Chaosium Digest Volume 15, Number 9 Date: Sunday, August 11, 1996 Number: 2 of 2 Contents: The Adventure of the Castle of Light (Danny Bourne) PENDRAGON -------------------- From: d.bourne@dial.pipex.com (danny bourne) Subject: The Adventure of the Castle of Light System: Pendragon The following Pendragon adventure was run at Convulsion 3D. THE ADVENTURE OF THE CASTLE OF LIGHT (First encounter adapted from Fergus of Galloway by Guillaume Le Clerc pp 66-70 & 146-7 Everyman edition.) GM's background information & designer notes: This adventure is supposed to test the Christian Chivalrous traits in a series of opposed encounters with the main progatonist, Sir Courteau. He used to be a good Christian knight but whilst out hunting one day was possessed by an evil spirit which reversed all his Christian traits. Every time the player Characters show him the virtue of these traits and succeed in an opposed resolution, the demon will lose some of its power over Sir Courteau, with the appropriate trait returning to normal. When Sir Courteau has seen the power of all five traits being used properly, whether the five opposed rolls are successful or not, he will find the courage to expel the demon and return to his former ways. This adventure can be run either as a solo, presenting a difficult challenge, but with the appeal of commensurate glory, or as a group adventure, making it easier, but with far less glory to be had per person. This adventure is designed as a test of the religious traits of Christian knights and is best used either as an encounter during the Grail Quest or as a dream sent to a sleeping knight who already has, or has just achieved, his religious bonus. The knights will be tested on all of their Christian virtues and their Valour. Those who fail any of the tests are spirited away to meet with those who succeed at the end of the adventure - nothing less than perfection can succeed in a Grail Quest. To the Bright Castle The adventuring group of player knights, for some reason, find themselves in a forest as night falls. After the knights have camped down for the night, any who make Energetic rolls are awoken by a bright light, an unearthly light, a pure light, shining in the distance. Surely there is an adventure to be had here! If the player knights follow the light to its source, they see a marvellous sight: as they break out of the trees they find themselves near a coastal cliff. There, in the distance, on an outcrop of rock jutting skywards from the sea, can be seen a castle glowing with its own radiance, as brightly as the noon day sun. At first glance there appears to be no method of transit to the castle. [Awareness. Success = there is a very narrow, long and precarious bridge that leads towards the castle from the cliff edge. Failure = you don't notice the bridge. Fumble = you stand and watch the moon idly]. The Bridge Fiend Once the player knights reach the bridge they realise that it is too narrow to safely ride horses down; they will have to be left behind. [Riding. Success = the knights realise that their horses are afraid of the bridge and are trying to shy away from it anyway. Failure = the knights try to ride onto the bridge and their horses resist. Fumble = the knight is thrown from his horse as it flees back into the woods. Knight takes 1D6 damage, ignoring armour.] As soon as the first knight steps foot upon the bridge a figure leaps from the shadows to stand in front of them, barring their path. It is an ugly and misshapen figure with long grey pigtails and yellow-brown skin. In its hands there rests a huge scythe. It grins a sickly grin at the knights and the stench of rotting flesh washes over them. [Valorous - 5. Success = the knight may enter combat. Failure = the knight concerned flees. Fumble = the knight faints dead away and receives a 1D6 Fear (ghosts) Passion.] Only one knight may fight the fiend at a time because of the narrowness of the bridge. Those that fail their roll flee back into the woods and find themselves back at the campsite with no sign of the castle light. For them, the adventure is already over. The Bridge Fiend STR: n/a CON: 20 SIZ: 18 DEX: 20 APP: 2 HP: 38 Damage *Special. Attack: Scythe @ 21 Armour 8pts demonic hide Valorous Modifier: -5 Glory to Kill: 75 * The fiend causes damage equal to the armour worn by a knight. (Thus if a character is wearing 12pt armour, the fiend will always cause 12pts of damage). This damage ignores all armour except for the 3pt chivalry bonus. A wise knight may realise that if he strips of his armour the fiend will not be able to harm him. The fiend will be much easier to defeat if the knight trusts in the protective power of God. The fiend causes no extra damage on a critical. Once the fiend has been dispatched, the player knights may continue the long and tortuous journey across the bridge (which creaks and groans alarmingly), to the castle gatehouse. The water below seethes and boils alarmingly, a great distance below. Falling means certain death, but the bridge itself is remarkably secure, despite the creaks and sways. The castle has its drawbridge lowered and the portcullis is raised invitingly. No matter what time of day the knights begin to cross the bridge, when they reach the gatehouse the sun is close to setting. The adventurers are free to walk into the empty and silent courtyard of the keep itself. The castle has no stables (because of the impossibility of transporting horses across the bridge), but otherwise is an unremarkable Medium castle with a single tower upon the far right hand corner (DV26/10). Sir Courteau and the Bright Castle The doorway to the keep itself is closed, but as the player knights advance the doors swing open silently and ominously. Those venturesome enough to enter find themselves in a brightly lit, warm and inviting main hall. The hall already has four feasting tables laid out, behind which is a large curved staircase leading up to a gallery that runs around the main hall. Once all the player knights have entered, down the stairs walks a tall and robust looking man wearing a heavy cloak over his finery. He has a fair lady at his side. [Intrigue. Success = the knight notices that she has calloused hands, thus she is not a lady of noble birth. Fumble = the knight assumes she is a sorceress.] This knight looks at the player knights, smiles enigmatically and introduces himself; he has a heavy Occitanian accent. "Greetings fair knights, I am hight Sir Courteau erstwhile of Stafford, but now lord of The Castle of Light. Please, be seated. You look fatigued. Stay awhile and let me entertain you". He turns and calls out "Boys! Wine and viands for my guests, and don't delay, you laggards!" He motions for the player characters to be seated and then sits himself. Soon, several page boys bring out a huge selection of sumptuous and succulent dishes, all of which Sir Courteau eats from, gorging himself. If he notices any knight being restrained he encourages them to follow his example. "Not eating? There's more than plenty to slate everyone's appetite. Eat to your heart's content. It is not often that knights get to eat so regally". [Temperate. Failure or Fumble = the knights do indeed follow Sir Courteau's example.] Any knight that continues to eat sparingly will be singled out for conversation by Sir Courteau. "Why do you still pick at your food, sir? Is it not to your liking? If knights are supposed to be the ruling elite, then they deserve the best of everything, surely". This should allow a player knight to preach the Christian virtue of Temperance. [Opposed Temperate versus Corteau's Indulgent Roll. Player Success = Sir Courteau visibly convulses, looks down at his food and eats no more. Critical = Sir Courteau exclaims that he will fast for a week to purge his flesh and allow his servants to eat their fill from his table.] If the player knight fails in the opposed roll then nothing happens. For this act,whether successful or not, the player knight receives a Temperate check. During the course of the meal Sir Courteau will engage the player knights in conversation. If questioned about the bridge fiend he will simply say "Ah well! There are things beyond the ken and whit of mortal man, for the path from damnation to salvation is a narrow one indeed." (This is a very oblique allegorical reference to the adventure itself, the path being the bridge and the road from salvation to damnation being the player knights' attempts to exorcise Sir Courteau). Sir Corteau talks much of his past exploits, glorious feats and victories in battle. He then turns to the player knights. "You are knights of Arthur, what deeds have you done that have managed to bring to you this castle?" He then leans back and awaits a reply. [Modest. Success = they resist Sir Courteau's goadings.] Those who fail must then roll their [Proud. Success = knight must attempt to outboast Sir Courteau. Failure = the knight sits there in an embarrassed and uncomfortable silence.] If one of the player knights wishes to take Sir Courteau to task about his overbearing manner then he should make an [Opposed Modest vs Corteau's Proud roll. Player Success = Sir Courteau again convulses and then falls silent. Critical = Sir Courteau admits his mistake and promises to take a vow of a week of silence each year beginning from midsummer.] If Sir Courteau is successful then nothing happens. The player knight concerned, whether successful or not, receives a Modest check. At no point during the meal does the lady speak. If any knight addresses her directy she miles, flushes and looks down at her hands. However, she still refuses to answer. If pressed she will look imploringly at Sir Courteau, who remains impassive, but still remains silent. As soon as all have eaten fully, Sir Courteau makes to retire and urges the player knights to do the same. "Please feel at home in my castle", he says, "I extend to you my full hospitality. I ask only one boon of you all while you stay here: do not visit the tower chamber under any circumstances. Please do not breach my hospitality". With that he, and the lady, retire. Sir Courteau 6,173 Glory STR: 14 CON: 20 SIZ: 17 DEX: 12 APP: 14 Damage: 5d6 H.P. 37 Unconscious: 9 Armour 14pts + 6pt shield Attack: Sword @22 Lustful 5(15) Vengeful 5(15) Cruel 5(15) Proud 5(15) Indulgent 5(15) Valorous 16 Those knights who failed either their Temperate or Modest checks during the course of the meal awake back in the forest with those who failed their Valorous checks previously. The Tale Of Lady Kerie Those knights who remain at the Castle of Light are woken in the night by screams. [Awareness. Sucess = the screams are identified to be coming from the tower chamber.] Those who listen intently can hear the piteous cries of a woman's voice coming from the chamber. "Oh Lord, free me from this unjust torture, let me die so that I should be held in durance vile no longer." The sound of someone being thrashed can then be heard. The knights now find themselves in a moral dilemma. They have accepted the hospitality of their host and yet are bound to come to the aid of the lady. For those knights that wish to help the lady they must make an opposed Honour vs Hospitality roll. [Honour success = they go to aid the lady. Hospitality success = they feel that not insulting Sir Courteau is more important; it's probably not a true lady anyway.] If the knights investigate further, disregarding the wishes of Sir Courteau, they find their way to the chamber unbarred. Those knights that ignore the cries of Lady Kerie automatically lose 1 pt of Honour for not coming to the aid of a lady in distress and, when they awake in the morning find themselves back in the forest whence they had originally come from. Those knights that ignore Sir Courteau's wishes lose 1 pt of Hospitality. Those knights that go to Lady Kerie's aid, but keep within the letter of Sir Couteau's wishes (by not actually entering the tower room, for example) lose neither honour nor hospitality. Once the knights reach Lady Kerie's chamber all that can be heard is a faint sobbing. The door, it transpires, is not locked. Upon entering the player knights are confronted with a most distressing scene. There lies, on a bed, a beautiful lady of obvious noble birth, with striking hair of burnished copper, wearing a pure white silk chemise the back of which has been ripped asunder. She is not the woman who accompanied Sir Corteau at dinner. On the lady's back can be seen a series of ugly red weals; she has obviously been lashed. Tending to her wounds is a dwarf who carries a cat o' nine tails at his belt. Strangely enough, it is the dwarf, not the lady who is sobbing. The dwarf turns, startled, when the player knights enter. "My master forbids any entrance to this chamber" says the dwarf. "He shall be sorely wroth when he finds that you have disobeyed his request". If the knights advance on this dwarf he backs away saying: "Have mercy my lords, have mercy and listen to my tale before you act recklessly". Any knight who, at this point, strikes the Dwarf receives a Cruel check and, as he strikes the blow, finds himself standing in the forest with those others who have failed in the adventure so far. The dwarf relates his tale: "My name is Humilis and this is the fair Lady Kerie. She is the wife of Sir Courteau and her tale is a most sad one. I have been in the service of Lady Kerie since she was a babe-in-arms. When she first met and married Sir Courteau, he was a good Christian knight, exemplary in all the Christian virtues. I was blissfully happy for them both but then, a few months ago, Sir Courteau disappeared while out hunting and was not seen for several days. This vexed Lady Kerie and she was sore distressed. She was nearly at her wit's end and often swooned. I used to comfort her at night by talking to her, playing chess with her and held her when she cried to help ease her tortured mind. "Suddenly, however, after seven days, Sir Courteau arrived late one night and walked into this chamber while I was tending to Lady Kerie. He flew into a rage when he saw me holding his wife and beat me nigh unto death. He then turned on his wife and beat her also, calling her 'adulteress' and 'whore'. When I recovered, he ordered that I should lash Lady Kerie thrice every night on pain of death for the both of us, while he enjoys the pleasure of a different serving girl each night. In this way does he punish us both for a crime neither of us committed. I beg you, kind sirs, plead our case to my Lord and show him the error of his ways for it is an unjust punishment. This knight is not the Sir Courteau that I once knew." If the player knights agree, Humilis will hand them over a magic salve to heal them of any wounds they may obviously be carrying (Heals 1D6 general hit points). It is, he explains, the penultimate salve he has left, for he has used many on Lady Kerie herself to ease her punishment, unbeknownst to Sir Courteau. (If, in the unlikely chance that no knight makes an Awareness check during the night, Humilis will actively seek out the player knights to tell them the tale of Lady Kerie's foul treatment.) Lady Kerie STR: 8 CON: 13 SIZ: 10 DEX: 19 APP: 22 H.P. 23 Unconscious: 7 Attack: Dagger @5 Chirurgery @ 16 Industry @ 14 First Aid @19 CHASTE: 8 The Wrath Of Sir Courteau The next morning Sir Courteau will greet the player knights in the main hall. He appears to be totally unaware that the player knights have either visited the tower chamber or talked with Humilis (a result of the demon that possesses him ensorcelling Sir Courteau every night). He is with a different lady than that of yesterday [Intrigue. Success = she seems to be a serving girl dressed in courtly finery.] If challenged about his treatment of Lady Kerie, Sir Corteau flies into a rage. "Damn your eyes, sir!", he exclaims, "My personal concerns are none of yours! You have gone against my wishes and all the dictates of Hospitality. For that I shall have my vengeance. Gird yourself for battle sir, I shall meet you in the courtyard in one hour". With that, he thrusts aside the lady and storms off to his chamber to don his armour. Sir Courteau and the chosen player knight will have to fight on foot, there being no horses in the castle. Lady Kerie and Humilis also come to watch the challenge, Lady Kerie leaning heavily on the dwarf's shoulder. Sir Courteau will fight to the death rather than to first blood, seeking to Inspire himself with his Vengeful trait. Sir Courteau shows no mercy to a fallen adversary and if he kills a knight will promptly challenge the next. However, if he feels that he is going to be defeated or is close to unconsciousness, Sir Courteau will beg for mercy. If the player knight allows him to live the character should receive a Merciful check. As Sir Courteau lies there he then exclaims to the knight concerned, "You should have dispatched me, I shall always forswear a grudge against you and your kin for this!". At this point Sir Courteau and the knight should make an [opposed Merciful versus Corteau's Vengeful roll. Player Success = Sir Courteau once again convulses and then apologises fully. Critical = Sir Courteau pledges his allegiance to the knight, begs his forgiveness and praises his Mercy]. If Sir Courteau wins the roll, then he will develop a Hate (knight) Passion which may or may not haunt the player knight in later life, depending on the success of this adventure. The Final Insult and Denouement At this point Lady Kerie rushes forward to aid Sir Courteau, tend to his wounds and help him to his feet. As she attempts to get close, Sir Courteau lashes out viciously at her, pushing her away from him. "I'll need no help from you harlot. I have already been sorely tested by you, so do not try to mock me further unless you want to regret your actions. Should I want a woman to tend to my hurt, then I'll take one of the serving girls." Events will take a turn for the worse unless the player knights intercede. When one of the knights intervenes, Sir Courteau will strike blindly at him. If the player knight does not react, there is a long, steely silence. If the knight concerned strikes back at Sir Courteau in anger, he finds himself standing in the forest camp. If, however, the player knight turns the other cheek, or preaches to Sir Courteau about the importance of forgiveness as a Christian virtue, an opposed Cruel/Forgiving roll should then be made between Sir Courteau and the knight concerned. [opposed Forgiving versus Corteau's Cruel roll. Success = Sir Courteau will once again convulse, all the anger will leave him and he will stand there, crestfallen. Critical = Sir Courteau will beg forgiveness for his behaviour and request a penance as a measure of atonement.] If Sir Courteau is successful then he just stands there, staring at the knight. The player knight should receive a Forgiving check for his actions, whether the opposed roll is successful or not. By this time Lady Kerie, furious with her public humiliation and full of shame because of the way the noble player knights are showing Sir Courteau how a knight should properly behave, decides that one of them would make a more suitable husband than her present one. As they stand there in the courtyard she will walk up to the knight who, in the eyes of the GM, has upheld the Christian virtues the best during the course of the adventure. "Please, take me away from here", she pleads, "you have seen what I must put up with daily. You are a good Christian knight, just as Sir Courteau was, I'm sure we can be happy together. I come from a noble and wealthy family, you would not want for manors or wealth." She looks up at the knight expectantly, her green eyes still piercing bright despite of the tears. [Chaste. Failure = he agrees or, if the knight simply agrees anyway, he again finds himself standing in the campsight in the woods. Success = the knight espouses the Christian virtue of sanctity of marriage or simply says "no"]. At this point an instant transformation overcomes Sir Courteau. He falls to the floor, gurgling and thrashing about wildly. He then lies still and an evil vapour pours from his mouth, eyes and ears. It coalesces into the hazy outline of a demon which bellows once like a tortured soul and then dissipates to the four winds. As the last traces vanish, Sir Courteau stands, looks around in a befuddled state and then rushes to hold his wife. He then turns to the player knights. "God be with you good sirs for now my curse has been broken. I was once a knight who served the Grail and thought myself safe from temptation, but while out hunting I was confronted by a demon which posessed me and turned me towards the ways of the anti-Christ. In such a state would I have remained but for your help for every time you showed me the truth of the Christian way the demon's grip on my soul was weakened and, with your final act the demon's hold over me was broken. I, my wife, and my family shall forever be in your debt kind sirs. I have little that I can offer you in reward other than my service, except for the last of Humilis' salves. Please accept it with our thanks". Sir Courteau insists that the player knights stay another night while he thanks them and prays for their success in future endeavours. He tells the knights that they should seek out King Arthur, if they are not already knights of his, as they are knights befitting of the Pendragon king. He also instructs his bard to compose a lay concerning the virtues of these fine knights to be sent to the court at Camelot. Eventually, Sir Courteau suggests that they all retire for the night and that he will speak to them further in the morning. When the player knights awake, they find themselves in the campsight in the woods fully healed and full of the joy of God. Of the light or indeed of the castle itself, there is no sign. Aftermath The knights' fame precedes them and by the time they reach Camelot they are all spoken of in hushed and revered tones, Arthur himself having been read "The Lay of the Knights of the Bright Castle". Sir Courteau and Lady Kerie will be at court, Sir Courteau prepared to fulfill his vow of allegience. If the knights are not already men of King Arthur, he grants them a manor and friendship of the court. If they are, then he will allow each knight to ask him for one favour (Of course truly Modest and Temperate knights will decline the offer, or ask for something trivial). Moreover, although the knights will not know it, they will automatically succeed their next roll on any of the Christian virtues against which they received a check during the adventure. Each character receives glory equal to the value of their Christian trait(s) ticked, plus 100 additional glory for successfully completing the adventure. For those that decline King Arthur's offer, as means of a final test, they gain an extra 100 Glory. -------------------- The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial electronic 'zine about Chaosium's Games. In no way should it be considered representative of the views or beliefs of Chaosium Inc. To submit an article, subscribe or unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.org. The old digests are archived on ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.