The Perilous Forest

Gregor nods to Sir Wolston in agreement. "Food and a roof sounds welcome to me Sir Wolston."

Sir Wilfred agrees to stay, and to contribute to the party's expenses.

The abbott decides to slaughter a pair of chickens for dinner, and roast them. A warm stew and country bread will accompany, he decides. He leaves you to yourselves, and wanders off to attend to dinner. The simply boy follows and comes back with some heavy blankets for you to sleep on.

Maid Maude is invited to stay with the countess in her small hut, and Fenwick will like you, sleep on the church floor. He goes off to make himself useful chopping wood to keep your lordships warm during the night. (He says that kindly enough.)

Dinner goes a few hours later, served on a long board shaved flat, that the abbott and the simpleton carry in and rest on a back bench. Bowls are available, but you each have your own eating bowl and utensils. The two women return to the church to sup with you all.

Father Dyddion says a prayer and blessing for the meal."Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and throughout the ages. Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ, whose name is above all things, we give Thee thanks and praise Thee because Thou hast deigned to give us a portion of Thy goods and nourishment for our body."

Sir Wilfred follows the prayer with much devotion, praising the Lord for his meal. "Amen" he concludes after the Father ends talking. "May our quest for truth be successful, and help us restore peace in these parts!"

"Amen" says Gregor in unison with Wilfred and the others.

"Your hospitality will not go unmentioned, Abbott," Wolstan says after the blessing, and his first few slurping bites from his bowl of stew.

Sir Gareth follows Father Dyddion back into the church. At mealtime, he wonders what plans were hatched while he was keeping an eye on the priest outside. He eats heartily and resolves to ask about the plans once the priest leaves them alone.

"How many people are about your domain?" asks Sir Wilfred to the abbot, genuinely interested.

"There are few, son, who heed Christ the Lord out here in the wilds. I have hope that the many hundreds of heathens who live here will turn from their hateful ways and embrace the Good Book. It will be a life's work, but He will see me through it."

The Christian faith is new to Britain, and Arthur was one of the first nobles to embrace it.

That night as you may sleeping in the church floor, the Pictish warrior (who when asked gently refused to enter the church and sup with you) wakes you in the night. His incomprehensible words of his language are scattered with a strong wind outside, but he gestures animatedly toward the road, and pumps his spear a few times.

Danger nearby? Or approaching?

Gregor looks to see that his companions are awakened by the commotion. If any are not, he stirs any them saying, "The Pict is urging our attention to something." He then grabs his sword without fully armoring up and waits for the others.

Sir Wolstan is slower to wake than some of the others, and he blinks away his troubling dreams as he sits up in his nightshirt. When he understands what's happening, he dresses quickly. "To arms!" he says, pulling on trousers and boots, tunic and chain shirt. Greaves, shield, and sword are next, and then the man is rushing after the others.

"Good knights, arise quickly!" Gareth shouts when he blinks an open eye and sees the pict in such a state of agitated excitement that he is sure nothing good is happening outside. Quickly he jumps up, attaches his sword, puts on his helmet, and waits for the others alongside Sur Gregor.

When awoken, Sir Wilfred opts for the quick setup and only dresses with his chain shirt, then takes his sword and helmet and rushes out. "Where is it?" he asks the Pict, not sure if he can understand.

Stepping outside, partially dressed and Sir Wolstan still struggling with his armor, the other three of you see the pictish warrior readying a spear as if to recieve a charge, standing on the butt while holding the point toward the trees. You hear the commotion then, as if something, or many somethings, are trampling recklessly through the bush.

You have only a moment before it is upon you.

Gregor makes a stand next to the other knights and the Pict with essentially nothing but his sword. He also calls to Fenwick, " Master Fenwick, depending on what emerges from the trees, you should be ready to make sure the Countess and Maid Maude are safe and be ready to move them in case of trouble."

"There are many of them but how many it's too soon to say. I am going to try and kill one of them."

Gareth flings his lance at the pict. first enemy that appears.

"Bar the door!" Wolstan shouts a the priest and the women as he goes. "Let no one in!"

Sir Wilfred stands near the pictish warrior, and tries to place himself between the incoming danger and the house, his arms ready. He braces himself to face whatever is coming his way.

A wall of wild boar burst from the thicket, squeals of rage and madness loosening your bowels. Each of the beasts weighs more than an armored knight, their tusks shining with flecks of foamy saliva, their eyes red and rolling with uncontrolled rage.

Pelox lowers his spear further, but is uncertain what will happen in the next moments.

Each of you face this threat alone or together, how you receive the wild charge will determine the course of the night.

Sir Wolstan struggles out of the church, tying a greave into place. Reinforcements perhaps.

---

This is mad mass combat rules. Put together your coin pools and make a roll. You're outnumbered two to one, so you'll take a -2 modifier on your throws.

You make two throws each round. Battle+Presence followed by Battle+Survival, and normal personal combat modifiers (armor, weapons, horses) are used for both.

So let's start with round 1 (of 2). Make your throws and pray to your ancestors.