Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 21:15:14 +1000 From: Timothy Ferguson To: pcorless@cisco.com Cador (c) Timothy Ferguson 1996, all rights reserved. Cador is one of those figures who were important in the early stories, but has faded into the background with the addition of new heroes. In Cador's case, the Tristram cycle is what has eclipsed him. In Lazamons "Brut" Cador is Earl of Cornwall and is one of Arthurs firmest supporters, so much so that he leads one of the guards (thirds) of Arthurs army. In essence he and the Tristram cycle are incompatible, but Malory retains him so this work will also. When Arthur dies in 495 the potentates of Britain gather to elect a new High King. They are unable to form concensus and so Logres is ruled by a Council of Regents, who await the king promised by God through the miraculous appearance of the Sword in the Stone. These four are Bishop Bawdwin, Duke Corneus of Lindsey, Duke Ulfius of Silchester and Duke Cador of Cornwall. He is an Eager Vassal of Arthur's, swearing fealty at the second drawing of the Sword. It is not impossible that he was absent from the Cantebrury tournament, presuming that it was a regular event and that he'd tried to draw the Sword previously during the fifteen years since its appearance. Cador lends his strength to Arthur during the wars against the northern Kings, which depeletes it sufficently that he is unable to graps Cornwall's crown when King Idres dies. Mark is badly drained from his losses in Bedegraine also, so they spend most of 514 raiding each other. It eventually becomes clear that Mark, aided by Anguish of Leinster, is the stronger on Cornish soil, but Cador's Devonshire holdings are too secure to be assaulted. Mark becomes king of all Cornwall, but his nobles do not love him and in following years they raise the country against him when he treats Tristram badly. The year ends with the marriage of Arthur to Gwenivere and the formation of the Round Table. Cador is one of the twenty-eight knights appointed by Arthur to a chair. After the winter he travels to Totnes to see Mark crowned. As Arthur's man, he needs not swear alligence to Mark. Each looks posion at the other. The following year a Saxon king from Germany lands in Deria and siezes Malahuat. Arthur marches to confront him, with Cador acting as leader of the army's vanguard. Colgrim marches out to meet Arthur in the woods near Lincoln. The Cymric army has become strung out on the road and the battle goes badly for them, continuing through the night. As dawn breaks, Colgrim retreats to Ebucarum and Arthur decides to besiege it. Colgrim's brother Baldulf has been holding thier landing-places in Deria, awaitung re-inforcements, but decides to strike at Arthur's forces where they lie encamped about the city. Cador is sent to ambush the approaching Saxons and wins decisively, but Baldulf, disguised as a bard, manages to escape the battle and sneak through Arthur's lines into Ebucarum, where he joins his brothers forces. The re-enforcements Baldulf was expecting arrive and Arthur withdraws, rather than face both Saxon armies. He bides winter in London, then marches north again. After shattering the enemy at the Battle of Lincoln Arthur pursues them as they flee into a boxed mountain valley, where he starves them out. They swear to be Arthur's liegemen and give him hostages a surety, then depart the realm. In "Pendragon", they join the Saxons of the south. In "Brut" they get halfway home, then change course, beseige Totnes and massacre its people. After this they occupy all Devonshire and Dorset, blocakade Bristol, assail Wiltshire and besiege Bath. Arthur isn't aware of any of this, because he is busy conquering Scotland. When informed he marches south and puts them to the sword, but thier leader, Childeric, who had arrived with the re-inforcements, escapes and attempts to make for his ships. Cador is given a force by Arthur and instructed to give chase. He is promised Dorset if he dispatches the enemy. Mounted, Cador arrives in the region before Childric and cunningly gathers up the local peasantry, placing them, well-hidden, in the Saxons ships. He then retires to a nearby wood. When Childric comes tramping through, Cador charges at him, which drives him into the ambush. The peasants beat Childric's men to death. Childric attempts to escape, but Cador catches him and cuts him down. He then cuts down any spares who manage to skulk away and claims overlordship of the area, where he sets up a longstanding and just rule, where people could walk about with gold armbands yet need not fear for thier safety. Since the core rules of Pendragon leave no land in Cornwall for Cador, he is being assigned this territory, see the appropriate sidebar. Cador remains a firm ally and trusted counsellor of Arthur's all his life. In "Brut" he is the one who says words to the effect of "Thank God for those arrogant Romans! All this peace is making us impotent!" Gawain them replies to him and in effect takes over his role. Cador takes part in the Roman campaign, and is one of the guards who escorts the prisoners to Paris. Malory makes no note of Cador's death, nor does "Brut", although it is clear that Arthur knows that Cador is dead when he passes the realm to Constantine, saying that Cador "was" Constantine's father. After the death of Constantine, in "Brut", his unamed brother is his heir. This brother and his sons are murdered by Conan, the son of Constantine's sister, who then becomes High King and does nasty things to the murdered uncle's daughters. From this it can be seen that Cador has at least two sons and a daughter, and he also has grandchildren, although few of them are named. ============================================================= SIDEBAR OR INSERT Cador's Duchy. Geriant's domain centres on the town of Exeter and includes most of Devon. and parts of Jagent. In the time of Erbin his clan were feudal overlords of the tribes of Cornwall, but now they are a barrier beween the Cornish and the body of Logres. Cador is granted most of Goloris' territory along with his title, giving him much of North Cornwall. He latter adds Teignwic by conquest and is granted much of Dorset by Arthur. Teignwic, is modern Teignmouth in Devon. On the map at the end of the the core rulebook, this is in square J21, on the northern edge of the little bight under Morris Forest, where it meets the sea. His castle is therefore within 20 miles of Totnes This make Totnes the guardian of Mark's lands on the river Dart. Cador's influence stretches out across Dartmoor, up through Morris Forest and peters out somewhere in the valleys of the Exe, Taw and Torridge rivers, probably reaching the coast. Cador might also have to other castles, the three most important being Berry Pomeroy, which guards his lands from Mark's forces in Totnes, Okenhampton, which secures the northern edge of Dartmoor and Terrabil (Launceston) which is his strongest. and completes the encirclement of Mark's lands in Totnes. In truth, of course, these castles are far later constructions than the game era. After the death of his father, Prince Geriant of Exeter, Cador adopts his style, but alters it, with Arthur's blessing, to "King of Devon, Duke of Cornwall". He uses the later title in Camelot, similar to Galahuat's "King of Dal Riadha, Duke of the Long Isles." ============================================================= ============================================================= INSERT: Cador was already a well-known warrior when made a regent. He is a just and cunning ruler, whom Arthur trusts as a general. He dislikes Mark intensely, although his hate is not so strong as to cloud his judgement, so he has no Passion. He spent some of his early life hunting out the giants that dwell in Cornwall, but his passion only flares when Earl Howell of Brittany's daughter is raped to death by the Giant of Mount Saint Michael. His fighting of giants has led to a specialisation in lance warfare, so that his Lance and Horsemanship scores have been developed at the expense of his Sword skill. Cador predates fashions such as Heraldry, using Recognise instead, and Romance. His courtly skills are poor, a common deficiency in knights of his generation. Cador seems to age with that striking slowness common to characters in the stories. He may be dead by the usual starting date of "Pendragon" campaigns. The statistics given below are correct for the Battle of Saussy, which occurs in 526. ============================================================= Name: Cador Homeland: Devon Culture Romano-Cymric Religion: Christian Father's Name: Geriant Father's Class: Prince Son Number 1 Lord Arthur. Current Class: Duke of Cornwall Current Home: Camelot or Teignmouth. Age 57 Year Born 469 Personality Traits Chivalry Bonus [] (total =80+) Yes. Religion Bonus: No Chaste 14 / 6 Lustful Energetic 17 / 3 Lazy Forgiving 14 / 6 Vengeful Generous 12 / 8 Selfish Honest 14 / 6 Deceitful Just 19 / 1 Arbitrary Merciful 10 / 10 Cruel Modest 10 / 10 Proud * Pious 15 / 5 Worldly Prudent 18 / 2 Reckless Temperate 9 / 11 Indulgent Trusting 9 / 11 Suspicious # Valorous 22 / 0 Cowardly Directed Trait: * (Of his family and its lands) +7 Directed Trait: # (Of King Mark and his servants) +4 Passions Loyalty (Arthur) 21 Love (family) 13 Hospitality 13 Honor 19 Love (Unnamed wife) 14 Loyalty (Round Table) 15 Loyalty (Exeter) 17 Hate (Saxons) 14 Equipment Carried Armor Type [14 pts +3 Chiv] Part. Plate Clothing [5 Librum value] Equipment: As befits his station. Coat of Arms: A shield of Cornwall (fifteen silver circles in a triangle formation pointing downwards on a field of blue), bannered while his father lives. Statistics SIZ 13 (Knockdown) DEX 11 STR 17 CON 23 (Major Wound) APP 14 Damage ((STR+SIZ)/6) 5d6 Healing Rate ((STR+CON)/10) 4 Movement Rate ((STR+DEX)/10) 3 Total Hit Points (SIZ+CON) 36 Unconscious (HP/4) 9 Distinctive Features Noble bearing, sweeping gestures, Devon accent. Skills Awareness 12 Boating 1 Chirurgery 0 Compose 0 Courtesy 8 Dancing 2 Faerie Lore 13 Falconry 3 First Aid 16 Flirting 3 Folk Lore 18 Gaming 14 Heraldry 10 Hunting 8 Industry 0 Intrigue 16 Orate 18 Play (Harp) 2 Read (Latin) 0 Recognize 16 Religion (Christian) 2 Romance 2 Singing 2 Stewardship 12 Swimming 5 Tourney 5 Glory 12 000 Combat Skills Battle 21 Horsemanship 22 Weapon Skills Sword 20 Lance 25 Dagger 5 Spear 6 Horses Best Warhorse Type Destrier Damage 8d6 Move 7 Armor 5 HP 52 SIZ 42 CON 10 DEX 10