secure the countryside and restore supply. Millicent divides her 500 men into five units, with two led by valorous junior knights.
- Frankish retreat: The countryside operations drive the remaining Franks south into Gaul. Dunkirk surrenders; its garrison is allowed safe passage after abandoning plunder and arms.
- Pomponia restored: The Saxon Shore on this side of the Channel returns to Baroness Pomponia’s rulership. The XX Legion withdraws to its own territory by the harvest moon, seemingly much improved.
- Messenger from Wildenburg: A messenger reports murders and missing bodies in Wildenburg. The town has captured Clotilde, a young woman accused of killing the priest and sheriff, and plans to burn her.
- The church: The companions enter the chained church and find Clotilde holding a bloody candlestick beside the remains of the priest and sheriff. She warns that the “Lord of Wildenburg” outside is the true danger.
- Michael’s warning: Clotilde says the angel Michael appeared to her and told her: “silver shall keep the path safe and only the bravest shall defeat the darkness.”
- The hunt: Liam deduces werewolves. The companions take church silver and have a blacksmith make silvered spears before entering the Wildenwald.
- Pagan shrine battle: At the Wildenburg Pagan Shrine, the companions fight three werewolves and two wolves. Liam kills a wolf and the final werewolf; Sir Geraint kills a werewolf; Drustin kills another werewolf but is bitten above the hauberk.
- Aftermath: The slain werewolves change back into human corpses, including the actual Lord of Wildenburg. One ordinary wolf escapes. A full moon hangs overhead.
- The shrine and the trail: The shrine contains a bloodied stone table and ancient writing that is neither Latin nor Greek. Two trails lead away: south toward town and east deeper into the forest.
- Roman manor: The companions follow the eastern trail and find a strange Roman Manor in Wildenwald behind a high granite wall, out of place in the forest.
Characters (appeared / impacted)
- Millicent - helps clear the countryside around Calais and organizes her 500 men into five units.
- Drustin - helps train the XX Legion; kills a werewolf but is bitten during the Wildenwald fight.
- Liam - helps clear the countryside; identifies the threat as werewolves and suggests silvered spears; kills one wolf and one werewolf.
- Assterius - helps clear the countryside and push the Frankish remnants south.
- Sir Geraint - kills one werewolf; recalls folklore that lycanthropy is a Saxon affliction, though this remains belief rather than proven fact.
- Sir Gerry - helps train the XX Legion.
- Sir Madoc - helps train the XX Legion.
- Baroness Pomponia - regains effective rule over the Saxon Shore on this side of the Channel.
- Clotilde - accused murderess of Wildenburg; claims angelic warning and survives the church confrontation.
- Lord of Wildenburg - revealed after death as one of the slain werewolves.
Loot / Rewards / Glory / Notable Rolls
- Drustin, Madoc, and Gerry each succeed in training the Romans through a passion, trait, and skill test.
- Millicent, Assterius, and Liam each succeed in the countryside-clearing operation through a trait, passion, and skill test.
- The companions arm themselves with church silver and have silvered spears made for the werewolf hunt.
Consequences & New Facts
- Calais and the nearby Saxon Shore territory are stabilized under Baroness Pomponia after Dunkirk’s surrender.
- The XX Legion is materially improved by the companions’ training.
- Hlodowig and the Franks have suffered another reversal, with remnants driven south into Gaul.
- Drustin has been bitten by a werewolf under a full moon; whether this carries lycanthropic consequences is unknown.
- Wildenburg’s murders appear connected to werewolves rather than Clotilde.
- The Wildenburg Pagan Shrine and its ancient script point to a deeper supernatural problem.
- The session ends with the companions at the Roman Manor in Wildenwald.