All of my players read this board (what with them being recruited from here and all), so they may want to stay away if they don't wish to be spoiled.

Relevant Reading:
Great Victory Feast (http://www.russelldeneault.com/gpc/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?comments_parentId=858&topics _offset=3&topics_sort_mode=lastPost_desc&forumId=1 )
490 Winter Phase Discussion (http://www.russelldeneault.com/gpc/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?forumId=1&comments_parentId= 933&thread_sort_mode=commentDate_asc)

The year is 490 and the player characters, having survived the battle of Lindsey, catch a glimpse of the Duchess Ygraine. They all end up with Lust (Ygraine) to varying levels, but I started something extra interesting for one of the players.

He turned out to be Ygraine's childhood sweetheard.
And she hadn't forgotten about him.

Poor sir Morganor had lost his wife only a year earlier. He argued internally for what seemed like ages when Ygraine's handmaid slipped him a note to meet in secret. Fortunately for the story, his Lust won out and they rekindled their passions for each other all over again after she slipped into his bed. Morganor spent most of the harvest season and winter time trying to get a secret message to Cornwall, but Uther's raging against Gorlois and the awful snowstorms meant almost no communication.

We'll be gearing up for 491 soon and we'll have the battle of Terrabil where Uther takes Ygraine and Arthur is conceived.

Morganor's player is curious to check for a new child based on this encounter and I think that's a fantastic idea for some really amazing play.

My players, my precious players, this is the place where I would really appreciate you for not reading further.



Should there be a baby? (I lean towards yes, here)
How might Ygraine go about concealing or handling the pregnancy and birth?
Should it obviously not belong to Gorlois?

A few options I'm considering

Having Morganor sneak off and actually be AT the castle when Uther begins his siege. That would be quite the conundrum.
Having Ygraine wait out a pregnancy at the same convent where Morgan will learn her crafts. Morganor's child could even be brought up in the convent and parallel Morgan. She could choose to not even let Morganor know about the child and have it all pop up years and years down the road for Morganor's son who was born in 489.
Uther finds out about the baby and has it killed.
Uther never finds out
Boy or girl? I like the Morgan (and Ygraine's other daughters) parallel, but having a son who is half-brother to Arthur would certainly be interesting...


Now, most of my decision making will be influenced by platy and rolls of some sort, but I would love to hear ideas from y'all on how things would progress if this were your game.

There is also a whole lot of potential for this love affair to continue after Uther marries Ygraine. Oh how sweet that explosion would be if the Uther were to discover this all...

Haven't the time for a full response right now, but this sounds fantastic!
Yes, definitely let there be a child. Boy or girl? My vote would be for a parallel to Morgan. I think that a half-brother of Arthur may be fun, but could easily take over the game (not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that) whereas Morgan's parallel is a bit more subtle and can come and go in the campaign as you desire.

Why not leave the paternity ambiguous? Have Uther claim the child as his own, but let Morganor and Ygraine suspect that the child is theirs. I'd make the child a boy, as that way you'll have a rival claimant to the throne a few years down if he's still identified as Uther's; maybe the Northern kings rally around him as a figurehead, maybe a son or grandson rebels against Arthur in a later period. If Morganor and his kin know not only that he has a close family connection to this enemy of Arthur, but that he doesn't actually have royal blood, that might bring about some very interesting opportunities.

A few options I'm considering

* Having Morganor sneak off and actually be AT the castle when Uther begins his siege. That would be quite the conundrum.


Or ... there is no child this time.
When sir Morganor visits that time he hears about Uthers invading army.
When sir Morganor leaves the castle, Uther does his thing.

9 months later a boy is born. Merlin takes this child away (does he suspect who the real father is?)
Years pass, a new king on the throne. A just and honourable king who rules by right because his father was the king.
And his mother was Ygraine...

Is he really Uthers son?
Do we tell him, he might not be. (He is an honourable man and may resign the throne, throwing the kingdom back into anarchy.)

Anyway, I would love to play in a campaign like yours.

I went with a daughter to follow in Morganor's footsteps.

Here is Ygraine's letter to her lover, Morganor:

I had a dream where claws of red came down
And tore the land in two. The wyrm was fierce,
He took both field and maid with no regard.

His host was strong with sword and riding horse
But one alone did walk, upon his cap
The falcon's feathers sat. This man decides
My life and death and you succor his will.
Beside this man you rode. The sky was dark
But light from you did flow. The rays set down
And lit a place where nuns protect the old
And forgotten ways.

The wyrm destroyed and layed to waste, he took
The prize of all Cornwall. Here ends my dream
But still I see your face awash in light.

We once worshipped the old gods, dear Morganor. I always felt closest to Modron, but do you still remember her too? Do you still find power in dreams? It is too dangerous now to meet face to face, flesh to flesh, but perhaps we can call upon the god of the cross to bring us through this tumultuous time.

Modron is a goddess affiliated with Morgan (or so says Wikipedia), but now she's also the love-child of Ygraine and Morganor, being raised by her older sister.

My player is a native Italian speaker; he's good with English and interpreted the dream very well, but later when the knights were patrolling and Merlin appeared, complete with couldy sky with only a building on a hill being illuminated, he didn't bite! He' trying desperately to meet with Ygraine even as she's busy with arrangements for her marriage to Uther. I may let the epic-lusting take priority over the child, and have her pop up as a thorn in her half-brother's side in about 20 years.

Now we'll see if an affair with the king's wife will be revealed or if he can continue in secret until Uther kicks it.

sounds very good. A nice twist. :)