Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 03:32:25 +1000 (EST) From: Timothy Ferguson To: Peter Corless "Sir Marhaus, Prince of Laois, Tainiste to Leinster" copyright (c) 1996, Timothy Ferguson. Excerpt from the work in progress "The Courts of King Arthur", Peter Corless, Editor. (Written for future publication by the Chaosium) "Sir Marhaus," as presented here, draws substantially on the work of Greg Stafford in "The Boy King". It is intended as a revision to that work and in many places is identical. Those places which are identical to Greg Stafford's work are copyright either to him or to Chaosium, and no challenge to that copyright is intended in this work. The history of Marhaus is drawn, in large part, from that given in "Pagan Shore" and is copyright either to John Carnhan, or to Chaosium. Again, no challenge to those rights is intended. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sir Marhaus, Prince of Laois, Tainiste to Leinster Marhaus was either the leader, or heir-apparent, of the Ui Cennsealaigh tribe of southern Leinster. They dwelt around the ceremonial raths at Kill Dara and supplied them with druids, then nuns. In 474 Merlin stole the stones of Kill Dara, moving them to Sailsabury, to act as tributary markers for Aurelius Ambrosius. The traditional owners were incensed and raided Cambria, going so far in places as to replace the local nobility. Hard pressed by other concerns, Uther made peace with them in 491 by offering them the right to take a slave tribute from Cornwall and Tintagel, with whom, at that stage, he was at war. That matter settled, the Ui Cennsealaigh went into decline as their intermittent feud with the Northern Leinster clan, lead by Dunlaing, weakened them, while the Cambrians reasserted their authority in what is now Wales. Aonghus O'Dunlaing, who in "Pendragon" is called Anguish, arranged an alliance with a prominent Ui Cennsealaigh family, by marriage to Isolt, the elder of that name, in 501. He additionally offerred her brother, Marhaus, the lands of Laois in exchange for his assistance. When it became clear that they were to have only one child, and she a daughter, Anguish arranged that a Ui Cennsealaigh should succeed him, a position obviously designed for his brother-in-law. Marhaus served as a champion of Anguish's, and it may be presumed that he too fought against Arthur in the battle of Bedegraine. As he was not killed during the Battle of Terrabil, it's possible that Anguish decided to give up Lot's cause before the final battle. In 521 Marhaus was questing, presumably near the Forest of Arroy, when for reasons unclear he left his shield in a tree. He returned to it, to find it being defiled by a dozen enchantresses, whom he then chased to their tower. He killed their two knight-protectors, then encountered the questing cousins, whom the enchantresses had told that the shield belonged to a hater of women. Gawaine and he had a friendly joust andthen fought for the rest of the day. Marhaus waxed stronger at evening, while Gawaine's powers diminished after noon, so the Irishman was the victor. The three then became partners on the road and travelled to Arroy, where they met three women who guided them on adventure. Marhaus chose the woman of middle age, who led him to the Castle of the Duke of the South Marches, the tournament of the Lady de Vawse and the land of Earl Fergus. At the first he fought down the Duke and his six sons, converting them to Arthur's cause. During the second he was triumphant and was granted, as prize, a circlet worth a thousand bezants, Constantinoplian gold coins. Within the third he battled the giant Taulurd. On his way to meet the other two questers he gave a fall to each of Sangremor, Osanna, Dodinas le Savage and Felot of Listernesse. The Triple Questers did such great deeds that when they returned to Camelot, in 523, Marhaus was given a seat at the Round Table. In the first Continental campaign, Marhaus served in Arthur's bodyguard. In 529 Marhaus landed in Totnes to demand the slave-rent that Mark had been witholding. The cunning Cornishman allowed a promising young man of his court to face Marhaus and so Tristram's carreer began. Marhaus and the freshly-knighted Tristram fought each other for half a day, before the younger knight managed to slice his sword through Marhaus's helm and scalp into his brain pan. Tristram takes three tugs to clear his sword from Marhaus's skull, eventually snapping off a piece of the blade, it was dirven in so firmly. Marhaus fled, all the while taunted by Tristram, back to his ships, and sailed to Ireland. His family, knowledgeable in the mystical arts as they were could not save him, for not even the God of Healing could save his son once that God's brains are split open. After Marhaus's death they extracted the chip of Tristram's sword from the wound, by which Isolt knew "Tramtrist" when he arrived in Ireland, seeking a balm which could cure the wounds made by Marhaus' poisoned spear. Soon after this Tristram was offered a seat at the Round Table. He was given Marhaus's. ============================================================================== Insert: Marhaus's Statistics: The scores given below reflect Marhaus's abilities just before his final duel. His glory seems low compared to many knights given in surrounding articles, but this is because Marhaus is cut off in his prime and lack the territiories which give noblemen much of their glory. Marhaus often uses a white shield, given him by his lady love, in place of his usual coat of arms. His preferred weapon is the spear. On important occassions he coats its head with a poison for which Tristram can find no cure in Cornwall. Possibly it is only curable by his kin. Marhaus, in his confrontation with Gawaine, waxes stronger in the evening. Although this may simply be a comparison of the strengths on the contestants, previous editions of "Pendragon" material have quantified this as a magical ability. His damage statistic increases on this schedule: Midnight to 5 p.m. = 4d6 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. = 5d6 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. = 6d6 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. = 7d6 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. = 8d6 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. = 7d6 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. = 5d6 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. = 4d6 Editor's Note: Marhaus' strength increase in the fading of the day is similar to Gawaine's gaining of strength in the morning and peaking at noon. These are aspects of characters who have mythopoetic connections to the natural cycles. Gawaine is the aspect of the rising solar God -- the "Hawk of May" -- whereas Marhaus is the setting sun, an aspect of Autumn. - P. Corless. ============================================================================== ============================================================================== Geases: Irish knights often have curses which are fatal for them to break. Marhaus should have four, although not reference is made to them in Malory. Gamesmasters should use these as hooks for player characters, for example, by having Marhaus seek their aid against an enemy whom will kill him, should Marhuas face it alone. ============================================================================== Personal Data Name: Marhaus Homeland: Laois Culture: Feudal Irish Religion: Christian Father's Name: Marhalt Father's Class: King Son Number: 1 Lord: Marhalt/Anguish/Arthur Current Class: Errant Current Home: Errant Age 48 Year Born 481 Personality Traits Chivalry Bonus [] (total =80+) Yes Religion Bonus: No Chaste 12 / 8 Lustful Energetic 16 / 4 Lazy Forgiving 10 / 10 Vengeful Generous 16 / 4 Selfish Honest 17 / 3 Deceitful Just 14 / 6 Arbitrary Merciful 12 / 8 Cruel* Modest 15 / 5 Proud Pious 11 / 9 Worldly Prudent 13 / 7 Reckless Temperate 12 / 8 Indulgent Trusting 15 / 5 Suspicious Valorous 16 / 4 Cowardly Directed Trait: * To slaves and serfs: +3 Directed Trait: Passions Loyalty (Anguish) 18 Love (family) 15 Hospitality 12 Honor 17 Hate (Ui Niall) 9 Love (St. Brigid) 13 Loyalty (Round Table) 15 Equipment Carried Armor Type [ ] Clothing [] Equipment: Statistics SIZ 10 (Knockdown) DEX 10 STR 15 CON 13 (Major Wound) APP 10 Damage ((STR+SIZ)/6) 4 - 8 d6 Healing Rate ((STR+CON)/10) 3 Movement Rate ((STR+DEX)/10) 3 Total Hit Points (SIZ+CON) 23 Unconscious (HP/4) 6 Distinctive Features Perfect Beard Skills Awareness 18 Boating 6 Chirurgery 0 Compose 3 Courtesy 17 Dancing 7 Faerie Lore 16 Falconry 9 First Aid 18 Flirting 3 Folk Lore 5 Gaming 6 Heraldry 12 Hunting 5 Industry 0 Intrigue 7 Orate 17 Play (Harp) 12 Read (Latin) 0 Recognize 10 Religion (Christian) 7 Romance 10 Singing 12 Stewardship 5 Swimming 6 Tourney 12 Coat of Arms: A red lion, rampant, on a field of thin bars of blue and silver, as per the "Boy King", P.128, but silver has been subsituted for white in the field. Glory 8000 Combat Skills Battle 15 Horsemanship 17 Weapon Skills Sword 19 Lance 23 Dagger 3 Spear 30 [NOTE TO PETER: Re your concern that Marhaus be a match for the young Tristram, I think a spear score of 30 will just about do, when mixed with his talent for increasing strength as night appoaches. The Knights of the Round Table he jousts down seem to be at the weaker end of the spectrum, Personally I don't think this strength is a magical thing, but, well, Greg seems to want him that way, so, hey, we might as well. Greg uses a poisoned sword and magical balm but that's not Marhaus, it's Priamus.] Horses Best Warhorse Type Charger. Damage Move Armor HP SIZ CON DEX