Three of my players decided to conquer a county by challenging Sir Basile to a duel. Typically they never planned what to do if they lost the duel and are now imprisoned in Oxford.

Three player knights were otherwise engaged and remain free. Two of them are senior knights in Salisbury (being part of the Countess's "advisory" council) and thus can muster a sizeable force if they choose to do so.

I've got some ideas on how to handle this already. I don't see the usurpers as the kind of lords to run escapable dungeons so the imprisoned knights are out of, except for getting scenario hooks from other imprisoned knights.

How have people run this in their own campaigns?

I had one of the Oxford Usurpers treacherously capture some of the PCs in my game, but they quite astonishingly managed to not only win their way free, but took control of the castle while being led to a tower for imprisonment. This is forevermore remembered by the players as the time that they took a castle with three men and their eating daggers.
They managed to pull this off by the use of shrewd tactics (bottling their foes in a stairwell), having higher than normal dagger skills (due to an earlier adventure), and some generally lucky rolling.

In another game the PCs got captured by an enemy knight, but through role-playing, appeals to traits/passions, and some good oration rolls they were able to not only get their captor to release them, but convinced him to join their cause.

If the captured PCs in your game don't feasibly have a way to either fight, talk, or sneak out of their predicament then you might storyboard or gloss-over their rescue so they're not just stuck on the sidelines for a session. Although, running the rescue with the other players in an additional session or over email might be an option.

Also really make certain that the captured PCs couldn't get free. Is their captor a cruel man? Perhaps they could win the hearts of his men and lead a coup? Could one of them seduce a comely maid who sneaks them the key to their cell?

Honorable knights don't try to escape. They wait to be ransomed. And, aside from not being permitted their weapons nor to leave, are otherwise treated like guests.

Honorable knights don't try to escape. They wait to be ransomed. And, aside from not being permitted their weapons nor to leave, are otherwise treated like guests.


That actually depends on whether the Knight has given his word not to try and escape or not. If he has given his word, then yes, everything is as aramis says. If not, then the Knight is locked in the dungeon and treated like any other prisoner.

Historically, and in most periods of the Pendragon campaign, Knights would accept they weren't going to be able to escape or be rescued and simply swear the oath. But PCs can be stubborn about these things, and in the Anarchy period it's possible there may not be enough trust in the code of chivalry for people to rely on these oaths to safeguard ransoms.

What are the intentions of Sir Basile?

Is he willing to ransom his captives? Arthurian tales are filled with vile knights who capture their enemies and don't treat them chivalrously.

If part of the conditions of their dual was that they would submit as captives of Sir Basile then Aramis is right and it would be dishonorable for the plyer knights to attempt escape.

During my game it was duplicity on the part of the Oxford Usurper (one of Sir Basile's brothers I think). The players had arrived with a small army, but were invited inside the keep to parlay before the siege began. Once inside the dishonorable lordling deprived them of their swords and ordered his men to lock them in his tower.

I had one of the Oxford Usurpers treacherously capture some of the PCs in my game, but they quite astonishingly managed to not only win their way free, but took control of the castle while being led to a tower for imprisonment.

Don't players have a wonderful habit of doing just what you don't expect them to do! ;D

.. and in the Anarchy period it's possible there may not be enough trust in the code of chivalry for people to rely on these oaths to safeguard ransoms.


I was under the impression that the code of chivalry didn't come into existance until the Boy King period ...

code of chivalry didn't come into existance until the Boy King period ...

I'm in total agreement, Anarchy meaning just that - everyone for themselves, in an attempt to be in as good a position as possible before Arthur turns up to spoil things... erm, I mean put things right...

Which way is Oxford?

This isn't a matter of chivalry, is it? It's more Honour and/or Hospitality, it seems to me.

This isn't a matter of chivalry, is it? It's more Honour and/or Hospitality, it seems to me.


Both of which predate Chivalry.

This isn't a matter of chivalry, is it? It's more Honour and/or Hospitality, it seems to me.


Even Honour is doubtful, except as it relates to Might Makes Right.

Hospitality, sure, but that's universal. EVERYONE has hospitality to some degree - even peasants.

Actually... They are well within their rights to keep the knights in their dungeond forever, And are still chivilric, honourable, and hospitable. The knights challenged them to a fair duel and lost. They shoulda won I guess. :-[ But perhaps Countess Ellen might send an emissary to entreat with the brother? Prhaps if she offered ransom? or... the way I would personally handle it would be to send a gift of libra or some equivelent to Basile. Sort of a ransom? but also perhaps she could make a promise that for their release she will promise that none of her knights will ever trespass on the oxford lands again while any of the brothers or their heirs live. Reasonable? If they the decline ellen can say that she has done all she can to avoid a problem, but she values her knights and if necessary she will go to war for it, but wouldn't the brothers rather profit with Libra and her promise? I dunno, but thats how I think I might handle it.

Iafter thinking a bit more I take some of It back. I think hospitality isn't even relevent. They are within the law, but they are NOT chivilric( obviously ),my mistake, and they certainly dont get a courtesy check. ::)

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I haven't been able to put any of them into practice as real life has intervened and we haven't been able to organize a game session.

I agree that the brothers aren't chivalrous and are all Suspicious of Foreigners, so they probably will lock the captured knights up and throw away the key. They may let them go in exchange for an inflated ransom and an oath to never bear arms against the brothers again.

After a long hiatus we just played this out. The free Player Knights attempted to negotiate a more reasonable ransom, but just managed to antagonize Sir Basile. They then tried to do reconnaissance on Oxford but got lost in the Forest Sauvage.

Eventually they found their way out north of Oxford and with the help of an old peasant woman captured Sir Beleus. One exchange of hostages later they have the three captured Player Knights free, plus five others. Sir Basile and his brothers hate them of course. More discord amongst the Britons.

Congratulations on getting the game going again. I'm hoping to do the same in the new year.