Date: Thu, 05 Dec 1996 00:23:44 +1000 From: Timothy Ferguson To: pcorless@cisco.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This document copyright Timothy Ferguson, 1996. It uses, as sources, Chaosium publications which are copyright to Chaosium, or the original authors. [NOTE TO OTHER CONTRIBUTORS: THIS SECTION REFERENCES TO THE "K.A. COMPANION" AND, FOR DATES, TO "PAGAN SHORE" OR "THE BOY KING". BRUENOR'S INFORMATION COMES FROM "BLOOD AND LUST" AND THE "K.A.C."] Galahaut is a half-fae. His mother is descended from the Formori, the terrible giants who ruled Ireland before the Tuath de Danu forced them into the sea. He is the tallest knight in Britain, and one of the most ambitious. Galahaut's father was a Dal Riadhan noble banished to the coast of Cambria, where he lived in Castle Pleure and kept the Custom of the Maiden Judging. This contest was a sort of curse, wherein all female travellers were forced to pose along with the lord's wife, the least beautiful being put to death. Knights could challenge Bruenor, Galahaut's father, to preserve their ladies, but he was a formidable fighter, so many of them died also. Galahaut was unaware of this custom, so he may have been fostered away, presumably to a chivalrously-structured realm. In 521 Galahaut invaded Dal Riadha with an army of errant knights from Malahaut, backed by a squad of archers with poisoned arrows and footsoldiers. The invasion was complete, and his power absolute, within two years. Over the next five he feudalised his kingdom, securing it with castles and instigating the practices of feudalism. He expanded his territory when he could, claiming Pomitain, through marriage, in 524. In 528 he decided to become the Pendragon and demanded Arthur's submission. When it was not forthcoming, he invaded Surluse, supported by Anguish of Leinster and the King of Malahaut. Arthur's realm faced three other challenges at this time. Irish raiding on the Cambrian coast and rebellion in Anglia drew away the soldiery of those regions, while Sir Turquine had imprisoned many of Arthur's finest cavaliers. A small force of seven thousand men was sent north, but it had no real hope of either retaking Sorhaute or facing Galahaut in the field. It's purpose was more likely to delay any march south while Arthur marshalled a larger force. This is uncertain, because Galahaut was so impressed by Lancelot's incognito fighting that he offered him any price in exchange for joining his side. Lancelot asked Galahaut to swear fealty to Arthur, and the two kings rapidly made peace, deciding to seal the bargain by invading Ireland together. Galahaut can be credited with was uniting Sir Lancelot and Guenever in their secret affair. Galahaut was Lancelot's closest confidant. Seeing how pained Lancelot was, he refused to watch him suffer any longer in agony for his true love. Together with the Lady of Malahaut, who was the wife of Malahaut's Castellan Senays, Galahaut arranged the first tryst between the lovers. In return for their kindness, Guenivere arranged a match between these two. In 530, during the preparations for the voyage to Ireland, Galahaut took his seat at the Round Table. The war was won swiftly as Leinster, where Arthur wished to land his forces, agreed to vassalage. In truth, Arthur invaded only Meath. In doing so, he damaged the position of High Kingship of Ireland sufficiently that his vassals easily expanded into territories previously dominated by the Ui Niall. His realm secure and prosperous, Galahaut turned his attention to the finer things in life. He was part of the de Ganis circle in the court and had an amour for Lancelot. In 535 Tristram kills Galahaut's parents, who he initally desired to avenge, but when the nature of their fiendish custom was explained to him, he was reconciled with the Cornishman. Galahaut's astrologer, Helyes of Toulouse, told him that he would die without Lancelot's presence, but the Prince refused to tell his friend of this, as he did not want Lancelot to feel obligated to remain with him. When Galahaut heard a mistaken rumour that his friend had passed away, he died of a shattered heart. The Lady of Malahaut, who was to have married Galahaut within the year, pined away and died of grief for Galahaut's sake. After his death in 549 Galahaut's empire fragmented, with sections falling under the rule of local chieftains and barons. The most successful of these is Brian of the Isles, a pirate-adventurer who claims most of Galahaut's islands. ============================================================================== INSERT: Galahaut's parents. In Malory it is Tristran who ends the Custom of the Weeping Castle, but in the "Blood and Lust" supplement, the player knights are given this opportunity. ============================================================================== ============================================================================== INSERT: Loving Lancelot? Although there are Irish traditions of martial homosexuality, it's more likely, given Lancelot's passion for Guenivere, that Galahaut has only an amour, not a love for his friend. In many armed forces it was common for heterosexual men to develop intense friendships that seem, to a modern person, to have romantic overtones. This is perhaps best seen in the British army in the Nineteeth and early Twentieth centuries. ============================================================================= ============================================================================== INSERT: Geases All Irish characters live under geases. As a nobleman of fae heritage, Galahaut has several. During the game he does not break these geases; gamesmasters should play him accordingly. * May not eat horseflesh * Suffers the Agonies of Macha (Optional) One of Galahaut's ancestors forced the pregnant avatar of a goddess to enter a race which bought forward her labour and killed her. Some of his descendants suffer an incurable curse to suffer her pain on the days surrounding the aniversary of her death. If Galahaut suffers the Agonies, then on Imbolg, and for the four days leading up to it, and for the four days following it, all of his physical statistics and all skills are halved. One-third of Galahaut's male children, should you allow a PC to be his son, will suffer this curse. * Dies without Lancelot This is the one that finally catches him. There should be at least two others and gamesmasters are encouraged to be creative. Dinadan comments that Galahaut is like a wolf, in that he never eats fish, only flesh. Perhaps this is another of his many geases? ============================================================================== ============================================================================== INSERT: Galahaut's Skills: Galahaut's courtly skills show his superhuman aptitude for impressing people. His Swimming score reflects his relationship with the Water Faeries, but his low Faerie and Folk Lores show him to have lost touch with his mystical kin. His comabt scores are low, as he is never mentioned as a markedly successful tilter, nor does he really do all that well in battle against Arthur. In meele he depends on a passion, usually Honor, and his capacity to both inflict and sustain enormous amounts of damage. Galahaut's forte is convincing others that he's glorious, which isn't all that difficult when you are all but gigantic. ============================================================================== Personal Data Name: Galahaut Homeland: Dal Riada Culture: Feudal Irish Religion: Christian Father's Name: Bruenor Father's Class: Noble Son Number 1 Lord: None, then Arthur. Current Class: Duke Current Home: Camelot Age: 30 Year Born 504 Personality Traits Chivalry Bonus [] (total =80+) Yes Religion Bonus: No Chaste 12 / 8 Lustful Energetic 17 / 3 Lazy Forgiving 17 / 3 Vengeful Generous 13 / 7 Selfish Honest 11 / 9 Deceitful Just 14 / 6 Arbitrary Merciful 13 / 7 Cruel Modest 2 / 18 Proud Pious 8 / 12 Worldly Prudent 14 / 6 Reckless Temperate 14 / 6 Indulgent Trusting 12 / 8 Suspicious Valorous 22 / 0 Cowardly Directed Trait: Directed Trait: Passions Loyalty (Arthur) 13 Love (family) 6 Love (fosterfamily) 15 Hospitality 14 Honor 19 Loyalty (Round Table) 17 Amour (Lancelot) 26 Hate (Ui Niall) 9 Equipment Carried Armor Type: [14] Partial plate + 3 chiv. Clothing [10L., Ganis styles.] Equipment: Statistics SIZ 23 (Knockdown) DEX 17 STR 18 CON 18 (Major Wound) APP 21 Damage ((STR+SIZ)/6) 7d6 Healing Rate ((STR+CON)/10) 4 Movement Rate ((STR+DEX)/10) 4 Total Hit Points (SIZ+CON) 41 Unconscious (HP/4) 10 Distinctive Features: Six inches taller than any other knight of Arthur's Speaks with a Franco-Irish accent Competitive personality Skills Awareness 10 Boating 5 Chirurgery 5 Compose 10 Courtesy 17 Dancing 10 Faerie Lore 10 Falconry 5 First Aid 16 Flirting 10 Folk Lore 5 Gaming 12 Heraldry 17 Hunting 10 Industry 0 Intrigue 23 Orate 16 Play (Harp) 5 Read (Latin) 10 Recognize 16 Religion (Christian) 3 Romance 17 Singing 5 Stewardship 3 Swimming 25 Tourney 18 Coat of Arms: As per Bruenor in "Blood and Lust", but bannered. Glory 20 000 Combat Skills Battle 15 Horsemanship 23 Weapon Skills Sword 18 Lance 22 Dagger 5 Spear 10 Craioseach 10 Horses Best Warhorse Destrier Type 7d6 Damage Move Armor HP SIZ CON DEX