As the year 486 draws to a close, Tremayne has been confirmed as Lord Harwis by his liege Lord Lytton. He has been awarded two manors as reward for spending the summer repelling Blesh raids. During his confirmation feast he saw the girl who had given him the strange, silver coin. She turned out to be a lady in waiting to Lady Sestia, a sister of Sir Marcellus Flaccus, who was present to gather support for the Flaccus family and in turn try to secure the release of Lord Titus. As fall turns into winter, House Harwis prepares to welcome a new addition to their family.
King Osric
“My king.”
King Osric glanced up, his mouth full of greasy, cooked chicken.
Rainwater dripped from his fur cloak, as the man strode through the hall.
Unfolding his legs from across the throne, Osric jumped up, with surprising speed for such a big man.
“Halfdan, brother. Did they get our message? What news of Canute?” He met the other man in a bone crushing hug.
Halfdan gave him a weary smile. Osric frowned, “What is it?”
“They got the message and…” He paused, “He’s not coming.”
Osric scowled, “What do you mean?”
Halfdan grimaced, “Canute has taken your lands, and abandoned us.”
“He promised he would support our invasion.” Osric growled bitterly.
“What do you want to do?” His brother asked as he helped himself to a mug of beer.
Let’s test Osric’s prudent trait.
Roll 1D20(4): 7, a failure.
“Well, I’m here now. I think we’ll stay.” He grinned at his brother.
So, let’s do the winter phase.
Tremayne gains 45 glory from the feast. His total now stands at 2,033.
Let’s check on the experience rolls. Rolling over the current skill score adds one to the total.
We gain a point in the following -
Awareness is now 8.
Flirting is now 11.
Battle is 14.
Tremayne is now 20 years old.
We’ll roll on the family table and random events and pepper those throughout the coming year.
Training and practice - We’ll add one to size while we can. Size is now 14.
We’ll add one to a skill over 15. Sword is now at 17.
And 1D6+1 for skill points: 3
Add 1 to battle for 15. Add in 2 to siege, to make that skill 4.
100 glory for owning Thornbriar the estate.
Tremayne’s glory now stands at 2,133.
Getting 2k glory gives us another point to add, we’ll do strength. (11)
And finally, an event to round out the year.
The young man paced the hallway nervously as Tremayne came around the corner.
“Griff. All will be well. I shall soon join you with a babe” He said with a big smile. “What have they told you?” Griff Dunvan, husband to Tramayne's sister Cybill, shook his head.
“I don’t know my lord, they won’t tell me anything.”
“Be calm, the birthing chamber is the territory of the woman, and we are not welcome there during the busy time. Come, let us get a cup of wine until they come and announce the arrival of your first born.”
An hour later one of the ladies shyly approached the men holding a swaddled babe.
“My lord.” She offered the child to Grif, “You have a daughter.”
Grif gently took the child and gazed down at the pink face, amazement across his features. “I must see my wife.” He declared and handed the baby back to the woman.
At the door to the birthing chamber, he was stopped by the village wise woman who had delivered his child. “My lord, you will have to wait we are still tending to your wife.”
“Is everything alright?” Griff asked confused as he tried to look past the woman into the chamber.
“It is my lord.” The old woman assured him. “We are just making m’lady comfortable.”
A scream erupted from within the chamber. “Excuse me, my lord.” The old lady turned abruptly and slammed the door behind her, leaving a bemused Grif standing in the hall.
He pushed on the door, “Grif, don’t. Let them work. You’ll just get in the way.” reluctantly the young man did as he was bid.
After what seemed like an eternity but was only a few minutes, the door opened and the old woman stood there, her woolen dress was sodden in blood. She looked at Grif and shook her head slowly.
Cybil, the eldest daughter of House Harwis was dead.
The Lady’s of the court seem as prone to dying suddenly as the Knights in this system, very brutal, and just when things were starting to look up for the Harwis family