From pcorless Mon Oct 11 22:50:45 1993 Subject: Lancelot Date: Mon, 11 Oct 93 22:50:45 MDT Sir Lancelot du Lak - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Sir Lancelot du Lak, Knight of the Round Table" is copyright (c) 1993, Peter Corless. Excerpted from the work in progress "The Courts of King Arthur", Peter Corless, Editor. (Written for future publication by the Chaosium) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Sir Lancelot du Lak" character sheet for "Pendragon" (c) 1997 by Matt Weltner. Excerpt from the work in progress "The Knights of King Arthur", (c) 1993-1997 Peter Corless. (Written under contract for future publication by the Chaosium) Now retitled "The Courts of King Arthur" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sir Lancelot du Lake, Knight of the Round Table Clan: de Ganis Chronology: 508 - A son is born to King Ban and Elaine of Benwick, who christen him Galahad, and later confirm him Lancelot 518 - King Claudas overruns Ganis; young Lancelot is taken away by Viviane, the French Lady of the Lake; instructs him in the manner of knighthood 524 - Lancelot first comes to Arthur's court and meets Guenever; he immediately falls in love and vows to become her champion; is knighted by Arthur, but later girded by Guenever 524 - Comes to aid of the Queen of Nohaut, and defeats many opponents including the King of Northumberland and Sir Alibon of Queen's Ford; sends them all to Guenever as his prisoners; rescues Gawaine, Ywaine and Galegantis in process; takes the castle of Dolorous Garde and renames it Joyous Garde 525 - Dagonet, near Joyous Garde, espies Lancelot staring enraptured at Guenever while his horse wanders off 525 - Imprisoned by the Lady of Malahaut for killing her son; allows him to leave for a tourney, then falls in love with him 526 - Lancelot joins Arthur's armies against the French and Romans; with Sir Cador, valiantly commands ten thousand soldiers in defense against Roman ambush near Paris; assigned to Arthur's bodyguard at Battle of Saussy 527 - Travels to Rome and back with army 528 - Lancelot adventures away from court as much as possible to avoid encountering Guenever, to little avail 528 - Drives out the Bronze Swans of Essex; rescues Countess of Hertford; subdued the bandits of Cheshire and saved the Countess of Cheshire; killed the White Bear of Garloth and defeated the Dwarf Knight 529 - Intercedes in Arthur's favor with the Duke of Galeholt; brings peace between them 529 - Around this time, Lancelot and Guenever begin their affair, with the aid of Viviane and Duke Galeholt 529 - Kills Sir Turquine, rescuing Sir Kay, Gawaine, Sagramore, Agravaine, Dodinas, Lionel, Ector de Maris and many other knights 530 - Lancelot rides away again; Gawaine and Kay set out to look for him 531 - Captured along with Arthur, Gawaine, Galeholt, Ector and others by Lady Camille of Anglia; escapes and rescues Arthur by sieging her fortress at La Roche 533 - Sets out to rescue Gawaine from Carados of the Dolorous Tower; meets the maiden Amable, who cures him of a sickness, and becomes his chaste love 533 - Captured by Morgan Le Fay in Cambria, escapes to rescue Gawaine, succeeds in killing Carados, and is captured again 534 - Escapes Morgan again; accompanies Mordred to Peningues Tournament and learns of Mordred's origin; shocked by Mordred's murder of the prophetic monk 534 - Visits Listeneisse, rescues Elaine of Carbonek, meets King Pellam, and is tricked into sleeping with Elaine; they beget Galahad 534 - Saves Duke Rochedon's daughter and forces the Queen of Sorestan to return her lands 535 - Lancelot returns to court for a time and is inducted into the Round Table; Guenever and Amable meet and become friends 535 - Morgan Le Fay creates the drinking Horn of Chastity to divulge the Lancelot/Guenever affair; fails when Lamorak sends the horn to King Mark's court instead. 536 - Accompanies Arthur to Ganis to reconquer it from King Claudas of France and rescue Dame Elyzabel, Guenever's cousin; reunited with mother, Queen Elaine of Benwick 537 - Duke Galeholt dies upon hearing false reports of Lancelot's death; Lancelot almost dies when he learns of Galeholt's death, but is saved by Seriade, one of Viviane's Ladies of the Lake 542 - Lancelot wounds Tristram at the Castle of Maidens tourney 543 - Morgan Le Fay tries to kill Lancelot by ambushment of thirty knights 543 - Lancelot finds and befriends Sir Tristram; convinces Tristram to join Round Table 547 - Bors brings Elaine of Carbonek to visit court with Lancelot's son, Galahad; Elaine tricks Lancelot into bed again; Guenever finds out and drives him insane with scorn 548 - Lancelot wanders as a wild man throughout Logres; befriended by Sir Bliant and brought to Castle Blank to be nursed to health; saves Bliant from Sirs Breunis Sans Pite and Bertelot 548 - Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Bors, Ector, Lionel, Gawaine, Ywaine, Sagramore, Aglovale, Percival and eighteen others, are sent by Guenever to look for Lancelot 549 - Still mad, chases a boar and is wounded; nursed by a hermit, but runs away; wanders to the city of Carbonek, and is given alms and shelter 550 - Lancelot identified by Elaine of Carbonek; healed by the Holy Grail back to health and sanity; given the Castle of Bliant on Joyous Isle to live within 551- Calling himself "Le Chevalier Mal Fet" ("The Knight Who Trespassed"), offers to joust all comers; during the tourney, is discovered by Percival and Ector 551 - Lancelot is persuaded by Ector to return to Camelot; leaves Elaine of Carbonek forever; affair is renewed with Guenever 554 - Galahad is knighted by Lancelot; Lancelot leaves Guenever to partake in the Grail Quest 555 - Lancelot unhorsed by Galahad; views the Grail heal a sick knight while half-sleeping, and vows to forgo his sinful affair with Guenever, but is rebuked by a hermit 556 - Guenever and Lancelot renew affair after his return 558 - Guenever kidnapped by Meliagaunt; rescued by Lancelot 559 - Lancelot takes mockery of Guenever seriously; rides across country in a cart for a year doing deeds for her honor 560 - Lancelot champions many ladies to throw off rumors of affair; Guenever banishes Lancelot out of jealousy of them 561 - Lancelot rescues Guenever after she is wrongly impeached for death of Sir Patrice; defeats Sir Mador 562 - Champions Elaine of Astolat at the Winchester Tournament by wearing her token; is wounded and nursed back to health by her, but refuses her advances; she dies of unrequited love; all mourn her death when a barge carrying her lands at Winchester 563 - Lancelot and Guenever caught by Mordred, Agravaine and twelve others; Lancelot slays all but Mordred; Arthur condemns Guenever, but Lancelot recuses her ; they flee to Joyous Garde; she eventually returns to Arthur in return for a truce (arranged by the Pope) and Lancelot's safe passage to France 564 - Lancelot grants lands to his kinsmen, and prepares for war with Arthur; endures siege, but refuses to join open battle; leaders on both sides issue challenges; Lancelot wounds Gawaine 566 - Receives letter regarding Gawaine's death and Mordred's treachery; returns to Logres with army too late to aid Arthur at Camlann; speaks to Guenever for the last time at Almesbury; he becomes a brother under the Archbishop of Canterbury 572 - Becomes a priest at Glastonbury after six years of penance; sang mass for a full year 573 - Receives a vision that Guenever is dying; she expires just before Lancelot arrives at her deathbed; he has her buried at Glastonbury next to Arthur; six weeks thereafter Lancelot dies; the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Bors, Ector, Blamor, Bleoberis and five other de Ganis knights bear him to Joyous Garde for burial and then leave for the Holy Land Character Entry: Note: This section details mostly the knightly deeds of Sir Lancelot; for more information regarding Lancelot's affairs with Guenever, Morgan Le Fay and Elaine of Carbonek, see those ladies' entries. Sir Lancelot is well-regarded as the best knight in King Arthur's court and the paragon of chivalry. Next to Arthur himself, no one in all the lands more greatly inspires the loyalty and service of knights. Every good knight who meets him loves him like a brother; all knights of treachery fear him instinctively. For his deeds, his prowess, appearance and chivalry, he is loved and sought after by many women. Except for Galahad during the Grail Quest, or perhaps (on a good day) Sir Tristram or Lamorak, there is no knight in the world that can equal his abilities. There are a couple of known behaviors of Lancelot. Firstly, he never kills defeated knights who ask him for mercy, no matter how vile their crimes or offences. Secondly, he never wears any ladies' favors during tournaments -- not even Guenver's. (The few times when he differs from these patterns are treated as momentous -- almost scandalous -- occasions.) Along with Sir Gawaine, he is the closest friend to the High King. Although often less-reliable (being away from court frequently), he is always known for offering the most honorable advise. He is the secret lover of Guenever, and the openly self-declared Queen's Champion. (As such, he is head of the order of the Queen's Knights.) To protect him from magical foes, Lancelot carries a magical ring, given to him by Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, which warns him if there are any enchantments working upon him or near him. However, he has to ask the ring to make it work, and he often forgets he has it. Lancelot is not even born until late in Phase 1 (508 AD), and does not come to court until the last year of Phase 2 (524 AD). During these years, King Pellinore is considered the best knight in the land, and occupies the Siege Perilous (the seat reserved for the best knight) at Arthur's Round Table. Even upon his induction to the Round Table, Lancelot does not ccupy the chair, although many ask him to. The chair remains vacant until Galahad (Lancelot's son) arrives at court for the beginning of the Grail Quest. Lancelot was born to King Ban of Benwick and his queen, Elaine. He was christened with the name Galahad, but was given the confirmation name of Lancelot. During his youth, King Claudas of France constantly threatened his father's realm, until 518 AD, when Claudas invaded and overran all of Ganis. (King Arthur, Ban's ally, was tied up fighting the Saxons at Badon, so was unable to come to his aid.) King Ban, his wife, and their child fled to escape the rampaging army. During their flight, King Ban swoons and dies, either of grief or illness. As Elaine rushed to her dying husband, Viviane, the French Lady of the Lake, secreted young Galahad off to her magical city at Bois en Val. (The city is hidden by an illusory lake, hence her title.) Lancelot is so traumatized by the events that, at first, he cannot remember anything about his parents or childhood. Viviane helps him recover from the incident by focusing his talents and instructing him in all the manners of chivalry. When he is but sixteen, Lancelot du Lak is ready to attain his knighthood. Although young, he is already extremely tall and strong. Viviane and young Lancelot arrive at Camolot on St. John's Day, 524. (The events of his arrival are covered in "The Boy King", pages 73-74.) In short, Launcelot is knighted by Arthur, and later secretly girded by Guenever -- which symbolizes the split loyalties he always has between his two most beloved friends. Upon seeing Guenever, he falls in love, and later that evening vows to be her champion. At his girding, he takes upon himself to do many adventures to become the Queen's Champion. His first adventure was to aid the Queen of Nohaut, who was being beseiged by the King of Northumberland. This begins a long-standing tradition for Lancelot: any quest that he sets himself to he accomplishes. (The notable exception being the acheivement of the Grail, see below.) He also defeats Sir Alibon of Queen's Ford. These two begin his second tradition: the steady stream of prisoners sent by him to Guenever. Thousands show up at court over the years. He also rescues Gawaine, Ywaine and Galegantis in the process, setting another long-standing precedent for his rescuing good knights in danger. Of all the knights that owe their freedom to Lancelot, Gawaine is primarily beholden. Lancelot saves Gawaine on at least four separate occasions. They become fast friends. Also during this first year of adventuring, he takes the castle of Dolorous Garde and renames it Joyous Garde. Underneath a rock thereby, he finds his name and his origin written. Memories of who he is, and who his parents are, flood back to him. This castle becomes his retreat, and a favorite place for secret lovers. He gladly loans it to Tristram and Isolt when they flee King Mark, and Lancelot himself often stays there with Guenever during their affair. It was at Joyous Garde that someone (in this case Sir Dagonet the King's Fool) first notices Lancelot's more-than-chaste admiration of Guenever. Dagonet espies Lancelot staring enraptured up at Guenever in a castle window, while Lancelot's horse wanders around the field unattended. This is the sort of admiration that Lancelot shows throughout his life. (During his rescue of Guenever from Meliagaunt years later, he stares up at Guenever devotedly while fighting a furious and frustrated Meliagaunt literally behind his back, never taking his eyes off the queen!) Lancelot is just a year older (age 17) when he inspires the first of his many would-be paramours, the Lady of Malahaut. Even though he killed her son in combat, she forgives him, and asks to be his lover. Lancelot is beset by women throughout his life, but vows never to marry. Still, women never give up hope of catching the finest bachelor knight in the world. One year later, Lancelot proves his prowess as a leader of men against the French and Romans. In co-command with Sir Cador, he leads ten thousand de Ganis and Cornish soldiers. It is then that he first meets many of his kinsmen who are new knights: Lionel, Ector de Maris, and many others. His first engagement as an army leader comes during when his troops escort thousands of prisoners back towards Paris. He soundly defeats the Roman ambush, and collects even more prisoners! For his actions, Arthur asks him to join his personal bodyguard for the Battle of Saussy and the rest of the campaign. This is the time that Arthur comes to respect Lancelot as a soldier and companion. After returning to Logres from Rome, Lancelot turns down an offer to join the Round Table, and adventures away from court as much as possible to avoid encountering Guenever, to little avail. For none of the accomplishments that he adds to his resume can drive ideas of Guenever from his heart. Shortly after Lancelot's intercession to end the war between Arthur and Duke Galeholt of the Long Isles, Lancelot and Guenever begin their affair. They are brought together by Viviane, and Lancelot's new friend Galeholt. They spend many blissful days at Camelot and Joyous Garde. Still, not even Guenever's love can tame the adventurousness in Lancelot's heart. Romance, courtly entertainment, games and overly-orchestrated tourneys are exciting -- up to a point. He plots with his cousin Lionel, "for we two will seek adventures." They quietly ride away, adding another trick to Lancelot's book: leaving without telling anyone. During this adventure, Lancelot finds and kills the nefarious Sir Turquine who had as his prisoners Sirs Kay, Gawaine, Sagramore, Agravaine, Dodinas, Lionel, Ector de Maris and many others. After setting them free, he barely takes the time to return to court with the freed prisoners before he rides away again. This begins the next logical tradition, when Gawaine and Kay set out to follow him: Round Table knights searching throughout Logres to find Lancelot. Although Lancelot is often captured, mostly by women, he always thereafter escapes, either by the same woman releasing him or through the aid of another damosel friendly to him. Such is the instance of his capture by Camille de la Roche, a leader of the Anglian rebellion. Lancelot becomes demented at being captured by her, so Camille releases him for his sanity's sake. He repays her by returning to her castle to rescue Arthur, which leads to her suicide when Sir Kay burns her collection of magical books. Even Arthur was saddened by her death. Lancelot sets off to kill the next great villain, Carados of the Dolorous Tower (Turquine's brother), after he spots Gawaine being carried off by the giant on horseback. (This is also the first instance of seeing a destrier, for no smaller horse could bear Carados!) En route, though, he is sickened by drinking from a well poisened by venomous snakes. He is healed by the maiden Amable, who vows to love Lancelot. He is moved by her kindness, and returns her love -- but chastely. They become close friends, and she is the one woman besides Guenever that Lancelot holds dear in his heart. Amable and Guenever meet years later and become friends after Lancelot explains things. In the meantime, Lancelot leaves Amable and falls into the hands of Morgan le Fay. Morgan tries to make Lancelot love her, but to no avail. Lancelot remains fixed on saving Gawaine. She lets him go either through frustration or a true sense of his love for Gawaine. Finally, he rides against Carados and slays him in combat. Shortly after saving Gawaine, Morgan Le Fay captures Lancelot again. This time, she holds him in her castle near Tauroc in Cambria. It was here that Lancelot spends over a year painting his autobiography in mural on his bedroom wall, including scenes of his love affair with Guenever. Eventually, he sees a rose growing outside his bedroom/cell window. It reminds him of his love for Guenever, and inspires him to break the iron bars on the window and escape. After this episode, Lancelot saves Mordred from abuse at the hands of a crowd of ruffians, and accompanies the young knight to the Peningues Tournament. It was on this trip that a hermit prophesies that these two men are the most unfortunate knights alive. Mordred is so incensed that he beheads the hermit, greatly shocking Lancelot. After the tournament, Lancelot finds the hidden kingdom of Listeneisse. He rescues Elaine of Carbonek from a boiling bath (see Perilous Forest, pages 90-95). He meets her father, King Pellam the Grail King. The King and Dame Brisen (Elaine's lady-in-waiting, and a good sorcerous) get Lancelot drunk to trick him into sleeping with Elaine. Lancelot, thinking he's sleeping with Guenever, begets a child on her. Upon waking, Lancelot threatens Elaine, thinks better of it, then instead vows vengance against Dame Brisen. He leaves Listeneisse and Elaine behind. The next year, Lancelot returns to court and allows Arthur to finally induct him into the Round Table. Although he is only 27 years old, he has achieved more than most other knights achieve in their entire lifetime. During this year, Amable joins King Arthur's court. She and Guenever become friends. In the spring of 536 AD, Arthur helps take back Ganis from King Claudas. All of the exiled knights and ladies of Ganis return to their homeland to celebrate, including Lancelot, who returns to Benwick. There, he is joyously reunited with his mother, Queen Elaine. An instance late that winter shows the depth of friendship that Lancelot holds for his friends and inspires in others. Duke Galeholt hears of Lancelot's death, false reports possibly sent by Morgan Le Fay. Regardless, he dies upon hearing the news. When Lancelot learns of Galeholt's death, he almost commits suicide himself, but is saved by Seriade, one of Viviane's Ladies of the Lake. Just before the war in Ganis, Morgan Le Fay gives up trying to seduce Lancelot. Her plans now shift to discrediting or killing both Lancelot and Guenever. The year before the Ganis war, she created the "Horn of Chastity." Any woman who was unfaithful that drank from it would spill all the contents. Lamorak intercepted it and sent it to King Mark's court for spite of Tristram, where all but four women failed the test! The Barons there smartly decided to destroy it rather than kill their wives, but it caused considerable familial strife for years to come. Years later, in 543, Morgan recruited thirty knights to kill Lancelot in an ambush. Fortunately, Tristram and Dinadan find them first, and kill most of them before their plot is hatched. Later in the same year, she also dispatches thirty knights to capture either Lancelot or Tristram (whichever they encounter first), and bring them to her. That plot is foiled by again by Tristram, this time with the aid of Gawaine. In the same year, Morgan gave a shield to Tristram in exchange for his release. It bears as its heraldry "a king and queen therein painted, and a knight standing above them" with his feet on their heads. This was to represent Lancelot's betrayal of Arthur by sleeping with Guenever, but is was a miserable failure. No one seemed to notice the symbology at the Hard Rock tourney, or if they did, they thought it applied to Tristram's affair with Isolt which was well known by then anyway. Lancelot had wounded Tristram the year before at the Castle of Maidens tourney (when Tristram fought as the mysterious "Knight with the Black Shield"). But Lancelot's chivalrous nature kept Tristram from feeling any ill will to his good friend. Indeed, it was after the Hard Rock tournament that Tristram finally joins the Round Table. In 547, when Lancelot was 39 years old, trouble arrived at court in the form of Elaine of Carbonek, who brought with her Lancelot's son, Galahad. Guenever was cool but cordial to Lancelot's long-past lover. If things weren't tough enough on Lancelot as it was, that evening Elaine tricks Lancelot into bed again with the help of Dame Brisen. Guenever finds out and drives Lancelot insane with scorn. Lancelot swoons, and when he awakens he is totally mad. He leaps out a window and runs into the woods. He spends the next year wandering as a wild man throughout Logres. Shortly thereafter, Guenever regrets her scorn, and asks Lancelot's friends to search for him and see that he is brought back safely, but Lancelot eludes them. A few people try to take care of the wild man. Those who try to befriended him include Sir Bliant (whom Lancelot, even in his madness, nobly saves from both Sir Brus sans Pite and Sir Bertelot) and his brother Sir Selivant of Castle Blank; a lone hermit of the forest; and then finally Sir Castor (nephew of King Pellam) and Elaine of Carbonek. She recognizes him for who he truly is, and brings him before her father, who heals Lancelot by exposing him to the power of the Holy Grail. Lancelot finally recovers his senses, and remembers how he was banished by Guenever. Elaine offers to live with him, in a small castle of her father's. Since he believes he is still banished from court, Lancelot conceeds to live with her. Pellam is pleased, and grants the couple the Castle of Bliant on Joyous Isle to live within, and ten knights and twenty ladies to attend them. Although everyone in Listeneisse knows Lancelot's identity, he has them all refer to him as "Le Chevalier Mal Fet" (The Knight Who Trespassed). He offers to joust all comers to his island. Before long, over five hundred knights show up for a full-blown tourney, including Percival and Ector, who had been in the area searching for Lancelot. They recognize him immediately, and retire to the castle to celebrate their reunion. Elaine happily greets her husband's kin. But soon, Percival and Ector turn their conversation to persuasion. They tell Lancelot that Guenever has forgiven him, and had sent them to search for him and request his return to court. Amid a tearful farewell from Elaine, the knights ride forth. Elaine says that she will send Galahad to court shortly to be knighted. It is the last that he sees of her, for some time after taking his leave, Elaine dies. Lancelot is 43 when he returns to court. Upon seeing Guenever, all is forgiven, and their love is renewed once more. Three years later, Galahad does arrive at court, accompanied by a dozen nuns who cared for him after his mother's death. He is girded by Lancelot in a secluded ceremony, and occupies the Siege Perilous at the Round Table, which had remained vacant for thirty years. With these events begins the Grail Quest. Lancelot takes his leave with the rest, for which Guenever bemoans. Upon the Grail Quest, Galahad meets with Lancelot and Percival, and unhorses them both in the same encounter! Shortly after having met his match in combat, Lancelot finds an old chapel. Within it, half-sleeping and half-awake, he watches as the Grail heals a sick knight. The healed knight and his squire talk on their way out about the sleeping Lancelot, and how he cannot see the Grail fully cognizant because of his sinful ways. A voice then commanded Lancelot to remove himself from the presense of the Grail. After this encounter, he sought confession with a hermit, but the hermit rebuked him, knowing that Lancelot could not fully give up Guenever. With this, Lancelot returns to court with a heavy heart, but with the hope and intention of foregoing Guenever's love. Old habits are the hardest to break, however, and Guenever is a demanding lover. Shortly after his return, Lancelot renews the affair. It is fortunate for her that he returned when he did, for Guenever was shortly thereafter kidnapped by Meliagaunt. Lancelot rode two horses into the ground to rescue her, and was reduced to riding in a cart like a condemned prisoner (a very ignoble state for a knight). Eventually, Lancelot defeats Meliagaunt and rescues the queen. She, however, is furious. Somehow, she could tell that Lancelot waited all of two steps before asking for a ride from the carter! Lancelot vows that he will make amends, and decides to travel throughout the land for the next year doing great deeds while riding in a cart. Lancelot is much more concerned about the circulating rumors than either Arthur or Guenever (who both seem to ignore them). Therefore, upon his return, he takes up the practice of championing other women besides Guenever at tournaments. For his pains, Guenever banishes him from court. Still, he comes faithfully to her rescue when she is wrongly impeached for death of Sir Patrice. He defeats Sir Mador de la Porte, which according to custom, proves her innocence. Again attempting to squelch the rumors, and regardless of Guenever's complaints, Lancelot continues to champion other ladies. However, Lancelot's custom is never to wear a favor for any woman -- not even Guenever's. That is why he sees it as a great disguise to arrive at the Winchester Tournament wearing a token of Elaine of Astolat. She is a beautiful maid who pledges her love to him only. At the tournament, Lancelot is wounded and nursed back to health by Elaine, but he still refuses her advances. No matter how many times Lancelot tries to explain that he wishes not to wed, she begs him to reconsider. He offers to arrange and dower a wedding for her with any other man that she chooses, but she turns down the offer. She wishes only to love Lancelot, and not just platonically, like Amable. As soon as he is healthy, Lancelot leaves her. Elaine dies of unrequited love. Everyone at court, including Guenever, mourn her death when a barge carrying her lands at Winchester. Late one night in 563, Lancelot and Guenever are caught in the queen's chambers by Mordred, Agravaine and twelve other knights. Lancelot, armed with nothing but a sword and a wrapped cloak around his arm, manages to slay all of the attackers but Mordred. He offers to take Guenever away, but she declines. Arthur, finally but reluctantly convinced, condemns Guenever to burn as an adulteress. At the last minute, Lancelot recuses her. He vowed to kill anyone who stood between himself and the queen, and was as always true to his word. During the rescue, Lancelot kills some of his best friends, including Sir Kay, Griflet, Tor, Gareth and Gaheris. These last two were not even armed, but were standing in the crowd. Lancelot takes Guenever to Joyous Garde. Arthur mobilizes the army, pursues, and lays siege to his best friend's castle. The Pope himself intervenes in the conflict, and requests that Guenever return to Arthur's side in return for a truce and Lancelot's safe passage to France. The peace is short, though. Lancelot barely had time to return to France, grant lands to his kinsmen, and mobilize his forces before the Pendragon's army arrives. Lancelot took pains not to injure his friends any more. He ordered his men to fight defensively, and not to sally forth to engage the attackers. Gawaine, furious at not being able to finish the feud, challenges Lancelot every day before Benwick's walls. Eventually, after six months of siege, and only at the prodding of his kinsmen, Lancelot rides forth when Gawaine openly calls him traitor. After hours of close combat, Gawaine lay grieviously wounded at Lancelot's feet. Gawaine provoked Lancelot to kill him to end the feud, but Lancelot refused, saying he would not strike a felled knight. It took Gawaine three weeks before he could rise from his sick bed, and as soon as he did, he rode to the castle gates to again challenge Lancelot. This second duel was much shorter, but ended the same way, when Lancelot hit Gawaine where the old wound was. Again Lancelot refused to kill his friend. This time it took a month before Gawaine could rise. But before he could issue his next challenge, word came of Mordred's treachery. Shortly after Arthur's army leaves to return to Logres, Lancelot received a letter from Gawaine. In it, Gawaine begs Lancelot to forgive him and Arthur for harboring any hatred towards him. It also explains the full extent of Mordred's treachery, and Arthur and Guenever's peril. Lastly, Gawaine asks Lancelot to visit his tomb, and to avenge himself, as well as Guenever and Arthur against Mordred. Sir Bors comforts Lancelot, and they make plans to cross to Logres. But no matter how fast his forces sail across the channel, they are too late to save Arthur from the final fateful encounter at Camlann. After visiting Gawaine's tomb at Dover Castle, Lancelot disbands his army. He leaves on one last solitary adventure, to find Guenever. Indeed he does see her at the nunnery of Almesbury, but she entreats him to leave her be, and never see her again. Lancelot finally offers to marry her, but it is too late. She stays at Almesbury as a nun. Lancelot in turn vows to become a priest. He wanders the land until he encounters the Archbishop of Canterbury living as a hermit, with Sir Bedivere, and asks to be shriven. A few months later, he is joined by his kinsmen Sir Bors, Blamor, Bleoberis, Galihud, Galihodin, Villiars, Clarus and Gahalantine. They become brothers as well. After six years of penance, Lancelot becomes a priest at Glastonbury Abbey. After his ordination he sings mass for a full year. Upon one morning, at the age of sixty-five, he receives a vision that Guenever is dying. With his companions, he travels from Glastonbury to Almesbury. There they find the former queen had died just hours before their arrival. They bore her body back to Glastonbury, for burial next to Arthur's tomb. Lancelot sickens and dies not long after, found in bed one morning smiling blissfully. The same noble procession carries the body of the best worldly knight ever known from Glastonbury to his castle of Joyous Garde. At his funeral, they are reunited with Sir Ector de Maris, who had searched for Lancelot across the lands for the last seven years to no avail. They say their last goodbyes, and depart for their own lands. Of Bors, Ector, Bleoberis and Blamor, it is said that they went to the Holy Lands, and there died upon a Good Friday. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Date: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 20:12:28 -0700 To: Peter Corless From: Matt Weltner - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Revision History v1.0 - 19 Aug 1997 - Initial version v1.1 - 06 Oct 1997 - Minor revisions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Name: Lancelot Homeland: Ganis Culture: Occitain Religion: Christian Father's Name: Ban de Ganis Father's Class: King Lord: Arthur Current Class: Knight of the Round Table Current Home: Joyous Garde Age: 56 Coat of Arms: Red and White diagonal stripes Glory 70,000 Personality Traits Chivalry Bonus yes (total =80+) Religion Bonus: yes Chaste 17 / 3 Lustful Energetic 18 / 2 Lazy Forgiving 18 / 2 Vengeful Generous 18 / 2 Selfish Honest 18 / 2 Deceitful Just 18 / 2 Arbitrary Merciful 20 / 0 Cruel Modest 18 / 2 Proud Pious 4 / 16 Worldly Prudent 16 / 4 Reckless Temperate 17 / 3 Indulgent Trusting 12 / 8 Suspicious Valorous 28 / 1 Cowardly Directed Trait: (Protective) Any Trait Involving Guenever +20 Passions Loyalty (Arthur) 25 Love (de Gales clan) 15 Hospitality 25 Honor 30 Love (Guenever) 39 Loyalty (Round Table) 27 Equipment Carried Armor Type Full Plate -- 18 pts Clothing 50 L Equipment: Statistics SIZ 16 (Knockdown) DEX 15 STR 19 (36) CON 19 (Major Wound) APP 17 Damage ((STR+SIZ)/6) 6d6 (9d6) Healing Rate ((STR+CON)/10) 4 Movement Rate ((STR+DEX)/10) 3 Total Hit Points (SIZ+CON) 33 + 6 = 39 Unconscious (HP/4) 10 Skills Awareness 35 Boating 13 Chirurgery - Compose 18 Courtesy 30 Dancing 22 Faerie Lore 12 Falconry 14 First Aid 16 Flirting 10 Folk Lore 16 Gaming 12 Heraldry 23 Hunting 18 Industry - Intrigue 32 Orate 21 Play (Harp) 10 Read (Latin) 14 Recognize 17 Religion (Christian) 6 Romance 20 Singing 6 Stewardship 15 Swimming 3 Tourney 26 Combat Skills Battle 33 Horsemanship 35 Weapon Skills Sword 39 Lance 39 Dagger 18 Spear 26 Axe 23 Horses Best Warhorse Type Shire Damage 10d6 Move Armor HP SIZ CON DEX