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In the 14th year of Uthers Reign, with snow still on the ground in shadowed spots, Beltaine is celebrated at [[Tisbury]]. [[Tisbury]] is, to the Christians knights, a strange place. Naked peasants with animal masks, a huge new hall and a seat of honour left empty but served equally. Meat and berries more than produce, and a spearman outside the crypt at all times, covered in charms. Though [[Brangwen]], Cadrys wife, is too sick to join the celebrations a peasant girl with red hair takes her place. To [[Cadry]], the duty that would be a joy to many men is a burden this year. Those pagan, or not Christian enough to refrain, disappear into the woods. There ancient acts of homage and fertility is enacted through the night. Sir [[Morcant]], though eager enough to enter the woods on the path that represents a mythical journey, cannot go through with the actual rituals and return to [[Tisbury]]. In small hours of the morning, a sleepless Sir [[Gamond]] investigates odd noises. The ceremonial crown of the Beltaine king is missing! Investigations lead to [[Tisbury]] village and a small [[faerie]] creature. Sir [[Cadry]], [[Morcant]], [[Melkin]] and [[Gamond]] lose more and more things. It becomes clear that the creature is gathering items for a knight and is invisible and incredibly quick. The druid Athanweyr has joined the knights, and disparages their problem solving [[skills]]. Finally, he deigns to help the plodding warriors. The creature is attracted to and empowered by lies and trickery. Finally, a false crown and [[sword]] lures the thing in, and what turns out to be a gnome is captured in a net. It says [[Tisbury]] is its home now, and it originally comes from a lake in the north. It must be returned there, or it will plague the manor. The gnome is imprisoned in a chest bound with cold iron. Before heading north the knights stop by [[Chillmark]], where Sir [[Maelgwyn]] has been afflicted with a wasting disease, no one knows what it is, and several people have died of it already. Sir [[Gamond]] stays a while, praying and sitting by his brothers’ side. Count [[Roderick]] rides north at the behest of the king to help secure diplomatic ties with Malahaut. Our cadre of knights follow through lands more and more savaged by [[Saxons]]. It is clear that the North will not survive without [[Logres]]. During the week-long trip the gnome cries and screams in agony from within [[The Cold|the cold]] iron chest, to no avail. Sir Cadrys heart is hard, and no others defy him except [[Gamond]]. Uncaring of his friends’ ire he does what he can to alleviate the gnomes suffering, but cannot let him out for risk of escaping. [[Roderick]] negotiates passage through Malahaut, but the Northern knights are tight lipped. One drunk fellow lets slip that with the King of [[Logres]] weak, the kings of the north will unite”. Before they part ways Count [[Roderick]] warns his knights and asks them to keep their ears open for rumors of what is afoot in the land. Stay away from the courts if possible, something is going on. The four Knights pass into the woods of Norgails, the days getting colder the farther they stray. Further north lie Hadrians Wall, and beyond it, [[picts]] infest the land. They pass from well travelled roads onto smaller trails, and as days of hard [[travel]] pass the mountains and [[forests]] increasingly dominate the landscape. Finally the smell of the coast alerts the company to their possible destination, and after meeting not a soul for many a day they spy a small monastery atop a cliff. On the rocky trail leading there, a knight in archaic and hard worn armour. This is where Tudwall, Morcants treacherous uncle, might be hiding according to Maelgwyns Chaplain who once came from here. The knight guards the trail, to which [[Morcant]] acridly remarks “Congratulations”. He will let no one pass, and is promptly defeated by the taciturn knight to remove his bodily obstruction. The small monastery is a wretched place, desperately poor, but the monks still demand the knights leave their arms outside. Sir Cardry, the proud pagan, refuses and stays. [[Gamond]], [[Morcant]] and [[Melkin]] go inside. Though [[Gamond]] is characteristically blunt and direct, [[Melkin]] speaks well and receives a guide to the enchanted lake where the gate to [[faerie]] lies. The monk receiving them inside was a powerfully built man once, now wasted and sunken, haunted. Tudwall, he says, no longer exists. He is but a brother now, a no-one, not even worthy of a name. [[Morcant]] forgives him, for the wasted man was once he. “What he did he did for his family, I too, have done things of which I am not proud. Tudwall has no son anymore.” Nevertheless Lord Swallowcliffe is disappointed, what was to be a great moment of vengeance turned ordinary and droll, for who can be an enemy to such a ruin of a man? [[Gamond]] cannot let him stay in peace. Count [[Roderick]] has ordered his return to stand trial for forgery, and his loyalty will not let the matter rest. That no punishment can be worse than this is of no consequence. Sir [[Cadry]] has spent his time conversing with the few guards, and one of them has heard of the wasting curse. A dopplegangers curse, levied against [[Maelgwyn]] after some affront. Probably his cruel and unjust treatment of that creature in the affair of the [[Modron]] Bandits. Come morning [[Gamond]] has slept well inside the little church, and the rest of the company badly in their pavilions outside. The guide leads the knights to the lake, fortunate, would never have found it on their own in the woods. It is large, with dark green water. There is an island out there with a small boat ashore, in this [[forest]] perilous. [[Melkin]] has dreamt of this place, a gate to the otherworld. [[Gamond]] swims out into the lake to get the boat and time disjoints. A long swim within the lake is a week for those ashore. As [[Morcant]] and [[Melkin]] tries to find [[Gamond]], the latter reaches the boat and sets off towards the shore, invariably losing his way in the currents. [[Cadry]], ever wise in [[faerie]] lore, entreats the King of the island for passage and favour, and the boat turns on its own to fetch the embarrassed Christians from the shore. Once on the island the land is wholly other. A castle without equal in all of [[Britain]] stands there, controlling surrounding lands populated with [[creatures]] and goblins of fanciful tales. In its great hall a mighty feast is underway and the Goblin king greets the new arrivals. Sir [[Cadry]] throws the ironbound chest at his feet. As introductions are made Sir [[Gamond]] finds the situation one not to his liking. Here, he thinks, is a courageous gnome rebelling against an unjust master, fighting for his right to freedom, robbed of any means with which to [[test]] his strength against his liege by unjust imprisonment. Thinking unusually quickly, his own introduction turns into a litany of falsehoods, and in the chest, the gnome grows powerful off the deceit. It escapes, and the king is mightily wroth. Neither [[Cadry]] nor [[Melkin]] see neither sense nor merit in Gamonds thinking, and immediately set off to recapture the gnome. As the search goes on, [[Gamond]] manages to call the creatures’ attention and speaks to it as it hides in some manner of drain. A compromise, then, to salvage mutual sensibilities. The gnome will have his chance to gather his army and challenge the king, but he must defeat both the knights and the king to win. The gnome gathers his troops, and as the Knights return to the kings hall he appears at the head of a horde of rabbits! The king is terrified, and his guards nearly buckle under the onslaught. No rabbit is a match for the knights of [[Logres]] however, and though the gnome himself fights well, he too is defeated. He is condemned to that which he hates, endless feasting. [[Cadry]], [[Melkin]] and [[Morcant]] are rewarded for their aid, but [[Gamond]] suffers the kings ire. He must stay and feast with the fairies, perhaps never to return. As the company prepares to leave, [[Gamond]] speaks to his squires. Here, he says, is a chance to feast and be young for eternity, away from the ills of [[Logres]]. He especially thinks of young Tarquin, who grew up dreaming of such [[adventures]]. Surely, the offer was also a pragmatic and selfish one, sacrificing his squire so that he himself could continue to do gods work in driving the [[Saxons]] into the sea. [[Mabsant]] calls him out on it and refuses to be his squire any longer, throwing insults and foul temper into his lords face. At a harsh rebuke he falls silent. Loyal Tarquin agrees, and stays behind. That day the colossus was, in many ways, a small man. Returning from the island to find that almost an entire summer has passed, the knights return to the cloister to see if their [[horses]] can be found. At the cloister the knights are greeted by the ovate [[Athanwyr]] who has stayed to await their return. Acting on a strong hunch, Sir [[Cadry]] throws a piece of cold iron to the ovate, who in turn act as if it burned him when he catches it. The ovate makes some very quick excuses that confound the other knights and then seemingly throws back the piece iron to Sir [[Cadry]]. Then the ovate sets of in a huff. Sir [[Cadry]] doesn't even have to glance down to know that what he has received is but a common rock.

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