tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988704982736069552.post3866218333404395101..comments2010-10-25T06:14:53.835-07:00Comments on Saturday Night Pendragon: 507: Raids and RansomsBoneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07002385549246608134noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988704982736069552.post-53813520811272117832008-05-21T15:38:00.000-07:002008-05-21T15:38:00.000-07:00BRANDEGORIS the unlucky This year started out to...BRANDEGORIS the unlucky <BR/><BR/> This year started out to be a good one. Lady Priscilla and myself were finally starting to settle into our new life at Tilton and had put all of the bad occurances related to the place behind us. We had just begun to plant the harvest and the summer was hurrying along when a messenger came from Count Edar and told us of the mission to the old iron mine near Woolsthorpe. <BR/> Im not sure where we went wrong on our mission except perhaps that we should have just observed the surrounding lands and not disturbed them.The whole affair was a shambles and after we tried to burn and raid nearby villages and fields to get the saxons to meet us for battle, they did and we fled only to be ambushed and captured while fleeing. At least Count Edar's son Siriol who is acting as squire for Padern was not captured like the rest of us were. <BR/> Padern , Gwair, and Avitus were imprisioned while I was taken on a feasting tour through Sorestan. It seems that my fame over the Hambone incident in Kent some years ago was known in North Logres as well. As we toured I was made to get into Hambone throwing contests with saxon challengers for the entertainment and delight of the saxons who for some reason found the affair amazingly amusing. It did not seem to bother them that I killed two of my challengers. It certainly didnt bother me. <BR/> The only good thing was that I got to see Lindsey again and also study it's defenses. I also became familiar with the new saxon nobility of Sorestan and learned more about Saxon religion and culture. I now know my enemy a bit better, learnig a few words of their rough tongue.I even came to like a few of them. Oscwine became a good companion and upon leaving Sorestan their king gave me a polished hambone before ransoming me. It was , im, sure a subtle insult, but I embraced the insult instead of get angered by it and decided to take pride in it. On the way home Oscwine carved runes into the bone. He said they were runes of blessing and power. I later had part of the bone sheathed in iron, and shod with large studs.they took my mace, so that now I wield the bone in battle, and oscwine christened it skull crusher. I like it. Oscwine and myself vowed that if we ever met in battle and defeated the other we would give one another a quick and honorable warrior's death.<BR/> I also stopped by Allington on the way back. Its really changed since the old days and i dont believe the peasants there are happier than any other. I swept Edars family graves clean and weeded them then said a prayer for my Lord.<BR/> I got home to discover that Padern and gwair were not their. No one had Gwair's ransom, and padern refused his ransom if Gwair was not released. I had a little money, sold a horse and lastly, have up my family saddle which had been my grandfathers which he had recieved as a gift. It was originally brought to our lands fro far off Dacia, and my grandfather always said it held magic. I guess it did for it helped to magically free my companions. I helped outfit my friends by selling the furniture in my hall and Priscilla gave up the necklace I bought her in London as well as Queen Morgans ring. The same ring she had given me for escorting her to Gorre all those years ago. <BR/> the year had been bad but I felt better now that i was home with my lovely lady who was 7 monthes pregnant. We argued over where to have the child and I said Leicester because its more comfortable and warmer with more physicians. In truth I am a bit superstitious when it comes to Tilton. I have had bad luck there and with all the bad luck already this year I didnt want to risk the birth there, but priscilla dismissed my fears and said a good christian didnt need to fear these things for God would provide. You can imagine my madness and grief when my new I discovered that the accursed Tilton took my wife and unborn daughters life in childbirth. After the first week of madness in which I drank constantly and lived like an animal, Icame to my senses a little and decided that God had no real power. At least not in Tilton. I vowed not to be at peace with a god that would not help protect those I love. Father merle believes it eas my lack of true faith for which I was punished. Bugger father Merle then. <BR/> As if in retribution for my denounciation God caused a fire to be started in my village and destroy 1/10 of my hamlet, and the logging crew I had hired earlier in the season to harvest my good trees ruined my woods by their foul practices( Their foreman was often too drunk and careless with a greedy eye, I was told later), and incompetence. Now the wood is good for little. No trees, no hunting. Nothing. All-in-all it was in fact the worst year of my life and I spent the entire winter deep in my cups with a notion to burn Tilton to the ground. I probably would have too if I wasnt so horribly drunk all the time. Gwair and Padern tried visiting me once during the winter but found my foul mood and coarse appearance to be too muck to handle. I think they were trying to be supportive but I can't remember much of what they said for I was too drunk. I released Tom from his oath to me and told him to go back to Hertford but he said he wouldnt and even when I chased him away angrily striking him around the head, he just found an old hovel to winter in. I didnt know he was still there and stayed loyal to me until after the winter. <BR/> I decided not to destroy myself and Tilton when I had news that King Nanteleod was planning on fighting Cerdc. I got sober, cleaned up, and decided to die on my feet like a warrior. I was delighted to find Tom and apologized to him, then I had my servants dye my clothing black, and I blacked out my shield. I was at first inly going to paint over the christian cross as a symbol of my defiance of God, but somehow in my mourning the whole shield seemed necessary. I will Never end mt mourning nor take another wife or even a woman to my bed, and as a symbol of my eternal mourning I will forever be Brandegoris the black. <BR/> I sent my children to be cared for by Lady Christine because if I have my way I will not be coming back from this years battles against the south saxons. I will kill them with my spear, with Skull crusher and then I will do my best to kill while I am being slain myself. If God has even the slightest mercy in him then he will grant me a glorious death, and allow me some true peace. We will see.brandegorishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03082618381091601895noreply@blogger.com