Sir Dalan is delighted - if a bit intimidated! - by the sheer scale of the world Ellowyn grew up in.

"I was born born you know," Sir Dalan says. "Like your father's own tenants. This is a world I knew from a distance, and had I sighted you as a girl when I was a boy I..." He smiles wistfully. "Well, I'd never have dreamn't of speaking with you and holding your hand, let alone marrying you."

After she shows him the fields where she rides he laughs cheerfully. "We'll have to go riding together in Tisbury." As he says it he suddenly realises what to get his bride to be for her next gift; a horse, fair of form and sweet of nature.

"I hope that I would have fallen for the boy in the field as I have for the knight at court," Ellowyn replies.

It is a pleasant country and so different from Tisbury.  The two talk of their plans once they are settled in as well as details for the wedding.

He smiles at her kind words.

"Ellowyn, you spoke before about Sir Gracian and supprting and learning from him. I hope the day is far off when you inherit, but I have been thinking of it. Do you think I should speak with the Earl of Cariff?"

Sir Dalan, of common birth finds the inter tangle of feudal obligation confusing. Thank all the saints Ellowyn is as brainy as she is beautiful!

"I am happy to introduce you, it would be good if you knew all of the important people around here.  I can introduce you to the Princess as well.  It is one of my jobs as your wife, to help improve your social standing," Ellowyn explains.

She thinks for a moment, "the Earl should be back next week.  Would you like to meet over a hunt or hawking?"

"I am a poor huntsman... though I've never so much as held a hawk, so it best be the former!" Sir Dalan says, smiling. "I would be honoured to meet the Princess also. You... um... may have to tell me the right manner to address her my love."

"The King and Queen are referred to as Your Majesty, Princes and Princesses as Your Royal Highness, Dukes and Duchesses as Your Grace, and other nobility as Lord or Lady and name (OOC: should be last name but I use first name IG), and knights and bannerets as Sir," Ellowyn explains.

The following week on a foggy morning, Sir Dalan and Ellowyn ride out to meet Lord Merdoc, Earl of Cardiff at the edge of the woods.

"Lord Merdoc, this is my fiance Sir Dalan," Ellowyn introduces the two.

"Sir Dalan, I have heard a lot about you.  We are indebted to you and your fellow knights for thwarting the Irish, not to mention helping Sir Gawaine," the Earl says.

"It is an honour to meet you Lord Merdoc. Thank you for your kind words. I admit I have seen but little of your lands but they seem both fair and wisely ruled, the people kind and properous."

Sir Dalan doesn't bow since he is on a horse, but nods his head in a sign of respect. At the mention of Sir Gawaine he smiles. "At gallant and splendid knight; it was an honour to aid him." Glancing to the forest he smiles further. "I won't lie, as good as it is to chase of raiders riding after boar or stag is more pleasing!"

The hunt starts with the traditional breakfast as the dogs are let loose to hunt for game.  Once there is sufficient barking to indicate prey has been found, the hunters mount up on their steeds and head off in search of a bear.  They wear light (1 point) armor and carry lances and sword.

Sir Dalan and Earl Merdoc both pick up the trail of the bear, as they go crashing through the underbrush.  The bear, becoming aware of the chasers, attempts to avoid the pursuit.  Sir Dalan is able to stay on the trail, although Earl Merdoc takes a wrong turn and has to circle back to find the trail again.

Sir Dalan, rolled 8 using 1d20.  Hunting.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 11 using 1d20.  Hunting.
Sir Dalan, rolled 10 using 1d20.  Hunting.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 2 using 1d20.  Hunting.
Bear, rolled 7 using 1d20.  Avoidance.
Sir Dalen gets a check in Hunting.


Sir Dalan closes in and charges the beast with his lance, skewering it before it has a chance to react.  Earl Merdoc continues to search for the trail.

Sir Dalan, rolled 4 using 1d20.  Lance.
Sir Dalan, rolled 20 using 6d6.  Damage.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 17 using 1d20.  Hunting.
The Bear takes 20 - 6 = 14 damage.
Sir Dalan gets a check in Sword.


Turning to fight, the bear swipes at Sir Dalan with his claws, just missing.  Sir Dalan stabs at the monster with his sword but fails to connect.

Sir Dalan, rolled 16 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 14 using 1d20.  Claws.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 1 using 1d20.  Hunting.

As Sir Merdoc arrives, Sir Dalan stabs the furry beast with his sword, drawing a long wound across the bear's side, as the bear swipes at him and hits but does no damage.

Sir Dalan, rolled 7 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 6 using 1d20.  Claws.
Sir Dalan, rolled 20 using 4d6+2.  Damage.
The Bear takes 20 - 6 = 14 damage.

Sir Dalan and Earl Merdoc attack the bear once more with their swords.  They both hit and the bear hits both of them with its claws, but the bear and Earl Merdoc are the ones who do damage, with Earl Merdoc's blow knocking the bear unconscious.

Sir Dalan, rolled 6 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 12 using 1d20.  Claws.
Bear, rolled 10 using 3d6.  Damage.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 10 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 5 using 1d20.  Claws.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 11 using 5d6.  Damage.
Sir Dalan takes 10 - 1 = 9 damage.  The Bear takes 11 - 6 = 5 damage and goes unconscious.


However, the bear continues to fight a round after a killing blow.  It misses Sir Dalan, who misses it, and Earl Merdoc hits the bear with his sword but the bear mauls Earl Merdoc, knocking him from his horse.

Sir Dalan, rolled 13 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 17 using 1d20.  Claws.
Earl Merdoc, rolled 4 using 1d20.  Sword.
Bear, rolled 13 using 1d20.  Claws.
Bear, rolled 24 using 6d6.  Damage.
Earl Merdoc takes 24 - 1 = 23 damage and is knocked unconscious.  He receives a Major Wound.

The hunts was a . . . success?  The bear is unconscious and easily killed but Earl Merdoc is also down and unconscious.

Sir Dalan can call an emergency note on his horn, repeating it every minute until help finds him.
He can attempt First Aid.
He can kill the bear before it regains consciousness.
He can kill off the Earl before anyone notices.
He can perform some other interesting action.

Turning pale Sir Dalan leapt off his horse and ran over to the downed Earl to try and save his life before his rich blood darkened the earth.

OOC: Sir Dalan will attempt First Aid.

Sir Dalan quickly bandages the Earl's wounds, staunching the blood and restoring color to the fallen man's face.  The Earl wakes up but is still groggy and unlikely to be moving under his own power.

Sir Dalan gets a point in First Aid.

Earl Merdoc received 6 health.

Muttering a quick prayer of thanks Sir Dalan picks his sword and tries to finish off the bear, should it still stay unconscious. The last thing they need is a resumption of battle!

OOC: If the Earl's horse has not run off Sir Dalan will try and lift the Earl onto the steed's back and rope the beast to his own horse, slowly making their way back out of the forest.

If the Earl's horse has run off Merdoc will be carried by Sir Dalan's steed and Sir dalan will lead him by the reins.

Of course if the bear wakes up before Sir Dalan can slay him all bets are off!

Killing an unconscious bear is simple and easily accomplished.

The Earl's horse is war trained, it isn't going anywhere without him.  Getting him into the saddle is another matter.  Even without armor he seems to be of limited assistance in getting himself up in the saddle.  After several attempts, Sir Dalan manages it and lashes him to the saddle just in case.

Transporting the bear is simple enough, its carcass can be dragged back.  Normally, Sir Dalan would dress the meat where the bear was felled but it seems expedient to get the Earl back to the others.

Arriving back where they had breakfast, Ellowyn looks like she is going to feint when she sees the Earl, who looks like he was just mauled by a bear or something.  "Oh my!  What happened?" she exclaims.

Sir Dalan is so exhausted it takes him a few moments to regain the power of speech. His chest heaves as he draws in and out huge lungfulls of air. Despite it all it is a blessing to see Lady Ellowyn again and swiftly as he can he gasps out an explanation:

"We tracked a bear. Earl Merdoc managed to bring the beast down, but in it's fury it struck him from his steed. I tried to bandage the Earl's wounds but he'll need more skilled hands than mine to heal him - that and time my love."

The Earl, in pain as he is, chuckles dryly, almost hollowly, "your betrothed is far too modest, twas he who tracked the bear and almost killed it.  I was drawn to the sound of their fight and finished the thing but twas mostly dead already."  He coughs painfully.

Sir Dalan gets a check in Modest, 15 Glory, and a librum worth of food (count it as money).  What would he like to do with the pelt?

Sir Dalan looks a little embarrassed, yet also relieved that the Earl is in good enough form to keep his wits about him. "With your permission my lord I should like to present the pelt of the bear to thy Marshal, my own fiance's father Sir Mylon. He is giving me a gift worth far more, so I should return the favour."

He chuckles. "Also I think it would do you good to have your revenge on the bear Earl Merdoc. Whenever you should visit my future father in-law you'll have every chance to walk across the bear that struck you. The beast may be dead but that does not mean you cannot show your mastery no?"

And so it is done.  The Marshal is pleased by the gift and everyone enjoys bear steaks for a week.

Ellowyn is working on setting up a meeting with the Princess.

What are Sir Dalan's plans, generally?  He can hang out here, head back to Salisbury, whatever.  I am mostly going to be working on sorting out our newer character's love interests and such.

Sir Dalan learns to like eating bear. Of course meeting the Princess is more intimidating even than doing likewise with the Earl. True, he has 'met' Arthur and Guinevere but that was as part of a ceremony. A social encounter is another matter, so he is careful to pay attention to any advice Ellowyn can give him.

OOC: Since I'll probably be out of internet for the next few days since I'll be away, heading back to Salisbury after meeting the Princess is probably the best. :)

"You will be fine," Ellowyn replies.  "She is very nice and I am sure will be happy to meet one of the knights who prevented the Irish from kidnapping her."

A couple of days later, Sir Dalan packs and is ready to head home.  Lady Ellowyn and a few guards accompany him to Carlion, where they have setup an appointment with the Princess.

They are brought out onto a terrace overlooking vast gardens.  There is a table setup, loaded with food.  They are there for only fifteen or twenty minutes when the Princess and a pair of guards arrive.  The Princess, while not the most beautiful woman Sir Dalan has ever seen, is certainly way up there and she carries herself with a regal air that is reminiscent of Queen Guenevere.

"Your Royal Highness, may I present my fiance, Sir Dalan of Salisbury.  Sir Dalan, Her Royal Majesty, Princess Gwendollyn," Ellowyn says.

"Sir Dalan," the Princess notes with a musical voice, "your name keeps showing up.  It seems that you are destined to save others from an unfortunate fate.  More than one Kingdom is now indebted to you."

Awed, Sir Dalan bows before the enchanting young woman. "Thank you Your Royal Highness. My liege the Earl of Salisbury perhaps deserves your kind words more than I - the expedition was under his command."

He smiled. "As myself though I am deeply relieved you are safe. I have fought the sons of Hibernia before and they are wily foes."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:10, Sat 30 Sept 2017.

The sound of the Princess's laughter is reminiscent of the twittering of song birds.  "So humble and quick to give credit to your liege.  You will go far, Sir Dalan, of that there is no doubt.  I assume that next you will wax poetic about Earl Robebt's leadership and direction that enabled you to obtain the whetstone when all of King Arthur's other knights came home empty handed?" she remarks with a sly smile.

"Do not fear, the Earl will receive more than just my kind words.  He has quite a few remarkable knights from what I have seen.  One of the things I like so much about him.  The caliber of one's subordinates says a lot about the leader," she notes philosophically.

Sir Dalan began to wonder if he was being too modest, but it was better to err on the side of caution when it came to politeness he supposed.

"Your Royal Highness is wise." He says diplomatically. "I fear I have no subordinates... at least not yet, but I shall keep thy words in mind."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:49, Sun 01 Oct 2017.

"That seems just a matter of time, Sir Dalan, and I am sure that you will be as good a leader as Earl Robert," she remarks.

The group sits to eat and enjoy the beautiful weather.  Perhaps walking through the gardens for a while, admiring the exotic flowers.

"Perhaps," replies Sir Dalan, smiling. "Though I think it may be more time than you think Your Royal Highness. I am a mere vassal knight, and there are better warriors than I in Salisbury - that is not modesty, but the truth. Still, perhaps it is not the time for such harsh talk of war and other such things."

He is content to walk among the flowers for a while, with his beloved.

And so the pair walk around the lovely gardens until it is time for Sir Dalan to head back to his estates in Salisbury, to face the long months alone until the wedding.