Wednesday Pendragon Campaign

Session 027 - The House of Constantine and the Return to Wells

7 min read

In-game year: 488

Summary

Pursued from the werewolf fight, the companions take shelter in the courtyard of the strange Roman manor in the Wildenwald, where the wolves refuse to follow. Exploring the site, Assterius identifies it as the House of Constantine, marked by a recent inscription — Lupis Macto — and a charred wolf-man outline. In a ruined chapel, a radiant angel offers the company a trial of Faith in God or Faith in Humanity. The trial becomes a metaphysical gauntlet of virtues, passions, and temptations: Sir Geraint yields his name and arms to become the Nameless Knight, Assterius gives up his home and status to become the Homeless Knight, and Millicent sacrifices her own progress so Drustin can continue after his repeated moral failures. Liam solves the final riddle of chivalry by recognizing that chivalry is absent because he himself does not yet embody it.

When the trial ends, Liam uncovers the Holy Grail beneath the chapel altar. Each companion drinks; when Liam does, his cursed rubies spill harmlessly to the ground, seemingly cleansed. After burying the slain men of Wildenburg, the companions return to find Frankish and British banners over the church and guards acting under “King” Clovis and “King” Sir Madoc. Madoc explains he has struck a suspicious settlement with the Franks around Bayeux and Calais and claims the runed sword at his side is reforged Excalibur. Distrusting him, Millicent secretly swaps his weapon for Fakealibur while keeping Madoc’s runed blade with the company. Back in Britain, the companions refuse to follow Madoc to Silchester, instead travelling to Wells, where Lady Wells joyfully receives the runed blade and casts it into a still forest pool beneath the gaze of a stag. Most characters treat this as the true sword returned, but its exact identity remains uncertain because the conroi’s timeline/reality situation is still unresolved.

Scene/Beat Log

  • Roman villa refuge: The wolves refuse to enter the courtyard of the strange Roman manor in the Wildenwald.
  • House of Constantine: Assterius reads the Latin over the archway and identifies the site as the House of Constantine.
  • Omens in the ruins: The companions find a recent Lupis Macto inscription and a charred wolf-man outline burned into the ground.
  • Ruined chapel: Millicent discovers a chapel in the villa complex; a radiant angelic being appears and questions the companions’ purpose.
  • The trial begins: The angel offers a path of Faith in God or Faith in Humanity/Chivalry; the company enters a metaphysical test of traits, passions, and moral choices while devils pursue them.
  • Drustin tested: Drustin repeatedly falters on lust, forgiveness, and devotion, especially over his resentment toward Bruce.
  • Names surrendered: Sir Geraint gives up his name and coat of arms, becoming the Nameless Knight; Assterius gives up his home and becomes the Homeless Knight.
  • Millicent’s sacrifice: Millicent reaches the end of the religious path but gives up her own place so Drustin can continue.
  • Liam’s answer: Liam solves the riddle of chivalry by realizing there is no chivalry in the world because he does not yet embody it.
  • Final choices: At the trial’s end, Drustin chooses the Child and Liam chooses the Cup/Grail.
  • The Grail found: Back in the chapel ruins, Liam uncovers the Holy Grail beneath the altar inside a lead box.
  • Rubies cleansed: Each companion drinks; Liam’s cursed rubies spill away harmlessly after he drinks from the Grail.
  • Burial and return: The company buries the dead of Wildenburg and returns to town.
  • Madoc and Clovis: Frankish guards bar entry under the authority of “King” Clovis and “King” Sir Madoc until the two emerge from the church.
  • Suspicious accord: Madoc says he has negotiated a settlement with the Franks protecting a new duchy around Bayeux and Calais, while abandoning much of the remaining territory.
  • Sword swap: Madoc claims the runed sword was reforged by Frankish craftsmen; Millicent secretly takes that runed blade and leaves him with Fakealibur.
  • Return to Wells: The companions part from Madoc, return to Britain, and travel to Wells during a strange pagan festival.
  • Sword returned: Lady Wells receives Madoc’s runed blade and throws it into a still forest pool watched by a stag; its exact identity remains uncertain, though everyone currently treats it as the true sword.

Characters (appeared / impacted)

  • Millicent - sacrifices her place in the angelic trial to save Drustin; later swaps Madoc’s sword and sees the blade returned at Wells.
  • Liam - solves the riddle of chivalry, chooses the Cup, discovers the Holy Grail, and is freed from the burden of his cursed rubies.
  • Drustin - nearly fails the trial through lust, vengeance, and weakness of devotion, but continues after Millicent’s sacrifice; chooses the Child.
  • Sir Geraint - surrenders his name and coat of arms during the trial, becoming the Nameless Knight.
  • Assterius - identifies the House of Constantine, becomes the Homeless Knight during the trial, and learns that Baroness Pomponia is carrying his bastard child.
  • Sir Madoc - appears under the title of “King” beside Clovis, claims to carry a reforged Excalibur, and reports a suspicious accord with the Franks.
  • Lady Wells - receives Madoc’s runed blade and casts it into the forest pool.
  • Clovis - appears publicly aligned with Madoc after the Wildenburg affair.
  • Baroness Pomponia - is revealed to be carrying Assterius’s bastard child.

Loot / Rewards / Glory / Notable Rolls

  • The companions recover the Holy Grail from beneath the altar of the chapel in the House of Constantine.
  • Liam’s cursed rubies are cleansed and spill harmlessly away after he drinks from the Grail.
  • The company earns major Glory for returning Madoc’s runed blade to Lady Wells and completing the immediate sword-return quest.

Consequences & New Facts

  • The House of Constantine appears to be a holy/protected Roman site tied to anti-wolf power, angelic testing, and the hidden Holy Grail.
  • Millicent’s sacrifice becomes a defining act of chivalry for the company.
  • Liam has now directly encountered the Holy Grail, and his long-standing ruby curse appears cleansed.
  • Sir Madoc has entered a suspicious political arrangement with Clovis and the Franks, and falsely/improperly allowed himself to be treated as a king.
  • The runed blade demanded by Lady Wells and the Ladies of the Lake has been returned to her, potentially averting the immediate forest threat; whether it is truly home-world Excalibur remains uncertain.
  • The true identity of the returned blade, Madoc’s actions, and the larger timeline/reality implications remain unresolved.
  • Baroness Pomponia is carrying Assterius’s bastard child.

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