Things get even weirder, and a sad goodbye...
Lady Christine and The new Priest couldn’t make it this week, and the Druid Cassandra was late (to fairyland with the lot!), so we start with the 5 spectral knights (blue, red, green, white, purple) and Lady Leanne, and cohorts Hobb and Hubert.
The team is marching north to get to the Lady of the Lake, to hope that she will take them to King Arthur’s in time to save him. On the way, they run into a tower that was not there before (!). In front of it are some giants and in one window a female figure is spotted.
The knights approach and address the giants (stone giants), who in turn demand that the knights swear allegiance to “King” Albion. Each of the five giants is wearing hide of a different colour (red, green, blue, white, purple), and claim that the human lady told them she had a dream in which they would become invincible if they wore these colours. So the knights each had a matching colour giant to face off against.
While insults were being traded, Lady Leanne sneaked into the tower via Spider Climb and rescued the lady inside via Air Walk, but this caused the lady to scream about devil sorcery (in a thick Scottish accent). The scream alerts the giants and combat actually begins.
The green and purple knights actually go down and need to use fate points to survive. The red knights uses fate points to get off an obscuring mist that lets him sneak away. He then uses ventriloquism to make the giant think he was still inside. Lady Leanne uses call lightning a lot. Eventually the good guys win, although it takes a bit of luck (Toby’s magic device gets used, and the giants turn to stone, one by one). And then various mists (of the appropriate colours) rise from the giants and touch the various knights, changing the colours of their helmets.
The new lady says that she lived in a castle in Scotland, and a mist descended upon her, and then all the people disappeared except her, and then she and her tower were in a new place, with these giants! She was surprised to find out that her tower was in Ireland. Sir Hubert agreed to escort her home, while the rest of the troupe continue on their important journey.
Later, they find a badly written note asking them to leave money or face “the wrathe of mee”. Prince Caius in scorn leaves a single silver piece. An arrow comes out of the woods, and pierces Sir Toby, wounding him into unconsciousness. The party searches for this guy, and through a spot check and warp wood on his arrows, he is found before he can do too much damage. He is a yeoman, and is captured. Later, he escapes his bonds. Others try to track him down but he is too wily. They eventually find a log with some of his clothes on it and a note saying they are worthy opponents. They do keep some of his magic gear, including a great bow.
Finally, they get to the lake, but the water seems all polluted. Then no less than five black dragon heads come out of the water! (Mirror image spell, suitably modified). Combat ensues. Sadly Sir Toby falls in this combat (his third near death experience in this session alone, since he nearly got killed outright by the Yeoman, and had to use fate points to save himself from the Giants) beyond the help even of fate points. Others fall but can be saved with fate points, including late arrival the new Barbarian (played by the guy that played the Knight that died last time) and Lady Leanne. Both are given new instructions by Oberon, as is the druid Cassandra. The barbarian actually plays a ghost for a while in the combat, resulting in even the dragon becoming shaken.
The instructions, particularly to the minstrel Lady Leanne, are: Spread the message, especially to children, that there is a funny old elf that will give toys to them if they are good. And be cheerful and good oneself. Oberon is trying to live off of the beliefs of children in order to save the (now quite wintry) Fairyland and the old faith in some form. Who knows, he may even succeed. Lady Leanne does not like the enforced cheerfulness that she is required to project, but it seems necessary for now, at least to Oberon. He seemed quite taken with the White Hart of Lady Christine – it may give him an idea or two. He has also taken to wearing a red robe.
Also, Cassandra did not end up in the fray immediately; she was accidentally sent to Africa, and relied upon the help of a dryad who was there, as well as some fate points, to join her companions.
With the Green Knight dead, the spectral knights are lessened. A green mist arises from the coin that is what Sir Toby’s body transforms into and goes away…to the house of Sir Toby’s parents, where his younger brother takes his bow, which has mysteriously turned green, and begins his adventures. He hears a voice tell him to seek out King Arthur, when he first touches the bow.
After all this, the dragon is finally killed. A wooden monument is found, and carved into are the words “On Sept. 14 (two weeks back), 1284 (this year), Sir Friedrich slew the hag of this lake, in the name of the one god.” It is signed with the family symbol of Sir Anton. Sir Friedrich is Sir Anton’s oldest (and older) brother. Oh, the drama! The pathos! It seems that Sir Anton’s brother has slain his patron, the Lady of the Lake of the North!
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
