And before he knows it, the eastern sky begins to glow pink and shafts of light tickle the clouds above.  As the sun breaks through, a cadre of knights and attendants approach to prepare the body and Sir Dalan is relieved, in more ways than one.

He mechanically walks back to his rooms to find his wife waiting, a look of pride and a gentle smile gracing her face.  She helps him out of his clothes, whispers something sweet, and stays out of the way as he collapses on the bed.

He is awakened by the soft caress of her touch and the smell of food, glorious food.  Ellowyn has a tray with some warm soup, bread, and meat, which he quickly devours.

Although the six hours of sleep was not enough, it was at least sufficient to tide him through the funeral.

Sir Dalan receives 50 Glory.

Sir Dalan is so exhausted he can do little more than smile at his wife at first. The sleep (even if to little of it) and breakfast revive him.

"I feel like I've never eaten before," Sir Dalan says, after he has wolfed down the last of the bread. He smiles and reaches for Ellowyn's hand. "But the lack of food and sleep where nothing next to lack of you. I hope the fest was not to awful without my clusiminess on the dance floor."

Sir Dalan asks his ladywife of his friends and his knights in the melee, then washes, trims his beard, dresses and prepares to take his position at the funeral.

---

OOC: 1 each increase in Energetic, Generous, Honest, Just, Pious, Prudent and Temperate. I now have the chivalry bonus. :)

Sir Dalan's first experience of fighting alongside his knights is truly bittersweet, and it is was a heavy heart that he participates in the battle to drive away the Irish from his homeland. Still his panther banner and shield are much in evidence on the field.

After the fighting is done and he has ensured that his beloved Ellowyn and Princess Gwendollyn are safe Sir Dalan goes to Earl Robert. "My lord I intend to help finance the reconstruction of the city of Wilton... I was in command when she fell and I still feel I should have done more." He took a deep breath. "I do not want to intrude on your dignity my lord but it is my firm wish to spend my money helping the poor folk who suffered so much during the invasion. May I have your permission?"

"You were not in charge of the city, Sir Dalan, I was.  Anyway, it only fell after I ordered you to leave," he responds.  Looking a little crestfallen he notes, "perhaps that was not the right decision but consolidating our forces seemed the wisest route at the time," he notes.

With a smile he goes on, "your offer is a generous one but Salisbury is my responsibility and it is the wealth of Salisbury that should be used to restore it.  Perhaps more fortifications and soldiers are in order," he muses.

Sir Dalan looks disappointed, but bows. "As you wish my lord." He scratched his short beard for a moment before continuing, gently: "The scale of the invasion took us all by surprise my lord."

The Earl nods, "yes, but perhaps it shouldn't have," he replies.  Shaking his head he explains, "from what I hear, Countess Fiona mobilized all of her knights, even those stationed in Castles, in ten hours or less and got them halfway across Briton in the space of a few hours.  Somehow I doubt that she would have been taken by surprise."

He favors Sir Dalan with a bashful look, "perhaps I have spent too much time thinking about the Princess and too little time spent on Salisbury."

Sir Dalan looks sympathetic. "My lord any man with eyes will find his thoughts may stray to Princess Gwendollyn. She is as the winter blossom; more precious yet for the strength that underlies the beauty. She will make thee a fine wife."

He smiles. "'Tis good for a man to marry a woman he is in love with. My beloved Ellowyn the cornerstone of my life, and not just because she is cleverer by far than I. She is friend and confidant. If the Princess is such to thee take no shame in it my lord."

Sir Robert smiles, "true enough, Sir Dalan, but I need to be able to provide for her and to look after a county and all of its inhabitants too.  I can't do that if I act as a starstruck teen."

Sir Dalan nods his head. "As you say my lord. I fear I must be off to see my wife before I join my brothers in arms in their quest. Fare thee well my lord."

Sir Dalan and Sir Perin have retired to a local alehouse while they await Sir Sejanus's research on the sword.

"How fares the Countess my brother?" Sir Dalan asks. "She did us a good turn during the invasion."

Perin smiles broadly and claps his friend on the shoulder "She is quite well, thanks for asking!  And that she did.  Without the aid of her and her forces, I don't see how we would have been able to save Sarum.  It was a... humbling experience, and a good reminder of why the King's message about unity is so important."

He takes a big swig of his ale before asking "Your lady wife, how does she fare?  It seems like she and the Countess were enjoying one another's company at the feast earlier this year."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:19, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

"Ellowyn is well enough, though the invasion was hard on her." A smiles plays across Sir Dalan's lips. "Perhaps your fair lady is teaching her magic?"

"I can only imagine that dark rumors she was hearing, which when coupled with the distance and uncertainty of the whole situation, doubtlessly made the whole affair quite trying."  At the mention of magic, Perin breaks into a grin "Magic?  Why whatever do you mean good sir?  Surely you know better than to accuse her of something like that!"  Perin is obviously teasing his friend, as anyone who had seen Fiona's display on the field of battle had no doubt as to have capability to wield some sort of magic.

"Besides, surely you know that to have anything to do with the Fae is to damn your soul, almost as surely as if you trafficked with the forces of Hell itself!" he says, taking a jab at a certain knight who had made the same comparison just some few short weeks ago.

Sir Dalan frown. While he may not be as devout as Sir Sejanus he is still a practicing Christian and Sir Perin's easy impiety leaves him a touch uncomfortable.

Trying to shift the subject he continues: "As it happens a witch entranced me once, while I was on the quest of the Grey Knight with Sir Gracian."

Perin, seeing his brother's discomfort, allows Dalan to change the topic "Surely you're not calling her a witch brother?" he asks with a wink, his grin growing ever wider.  "No, Gracian never mentioned it, care to share?  After all, it seems like we'll have quite a bit of time..."

"We met a fair maiden named Gilegra on the road, being menaced by bandits. We rescued her, or so we thought. In truth she was a witch serving Morganna le Fay. Later we made camp and she woke me up at night claiming to have a message from Merlin." Sir Dalan sighs wistfully, recalling innocent, dark eyes.

"She entranced my mind and led me away from camp, then told me she had to examine the treasures we had recovered - I am sure you have heard the tale of our quest to aid Sir Gawaine." Sir Dalan pauses, obviously a little embarrassed.

"To tell you the truth brother I only awoke from her spell because we knew Morganna to be our foe and directing her magic against us. Without that seed of suspicion I would have dreamily trusted the treasures to fair Gilegra. There was a fight and we slew her"

He smiles ruefully. "The worst part is it actually was not an unpleasant feeling being under her spell."

Perin smiles sympathetically as Dalan as he replies "And that is why it is called enchanting my friend.  It is far easier to get a man to comply with your requests if he enjoys the sensation.  And you were not expecting to be entranced, and had no way to defend yourself against her charms;  don't let it trouble you any further, as what is done is done, and everything ended for the best."

Taking another sip of his drink, he continues "I've always though that magic is like a sword, it all depends on the person who wields it.  Would you judge a sword, or any who use it, simply because one man did horrible things with it?  No, of course you wouldn't.  Magic is no different.  In the right hand, it can be among the greatest forces for good imaginable; but in the wrong hands, it is capable of terrible, destructive things.  It all depends on the man... or the woman who wields it" he says with a smirk.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

Sir Dalan sips his own drink. "Perhaps so my brother." He smiles. "Anyway I suppose I am not the first man whose wits prove weak faced with a pretty face."

Winter Phase 516AD

1.a Roll Dalan's Stewardship (@ -2 due to raiding) for Tisbury Manor
Critical = +3£
Success  = +1£
Failure  = -1£
Fumble   = -3£

Base income is 6£.

Roll for Improvements.

1.b Roll Ellowyn's Stewardship (12) for Dover's Crossing

Roll Stewardship
Critical = +5 to Harvest roll
Success  = +3 to Harvest roll
Failure  = No modifier
Fumble   = -3 to Harvest roll

If there was Raiding
No raiding.

Previous Harvest
Superlative  = +3

Arthur's Reign
510 - 524  = No modifier

Curses or Blessings
No curses or blessings

Harvest Roll


Note:  Harvest Roll only affects food production, which is 140£.  Regardless of the harvest roll, Sir Dalan makes 125£ from non-food.

Expenses are 138£, including 12£ to be a Superlative knight.  So your Tisbury income does not have to go toward supporting your upkeep.

516 Event - No event this year.

2. Roll for Experience - Make rolls for all Personality Traits, Passions, and Skills in which you have an experience check.  Some buildings/holdings also give yearly checks.  If you roll 20, or above your current score, raise the value by 1.  If both sides of a Personality Trait have checks (e.g. Pious and Worldly), you must roll for both individually but can choose in which order you make the rolls.

3. Training and Practice
- Increase one of your squire's skills by 1.
- Choose one of the following options:
  o Gain 1d6+1 Skill points to distribute (cannot raise any Skills above 15)
  o Gain 1 point in a Skill (cannot raise a skill above 20)
  o Increase an Attribute, Trait or Passion by 1
    x No Attribute can be raised higher than its cultural value
    x No Trait can be raised above 19
    x No Passion can be raised above 20
    x SIZ cannot be increased after age 21.

4. Compute Glory
- Glory given during the year can be added immediately.
- Gain glory for exceptional traits/passions (16+) equal to its value
- Gain glory for quality of maintenance - Rich knight 10/year, Superlative 15/year
- Gain 100 glory if you are a Religious or Chivalrous knight
- Gain from Holdings, conspicuous consuption (like holding tournaments/feasts) etc.
Glory bonus - For every 1,000 Glory you attain, you get a Glory bonus: you may add 1 to ANY stat, skill, or trait.

5. Determine Upkeep and conspicuous spending
- Upkeep:  Poor (4£) Ordinary (6£) Rich (10£) Superlative (12£)
- Hire any retinue for next year or make manorial improvements (http://www.eisinger.net/pbem/S...manorimprovement.pdf)

6. Family Rolls

Roll for each woman with whom Sir Dalan was intimate.

Roll d6 for each live child born, odd = Female, even = male.


No roll this year. Sir Dalan would be +3 as a Superlative knight.


No rolls this year as Sir Dalan is +2 as a Superlative knight.




Roll d6 for family member, odd = female, even = male.

Ellowyn made her stewardship roll and her energetic roll to build the horse hyrd, so that is now in place for 517.

When you are done, update your character sheet / holdings.  I will come up with a mini-problem once you are done.

Let me know if I obviously screwed anything up.  Your income/expenses should be the same as last year as things built don't take effect until next harvest as they were built during the year.  If you think you should have gotten a check in anything that I overlooked, please tell me what and why.

Winter Phase 516 AD

1A. Tisbury Manor

Sir Dalan rolled 12 using 1d20.  Stewardship 5 (-2 due to raiding).

Sir Dalan rolled 1 using 1d4.  Sheep Herd (Tisbury)

Income for Tisbury Manor: £6 - 1 (Stewardship Failure) + 1 (Sheep Herd) - 2 (Upkeep Sheep Herd) = £4



1B. Dover's Crossing Banneretcy


14:28, Today: Sir Dalan rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Harvest. (Bad)

1C. Total Income

£4 (Tisbury Manor) + £125 (Dover's Crossing Banneretcy) = £129

2. Experience

Sir Dalan rolled 16 using 1d20.  Lance (16) (Failure.)
Sir Dalan rolled 1 using 1d20.  Sword (14). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 16 using 1d20.  Horsemanship (13). (Success)
Sir Dalan rolled 9 using 1d20.  Singing (20). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 8 using 1d20.  First Aid (11). (Failure)

Sir Dalan rolled 8 using 1d20.  Loyalty (Earl Robert) (15). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 17 using 1d20.  Valorous (17). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 15 using 1d20.  Temperate (11). (Success)
Sir Dalan rolled 6 using 1d20.  Prudent (11). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 3 using 1d20.  Pious (12). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 11 using 1d20.  Modest (13). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 11 using 1d20.  Merciful (13). (Failure)
Sir Dalan rolled 15 using 1d20.  Just (14). (Success)
Sir Dalan rolled 5 using 1d20.  Energetic (12). (Failure)

3. Training

Training Option (1d6+1 Skill Points)

Sir Dalan rolled 2 using 1d6+1.  Skill Points.

+1 to Sword and Stewardship.

4. Compute Glory

+10 Participating in a Joust: 10
+75 Defeating a panther
+50: Stood vigil over Sir Lamorak
+200: Repelling the Irish
+100: Defeating Irish soldiers

+20 Singing
+16 Lance

+17 Valorous

+23 Amour (Aliandra)

+15 Superlative Knight
+100 Chivalric Knight

Glory Gained: +626

5. Upkeep and Conspicuous Spending

Tisbury Manor
Sheep Herd (Upkeep £2)
Dovecote (just finished construction)

Dover's Crossing Banneretcy

Horse Herd (just finished breeding)

Total Expense: £138

6. Family Rolls

6A. Childbirth

Sir Dalan rolled 6 using 1d20.  Child Birth. (No birth)

6B. Family Event

Sir Dalan rolled 15 using 1d20.  Family Event.  Family Event (Missing, may be lost; Parent's sibling, male)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:00, Mon 08 Jan 2018.

Sir Dalan endured a grim year, though it was nothing compared with the misfortunes visiting his dear friend Sir Gracian. The death of Ariette broke his heart, and Ellowyn's to.

Though he knew that many couples had to wait years for children if ever he had secretly dared hope that he and Ellowyn should be blessed this Winter. No such fortune happened. Their miseries seemed to continue as a poor harvest drained his coffers and Tisbury was still recovering from the raid.

It was with deepest relief that Sir Dalan prepared to bid farewell to the old year. May 517 be better!

Sir Dalan spends the beginning of the new year on his fief at Dover's Crossing with Ellowyn, doing their best to get an heir ready for next Winter.  A week into his stay, the Earl asks him to accompany him hawking.  He had considered a hunt but decided not to tempt fate.

On the appointed day, Sir Dalan meets the Earl and selects a hawk from among those the Earl has out.

"It seems that we are tied more closely together now that your Earl has married my Princess," the Earl notes.  "What do you see happening as a result?" he asks.

Sir Dalan looks thoughtful. "I think that his grace will prove a good husband having had the excellent sense in following my example and wedding a woman smarter than himself."

He smiles, then adds: "Hopefully now the princess is actually a wife we will see an end to the Irish intrigues."

The pair send their hawk up in search of game as they walk along and talk.

The Earl smiles, "yes, that seems to be a good course."

"As to the Irish, I hear that the King will be sending an army to teach them a lesson in the summer," he intimates.  "I am assured that the knights of Escavalon and Salisbury will be taking part.  This will be announced at the Pentecost Feast during the Spring Tournament in London."

The hawks return empty-taloned.

"I was hoping that you would be willing to lead Cardiff's troops, although I would understand if you decided to ride with the Salisbury knights instead," the Earl says in a way that makes Sir Dalan suspect that the Earl would not, in fact, understand at all.

Sir Dalan looks at his father in law in surprise and gratitude. "It... it would be an honour to accept my lord. Are you certain you would not have a more experienced man though? I have never commanded in battle before."