Cornwall - Tales

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The Pendragon Throne

1105 AF

A group of Harts under the command of the Duke Of Gloucester raced against Imperial agents to recover the Pendragon Throne.

More details to follow.

Succession From Albion

1104 AF

Skathen forces allied to Albion unleashed a horrific plague upon Imperial forces in Cornwall, which caused massive casualties amongst both the civilian populations and Albion's own battalions. In the aftermath of this event General Rozewyn Pervaine of the Cornish Battallion declared the duchy independant of Albion and withdrew Cornwall from the war against the Empire.

More details to follow.

Lundy & The White Tower

???? - 1103 AF

The White Tower upon the Isle Of Lundy became the focal point of events at The Gathering Of Nations in 1103 and the final defeat of the servants of the Eater Of Worlds.

More details to follow.

The Return Of King Mark

1102 AF

The dread figure of King Mark of Cornwall rose as an unliving of immense power and marched an army of the dead across the duchy. His forces clashed with Albion's troops at Kingsfield, in an encounter that turned into the wholesale slaughter of both the soldiery and any other living creature within the sight of Mark's army.

More details to follow.

The Effects Of The Civil War On Cornwall

17th June 1096 AF

The horrors of this war disturbed me more than any other. We were all ill prepared for such battles against the Unliving. The putrefaction of the foe and the stench almost caused the strongest amongst us to flinch. The administration and caring of an army in the field against such a foe are almost beyond mortal men. The only thing that saved us was the un-enterprising manner that Lady Katrina used her forces.

The need for purification after such a battle of the soul and body was so difficult to achieve at the time in Cornwall. Most of the water courses were polluted by the Unliving Armies. I have rarely seen the rivers run with such a colour. It was good that the army drunk beer wine and spirits. I certainly washed and shaved in beer during this time and drank boiled water or that with vinegar added. The sickness over this time was thankfully contained. The destruction in Cornwall was extensive.

The Lions as a force was almost broken by the experience and had not yet considered rebuilding their infrastructure. Jaddvor Erland did not as a sign of good will to the large relieving force offer to pay anything and charged the armies for any reason he could. Most of the monetary burden of this campaign rested upon the Harts who also took with the Dragons the brunt of the fighting. To increase the insult, he has decreed that any Harts henceforth found on his lands would be killed.

The Battle Of Bristol

17th May 1096 AF

By nightfall Bristol could be seen in the distance. An armed camp was set up with constant patrolling of the Incantors to warn against Unliving infiltration attempts. Several of these were foiled during the night. Duke Calin and General Tarn were very active at this stage to see that all were suitably prepared for the toil of the next day. Upon the early hours of the morning, came the sounds of battle from the East. The Army of Exeter was under attack. Little support could be given at this time.

Just before dawn the army was roused from its uneasy sleep. The army was arranged in three battles with a strong reserve held behind the centre commanded initially by Lord Calin himself. It was known that this was going to be a battle of attrition. All supplies and support troops were closed up to the front. Relays of food and water from field kitchens were carefully arranged by me to feed them where they stood.

Many tales of heroism will be told of this day. The soul of the Harts army was worn so proudly by Lord General Calin, General Tarn and Sir Hugo Charenten. These were often found in the midst of the fiercest fighting standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of the Hunters, the Karlennon Wolverines, and the Hawkshead Archers. The Dragons, the Harts and the small Unicorn contingent were severely taxed as the fighting raged for over 12 hours. During the fighting, units were skilfully rotated under the watchful eye of Lord Calin and his capable captains. Just after 7 O'clock, there was no longer the sounds of battle from the Exeter. Jaddvor Erland with his tired defenders made a few half hearted sallies from the confines of Bristol.

Some time in the afternoon, Lord Schadel Ra confronted Lady Katrina in her camp. This distraction caused her to lose her control over some of her legions and caused the battle to degenerate into one of slaughter. The Unliving legions no longer manoeuvred and the higher Unliving became easier to deal with. Schadel was not seem for a few months after his courageous confrontation and many feared for his safety.

Clan McKinnon with their normal youthful enthusiasm buoyed no doubt with the Beer ration from Hereford efficiently moped up pockets of resistance. These were ably assisted by the Incantors wedges, the distinctive Ice Elves and the Lios Alfar under the watchful eye of Wulfgar, Attila the Nun and Lady Kathen Fairchild. Their assistance will be remembered long in Albion. With other healers, I tended to the cares of the wounded to the limit of our meagre resources. My sword was already by this stage broken but my hopes were rising.

At dusk, the fighting was finally over. I met up with old friends from the Knights of the Dark Sun and the Beastmen. Sir Robert Boyd and Sir Jamie Douglas were glad to see me with a full canteen and well provisioned as ever. The deeds were clearly written upon their faces. In the distance was Lady Akijah Na'Shaar with her quiver long empty, so Lord Calin could not be far away. His triumph could be seen on his face.

By about 9 O'clock, the smell of the funereal pyres pervaded the field. Under the careful supervision of High Incantors the opposing army were burnt so did not come back to plague us again. The wounded and the exhausted were found shelter. The Piquets reported no further contact with the enemy.

Bristol was relieved. Lord Calin finally retired to sleep, the sleep of the just, after he received news of victory before Exeter. My cloak covered him where he slept. Around him were his loyal Hunters. He was so tired that he was unable to take up the offer Jaddvor Erland of a feather bed in Bristol. Lady Katrina had escaped. In my long years, I have never seen an army through absolute fatigue sleep where they fought. Thankfully there was no surprises in the night.

The Battle Of Exeter

16-17th May 1096 AF

A detachment from the main body camped late on the 16th May the army led by Lord Pleb within sight of the Unliving Army. The battle for Exeter began a couple of hours after dark when the Unliving launched a pre-emptive assault on the camp who were swiftly stood to arms. Moments later a massive wave of Unliving overran the perimeter. Initially each man fought where he stood but gradually they formed more coherent units as the night advanced. The hard onslaught continued throughout the night until at dawn the danger of the Vampires lessened and the exhausting slaughter of the lesser Unliving started. Sir Ravoes Che'Dana of Knights Arcane died of fatal wounds as he fought with a vampire who was attacked Lord Caradog.

The coming of the dawn caused the power of the higher Unliving to lessen, but their intelligence and cunning still meant that the matter was not yet decided. The Exeter garrison was too weak to sally out in support of the relieving force. It was not until midday that Baron Amion Solitaire and Baron Gerrick Fighting leading the Harts were able to link up with Baron Lachlan at the head of his Paladins of Danu.

At about 3 O'clock, the final attempt by the Unliving to storm Exeter occurred. An hour later, a host of Unliving was raised behind the army. This caused panic amongst the Dragons that allowed one of the aid stations to be overrun. The Stag Knights, led by Captain Don Calamari, took advantage of this incursion into our force's rear areas to infiltrate the enemy ranks. These came upon a group of Vampires sheltering from the sun in a dugout. In a short, bloody struggle, these minions of Satûn were despatched and returned to dust. Soon after this, the back of the Unliving resistance was broken. All that remained was to cut them down with minimal losses.

Before dusk, the army was able to mop up the Unliving and few escaped. The night of the 18th of May was relatively untroubled overnight. The townsfolk and the relieving enjoyed the celebrations of victory and gave the Keys of the City to Baron Lachlan. The next day, Baron Lachlan with most of his host departed to the Dragons gathering to relay the news of his victory.

The Angel of Death

1096AF

At the beginning of this year, in the "free-port" of Bristol, a bizarre and dangerous creature appeared. This creature, which described itself as a Angel of Death, was allegedly sent by a demon by the name of Golgomoth. Golgomoth demanded the death of Edmund d'Addernoir, and when those present refused, it was decreed that this Angel of Death would arrive at midnight that night, and slay all within the Coliseum.

All was not lost however, and after consultation with Schadel, it was determined that the incantors should summon the Angel before midnight and then bind and dismiss it. In order to do this they required three items, three words of power and a soul to sate the appetites of the Angel!. The items were found and the words were gained through three tests, one of Subterfuge, one of Arms and one of Wisdom. The soul was offered by a brave individual from House Mezir Gerrett.

The Angel was summoned, bound and the poor drow led off the Angel of Death had some parting words for the assembled crowds. "You have satisfied me this time, but I will be seeing you all again very soon."

It seems to me that this thing has not done with us all yet and our fate is as uncertain as that of the poor unfortunate from house Mezir Gerrett. I would advise all to be vigilant It will almost certainly return, perhaps at the moots or at the Gathering itself

Captain Robert & The Cornish Rebellion

789AF

In the year 789AF, regional unrest arising from a dispute concerning war taxes, erupted into full rebellion and a bid for Cornish independence, led by the then Baron of Pendrinn. Stephen III sent Crown troops under the command of Captain John Robert of Keswick to put down the insurrection.

Having stormed through the rest of Cornwall, Captain Robert prepared to lay siege to Caer Pendrinn, to where the Baron had retreated. Shortly before midday, and an hour before low tide, the Captain and his men rode out onto the Sands with a last demand for capitulation. The Baron appeared high above on the Caer ramparts, and sent his herald out to parlay. Back and forth went the messages, and as time passed the cavalry horses became increasingly skittish. And then, within the space of a few short minutes, the tides swept around the sands, cutting off retreat to the mainland. All but twenty men and thirty one horses were drowned, including Captain Robert.

As the King became ill and died shortly afterward, the momentum of the Cornish military campaign was lost and it was left to his daughter Queen Igraine to negotiate a settlement in the first few months of her reign. As a result, the Dukes of Cornwall acquired the post of Steward of Albion. Although there has been considerable conflict in Cornwall in the three hundred years since then, there was no serious suggestion of independence again until succession under Rozewyn Pervaine in 1104.