"Well, as the guest of honor, we could hardly have it without you, Sir Garym," the Baron chuckles.

Once everyone is seated, food begins to appear and it is far more appetizing than what was served on Sir Garym's prior visit.  Sir Garym is seated between Arianwen and Sir Gwyllt and although the details are a bit more hazy for the former boar knight, he does recall Sir Garym's prior visit as from a dream.  The dream transposed human trappings and activities over boarish ones but was otherwise relatively the same as Sir Garym's own recollection of events.

After a couple of courses, musicians appear and a space is cleared for dancing.

Garym definitely enjoys the food much more than the last time he was here. He has to repress an urge to steal a morsel from Sir Gwylit as a private joke, but decides it would be best that he didn't. "Sir Gwylit, I am not certain if you remember everything, but we both learned that your son, Hua, will make you proud. He faced the King's Champion, and in doing so you allowed him to sit with Lady Foneddig."

After he speaks to Gwylit; he returns to his conversation with Arianwen until the musicians come. "Arianwen, I believe since we are the guests of honor that we are suppose to dance. I must warn you that I am not a good dancer. I fear that your people may no longer think me heroic afterwards."

Garym chuckles slightly at his own joke because he knew how poor of a dancer he was. He offers his hand to Arianwen to lead her out to the dance floor.

Sir Gwyllt ponders this for a moment before nodding and looking over at the pair, who are deep in conversation.  "Now that you mention it I do recall something like that and I will treat it as you say, thank you Sir Garym."

Arianwen laughs, "well I have not danced in 25 years so I think I am rusty as well," she quips.

The pair proceed to the dance floor and show off a complete lack of coordination and rhythm.  They are both laughing so hard that they nearly fall over before the dance is halfway through.  "I think we need some practice lest someone is hurt," Arianwen suggests.

There are a couple more courses before the next break.  Is there anything else that Sir Garym would like to do before the feast is over and it is time to return to his manor and prepare for his wedding in the Winter?

Before Garym leaves for Woodford, He makes sure that he tells Hua and Gwylit that even though they may not remember that they are the truest of friends. What happened before may of been while they were under the King's enchantment, but it was real. No enchantment could steal the chivalrous heart that they possessed.

On Garym's way home, he stopped at Salisbury to ask for the permission to be married. A formality, but an important courtesy between vassal and liege. He also wanted to make sure that Arthur knew of his latest vassel, so that the Baedd could properly swear fealty to the king.

Diarmuid will inform their Majesties about the Barony and there will be a little to do at the next Tournament.  Everyone in Bod Dynol considers you a close friend.

Earl Robert gives his consent and is happy and proud of you.  At least one thing went right this year, he laments.

Winter Phase 516AD

1. Roll Stewardship (@ -2 for raiding)
Critical = +3£
Success  = +1£
Failure  = -1£
Fumble   = -3£

Base income is 6£.

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 consumption (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.
Sir Garym gets a one-time bonus of 1000 glory for marrying Arianwen.

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 Garym was intimate.  No rolls this year.

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


No roll this year.






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

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

You receive a dowry of 30£ for marrying Arianwen.  She also presents you with a new horse - a Destrier, in fact.  Damage = 8d6, Move = 7, Armor = 5, SIZ = 42, DEX = 10, STR = 38, CON = 10, HP = 52.

OOC: I went back to last years Winter Phase. I found I got A steward for this coming year we never determined The Steward's skill

Stewardship of 15.

Good catch.  Let me know if I screwed anything else up.  :)

1. Roll Stewardship (@ -2 for raiding)
Fumble
Income for land 3L

2. Roll for Experience
Lance Fail
Tourney succeed
Horsemanship Fail
Sword fail
Prudent Success
Merciful fail
Courtesy Success
Awareness Success
Battle Fail
Hunting Success
Proud success
Temperance Success
Faerie Lore Success

3. Training and Practice
Squire +1 First Aid(Can squire receive check from manor's List)
Gaming +2
Awareness +2
Hunting +2

4. Compute Glory
10 Tournament Display Parade
100 Defeating Irish
200 Repelling Irish
30 Winning Side Grand Melee
25 Mingling with Boar Culture
10 Participating in King Baedd's Feast
50 Striking a Bargain with King Aelrindal
100 Retrieving The Spear of Tywic Moc
100 For removing the Enchantments off Arianwen
200 For Killing the Demon boar removing the Curse from the Barony
50 For Diarmuid recording the tale
100 Chivalrous Knight
Valorous 17
Generous 16
Horsemanship 20
Sword 17
Lance 16
Honor 16
Love Arianwen 20
Total Glory = (original Glory) 1399 + (New Glory) 2101=3500

5. Determine Upkeep and conspicuous spending
Starting Treasury 25 + 3 Income + 30 Dowry + 4 logging (No Ruination) - 3 Retinue - 1 List - 5 Reinforced Chain - 10 Rich knight - 2 Apiary - 5 sheep Herd

Ending Treasury = 36
6. Family Rolls

Scandal in Family One of my parents

During the Winter, Garym spends time with Arianwen learning more about her, and what she would like to see for the future of Woodford. He takes time to study the old maps and ride much of Salisbury because the Irish incursion into the county should of been detected much sooner, and plans put in place to better defend against a siege of Sarum. The patrols and outposts needed to be better coordinated as well as establishing hidden caches of food and supplies that could be accessed quickly and transported to where needed.

He rode to Sarum asking for permission to meet with Robert to discuss revisions to the County's defense plans.

It takes a couple of weeks, as the Earl, now married to a Princess, is busy with a variety of things, including his new wife, which seem to take precedence.  However, Earl Robert sits down with Sir Garym to discuss the knight's thoughts and plans for the County.

"Congratulations are in order, Sir Garym.  It seems that you have been very busy this last year," the Earl says with a smile.

"The year was a good year for some. I have heard that my friend Sir Gracian had tragedy strike. He like you helped me understand the new era of love which the Queen seeks. BY understanding; I was able to find the man I was suppose to be, and more importantly the woman I would love forever. If Sir Gracian 's love is like mine for Arianwen I am uncertain how he will recover. Sir Gracian is a truly great knight, so I believe he will return us somehow." Garym paused not wanting to speak anymore of Gracian's pain. The horror of what happened could happen to anyone. He needed to move on, or risk falling into a melancholy.

"I came here today though to speak to you about revamping the defense plans for Salisbury. This includes developing mobile patrols with communications protocol which would include steps to take in the case of absent check-ins by patrols and if hostiles are spotted. I think we also need to set up stores that are easily accessed in case of siege. We can also have equipment placed near the bridges to allow us to better fortify against advancement towards Sarum."

The Earl nods sagely, but it seems to Sir Garym that all of this is new to him.  "Do you really think that necessary, Sir Garym?" he inquires.  "The Irish will soon be taken care of and the Saxons do not have sufficient numbers to really trouble us anymore," he explains.

Shrugging he says, "it seems that our resources could be better spent rebuilding, rather than preparing for something that is very unlikely to occur, especially with Arthur back in London."

"I understand the need for managing the county's resources wisely. Most of these changes will cost little other than setting up protocols to follow. Others will give the county a long term plan and infrastructure that will maintain the safety that many have fought for. The idea is not to live in fear, but to remove any fear that what happen last year can happen again. This will send a signal not just to our enemies, but it will provide comfort to the populace seeing that the county has risen up to ensure that they are protected. I believe that this sense of security will have positive effects other than purely militarily. Let us send a signal to friends and enemies alike that Salisbury is not a land to be preyed upon. My Lord, did we ever think that the Irish could do what they did last year?I do not know what threats lay in the future, but I say better to face the unknown standing strong then to taken unprepared." Robert was a fine man that knew many important things, but on this matter Garym knew that he was right. Between vassal service and the calling of liegemen many of the patrol issues could be met without unnecessary hardships. It would simply be a matter of proper management.

"Well," the Earl hedges, "last summer was the result of a series of events that won't happen again.  I won't be in Salisbury with the Princess, the Irish will be subdued, our Southern border will be more secure," he spreads his arms to emphasize the point, whatever it is.

"Having mobile patrols requires quartering them somewhere, having caches of food for the patrols, pulling knights away from their lands more frequently, reducing their agricultural productivity.  Keeping extra stores available for a siege also requires additional storage of food and water.  All of which means that there is less for the people now after a bad year with a lot of bad harvests," he explains.

Garym had been week in the season past. He did not speak up against the Earl when he saw the defenses would fail. He allow other prideful knights to take the lead. He had an obligation to step up. "I understand my Lord. Let me make one last suggestion on the idea of patrols. Salisbury has many manors, and these manors are much like a spider web crisscrossing the county. Each knight could easily act as a series of communication points. Each watching out for their manors, and passing along to the other nearby manors the state of the affairs of their demesne. Each day, by the end of the night the County would have a fairly accurate lay of the lands. As we both know war is seldom conducted during the Winter periods; the stores would serve as a buffer for harsh winters serving to ensure a well fed populace, and helping encase something happens. The assumption that nothing will happen maybe correct, but better to be prepared. The preparations will serve many purposes other than defense. Your Vassal Knights will be better connected, the populace will see that your Lordship watches out for their well being even if there is a small cost, and finally news of your county will quickly arrive to the seat of the county. I believe that by implementing these changes you will become the envy of other lords, and they will adopt this grid format of defense for their lands."

"If you say," the Earl responds without a great deal of enthusiasm.  "I will tell you what, I will give you authority to implement a communication system and come up with a plan for storing food and quartering troops.  I will review it after the Pentecost tournament in London and if it meets with my approval, I will have it implemented over the summer," he offers.

Sir Garym gets a point in Battle.

"Thank you my Lord. I will work on the details with my steward as well as yours to get a realistic estimate of costs and available resources. I will have all it ready by London. I look forward to presenting Lady Arianwen formally to the court Pentecost tournament. I hope that you will have some time to meet her nephews, Baron Baedd and Sir Gwylit." As Garym spoke about his new wife; he wondered if he was spending to much time away instead of spending it with her. What he was doing was important, but nore important was the time he spent with her. He needed to finish his business her, and rush to her side.

"My Lord, with your permission. I should should return to my home. Much to do unless you have need of me for something else."

"No, Sir Garym, I have nothing else I need of you.  However," he looks around to make sure that no one is eavesdropping before continuing in a whisper, "it seems that your tale has made it to The Queen's attention and she might be pushing to get you to fill Sir Lamorak's empty chair at the Round Table."

"Such an honor. I would of course accept. I had thought to petition the Queen pledging myself to her Court of Love, but I should enough of such talk I have found that what is suppose to happen does. The Lord provides that which is needed. I have been given much." With that, he gives an informal bow, and leaves to do the final work with Robert's staff for his defensive plans.

When done, he rides hard back to his Woodford and more importantly his love. He tosses to the reins of his horse to Budfannon then runs to the main manor house. Seeing Arianwen, he takes her into his arms lovingly. "Arianwen, I am home, and I missed you so much."

Arianwen is happy, as ever to see Sir Garym return and returns the hug fiercely.  "Did you have any luck with Earl Robert?" she inquires.

"He was reluctant at first, but he has agreed to let me make preparations for several parts of the plan, but we talk about that later." I just want to spend the rest of the day and especially the night with you. I have been distracted wanting to set this defense grid up in Salisbury when I should of been focusing more on you." Garym holds her amorously kissing her hard. In the back of his mind, he could not forget the loss that Gracian must be feeling now. He felt selfish, but he thanked the Father that it was Gracian and not him.

He swooped her up into his arms carrying her to their bedchambers. All he wanted to do was to hold her forever in her his arms. Caress her soft skin as his hands massaged her perfect form. He fiercely pushed the door open as he fell with her to their bed laughing impishly all the way.

Fade to Black ]

---

After waking from their lovemaking, Garym stroked her hair gently as she slept until she woke. "Good morning my love. I will go and bring you some breakfast if you like. Oh yes, I should tell Robert told me that the Queen campaigning on my behalf to take Sir Lamorak's place at the King's Round Table."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:16, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

Arianwen is of course delighted for Sir Garym, once the significance of the Round Table is explained.  Like many everyday things, there are still gaps in her knowledge.  "I hope that will not mean that you are called away from me for long periods," she laments before noting, "I am rather looking forward to this tournament, and feast, however.  A chance to see and be seen," she smiles.

Garym wanted to lie, but he couldn't. Arianwen was to important to Garym for him to deceive her. "If I am chosen, I fear there would be many obligations that would fulfil much of my time. The Round Table is the highest order of Knighthood. It is dedicated to the principles of Chivalry. The Knights are often call on by King Arthur to quest. Their motto is that 'Might does not make Right.' It is the new way thinking that King Arthur wants his vassals to adopt. A noble obligation to provide for those that one leads. The Knights also gather to discuss and debate laws of the land. I believe Arthur's dream is make all of his kingdom's lives better. I.... No, we would be part of that."

"Well," she exclaims, "I suppose we better make the best use of the time we have together then."  It is a long, but not unpleasant, morning.

Getting to spend time with Arianwen and being able to communicate is a daily blessing to the the young knight.  Whole worlds seem to open up.  They talk about plans for the manor, ride, talk, sing, dance, and just enjoy getting to know one another better.  At length, it is time to head to the Pentecost feast.  There is a sense of excitement for both Sir Garym and for Arianwen, as both foresee momentous events occurring at the feast.