The Legend of King Arthur

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Lot of Orkney was not exactly a coward; but he had all the selfishness needed to make an excellent coward. He did not mind a bit letting "lesser" men do his dying for him, when the expected profit from their sacrifice was for him and not for them. He and Uriens had brought archers, who were supposed to be suppressing the defensive shooting from the walls; but half of Lot's archers were detailed to shoot at their own men in case they broke and ran in panic. This was what Lot called "stiffening the spines of the base-born churls to set them to their duty."

King Uriens, for his part and in his own mind, called it wasteful stupidity. He and only he had enough concern for his men to make some provision for their survival. He had caused several dozen door-sized self-standing shields to be built ahead of time; his men positioned these fairly close to the castle ditch, and archers of both attacking armies used them to stay alive while shooting up at Leodegrance's men.

Still, Uriens was not fighting in the front lines any more than Lot was. Again, he was not strictly speaking a coward; but he was bred to cavalry warfare, and the horse had not been born that could run UP a vertical stone wall. So the attacking kings would not see action personally until either the castle gate was breached, or Leodogrance made a daring sally......

....or an undetected rescue force from Camelot should fall upon the besiegers, which was happening NOW.
 
Arthur's force crested the hill and saw the entire attacking force beginning their assault on the castle and archers of the defenders letting their first volley lose on the front ranks. Arthur's men were still not detected until after the entire force was over the hill. Then, the trumpets sounding "charge" began, and all drew their weapons and charged upon the besiegers at full gallop.
 
Guinevere closed her eyes tightly and pressed her back up against the wall she and her father were hiding behind.

"Dearest daughter, we have good fighters on our side, do not be afraid."
 
The rear force of Lot and Uriens at once turned and they eyes opened really wide when they saw the banners of Camelot and the many knights coming at at full speed, and behind them, what seemed to be thousands of men in shining armor and flashing swords. Some ranks wavered and made a run for it, but many were disciplined warriors who at once turned around to meet Arthur and his men.
 
But not all of the besiegers could finish their change of facing before the Camelot knights were upon them. Arthur had led his men to come partly at the enemy's right flank, where men were unshielded. Those too slow in wheeling right were skewered out of their saddles.

King Pellinore, and some of the other experienced knights in Arthur's force, used a maneuver they had practiced in training: when piercing a foe through with the lance, grabbing THAT man's lance, if unbroken, to use on the next enemy, rather than try to pull free their own deep-thrust lance. Thus the Camelot charge did extra lance-damage before the melee turned into a sword brawl.

One enemy knight who HAD made the turn in time slew the man on King Pellinore's left. This was the chance Pellinore's son Sir Lamorak had been watching for; he instantly urged his horse forward and left, to fill the gap and fight beside his father.
 
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By this time, the roar of battle in the rear of Lot and Urien's force was such that both Lot and Uriens for a moment did not know what was happening. When they realize it, they were dismayed to see they were now in between two forces.
Arthur meanwhile had already slain three of the enemy, two with lances and one with the sword and was at this time fighting with a third one who seemed to be a brave and experienced warrior.
 
OOC: Josie, if you're looking, now might be the time for your Dad to launch a sortie out a side gate.


Sir Kay's company came closest to the men still trying to scale the castle walls. Knowing something (from the first war for Arthur's royal succession) of the ruthless way King Lot spent his men's lives, Kay had his men call on the foot soldiers to yield and be spared. The archers who had been ordered to shoot anyone fleeing were ridden down, which facilitated the surrender of the foremost infantry.

Sir Lucan, meanwhile, was burning with eagerness to get into the battle; but he remembered his orders: not to commit his reserve troop unless either he was so ordered, or it was utterly obvious that his help was instantly needed. And clearly those ahead of him were doing well without him.
 
Arthur realized that this warrior was a man of honor and would fight to the death if possible, so without pausing any stroke, Arthur spoke to the man:

"Sir, you are a brave warrior, I would hate to see you lose your head, give in now and swear allegiance to me, and we will spare you."

In answer, the warrior kept going even stronger.

"It will not shame you changing allegiances as it will shame you be in the losing side, because you are fighting for the wrong cause, and being loyal to me who are not as honorable as yourself."

"I swore my allegiance to King Lot, and I do not change my word once given," he replied and kept up the fight."

"Very well, sir, I am witness of your loyalty and honor. You will be buried as with the honor reserved to a great knight."

And with two quick strokes, Arthur slew the brave warrior by cutting off his head.

"I wish you had been on my side," said Arthur, as he kept went for another enemy soldier.
 
Leodegrance gestured a signal to one of his gaurds, who was standing at the edge of the wall.

The man bowed his head and took his sword from his side and charged into the battle.

Guinevere looked up from the ground and looked towards the screaming riot below. She was taken aback from what she saw and therefore decided to sit back down and resume her staring at the stone floor.
 
OOC: I guess that's Josie's way of saying there's a sortie. Arthur, do you want to commit Lucan's reserve troop now?


When Sir Kay saw that men were starting to come out of the castle to join the fight, he ordered a rider to hasten around the rear lines to make sure Arthur and Pellinore were aware of this. Then he went back to trying to keep order--which included trying to prevent the Leodogrance men from needlessly slaying those of the enemy troops who had just surrendered.
 
Copperfox said:
OOC: I guess that's Josie's way of saying there's a sortie.


When Sir Kay saw that men were starting to come out of the castle to join the fight, he ordered a rider to hasten around the rear lines to make sure Arthur and Pellinore were aware of this. Then he went back to trying to keep order--which included trying to prevent the Leodogrance men from needlessly slaying those of the enemy troops who had just surrendered.
Click to expand...

OCC: HEY! LOL. I tried :(:eek:
 
(ooc:sure. could the reserve possibly be split like half to the right to add weight to Sir Kay's attack and the sortie and half to the left to give the enemy the illusion of being surrounded? Maybe then more can surrender.

Arthur and the men on his right and left were making good gain but some enemies on his left were still free to do an about face and thus pose a threat. Arthur thought of of a plan for using his reserve, and sent a messenger back with instructions.
 
OOC: The bit I write with Lot here is not meant to steal Arthur's glory, but to support the traditional detail of the Orkney clan having a special grudge against Pellinore's family.


The messenger sent was Sir Bedivere, a young knight but not in Pellinore's company because he had fought in a raid previously. Bedivere, going by Arthur's word, took half of the reserve men to go back with him and bolster the High King's effort, while Sir Lucan was to take the rest and go to Sir Kay's assistance, making sure that those of the enemy still fighting near the castle could not turn the tables on Leodegrance's men and push their way inside.

Meanwhile, King Pellinore had pressed far enough ahead to encounter King Lot personally. Fending off Lot's yet-unused lance with a skillful twisting move of his shield, Pellinore closed in before Lot could bring his axe into play, and unhorsed the King of Orkney with a clanging sword-stroke to the helm.
 
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As the reserve came on, it bolstered and protected Arthur's left, leaving him free to push ahead into the melee, slashing and fighting his way to the center. As in the right side, some men on the left began putting down their arms or taking to flight as soon as the reserved moved in. Arthur had previously given order to a few of his younger warriors to take any man who surrendered to the rear and protect them from being needlessly slain.
 
Whatever else he was, King Lot was no weakling. Recovering from his fall and retaining hold of his axe, he struck and killed King Pellinore's horse from a crouching position. Pellinore also recovered, and the two veteran warriors went at it with ringing, banging blows.

Two Orkney men who tried to take Pellinore from behind were themselves slain from behind--by Sir Lamorak, who could not wait for niceties with his father in immediate peril. Then Lamorak tried to fetch the nearest riderless horse for his father to use; but Pellinore could not safely break off his duel with Lot to remount. And as long as Pellinore was doing well, honor forbade Lamorak to strike at the already-beleaguered Lot from above. So Lamorak went on fending off anyone of the other side who tried to help Lot.

Finally, Lot was disarmed and held at Pellinore's swordpoint. But at about the same time, Uriens was bringing into play one of his best weapons: a giant named Galapas. This was no mythical giant as tall as a tower; but he was not far short of the size of the Biblical Goliath. Too heavy for a horse to carry, he walked, heavily armored and carrying a gigantic halberd....coming straight at Arthur, and mowing down four Camelot men in two strokes when they moved to defend their King.


OOC: Mike, this could be where Arthur, though not defeated, gets his Sword of the Stone broken, to be replaced soon by Excalibur.
 
Everyone foes and friends alike, gave room to the giant as he approached the King. Arthur noticed him and put his sword and called out:

"Ho! Great tall warrior!"

But the giant ignored him and brought his giant weapon on the king. Arthur barely had time to move out of the way and as he did, he put out his sword instinctively so as to parry the giant's stroke. The halberd struck the king's sword with a tremendous clash and broke it. The half blade flew away. The giant was getting ready his back swing, but Arthur had some swift archers in the rear who had seen the whole thing and had by now zeroed in on the giant. A dozen of them let lose their arrows, and they were all right on target. The giant fell at the feet of the king, dead. '

The king quickly pulled out his battle ax from a holder securely attached to his horse. And continued the fight, although by this time, more of Lot's men had given up and the contest was swinging in favor of Camelot and King Leodegrance.
 
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OOC: Well, I _tried_ to give Arthur a big accomplishment. But as long as he has an axe or something...


The death of Galapas was a fearful blow to the enemy's morale. When combined with spreading shouts about Lot having been vanquished, it caused a sudden increase in surrenders. But Uriens himself, wild with rage, gathered his personal guards closely around him and made for Arthur in a mad attempt to reverse impending defeat.

Sir Kay, meanwhile, had secured the castle against any further assault.
 
After the giant fell, Arthur mounted his horse again and moved towards Uriens while still fighting a couple of other warriors of the enemy. Arthur saw Uriens also mount his horse and grab a nearest lance. The King realized he had no lance but was determined to fight Uriens with his axe is needed be. But Sir Bevidere was watching the whole thing so he handed Arthur his lance. Upon seeing Arthur with a lance, Uriens urged his horse.

The melee around them stopped for a moment as all eyes were on Arthur and Uriens, who were going full speed now with their lances pointing to the other's heart. The clash was deafening as Uriens lance glanced off of the side of Arthur's shield, but Arthur's lance caught Uriens right in the shield's center and sent him reeling back.

Arthur dismounted and drew his axe again. He paused to let Uriens get up if he could. Uriens did get up and drew his sword. Sword and axe clashed a few times, but there was not much of a contest. Uriens had been wounded when he was unhorsed and it didn't take long for Arthur to disarm him and send him down to the ground with one good stoke of the heavy axe.

"Your life is forfeit, King Uriens, but if you swear allegiance to the Trueborn King of all Britain it may yet be spared."

Uriens appeared to be thinking.

"What say you, Lord?"
 
Lot, being hauled to the scene by Pellinore, was full of enough prideful rage to banish good sense. "Die like a man!" Lot yelled at Uriens, actually forgetting that he himself had just yielded to Pellinore rather than die.

"A brute like you," growled Pellinore to his prisoner, "is no example for sons to follow. I shall urge the High King to take your sons out of your keeping, that they may be taught REAL knighthood."
 
Uriens stared at Lot with contempt.

"What say you, King Uriens? We are not knights without mercy. Just as our Heavenly Father has shown us mercy, so must we show it. But you must accept it."

King Uriens got on one knee in front of Arthur and said: "I swear allegiance to the court of Camelot, and it's king, Arthur, the Trueborn King of All Britain."

Then he looked at Arthur in the eyes: "Something I should have done years ago when as a lad you pulled that sword from the stone, my lord."
 
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