From: gretchen@remarque.berkeley.edu (The OTHER Gretchen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Honor Bound, a writeup
Date: 23 Jan 1993 23:38:53 GMT
Organization: Little Hopping Green People
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: remarque.berkeley.edu
Originator: gretchen@remarque.berkeley.edu

This campaign started out as a pick-up game done very late at night,
but we were so amused by the final dilemma that we decided to extend
it into a full-fledged campaign.

Eric, the GM, was kind enough to write up the first two sessions, and I
typed it in to email to Kallen.  I thought it might be of some
interest, so Eric gave me permission to post it.  I changed a few of
the name spellings where he didn't have the correct spellings, but
otherwise all typos or misspellings are mine.  The setting is basically
historical, but with some history changed to fit... and magic exists,
though its use is debateable and not generally known...

Enjoy,

Gretchen Shanrock
gretchen@mica.berkeley.edu
========"*Some* fathers have nice daughters who lead quiet lives.  But, no,
         *my* daughter had to be a PC!" -- What Lord Cardiff would say
                                           if he knew he was an NPC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HONOR BOUND - by Eric McColm, Copyright 1992

Excerpts from "A Midsummer Night's Emergency," and "She's a Witch, Burn Her!"

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Gretchen Shanrock       Lady Rosamond de Clare of Cardiff
Christofer Bertani      Huw the Smith
                        Squire Christian de Turberville of Coity
Brad Solberg            Boaz the Merchant
Mike "Kallen" Ellis     Daffyd ap Owein

From the wedding invitation of the La Fleurs of Caernarvon:
     ...On the First Day of May in the year Anno Domini 1207, the eighth
year of the reign of John I, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord
of Ireland and Wales, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Count of Anjou,
Lord August and Lady Marienne La Fleur of Caernarvon invite All and
Sundry to join in celebration of the union of their daughter Roseanne to
Sir Goeffrey Saint-Pol-de-Leon, Heir and Champion of Birmingham, in Holy
Matrimony.

From the News of the Day, May 15, 1207, Caernarvon Castle, North Wales,
recorded by Father Desmond, Chronicler to Bishop Dotson of Caernarvon.
     ...On the Fifteenth Day of May in the year Anno Domini 1207, in the
fair city of Caernarvon the Great Lords whom His Majesty hath seen fit
to vest his authority in the Province of Wales, did convene all their
Knights and Noble Lords of the Field, and all Noblemen skilled in the
Arts of War, to hear the testimony against the False Knights Sir Randal
of Chester in England, Sir Garth of Chester in England, Sir Charles of
Chester in England, and Sir Ogremore of Dolwyddelan in the Highlands of
Wales, charged as they were with Treason and Murder, Impious Deeds, and
Taking Arms Against Their Noble Lords, in the matter relating to the
Taking of the Lady Gwynethe of Bangor, a maiden of excellent virtue.
     These four knights did take Lady Gwynethe from her chambers in
Caernarvon Castle, and did slay several guards, squires, and pages, and
the good Lady's seamstress, whose excellent skill is well known.  Thus
did these four false knights mortally offend Lady Bangor for her person,
Lord Bangor for his daughter and his servants, Lord Caernarvon for his
guests, and Bishop Dotson of Caernarvon for the safe conduct he had
given to all attending the Ceremony of the Wedding.
     Lord Caernarvon roused himself, and all said his face was terrible
to behold.  He rode directly after the false knights with a great
company of Knights and men-at-arms, but their quarry deceived Lord
Caernarvon with false trails.  Only eight heroic knights took the true
path, and pursued the false knights to ground...
     ...And coming to the oxbow in the river the eight heroic knights
did spy the four false knights camped at the rivers edge in the bend of
the bow, and their prisoner restrained near them.  Here, these knights
took good stock of their Crusades against the Infidel, and knew that
they could not charge these false knights, for they were armored, and
were wont to slay the Lady Gwynethe as she lay helpless...
     ...Sir Peltis of Cardiff took a mighty gulp of air, and swam from
the far banks of the river to the near, not minding the current or the
cold, and emerged with silence behind the false knights, and set upon
them armed with courage and with his dagger, and armored only with the
damp of the river.  At his emergence, his companions....charged down
from the hilltop upon the camp.
     On their triumphant arrival, these good knights saw and swore to
Heaven that this be Truth, that Sir Peltis of Cardiff had himself slain
four armored knights with but his dagger, and freed the Lady Gwynethe
himself...
     Thus it was that Sir Peltis of Cardiff was proclaimed the Champion
of Chivalry in All Wales, by acclaim of his Peers, there being no dissent.

From the News of the Day, June 21, 1207, Whorton Castle, North Wales,
recorded by Brother Arden, acolyte to Father Clifer of Whorton.
     ...The arrival of the de Clare Household, being as they travel from
Caernarvon to Cardiff, caused much joy, for Lord de Clare of Cardiff is a
wealthy and gracious Lord, and has volunteered from his great travelling
stores to contribute to the Feast of the Pentecost to be held on the
morrow.
     Lord Ronald and Lady Amanda Whorton of Whorton greeted with good
grace the young son and four daughters of the de Clares, who are all of
great beauty as is their mother.  The ladies did make much commotion
over the recent daughter Elaine Whorton born this spring.

From the News of the Day, June 22, 1207, Whorton Castle, North Wales,
recorded by Brother Arden, acolyte to Father Clifer of Whorton.
     Dreadful news has befallen Whorton Keep.  The baby Elaine is
missing this morning.  The chambermaid has fallen asleep during the
night, and was found still sleeping by Lady Whorton in the morning.
Lord Whorton has ordered all the lands searched high and low, and
everything upended to find the child.  Thus with all proper dispatch,
Lord Whorton, Lord de Clare, and well over one hundred knights and
men at arms are combing the countryside.
     Even the young Lady Rosamond de Clare of Cardiff has attached a
smith to aid her as she playacts at finding the missing babe.  Lady
Rosamond claims that the kidnapper did climb the sheer sides of Whorton
Keep and charm the chambermaid to sleep by arcane arts.  This is of
course impossible, for no man living could mount the sheer walls of
Whorton Keep, let alone without making a mark, and the Holy Church
protects the castle and all these lands from Unclean Spirits...
     ...Alas, Lady Rosamond has gone missing, with Huw the Smith, Lady
Rosamond's prize mare, and the man-killing warhorse of Sir Peltis.  I
fear some double tragedy may be in the offing for both Whorton and
Cardiff...
     Also with the evening comes captives taken on the roads around the
keep.  Two outlaws are found, and are hanged as fits their crimes.  A
travelling merchant by name of Boaz, an Unbaptized Jew and dealer in
weapons of war, is apprehended with his daughter and all his goods.  A
witch is taken in the nearby villages and brought to justice at the Keep.
     The merchant Boaz is brought before Lord Whorton and gifts the good
Lord with all his wares.  At Lord de Clare's suggestion, Lord Whorton
presents a gift in return to Boaz, an ornate bronze staff shaped as a
walking stick, tall as a man and quite heavy, from the treasuries of
Whorton Keep.
     The Lord works in ways both Mysterious and Wondrous, for as the
evening deepened, by the grace of God, Lady Rosamond returned to Whorton
Keep with the infant Elaine Whorton, accompanied by Huw the Smith, and
her mare and the missing warhorse.  There was much rejoicing at their
return, and all gathered to hear Lady Rosamond's tale, which is dutifully
recorded here.  Alsas, the accuracy of the tale comparing to the truth
must be left to Judgement.
     Lady Rosamond and Huw the Smith, investigating the walls of Whorton
Keep, found faint signs that the walls had been scaled by skilled
climbers, adn that the chambermaid watching the baby Elaine had been
charmed into an enchanted slumber during the night.  They decided that
skilled climbers familiar with the arcane arts could be found in the Forest.
     Rosamond brought to Huw her own mare Star to ride, while she by
friendliness and an apple rode Sir Peltis' feared stallion Muffy.
Riding this terrible steed, she plunged into the forest, Huw following
close behind.  Thus they came to ride in the great forest on Midsummers
Day.
     Casting about for sign of a trail, they find but a single track.
After following this for some time, Rosamond details that she no longer
recognized the plants growing by the side of the trail, as if they had
journeyed some great distance.  At last, they came to a meadow divided
by a river, and the river spanned by a bridge planked with sword-edges.
By the side of this bridge, they spied an immense statue of a turtle, as
large as a house.
     Lady Rosamond aspired to attract the attention of the statue by
smiting its nose with a staff.  To her amazement, the statue opened one
great eye and regarded her, before returning to its slumber.
     Lady Rosamond seized upon an idea, and brought herself and Huw to
stand upon the back of the turtle.  Then she bespoke kindly to the
turtle and asked it to convey them to the far side of the river.  The
turtle bestirred itself ponderously and walked across the bridge, whose
bright swords had not the virtue to pierce its stony feet.  Once upon
the far side, the turtle returned to its rest.
     Lady Rosamond and Huw the Smith then regarded their next obstacle,
a forest that walked as if a great host, that being possessed of hatred
of man did mean them some injury.  But Lady Rosamond discovered this
legion was filled with a fear of cold iron, and they shrank from the
nails of Huw the Smith.  Thus Lady Rosamond passed unscathed to a meadow
in the wood.
     In this meadow floored with bright flowers, Lady Rosamond spied a
long low house of undressed logs, the entry to which was barred by a
huge man in bronzed armor.  Presenting herself to this giant, she asked
entry to this house, which was rudely refused.
     Lady Rosamond prevailed on this giant to ask her a riddle, that
should she answer, would gain her entry to the house.  The giant riddled
     "My golden orb calls my servants to my cause;
      my silver crown displays my noble wise;
      my living staff holds my head above the crowd;
      I stand in meadows green in noble guise."
     To this, Lady Rosamond was much confounded.  After much thought,
she answered "A daisy."  This gained her entrance to the house.
     Lady Rosamond describes the inside of the long house as a place
like no other on this earth.  The floor is stone, and is swept clean and
bare, so that no mark of foot may be seen upon it.  Stone inlaid with
tile of many colors, some like shell, some like glass, covers the floor
from wall to wall.  Bright lights fill the hall, chasing shadows to far
corners, and no smoke rises from the lanterns.
     Two thrones look upon the hall, one occupied by a middle-aged man
well accustomed to the weight of his crown.  The other throne is empty.
     Lady Rosamond presents herself and Huw to this foreign King, and
asks after the baby Elaine.  They are directed to the Court Magician,
and whisked off by powers unseen to his very laboratory.
     Lady Rosamond describes the laboratory as an unclean place, filled
with all manner of bubblings and fumings, and many unspeakable things
are stored there.  She confronts the Court Magician, and they argue for
many minutes.
     Being shrewd and clever, the Court Magician tricks Lady Rosamond so
that her words turn back upon herself, and she is confounded.  But his
tongue betrays him to say that he cares little for humanity.  Indeed,
his purpose is to acquire a human child for sacrifice to save his realm
from sinking into the consuming ocean.  The magician presents her with
an alternative, that a human Noble be presented for marriage to the
Nobles of this land and live out their life in this land.
     Thus tricked by Devilry, Lady Rosamond pledges herself to this bond
should another not be found, to secure the return of the infant Elaine.
But in her defense, it must be recorded that this Pact with the Powers
of Darkness was made to save the child, without gain for the part of
Lady Rosamond herself.
     Thus with custody of the child, she takes her leave of these
strange halls and returns to the lands we know, returning just as the
sun is setting.
     If Lady Rosamond is to be believed, and the legends of this land
are taken into account, it seems that she has several times escaped
certain doom by the Grace of God and unacustomed cleverness.  But if
her tale is not believed, there can be little doubt that some common and
ordinary tale lies at the center of these lies.
     Frankly, Lady Rosamond is a rebellious child, in turn disobedient,
impious, disrespectful, proud, and in all ways unbecoming of her Gentle
birth, save only her likeness to her mother and the brilliance of her
father.  It is difficult to account for her tale with other than
suspicion.
     To her credit, if such be said, there can be added the timing of
Lady Rosamond's return to Whorton Keep with babe in arms.  Lord Whorton,
who piously fears God and serves the Crown as all men should, has
prepared by time of her return to prosecute the captured witch.  And so
he brought the witch Dinah to trial for her crimes.  It is well that the
child Elaine was found, but her return necessitated the lessening of the
charges against the witch, to the glee of the Evil One.
     Lady Rosamond herself wished to talk to the witch, as it was heard
that the witch did mean to cast a curse against her father Lord Cardiff.
Fortunately for her soul and safety, this meeting their host would not
permit.
     But at trial, Lady Rosamond asked to question the witch, which she
did at some length.  They spoke of medicines and secret aids and cures,
as Lady Rosamond is well skilled in midwifery and the healing arts.
Deceived again by this glib tongue fed lies directly from the Pit, Lady
Rosamond argued inthe defense of the witch, saying she was merely a
midwife of great learning.
     Saints be praised that Father Clifer was not deceived.  He asked
but three questions to reveal the truth through all deception.
     "Are you baptized?" Father Clifer asked.
     "No," the witch replied, admitting she had no blessings from
Heaven.
     "Did you learn your knowledge from men, from women, or from books?"
Father Clifer asked.
     "From women," the witch replied, admitting that she traded in
secrets not approved by the Church and taught in ways most impious, for
what Christian soul would consent to being educated by a woman?
     "Would you assent to baptize every child you delivered into the
world?"
     "No," replied the witch, admitting she would lead others astray as
she was so led.
     This, Father Clifer proclaimed, was proof enough.  The wise
gentlemen assented, and the witch is sentenced to be burned for her
crimes at dawn.

From the Diary of Duchess Jeanette de Clare of Cardiff, June 22, 1207.
     By the Grace of God and with newfound paitience, I have come through
another day.  This past Pentecost gives new meaning for me to the 23rd
Psalm.  Our hosts' youngest daughter Elaine went missing in the morning,
her chambermaid having fallen asleep in the night.  The men searched all
hill and dale to find the babe, while I helped with the search of the
castle.
     But soon after I heard my own daughter Rosamond had gone into the
forest on Midsummers Day.  Tales have it that she must return by dusk or
be lost forever, and indeed the woods of highland Wales are dangerous by
night.  Sir Peltis also reported that she had taken his horse, and I
feared the great charger would trample the young girl; the beast had
trampled a groom to death this spring.
     How pleased I was that she returned at all!  And she returned with
Elaine in her arms.  Furthermore, she had even taken good care of the
trusty smith she had drafted to her cause, and neither her mare nor the
great charger were lame or injured.  Oh, if only this daughter of mine
had been born a son!
     But as my daughter returned safe from the forest, I knew I must
discipline her for her disobedience and ungracious conduct.  I should be
used to this by now.  Once again, I was in such a state that I gave the
task to my husband, as he is so stern and commanding as to strike fear
in even the most mischievous child.
     My daughters...they are such a trial.  Now they are jealous of the
attention given to Rosamond.  I fear the lass has become a local
heroine.  What would the Bishop say?

From the Diary of Lord Henry de Clare of Cardiff, June 22, 1207.
     ...Lord Whorton is a good man, but he and all his men could not
find a pig in a pantry.  This, combined with the difficult terrain,
contrived to keep us from our goal, and all we accomplished was to mete
out overdue justice on a few bandits.
     We returned after this fruitless search to find my daughter
Rosamond missing.  Suspecting she was running true to form, I determined
that nothing important was missing, broken, or on fire.  She soon
returned, with her mare, Sir Peltis' great black stallion, a local
smith, and the baby Elaine.  All without a scratch.
     There are times that girl is a trial to me.  Especially when she
shows me up.
     While I was still filled with injured pride, my dear wife gave to
me the task of Rosamond's discipline, and then she retired to bed.
     That night, Lord Whorton put the woman Dinah on trial for
witchcraft.  I thought this in poor taste, given it is a High Holy Day
and there are visitors in the castle, but he is my host.  I sent my
children to their mother, except for Rosamond, whom I could not find.
     Just as I found her and was about to send her to bed, she asked for
permission to question the accused.  I reminded myself that she is a
Lady now, and I must allow her the space to set her own mind.
     I was impressed.  Rosamond performed admirably as inquisitor, and
summed her arguments with conviction and logic.  Alas, she argued to
acquit the witch, and tht Lord Whorton was not willing to do.  As ever,
she spoker her mind without heed to the consequences.
     The priest of this castle asked a few questions, and condemned her
for reasons I did not follow.  I must remember to take up the matter of
proof of witchcraft with the Bishop; I am unfamiliar with it.

From the News of the Day, June 23, 1207, Whorton Castle, North Wales,
recorded by Brother Arden, acolyte to Father Clifer of Whorton.
     We are betrayed!  For the second night, evil forces have invaded
the castle by night!  The witch Dinah, condemned for her vile deeds, has
escaped from chain and rope and is free to do the evil tasks of her
master again.  Lord Whorton has placed a bounty on the head of the witch.
     Sir Ladrys, one of Cardiff's knights, leads a small party to the
village where the witch was caught, taking with him his noble squire
Christian and Cardiff's Champion of Archers Daffyd ap Owein.  Lady
Rosamond accompanies this party.
     On their return, it is said that the priest of the village, cursed
by the witch, was suffering from indigestion.  The Reever of the
village, also so cursed, had a bout of the fevers.  Worst of all, the
village elder, a tree dating back to the Welse Kings, had wilted and was
dropping leaves at midsummer.
     A warren of unclean moles was found at its roots.  At once, Sir
Ladrys arranged that the warrens be flooded, driving the vermin to their
destruction.
     The concealment of the witch's actions behind the stomach and
fevers shows the subtlety of the Evil One.  But these vermin burrowing
in the roots of the tree must be straight from the Pit.
     The Infidel Boaz and his beautiful daughter Leah left after midday
today.  His load is much lighter for his gift to our Lord Whorton, and
perhaps he will learn not to live by even selling the sword.
     The Cardiff houeshold departed for the coast today.  Lord Cardiff
thanked Lord Whorton for the hospitality and the entertainment, at which
they had a merry laugh together.

From the Diary of Lord Henry de Clare of Cardiff, June 23, 1207.
     ...Sir Ladrys rode with Rosamond to a nearby village where the
witch was caught.  He reported to me later that Rosamond is a willful
and independent girl, and does not heed to the dignities of ladylike
behavior.  He likes her.  I wonder if she reminds him of young squires.
     He also reports that Rosamond discovered the charges against the
witch seem to be true.  The pirest, said to be struck down by a curse,
was struke down by meal made from moldy grain.  The village Reever was
also cursed with fevers, an ailment common to these parts even in
summer.  He and I agreed these charges were groundless.
     But the village tree was infested with vermin of a kind he had not
seen before.  He dealt with them by flooding them out of their warrens,
in a way that brought to mind the Aegean Stables of myth.  It would be
fitting that Sir Ladrys should know the legend of a hard-drinking
warrior of the Greeks.
     Unfortunately, that there is any evidence of witchcraft leads me to
believe the charges against the witch are true.  It would be best to
drop this matter, lest the overzealous priest of this castle say some
embarassing things about my daughter...
     ...All is in readiness.  We are leaving Whorton Keep this day, and
I will be glad to quit its walls.  With such events as we have seen, I
can little doubt that God did not mean fathers to bring their daughters
here.
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