Return-Path: Timothy.Ferguson@jcu.edu.au Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 00:34:38 +1000 (EST) To: Peter Corless Subject: RESEND: Coritani clan insert for the "Clans" chapter. (fwd) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Coritani Clan of Lindsey -- (c) 1996, 1997 Tim Ferguson Excerpted from the work in progress "The Courts of King Arthur", Peter Corless, Editor. (Written for future publication by the Chaosium) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Revision History v1.0 - 19 Oct 1996 - Initial version v1.1 - 23 Oct 1996 - Clan Statistics submitted v1.1 - 19 Apr 1997 - Kindly resubmitted by author v2.0 - 16 Jun 1997 - Posted to http://www.employees.org/~pcorless/pendragon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Author's Sidebar: To be blunt, there isn't much detail in Malory that supports the family constructed here. Corneus exists and he has a son, Lucan the Butler. Lucan is never refered to as "Duke", but then Gawain isn't called "Prince" either. In Malory this family contains only these two named characters. Lucan is mentioned as Bedivere's "brother" in Malory. Here it's been decided that this refers to a genetic link, rather than the fraternal love that Round Table knights feel, because in the usual materials Bedivere lacks a detailed background. In "the Mabinogion" are the names of his father, daughter and son. Lazamon's "Brut" includes a nephew, by a sister, who is given a few lines and the opportunity to avenge Bedivere's death. Bedivere is one of the most ancient Arthurian characters and in Malory attends Arthur's final request, so rather than having him appear out of nowhere, he's been grafted onto the Lindsey tree. In the "Pendragon" rules and "The Boy King" a "Derfel" is mentioned as Duke of Lindsey. In "Lives of the Saints" a Derfel is described as a surviour of Camlann. "The Mabinogion" mentions that three knights survive Camlann, one of whom, Cynwyl the Saint, is the last to leave Arthur. Malory mentions only two surviours, Bedivere and Lucan, the last of which dies soon afterward. Bedivere then goes on to become a hermit. In essence then, Bedivere and Derfel's roles have merged and are interchangable. In many places Lucan the Butler and Bedivere the Cup-Bearer also have parallel roles. It is an ancient tradition of Arthurian story-telling to merge useful characters or split them into sections, often siblings, and we will follow it here. Morganna's character diverges into two, Morganna and Maragwise. Mordered fissions into Mordred and Aggravine. Ywaine become the Knight of the Lion and his brother the Knight of Adventure. This supplement includes a separate Derfel and Bedivere, the first to rule Lindsey and fulfil his historical role, the second to have adventures, perform deeds of derring-do and hang around with Kay looking for trouble, taking his role from pre-Malorian sources. This has the added advantage that if the gamesmaster desires to run Bedivere's death scene from either Lazamon or Geoffery of Monmouth, they can use Defrel as the knight who flings the sword into the water. On a related note, the position of the "Lindsey" label on the main map at the end of the core rulebook is deceptively placed. The capital of Lindsey is Lincoln (Roman "Lindum") and the realm follows the Roman Road north to Winteringham, southeast past Folkingham and southwest past Leicester (Roman "Ratae"). Roughly speaking it contains everything east of the Trent, with the western border being the edge of the Marshlands and forest of Sorestan. The Lincoln forest is enclosed by this domain. The southern half of Lindsey is described in detail in "The Boy King", pg 17-25. Bedivere, founder of Beyeux = ? (Geoffery of Monmouth) | Corneus = ? | _______________________________|______________________________ | | | | St. Derfel Bedivere Unnamed Sister Lucan (Pendragon) The Cup Bearer | The Butler |____________ | (Malory) | | | Amren Eneuawg Ridwathelan (Mabinogion) (Layamon) Hengest aids Vortigern in the Battle of Lincoln and is granted all land east of that city as his domain. This deprives the Coritani tribe of some of their territory and places Lincoln Romans as the border-garrison between the Romano-British and the Saxons in the North. During the Night of the Long Knives the leaders of both the Coritani and the Romans are eliminated. The soldiers of Licoln and Leicester raise to thier leadership a promising young warrior, Corneus. He had married a daughter of the Coritani nobility, and his holdings lay between these two cities. Over the years, Corneus' wife would bear him three fine sons; Derfel, Bedivere and Lucan. Corneus' early years are difficult indeed. The Saxons press west into his lands, taking the sections north and south-east of Lincoln. Corneus wages innumerable campaigns and leads dozens of skirmishes while overseeing the construction of the formidable castle of Lincoln. He is outnumbered by the invaders, but has four advantages which compensate for this. His troops are trained cavalry of the Roman Equite class, some with sets of ancient barding left to them as heirlooms by the veterans who founded the colony of Lincoln. He has the Roman road along which to move his forces and supplies. He has stonemasons and fire-resistant fortresses, which his enemies lack. His enemies if they lose heart, can resettle in Deria. Corneus' Romans love their cities too much to flee. The battles continue the whole length of Corneus' life. He is able, generally, to fight his war in the northern and south-eastern sections of Lindsey, keeping the Saxons out of the south-western section, from which his forces are fed. Although Corneus likes the idea of a Pendragon and supports Uther's and Arthur's claim when they assume the throne, he, like most of his countrymen, is skeptical of their strategies. Anything that draws his men away from the defence of Leicestershire is questionable to him, especially after seeing the Iceni fall to the Angles in the year 500. He chooses to fervently support Ambrosius, Uther, then Arthur not because he thinks they have some right given by God to rule him, but because he feels it is the best way to turn their thoughts to the defence of Lincoln. After many fierce battles both Aurelius and Uther lay dead, the Saxons cowed for a time, but not defeated. God sent a Sword in a Stone to promise a new king. Corneus was advised by Merlin it would be no one he knew and would be a long time coming. Therefore Corneus formed, along with Baudwin of Britain, the support of the Church and two other potent Dukes Cador and Ulfius, the Council of Regency for Logres. Corneus' main concern was that if Lot became High King the forces defending Logres would be funneled into the conquest of the Pictish Highlands, the repulsion of the invading Scots and, possibly, an invasion of Ireland. His fellow regents shared this concern, which extended in a similar fashion to the other claimants from Gorre, Garloth, Escavalon, and Cornwall. They rejected each other's claims out of hand, and were careful to set one against one another, rather than unite them against the Regents. During the Interregnum Cador [Corneus?] was essentially Dux Logrisa, if not Dux Bellorum. He fought the Saxons in Logres, Cador fought the Irish in Cornwall and the Cambrians and Northerners were left to their own defence. Corneus turned around the misfortunes of the year 500, creating alliances with the Iceni rulers of Lonazep which allowed him to reclaim his portion of the Roman road through Folkingham to London. Some Iceni were drawn to the relative stability of Lindsey and the comparitively good governance and generalship of Corneus, not wishing to settle close enough to the Angles that they could be deprived of a home a second time. Ulfius, the Duke of Silchester, had long been concerned by the Saxon rulership of London. It gave them tremendous manpower and it allowed them to barrack quite large forces permanently on his border. After correspondence, Corneus came up with a plan. He created secret fraternities of peasants who were trained by brave men snuck into the captured town. On a pre-arranged evening, each peasant family killed the Saxon warrior barracked with them. Two days later the British forces which had been gathering in Windsor advanced on the town, but the seige was almost a formality, the Saxon garrison shattered. The Council of Regents gave control of the city back to its Guilds, who elected a Mayor as their ruler. This was the capstone of Corneus's campaign against the invaders. He passes out of the legend shortly after Arthur draws the sword from the Stone, possibly in the battles with the Rebel Kings. His son, Derfel, takes up the Ducal crown and shortly after Badon, reclaims the northern part of Lindsey, forcing the Saxons into the forests of Sorestan. Derfel is never able to subdue them, but within ten years they are sufficently cowed they not form a major threat to Lindsey. This creates some worry in the other lands once held by Coritani nobles, as Derfel claims in terms of honour, if not power, to be ruler of the Coritani. Derfel is a good and holy man, well suited to the just rule of Arthur. He is strongly religious, in his youth modelling himself upon the Knight-Bishop Bawdwin. He is such a contientious ruler that he rarely leaves his city, so he does not appear in Malory. He choses not to participate in sports such as tourneying, does not dally in Romance and does not seek adventure. His wars with the Saxons provide him his sport and his reputation as a war leader, but generally, he's a sort of pious and likeable beauracrat. After Camlann he leaves his city and heads into Wales, founding the monastery at Llanderfel and eventually becoming a bishop. Upon his death he leaves behind an articulated statue of himself mounted on a horse, which can produce miracels. Bedivere, his younger brother, has the advantages of those born of rich family who are not expected themselves to inherit the mantle. He serves in all of Arthur's wars, finally either dying with Kay in France or being the last of Arthur's knights living through Camlann. He is a remnant from the Mabinogion, in which he is one of Arthur's demigod knights, second only to, and companion of, the great Cei. He is one-handed. Despite this he draws blood faster than any other three knights put together. His last power, that for every thrust of his spear there would be nine counter-thrusts, implies his ability to slay many with a single blow. He is also apparently extremely strong, as in the quest for the cauldron of Diwrnach he picks the pot up and puts it on the back of one of Arthur's servants, who then carries it off. Bedivere might be older than Derfel, but made unable to inherit because of his deformity, a practice found in some Celtic areas. Bedivere, dispite his lack of prominence in Malory, is a knight of some reknown, joining the Round table in 516, leading part of Arthur's force during the Continental Campaign and being rewarded with the Duchy of Normandy for his service. In some sources he dies during the second war with the Romans and is avenged either by Kay, who, dying himself, carries Bedivere's body back to the Golden Dragon standard of Arthur's army or by his nephew Ridwalthen. In Malory he is the survivour of Camlann who throws Excalibur into the water. He may avoid the tourney circuit due to an inability, if the gamesmaster so desires, to use a shield properly, or to save his fellows the embarrasment of rumours that they have jousted down a man lacking a hand. Alternatively, he just might be continually overshadowed by Lancelot, Gawaine, Gaheris, Lamorak and the other luminaries of chivalric sport. Lucan the Butler, the youngest of the sons of Corneus, takes his position as Butler quite early in Arthur's reign. Indeed, he was likely present from the beginning, swearing fealty alongside his father Corneus as an Eager Vassal on Feb 2nd, at Candlemas (Boy King, pg 40). Along with the other new appointees, Griflet and Sir Kay, he served the feast for the first time at the Carlion Grand Council on May 12-20, 510 AD. His courtly duties keep him rather occupied; though he is a skilled knight, he joins the Round Table sixteen years later in 528. For most of Malory he leads an unadventurous existence, quietly and competently performing his duties as Butler, spicing his life with the occassional adventure, tournament, or bit of Romance. Both he and his brother Bedivere are reknown for their prudence and courtesy. On the eve of the bloody Battle of Camlann they counsel Arthur not to fight personally with Mordred; rather to leave him until Lancelot arrives with reinforcements. Arthur ignores them; the battle ensues, and in it, Arthur is fatally wounded. Along with his brother Bedivere, Lucan attempts to assist the king from the field but dies himself, bursting of his battle wounds. Theme: The Higher Cause: (Perfection through service.) The Lindsey clan represent the virtue of service, the bond which ties together all medieval life. Corneus serves his city, Derfel serves his God, Bedivere serves his King, Lucan serves Arthur as a person and Ridwalthen serves his family. Each opitomises the ideal of finding a cause in which to believe, then persuing that end with all of thier strength. In terms of religious metaphor, this familys strength is its diversity. Each follows thier own revelation and treads thier own path, but at the same time, each aids the others when they can. Coritani Clan Characteristics Leaders: Duke Corneus of Lindsey (Prior to Phase 2); Dies in the Rebellion of Northern Kings. Duke Derfel (Phases 2-5) Retires to a monastery after Camlann. The clan has younger members, but no mention is made of thier disposition after Camlann. Homeland: Lindsey. Culture: Celto-Roman (Roman) Religion: Christian (Catholic) Clan Modifers: Direct: Statistics: +1 CON, +1 SIZ, +2 APP Skills: +5 Courtesy, +5 Battle, +5 Intrigue, +5 Orate Traits: +2 to each of the Christian Virtues, +2 Valour, +2 Just Passions: +1d6 Hospitality, +1d3 Honor. +1d3 to one passion, representing cause served. Glory: +1000* Indirect: Statistics: +1 CON, +1 APP Skills: +3 Courtesy, +2 Battle, +2 Intrigue, +3 Orate Traits: +1 to each of Christian virtues, +1 Valorous, +1 Just Passions: +1d3 Hospitality, +1 Honor, +1 to one passion, representing cause served. Glory: +500* Marriage: Immediate: Glory: same as per Pendragon (pg. 121, up to 1000 points max.), plus +500 for marriage to clan member of direct lineage, or +250 to indirect (extended) clan member.* Honor: +1d3 (for direct marriage) or +1 (for indirect marriage) After one full year of marriage, recieve: Skills: +3 Courtesy, +2 Intrigue. Traits: +1 to each of Christian virtues: +1 Valorous , +1 Just, Coritani Clan "Black Sheep" There are no canonical Black Sheep in this family.