The Great Pendragon Campaign: Epic Play-Through Year 501

Summary: Our group is attempting a complete run of the Great Pendragon Campaign  using 5^th edition rules. Players are Matt, Mark, and Lilith. I am the GM.

Year 501

The sixth year in the Anarchy Period, there is no king in Britain.

Our current roster of characters:

·        Sir Safrax, played by Lilith.

·        Sir Quintus, played by Matt.

·        Sir Aeddan of Pitton, played by Mark.

King Cwichelm of the Angles makes a surprise attack, capturing the counties of Hertford and Huntington before anyone can raise an army to prevent it. He continues to advance, but is stopped by the combined armies of Salisbury and Rydychan. While away fighting the Angles, Salisbury is left open to raiding from the Jutes of Kent, retribution for failing to pay tribute. A new Saxon chief arrives and sets himself up in Portsmouth, luckily mostly fighting other Saxons on arrival.

In Wales, Escavalon conquers Norgales, solidifying his hold over the entire region.

Saxons also kidnap Ygraine and her daughter Morgan from the nunnery where they were staying, but all the Saxons are found mysteriously dead and the two ladies unharmed. The young Morgan is perhaps the cause of the deaths. Sir Safrax, Sir Quintus, and Sir Aeddan then accompany the pair northward, where Morgan is married to the king of Gorre.

At winter court, a clamor of Saxons demanding tribute, including an emissary of King Cwichelm, who claims dominion over all other Saxons. Allies counsel caution, and pressure mounts from Lindsey and Wales to become subjects for mutual defense. The knights counsel the Countess to wait and see before committing to anything. Duke Ulfius of Silchester also sends an emissary asking to join the Salisbury alliance.

Thoughts: The alliance is holding pretty strong, although the pressure is mounting. Due to their political maneuvering, Salisbury is actually in a much stronger position this year than the book assumes. They now have strong provinces coming to them to join, rather than having to actively recruit. King Cwichelm is a huge threat, though, but luckily the Saxons don’t all get along or else it would end very badly for the Britons.