The Fort
After several weeks, we are back to our Pendragon campaign. Remembering what happened last session after these gaps is always a challenge. There had been a large fight with Saxons, which we had won, rescued some peasants and grabbed some loot which the Saxons had possibly taken from the Lady of Chalke.
So what next? Do we need to get the peasants back safely, or go try and find the Lady of Chalke?
Lady Chalke was still alive when the peasants last saw her, which was possibly the day before yesterday. We send the peasants and our Saxon prisoners north back to a town, along with a few of our sergeants to look after them.
The rest of us head south. A couple of hours later, one of our scouts point out that there is someone hiding in shrubbery alongside the road ahead. Our scouts are able to route them out – and they turn out to be a couple of peasant children. However, they look quite well fed.
What are you doing there?
The girl notices that we’re not Saxons, which is very observant of her. She says that the Saxons have taken over an old Roman fort, and are based there. Despite their sibling rivalry, they confirm that they were part of her Ladyship’s household, and managed to escape when the Saxons came. The Saxons have cages, and have people locked up.
We give the children some food and water, and suggest that they head back towards the town. It’s probably safer than tagging along with us.
We plan to head towards where an old Roman Mansio was. Then someone remembers that there is a hermitage nearby, so take the children there. There is much confusion about where we are going, and what might be around. Personally, I think it would be best to send the children back, but everyone else wants to bring them with us.
As we approach the hermitage, we notice that there is a pillar of smoke coming from there. It appears that the Saxons have provided them with over-roof heating, which the hermits are trying to put out.
The hermits are willing to look after the children, and also one of them offers to guide us to where the Saxons are hiding.
We reach the edge of a palisade, where a small bridge crosses a stream. The fort is on a hill, with a wooden palisade. Where we are seems to be a back gate, and there is a larger gate on the other side. Our scouts report that most of the Saxons are asleep. There is a Saxon near the back gate, but is dozing. They don’t seem to be very prepared.
Our scouts open the back gate, and we sneak inside. Myself and Sir Lupinus run through the Saxon on guard near the prisoner hut. He is surprised, but not killed. Sir Madog runs up to one of the sleeping Saxons, stabbing him, and then battle is joined.
Some of the Saxons were awake, so leap to their feat with their swords.
Our Saxon surrenders, so we make him fast with bow strings. I run around the back of the buildings, looking to take out anyone at the back of the fort whilst everyone else is fighting near the front. There is a Saxon warrior trying to open an outside gate, so I run towards him.
I run up to him, and put my sword to his neck and demand his surrender. At that point one of our archers shoots him, and the Saxon collapses.
Everyone else is either dead or captured.
The prisoners say that some of them were sold to Moors yesterday. However, there is a Lady still being held here – who identifies herself as the Lady Claire of Chalke.
We could burn down the fort, or we could garrison and fortify it.
There are some strange silver coins, possibly worth about £15 by weight, which we distribute amongst the knights, serjeats and archers.
We get back to Ebble with our Saxon prisoners and the rescued peasants and Lady Claire.
