What is Pendragon Online About?

[Gareth]

Pendragon Online™ is a game set in Britain during the age of King Arthur, Merlin, the Ladies of the Lake, and the Knights of the Round Table.

It is a game about grand adventure, noble chivalry, heart-felt romance, noble virtues, magical enchantment and true miracles.

You will play a hero or heroine in adventures and plots designed to emulate the tone and spirit inspired by the original literature, myth, and history of the Arthurian legends.

Pendragon Online is based on the King Arthur Pendragon™ roleplaying game produced by Green Knight Publishing.

[Gareth]

Venture into King Arthur's Britain! Become a new-made knight or young lady of the court, or perhaps a squire or damosel on your first great adventure into the broad world beyond your home.

You have travelled to the great Tournament at Portholme Meadow near Huntingdon where you can joust and challenge others to duels afoot or ahorse for love and honor, try your hand at archery, make lasting friends, reunite with family members, perhaps flirt and fall in love, sing of your heart's contents, compose or recite tales of adventure to entertain, spread your fame or the fame of others, race your horse along the river banks and through the fields, explore the marvelous and enchanted countryside, go hunting or hawking, and encounter the grand and curious people high-born and low.

Just beyond the tournament grounds stands the impressive castle of Beale Valet. Your host at the tournament, Earl Dafydd, is lord of this shire. You hear he is seeking to expand his household with fine knights and ladies to serve him and his distinguished daughter.

His occasional guests include no less than High King Arthur Pendragon himself! The High King is co-sponsor of the tournament, and has made clear he wishes to meet those who do well and show promise to fill his household, his knightly orders and army commands, and his government offices. His beauteous Queen Guenever is organizing a new School for Ladies, another School of Arts, and a Court of Love. She wishes to meet those of gentle and courteous comportment and civilizing talents to bring into her royal service. Maybe one day you can serve the High King or the High Queen personally!

The Knights of the Round Table and the great lords and ladies and religious leaders of the lands shall also be in occasional attendance. Who knows who could become your mentor, your sponsor, your liege, your friend -- or your enemy?

The new Royal Heralds will generously reward those who do well with riches and lands on behalf of the grateful High King, but moreso, they shall bestow immortal rewards of Honor, Glory and Esteem, while declaiming the actions of the Honorless, the Notorious, and the Villainous.

The King's advisor Merlin the Magician has made prophecies of the great deeds that shall come from those who attend the tournament, while Morgan le Fay is reported to have foretold that for some this tournament shall be their sure doom. The Archbishop has wisely said, regardless of one's inevitable fate, one's life and soul will be judged by the deeds they shall do, or fail to do, at this great event. The challenge is there for each to answer as best they may!

The flower of Britain's youth is gathering. Strangers from afar have arrived by sea and road. Surely this is not to be missed! In all of Britain, this is the place and the time to find adventure.

[Gareth]

Pendragon Online is a mix of various themes.

• Medieval Arthurian Chivalry - Tales drawn from and inspired by 11th - 15th Century literary sources: Heroic, Epic, Romantic & Tragic. Malory, the Vulgate, the Grail legends, Cretien de Troyes, Wolfram von Eschenbach. Not Britain as it was, but as they imagined it ideally -- as it 'should have been'. It is a world of epic fantasy, chivalry and romance. Of strong knights jousting, and the sovereignty of brilliant and beautiful ladies. Of glorious deeds and honor, and estimable good works, and generous lords and ladies. There is also the antithesis built in -- the tragic end, the darker side, the fatal flaws of humans. This is the crux of the human drama. This is the "noble" life, regardless of birth or station, whether one is a king or queen, a knight or lady, a simple peasant farmer or ascetic hermitess. The goals are clear: Glory, Honor, Esteem, Virtue, and Passion.
  
• Dark Ages History - Britain and Europe c. 6th Century AD. The irrefutable reality of the change of Celtic Britain to Saxon England and the turn of Pictland to Scotland. The progress of Christianity, and the retreat of Druidism and Paganism. A world of historic changes and the personal experience of those who witness it. The goals here are survival, security, alliance and victory.
  
• Medieval Historical Anachronism - Arthur's glorious reign brings remarkable technological progress and social changes of the 'future' -- developments of the 11th - 15th Century. Arms and armor, fashions and customs advance far faster, and Britain will prosper, so long as the king is just and the land ruled well. Currently the realm is in a "12th century" mode. The court will be dressed in "Norman" fashions from about the time of Stephen and Matilda (c. 1140) when the game begins. Here the emphasis is more on the 'reality' of feudal obligation, politics, economy, and social structure. The goals here are prosperity, social influence and courtly prestige and position.
  
• Natural & Enchanted Britain - Leave behind the bustle of town and castle and find wild adventure. Explore the land where lions, bears, and wolves roam wildly, and where noble peregrine falcons soar. And so too do giants, trolls, and the occasional dragon! Or seek the Questing Beast, of which dread tales are told of the sound of baying dogs coming from its monstrous stomach, and knights who pursue it led to their doom. Or seek an entrance to Faerie, and cross over to the Other Side -- if you dare! Here too will be more of the tales inspired by Celtic legend: the Mabonogion, Peredur, and other stories of mythic British heroes. Of living saints wandering the woods and pious hermits in remote caves. The goals are to explore the world and satisfy your curiosity. Hunt or hawk or fish, or find wild flowers and rare herbs. Find a supernatural mystery or monster. Defend yourself from the occasional beast or bandit, and enjoy a life in the wilds.
  
• The Isle of the Mighty, land of Myth & Miracle - Britain is renown the world over as the center of many supernatural events. Fate is playing out in a hidden way, for those with eyes to see and ears to listen, and minds open to the truth. Christians and Pagans, Saxon Wotanic and heathen Pictish worshippers vie over the sway of the people and the land. Old gods and ways give way to new ones. Science seeks to explain what faerie seeks to leave as magical. Merlin, Morgan le Fay, Nimue and the Ladies of the Lake, and the mysterious powers of the Grail Kingdom and the dark King Klingsor of Castle Mortal all seek to influence the outcome. The Destiny of Britain lies at stake. The goal is to learn of the secret and mystic powers shaping the nation, and join or thwart their attempts.
  
• Basness: Villainy, Notoriety, Infamy and Evil - Some people are not good, or do both good and bad. They are filled with beliefs, passions, and schemes that run counter to the general ideals of the world. Villainy is subjective. It is someone who stands in opposition of a well-understood good goal or ideal. In certain cases, this will be an antagonist who is driven by specific animosities or rivalries. A purely personal villain. For others, they shall be societal villains. For example, the Saxons are "villains" compared to the Britons, who are, generally, to be portrayed heroes of the tale. They are more than competitors. Their society rewards deeds contrary to the ideals of Arthur's world: cruel and callous deeds are respected instead of merciful ones, proud words are appreciated instead of modest and meek ones. Villains are often driven by perverted or contrarian ideals opposed to chivalry, or religious or romantic virtues. They lead a life lived ignobly. Evil is a higher form of villainy, just as a chivalrous paragon is more than just a knight. It is more than just villainy. It is the worst excesses of it. Those who are evil or commit evil deeds work in pure malice. They seek not Esteem or Glory; they seek to cause outright harm. They might have a twisted sense of "Honor," but it is held perverse or bankrupt in the eyes of others. Base characters can gain Notoriety from minor villainies, dishonors and distreputable acts. Outright Infamy is due to those who commit true evils. This is the darker side of Fame. However, since this world is a heroic one, villains should expect that they should lose in the end. The world will let them have their fun, but in the end all good villains should let the heroes have their due.
  
• Fun, Entertainment, and Joy! - This is our hoped-for out-of-character theme, which you can help us establish and keep! We are here to enjoy ourselves, and to bring out joy in others. Pendragon Online will reward those who create opportunities for fun for others, and those who seem to be having the most fun themselves. We encourage you to "get into your part," the same way a band would invite an audience to get out on the dance floor. "Come on now! Everyong on their feet!" We also understand manny are happy to sit back and watch. You can simply clap along with the music we shall make! And of course, like all good entertainments, there is a time to put it away after a while. We hope to see you again! This is epic roleplaying: surely there will be tragic events, dark depressions and fugue states. Yet we hope these depths are projected so we can see our heroes rise to their triumphs or mourn their glorious passing. We want our players to enjoy playing their parts. We want people to be proud of and pleased with their game roles, their creativity, and the community we shall build together.

[Gareth]

For those not familiar with the "Dice & Paper" game:

What is King Arthur Pendragon™

King Arthur Pendragon™, 4th Edition -- complete game rules and background for gamemasters, knights, ladies, clergy and magicians.

King Arthur Pendragon™: Book of Knights -- Basic game rules for beginning gamemasters and background for knights.

The Arthurian Companion, 2nd Edition -- the 'who's who, what's what, and where's where' for King Arthur's Britain. Not a 'roleplaying' product, but a reference volume for general interest consumers, students and teachers as well.

These and other Green Knight Publishing books and supplements provide the framework of the world. They allow players to understand the nature of the game as it is translated to the online media, and answer the question "Of all the different conflicting sources and stories, which King Arthur is this?"

Onwards to adventure!

[Gareth]

Introduction

This is an age of heroism as King Arthur and his companions chivalrously stave off the gathering darkness of villany and barbarism. His reign is a time of gentleness amidst the chaos, a dream impossible to sustain forever, and founded on fateful flaws which shall bring the entire story to its tragic undoing.

This game portrays the legendary era of King Arthur Pendragon, the mythical ruler who leads the invincible brotherhood of heroes called the Knights of the Round Table. He is in the early part of his reign. One day, but not yet, he shall unify Britain, vanquish the Saxons, and even conquer the Roman Empire -- at least in the romances. The myth of Arthur's world has grown over the fifteen centuries of its literary existence, added to by many authors, whose ranks you are about to join.

It is a land where jousting and romance are the common sports, and where killing enemies is daily work. In this arena Chivalrous, Romantic, and Religious virtues struggle against ignoble and savage passions and worldly motives. Characters are clothed in noble court fashions, and equipped with medieval customs and morals.

It is a time of glorious and deliberate anachronisms, brought together because they are the gilding of King Arthur, a timeless hero. To start with, we have two chronologies crunched together. The dates and politics are those of the sixth century AD, the so-called Dark Ages or Early Middle Ages, when King Arthur really lived (or so we like to believe). But the customs, arms, armor and fashions are those of the High Middle Ages, c. 1140, when the literature about him was first being written.

As a result, in this chronology feudalism was instituted by Uther Pendragon circa 480-495, in the style of his contemporary, Clovis of the Franks. Chivalry, which refines the brute ways of knighthood, is introduced by young King Arthur after he ascends to the high kingship in 510. Romance, the art of fine amor, is popularized by Queen Guenever after her marriage to Arthur in 514.

This setting is not fair to people who live outside of King Arthur's benevolent rule, and does not strive for game balance for everyone. The untamed and independent Britons, Saxons, Irish and Picts who defy Arthur's rule must rely upon their own barbaric cultures, devoid of the anachronistic gifts which feudalism, chivalry, and romance deliver. Their warriors might be addressed as knights, and their chieftains might be called kings, but these enemies of the Pendragon are deluded and are destined to be conquered by him.

Between the kingdoms of men lie the mythical domains of Faerie -- great dark woods and bright shining fields unexplored by human foot or thought. Entire kingdoms of immortals lie beyond and within Arthur's realm. Their cities and castles appear and vanish like mist. Their magical residents, such as the Green Knight, often visit the world of men. In turn, bold human questers enter the Faerie realm to seek the greatest adventures.

From the domains of Faerie comes the magic which enchants Britain in Arthur's time. Merlin the Magician, Morgan le Fay, and the Lady of the Lake are the foremost practitioners of the occult arts, casting enchantments with their own hidden goals. There are also other lesser magicians, especially among the followers of the old Pagan and Druid ways. Ancient rites echo in the lonely places, within groves and beside standing stones in the wilderness, and folk tales and songs speak truly of a world filled with enchanted wonders, such as dragons, giants, and the Thirteen Treasures of Britain.

Then there are the Christian clergy -- bishops, priests, monks, nuns, wandering mendicants, wizened hermits and hermitesses -- including true living saints capable of working miracles in the name of their God. Angels and devils also work in the service of their respective powers of Heaven and Hell. And somewhere out there, people say is a Holy Grail which awaits the hero who shall fulfill the prophecies of ages.

The world of Arthur is sometimes not at all what it seems, and much is yet to be discovered.

Pendragon Online™ is a game about knighthood and being a lady -- it celebrates the spirit of nobility and virtuous living. It compares and contrasts the beauty and high chivalry of the literary romances with the brutal reality of the Middle Ages. The game tries less to adapt the milieu to the modern mind than to instruct the modern mind to the milieu. It is a realm of paradoxes: inspirational love and festering wounds; communication with mysterious otherworldly fae and brutal worldly plunder; ecstatic spiritual visions and stillborn children. The beauty and inspiration of the legendary world take on depth and meaning within this contrast.

[Gareth]

The Opening Political Situation: 516 AD

King Arthur has been on the throne as High King of Britain for six years. He survived the first rebellions against his rulership, but more enemies lurk in every corner of the isle.

After drawing the sword from the stone in London in 510, not everyone immediately recognized Arthur as the true High King. He had to fight against the rebel Twelve Kings, which he finally defeated at the Battle of Terrabel in 512.

In 514, High King wed Princess Guenever of Cameliard, daughter of King Leodragrance of Cameliard, one of Arthur's earliest and most loyal supporters. Leodegrance was also a loyal supporter of King Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon (who reigned 480-495). King Leodegrance was entrusted with the Round Table during the Interregnum between Uther's death and Arthur's accession to the throne.

King Leodegrance, grateful for Arthur's leading of a relief force to fight off his enemy, King Ryons of Norgales, and pleased with having the High King himself as a son-in-law, gladly presented the Round Table to King Arthur as his wedding present.

Arthur re-formed the Round Table during his wedding celebration, and has been adding knights steadily to his companions. He also has two other tables: the first for Errant Companions, and one for Lesser Companions.

The Queen's Knights were also founded during the wedding festivities. These are men sworn to the Queen's protection, and to do deeds of chivalry in her name.

King Arthur and Queen Guenever are quite in love. Their romance has inspired others to follow their example, and the Queen has created rules which all true lovers obey, and even founded a Court of Love for the resolution of disputes of the heart.

Beyond Arthur's realm gather determined foreign enemies. Britons who still refuse to submit to his reign, as well Saxons, Picts, Irish and French.

The Present Setting: Huntingdonshire & the Castle of Beale Valet

Huntingdonshire is north of London, west of Cambridge. It is the domain of the Earl of Huntingdon, a position granted by the High King to a trusted noble. It is not hereditary, but only lasts the duration of the appointed Earl's life, or until the High King revokes the office. It is a small land, bordered by fens and forests. Earl Dafydd is the current ruler; he was appointed by Uther just before he died at the Battle of Saint Albans (495). In the 21 years of his rule, the land has tenously staved off invasion by the Saxons on repeated occasions. It was Dafydd who had the Castle of Beale Valet ("the Good Servant") built, dedicated to the memory of King Uther, and with the purpose that he would hold this land from passing into Saxon control.

The great Roman road of Ermine Street runs north-south through the shire, and the River Dubglas (also called the Ouse) bisects it from the northeast to the southwest. Ermine Street is also called "the King's Road;" it heads to London in the south, and north to the British towns of Lincoln and Eboracum. Control of this major highway is vital for the defense of the realm.

The Dubglas is a navigable river for the small ships of this day, up to the Roman-era bridge that spans it along the path of Ermine Street.

The Saxons are always a problem. To the east lay fenlands, and to the east fields and woodlands possessed by Saxon tribes and roving warbands: mixed populations of Saxons, Angles, Jutes, and Frisians.

The Castle of Beale Valet sits upon the River Dubglas controlling the bridge crossing, and preventing raiders from moving further inland and upstream. It serves as the Earl's seat of power, and the King's loyal bastion against foreign enemies in the region.

The Grand Assembly of the High King & High Queen of Britain

King Arthur has commanded that young knights from across Britain be sent to this town, to join a great and ongoing Grand Tournament of Portholme which he has co-sponsored by the Earl. This on-going Tournament is no less than a school for training knights, and a forum wherein knights can show their martial and courtly virtues. Part tournament, part collegium, part army camp -- the days are spent in practice or in hunt, the nights in feasts and gatherings. There shall also be a College of Heralds founded, to train Heralds in their art and teach Marshals to run and adjudge tournaments properly.

Also to this town Queen Guenever has commanded that young ladies be sent from across Britain to attend a School for Ladies which she has founded. In parallel and peer to their male counterparts, the High Queen has created a place where women can be educated to perfect their talents, their skills, their charms and virtues. Industry, healing, literature, the domestic arts and sciences -- including, stewardship and land management -- the days are spent in learning, the nights in gentle company. The Queen also wishes to sponsor a School of Arts, to gather the most creative talents in the land to the Royal Court, and moreover -- to convene her Court of Love for the resolution of suits of the heart.

All of these activities -- the Tournament and founding of the noble Colleges -- are far more than just a holding of court. It is being called the Grand Assembly.

King Arthur and his Queen seek to recruit from this Grand Assembly new members of their Royal Court. But first, one must prove themselves before they are welcome to the elect.

Yet this ideal world is threatened at every turn. Human passions cause strife and discord. Intrigues and plots abound. Traitors and spies hide in the guise of loyalists. Villains, criminals, and enemies of the crown outright flaunt the rule of the just. They must be stopped!

Opportunities for heroism abound.

Welcome to the world of Pendragon Online™!

[Gareth]

Twelve Rules of the Round Table

1. To Never Lay Down Arms

2. To Seek After Wonders

3. When Called Upon, to Defend the
Rights of the Weak With All One’s Strength

4. To Injure No One Needlessly

5. To Never Attack One Another

6. To Fight for the Safety of One’s Friends

7. To Give One’s Life to One’s Country

8. To Seek Nothing Before Honor

9. Never to Break Faith for Any Reason

10. To Practice Religion Most Diligently

11. To Grant Hospitality to Anyone,
Each According to His Ability

12. Whether in Honor or Disgrace, to Make a Report With the Greatest Fidelity to Truth to Those Who Keep the Annals

— Giovanni Boccaccio,
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium
("The Fates of Illustrious Men")

[Firetear]

Originally posted by Gareth
12. Whether in Honor or Disgrace, to Make a Report With the Greatest Fidelity to Truth
to Those Who Keep the Annals

— Giovanni Boccaccio,
De Casibus Virorum Illustrium
("The Fates of Illustrious Men")[/size]

I really like that rule. Makes me want to play a keeper of the Annals.

-Firetear

[Gareth]

There is a huge difference between King Arthur as a historical figure and as a literary-mythical figure.

Historical Arthur

The Historical Arthurian age starts about the "Age of Arthur" -- somewhere as early as the 2nd and as late as 7th Century. No one is really sure. Most scholars peg him somewhere in the 5th to 6th Century.

Others see Arthur as an amalgam of many individual personalities all rolled into the same legendary figure. This "Historical" Arthur has sources that go on to the 16th Century to "prove" he existed, often by abbeys or towns that wanted to attract patrons, pilgrims and tourists. Most of the earliest sources are at best fleeting and indirect in reference to whoever might have been "King of the Britains." Many pet theories abound on the topic.

Green Knight Publishing's games, including the King Arthur Pendragon dice-and-paper roleplaying game and Pendragon Online, put King Arthur's life from his birth at Tintagel Castle in 492 AD to his death in 565 AD at the Battle of Camlann. This is not his "real" age of birth and death. It is just where the original game designer, Greg Stafford, decided to plant his banner.

Pendragon Online will not be focusing on King Arthur as a "historical" figure, though it is important to understand the 5th-6th Century situation in Britain to have a good understanding of the politics of the tribal Romano-British, Saxon, Irish, and Pict cultures. This is often called "sub-Roman Britain" in the academic circles, or "the early medieval period," or in the vernacular, "the Dark Ages."

Literary-Mythic Arthur

The Literary-Mythical Arthurian age starts about the 12th Century, has its peak about the 13th with the French "Vulgate", and then has its denoument with Malory's 15th Century "Le Morte D'Arthur."

The literary Arthur is the one we have a far firmer and clearer picture of. His Knights of the Round Table are mentioned by name in list after list. Their heraldry was designed and recorded in books. Their adventures fill volumes. Their religious-mythic corpus of the Holy Grail is akin to an extension of the New Testament.

And it is practically all complete fiction!

It is this King Arthur -- based in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain," Cretien de Troyes, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and others, the anonymous authors of Sir Gawaine & the Green Knight and the French Lancelot-Grail "Vulgate" cycle, and culminating in Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur" (which was a great redaction of the Vulgate). It is these literary-mythic sources which will serve as the basis of Pendragon Online.


We call these works "the Canon." Some works are more canonical than others. There is a sort of precedence:

• Malory
• Vulgate
• Geoffrey of Monmouth
• Wolfram von Eschenbach
• Cretien de Troyes
• Mabinogion & Welsh Annals
• Others

Matters that are found in a "higher precedence work" of the canon are usually taken as the "correct" version of the tale. However, some tales might have specific tellings that supercede the higher-level canon. For instance, we find out about, say, Duke Klingsor of Castle Mortal in Wolfram's "Parzival." So we might use him as a source since he does not appear in Malory and his existence as portrayed in Parzival does not refute or obviate Malory's work. However, were we to take the life of Parzival and use it instead of the Malory character "Percival", then we might run into various issues. In Malory, he dies an unmarried man in the Holy Lands. In Wolfram, he is a married man that lives "happily ever after." So we'll make choices to streamline and synthesize from all the variations on a character to produce "the best" version.

Anything past Malory's work, published in 1485, is considered "modern." We might let the Elizabethan poet Spencer, with his Faerie Queen, to slide under the wire, but anything else is past the corpus for consideration on what we adapt.

People who are used to Victorian retellings, or Howard Pyle, or T. H. White's "Once and Future King," or Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon," or the movies "Monty Python & The Holy Grail" or "Excalibur" -- just about every 19th-21st Century fiction or mass-media source -- will likely have to put down some expectations to re-learn King Arthur from the canonical 11th-15th Century literature.

Green Knight Publishing's portrayal of Arthur the mythic "Once and Future King" can be found in both the King Arthur Pendragon and Pendragon Online roleplaying games. Our King Arthur is centuries old from his traditional sources yet new and contemporary. Moreover, he is completely fictional. He is drawn from an amalgam of the best of the literary sources.

There should be a vibrance to the man and all the other characters of the "Arthurian canon" who we think you'll be pleased to experience. Guenever, Gawaine, Kay, Merlin, Morgan le Fay, Igraine. Though this will be a complete fantasy, we hope you will feel as if you have finally met "the genuine article."

Arthurian Historical Sources -- 6th to 16th Century Works

Arthurian Historical & Literary Sources -- 12th to 20th Century Works

Copyright (c) 2003 -- Peter Corless, Green Knight Publishing

[Gareth]

The Oath of Chivalry

As part of being a chivalrous knight, one swears to uphold the following:

"To protect the widow, the orphan, the poor; not to slay a vanquished and defenseless adversary; not to take part in a false judgement or treason, or to withdraw if it cannot be prevented; to never give evil counsel to a lady; to help, if possible, a fellow being in distress."

Duties of Chivalry

A chivalrous knight must use his skills to protect the weak, spread culture and civilization, and uphold the law of the land. He must strive to bring the king's justice to all.

-- Adapted from King Arthur Pendragon, 4th Edition, page131.

Copyright (c) 2003 - Green Knight Publishing

[Gareth]

Four main powers affect Arthur's reign in south Britain:

a) Logres - High Feudal British Culture - Cosmopolitan, chivalric, romantic, aristocratic, civilized, idealistic, lawful, just, and merciful, spiritual, mostly Christian.

b) Saxons - Anglo-Saxon Culture - Rural, energetic, ruthless, proud, strong, pragmatic, lawful, xenophobic/racist (oppressive, slave-taking), tyrannical, entrepreneurial, worldly, mostly Wotanic.

c) Cymri - Tribal Celtic British Culture - Rural, energetic, proud, passionate, strong, mystical/superstitious, mixed aristocracy and tyranny, mixed hospitable & xenophobic, mixed Pagan and Christian.

d) Romans - Urban Romano-British Culture - Metropolitan, industrious, lawful, prudent, pragmatic, xenophobic/racist (insular, suspicious), self-governing, mostly Christian.

Beyond this are the Picts, Scots, and Irish. Those forces, mostly in the west and north, will be discussed in a subsequent article.

Arthur's problems are manifold.

His own kingdom, Logres, comprises central and south Britain. It stretches from London to the borders of Cornwall, along the borders of Cornwall, Cambria (Wales), up to Carduel (Carlisle) along the Wall. Yet much of the east and south coasts, what was formerly Logres, are now Anglo-Saxon. Arthur only won by conquest an alliance from the King of Malahaut (Yorkshire). Other than that, Lincoln is the furthest north and east Logres traditionally extends.

Logres operates as a feudal state, with knights guarding its defenses, and strong castles dotting the land. If this sounds more like 12th Century England than 6th Century Britain, welcome to the anachronistic effect of King Arthur.

Technologically, the "feudal" British use the arms, armor, culture and organization of the 12th Century. Even those who oppose Arthur but border his realm, such as Malahaut or Cornwall, have this sort of "anachronistic aura" around them. It's King Arthur's special effect which makes this game ahistorical.

The Cymri nominally include all Britons, but some Cymri consider themselves far more "British" than "Roman." They see Arthur as "Roman" because it distances his claim over them. These Britons hail from Cambria (Wales), Cumbria (north of the Trent to the Wall), and Caledonia (north of the Wall). They do not see themselves necessarily as subject to the High King. This resulted in open rebellion against Arthur early in his reign and forced wars of unification just so Britons would unite with Britons. The Saxons had a field day with this! They raided the rebel's lands while their armies were off fighting King Arthur.

Arthur has sought and been granted the allegiance of only some of the Cymric kings. A notable hold-out is King Mark of Cornwall, who declares himself openly independent. Arthur maintains that even Mark owes fealty, but has no time or resources to press the issue presently.

Technologically, "tribal" Cymri have the weapons, arms, and culture of the 6th Century AD. These are usually in rural areas of the land who refuse to work with King Arthur, or are beholden to their "old ways" even if they hold fealty from the High King. They are not "stuck in time" but will progress and adapt "feudal" technologies slower than Logres. There might be a touch more "enchantment" to differentiate them from real 6th Century Britain.

The Romano-British, who call themselves "Romans," are quite proud of their heritage in their own way. Yet they've been reduced to hunkering down in their old walled cities. They are very conservative and generally let the rest of the country fall into ruin, preserving their own families and way of life. Even London's population is far below what it had been in prior centuries.

Their ancient villas in the countryside are mostly empty now, or were taken over by squatters and barbarians who house farm beasts indoors and light greasy, smoky fires in the middle of decorative mosaic floors. The Romans bitterly recall the riches and glory they once had. This leaves most Romans suspicious of Saxons and fellow Britons alike.

Technologically, the Romans can be either be "historical" (6th Century) or "feudal" (12th Century) in their arms and armor, but trend towards the former the more they withhold their allegiance from the Pendragon.

King Arthur has gained the allegiance of most of the former Roman cities, yet many see him as far too "British," and often refuse to follow his edicts without dickering and negotiating for their "rights" under Roman law.

After six years on the throne most Britons (though certainly not all) -- including traditional Cymri, Romans, and the new feudal lords of Logres -- have all sworn allegiance to Arthur. Those who support him see him as the leader of all Britons.

Those who oppose him point out his support for their antithetical neighbors, rival kings and tribes, concerns for their parochial needs, and doubts of his ability to succeed. It's enough to reduce even a strong king to weariness!

That leaves the Saxons. They are usurpers and conquerors of a great deal of what was traditionally the south and east of Logres. Most of them openly want war, bloodshed, and conquest. A few have made signs of readiness to negociate, but treaty-making with Saxons is like having a dinner party in a den of vipers. Even if nine of ten do not bite, all you need is one mishap to fatefully end the evening.

Arthur will be seeking to continually ensure the allegiance and alliances of the Britons, while also trying to present a strong front before the Saxons.

The Picts? The Irish? The Scots? Arthur can only deal with them once his own lands are in order and his kingdom secured. They are distant concerns right now. Yet even so, he still needs to stay abreast of their politics and the concerns of his people who may be in closer proximity to their threats.

Maintaining the unity of the Britons is his primary task. Britain is stronger now than just about any time since the Roman empire withdrew. That is saying a great deal, but is still a very shaky proposition. The perils to Arthur's realm are many. Some are quite impressed, and liken Arthur's power to that of Aurelius Ambrosius or Uther. Yet Arthur is keenly aware of how easily it can all slip away from him.

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