The Edict of Planetary Distress

[Subjugator]

I thought there was also something about the swarm being the Xiticix.

[Braden Campbell]

The Devouring Swarm was the Mechanoids.

The four demons were the Horsemen.

The one who hides amidst heros is Myrrlyn of New Camelot.

The last, distant threat that rises out of choas to create chaos is supposedly Tikilik, a giant frog in Austrailia who is slowly drinking all the world's water.

Seriously.

However, since most of us think that the giant frog-global-killer is kind of dumb/funny/retarded, you could really make it anything you wanted.

[Glistam]

I always thought the Coalition fit as one of the threats. I don't remember if the Lord of the Deep fit in there anywhere either, I thought there was some kind of prophesy about it. It's been ages since I read that book.

I remember that Myrrrlin fit as one of the threats, but then I realized as more of the world books were produced that he was much less of a threat with his little camelot then most of the other things being revealed out there. That makes this prophesy seem like poor planning on palladium's part.

[Braden Campbell]

Remember that Rifts England was published as the next book after Sourcebook 2... so the writers decided to drop a few hints and lay down some extra padding for it.

But you're right, New Camelot makes little impact in the world as writtern. I'd suggest that you have England launch a Crusade against the Pheonix Empire (with the help of the Nordic valkeries and several other European fifedoms), a la Kingdom of Heaven

I actually have the beginnings of this adventrue idea sketched out from many years ago...I'll see if I can find it if anyone would like.

[Blight]

Thimk Kermit turned Maphsto. they don't give his stats but they gave his childrens. So i'm guessing he is alomst as bad as the rainbow serpant. And that folks is realy bad.

[Braden Campbell]

This is going to be really long... so you might want to copy it into Word to read at your leisure.

The basic premise was this: following the Four Horseman adventure, King Arthuu declairs a Crusade against the monsters in Egypt. So he calls upon all of the local kingdoms of Europe to gather together and crush the Pharoh. (GMs go wild creating new baronies!) The King wants to go in person, and this time, Mrrlynn cannot stop him.

The Guienivere-thing is also genuinly concerned/in love with him...a side effect from inhabiting dead people.

So this crusade goes to Cyprus, spends the winter there, then attacks Rama.

BUT>>> while Arthuu is gone, the Fomorians attack in earnest (this where King Lot has gone to). England is in reall dnager. So much so that the real King Arthur is brought back on the black barge that took him away. He goes to Camelot, and well, recognises his old friend Merlin. What happens after that...is up to GMs everywhere

So here is some background I was once working on, to bring England up to 105 PA. this was written long before the Siege Series. Enjoy, and let me know what you think...
____________________________________________

THE FOLLOWING IS A SPEECH DELIVERED FROM THE THRONE BY HIS MOST ROYAL
MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I, SEPT. 21, 104.

"Members of the Court, Knights of the Realm, Our Queen, Our friends,
loyal subjects;

Though We are yet in the throws of celebration, and our nuptial hour
not yet a fortnight old, though all the Kingdom revel in Our joy,
with every night must come a dawn.

Three days ago, We received word from our brave and dear friend Sir
Prrcyel, gone these six months to fight menace in Africa. Every day
since their departure Our prayers have gone with them, and it has not
been in vain. God and the spirit of truth have prevailed in that
distant land, and the powers which threatened our destruction have
been overcome.

But the source of this evil remains. For We have now been made aware
by these messages, of the vast and powerful Empire that was first to
summon these beings. And now that the fruit of their hellish labour
has been destroyed, We must not to falter, but go on to destroy the
very tree from which such vileness sprang.

This Empire, writes he, is peopled entirely by demonic minions.
Humans and our D-bee brethren are treated as cattle, and subjected to
the most cruel treatment imaginable. The rulers of this land worship
Dark Gods, and seek to extend their machinations into continental
Europe.

Have We the power to live in comfort while others suffer? Is Our
duty to destroy evil selective, in that We only strike against those
who threaten us directly? Does our Chivalric Code extend only to we
privileged few who live upon this Isle, or rather shall we, as Christ
commanded 'go unto all the world' and be as benefactors to the
downtrodden, liberators to the enslaved, and a mighty arm for those
who have not the strength to fight.

And so, this day, before you assembled, and before the Lord our God
to whom We do appeal, We do declare a Holy Crusade upon the Empire of
the Phoenix. And as We are God's representative in this realm,
appointed by His hand, so shall We too in the distant lands that have
need of His love.

We thereby command all Barons of the land to come and join us. And We
extend a hand of brotherhood towards Our fellows in Bath and
Berwynmoore. Yea, even the lowliest farmer, or simplest craftsman
shall heed the call, and join those of Our forces already waiting for
word in Cyprus.

The Lord has willed it, and so We shall go. May His hand watch over
us all."
__________________________________________

AN EXCEPT FROM A LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING BRONIN II, RULER OF
ETERNIUM (BATH); SEPT 23 104.

"...And so, having now acquainted you with the nature of this enemy, I
humbly ask for your assistance in this matter. Rest assured that the
mantle of this Crusade falls not only to our two Kingdoms, but indeed
to all who would fight against evil and who believe in the necessary
destruction of such horrific powers.

Already, I have dispatched similar pleas to out brethren in
Tarramore, Berwynmoore, and to His Majesty King Lot of Lothain and
Orkney; and even unto the Contintent and many of the dukedoms and
realms reported to be there by my knights.

Though you are not my subject, and therefore not bound to obey my
command, I come to you as a fellow, both by Our Divine Right, and in
the greater brotherhood of Mankind. As we are Kings, we are leaders
of men. And as we are Men, we must fight to free our fellow Man.

I humbly thank Your Majesty for His indulgence, and eagerly await His
most excellent reply."
__________________________________________

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS GERROME, PRINCE REGENT
OF DEADMOON (PARIS), SEPT. 23, 104

"...Though Our forces have never met face to face, I have been made
aware of your Kingdom through the reports of my knights, and by
others who have traveled from Britannia to the Continent. I would at
this time, like to extend my most sincere hope that your wife, the
Queen, regain her health with all expedience. We have here in Our
Court a sorcerer of most amazing ability. I shall put him at your
immediate disposal if it will aid Her Majesty in any way...

...The immediate plan calls for a great mobilization of smaller
European forces into one of unstoppable numbers. However, as the
geography of the interior, that is to say, the most efficient route via
a traversing of the Alps, remains closed to us, I believe it best to
travel from Normandy to the Gulf of Lions (500 miles). From there,
God willing, and with the assistance of General Toulon of
Montpellier (whom I have also yet to meet), we shall sail for the
protective Isle of Cyprus. The powers there have been harbouring my
first wave of Crusaders since their victory this past summer, and all
reports indicate they will aid us in any way they can. After wintering
there, our combined forces shall converge on the City of Doom, and
destroy it utterly..."
_____________________________________________

HOLO-MESSAGE OF LEO VAN FALKENBURG, MINISTER OF DEFENCE, VICE
PRESIDENT OF TRIAX INDUSTRIES, TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I OF
CAMELOT; DELVIERED BY ROBOTIC DRONE SEPT 30, 104

"Your Majesty;

We must regretfully inform you that at this time the people of
the NGR cannot commit so much as one division to your cause. Although
we support the ideal, we simply have not the manpower to allow German
troops to engage forces in Northern Africa. Nor am I at this time
able to free up conventional air strikes against targets whose exact
location you cannot provide us with.

If you would like to purchase any of our fine weapons or equipment,
please contact us again at you leisure. Triax and the NGR support the
cause of freeing humanity, and will gladly sell you anything you may
need to accomplish your goals.

On a personal note, if I may, Your Majesty; our best intelligence
shows that the Gargoyle Empire could not have possibly armed
themselves with such a vast array of technological weaponry without
some kind of outside help. The two nearest sources of this help would
either be the Phoenix Empire, or more likely, Atlantis. If Atlantean
technology is reaching the Gargoyle Empire via the Phoenix Empire,
then it stands to reason that the minions of the Pharaoh are also
supplied by Atlantis. In such a case as this, I would suggest you
rethink this Crusade, lest you find yourself fighting the Splugorth
as well.

Your very truly, Leo Van Falkenburg"
_________________________________

EXCERPT FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, SEPT. 30, 104

"The absolute bastards!

This is the reply form such a powerhouse as Germany, a country that
claims to be defenders of the weak, but are in fact, defenders of
nothing but their own interests. And the fact that they were still
willing to sell me much needed weapons, most likely knowing I cannot
afford them, is like teasing a small child with candy that one never
intends to let him have.

I know I should be understanding, and that to have hatred in my heart
is retrograde to a Christian attitude, but how can they do that?

Lord, is this greatest of quests to be over before it is begun,
snuffed out by mankind's callous indifference to the suffering of
others?"
_______________________________

LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I, FROM FIRST FOUNDER O'DAULK,
DELIVERED BY THE HAND OF SIR LOWELL, KNIGHT OF TARRAMORE, OCT.2, 104

"Your Most Exalted Majesty;

In our time of need, we were helped by others. And so, we Founders
have agreed it only right to return that courtesy unto others. We
present unto you these 250 men and women, among them our best
soldiers, to be used as you see fit. As well, as no army is complete
without the proper tools for the task, we extend you 100 million of
our 250 million line-of-credit with the NGR and Triax. Use it to
purchase weapons, armour, or if it please you, turn it into cash with
which to pay for the use of mercenaries to add to your Crusaders
numbers.

Included among these fighters you will find 45 doctors and nurses.
They have all been trained by the Germans in the use of the greatest
medical technology known to man, and are in your charge.

Our prayers go with all of you."
_______________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, OCT. 2, 104

"Thank you, Lord. Thank you."
_____________________________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, OCT. 14 104

"For weeks we have been trying to train the Irish in the proper use
of broadswords, but they constantly complain that we should be taking
more guns. As well, they seem far less disciplined than my own
Knights, or even the Knights from Eternium. They are given to staying
up late, and drinking too much of the whiskey they brought with them.

Berwynmoore has declined to send any reply to my query, which in
truth does not surprise me. A magic pigeon from Lothain and Orkney
claimed that King Lot was sending some of his men, but they have not
arrived yet, and time is growing late. I am anxious to get things
underway before France is snowed in beyond all means of travel.

Myrr'lyn finally gave me his blessing this morning. 'If you truly feel
called to do this thing,' he said, 'then who am I to dissuade you.' I
think he had a talk with Gwen as well. She is understandably upset,
but unlike this past spring, she seems to understand my need to go
into the fray personally. I cannot ask Knights and common men to face
such a villainous Empire, while I remain safe here in England."
___________________________________________

MEMORY RECORDING FROM RUNE STATUE ONE, A CAVE ALONG THE WHELSH COAST,
OCT. 10, 104

(Awakened. The Lady is the last to arrive. The Master and the Queen
are already here. Rune statue two [Lion] is also animate. A
conversation ensues.)

LADY: We must come to consensus. Arr'thuu is adamant about this
Crusade. Will we let him go?

QUEEN: To risk his life now...if he should die...

MASTER: We are aware of the danger. If he should die now, we
calculate a 57% probability of collapse. This is increased to 74% if
he is killed outside of the island.

LADY: We should consult Zashan.

MASTER: He does not yet need to know. The question is whether or not
the King's undertaking has any real chance for success.

QUEEN: The combined forces are nearly 3000. Is it enough?

LADY: Unlikely. Prrcyval reported that the Empire is vast. Their
forces will be great. The token numbers of three small Kingdoms will
not suffice.

QUEEN: Then you cannot let him go. He will certainly be killed, and
for nothing!

MASTER: Are you beginning to display genuine feeling for this man?

QUEEN: I...am only concerned with the expansion plans.

LADY: What of the French?

MASTER: I have delayed a journey to Deadmoon as long as I can.
Arr'thuu knows he must have support from the Prince Regent.

LADY: Will he give it?

MASTER: The Prince is no fool. He does not want myself or anyone to
heal his Queen, not after he spent so many years poisoning her. I
think he will join Arr'thuu's cause; for money if no other reason.
His Temporal Warriors will be enticed by the promise of looting Rama.

QUEEN: And bringing Splugorthian weaponry back to Europe.

LADY: What of the Splugorth? Will they rush to reinforce?

MASTER: If one of us could gain control of the Giza pyramid, they
would have to reinforce through Gorth, significantly reducing the
available numbers. There is a 43% chance that they will leave the
Pharaoh out to dry.

LADY: Out to dry?

QUEEN: A human term. Myrrlyn means the Splugoth may abandon Rama Set.

LADY: I see.

QUEEN: The Gargoyles are heavily supplied via the Empire. Won't they
attempt to intervene?

MASTER: I foresee that they will soon be too involved with the Germans
to send forces to aid Rama Set. In this instance, the King is wise to
avoid going over the Alps. And there is something else...

LADY: Share.

MASTER: Although Arr'thuu will not receive aid from King Lot, or
Berwynmoore, I sense that another power will join him. Someone
unknown to us.

QUEEN: What kind of power?

MASTER: Great warriors. And equally great magical support.

LADY: In addition to General Toulon?

MASTER: Toulon is a relic from the Golden Age. His strength lies in
technology. He will see the wisdom of destroying the source of the
Gargoyle's weaponry. This is something more.

LADY: So do we let him go?

QUEEN: Will he be safe?

MASTER: I will grant him my blessing to go, provided he take a
private guard of Nexus Knights.

LADY: Then we will know his movements at all times.

QUEEN: And what of the Kingdom?

MASTER: By the time that Arr'thuu returns, Camelot will have an heir
to the throne, thereby avoiding collapse.

QUEEN: How? These bodies no longer function on such a level.

LADY: I will see to it, when the time comes.

MASTER: If his combined forces are strong enough, it may finally be
time to begin expansion of our domain. If all goes well, we could
gain control of England, France, and North Africa. The Gargoyles
will be cut off, and easily destroyed by the Germans. The Splugorth
presence in this area will be removed.

LADY: Then he goes.

QUEEN: He goes.

MASTER: He goes.
_________________________________________

FROM: "SONGS OF THE GREAT JOURNEY", CHRONICLED BY THE BARD KARSTEN,
SON OF THEORIN THE GREAT, AT THE REQUEST OF QUEEN CHRISTINA OF
VALKENNORD

"...And so they came, over the seas, the mighty longships, carrying
the chosen to the shores of Anglund. And Prince Beorin, son of
Christina, unwound the Horn, and let loose a mighty blast. And lo,
the fog of that place did part like a curtain, and the ships came
ashore. Hilgar the Black was first to walk on Anglund. He saw the
tall white stones, and said: 'This is Helluland; the flat rock land.
Where is their King?'

And since Prince Beorin, son of Christina, knew not where he should
go to find King Arr'thuu, King of the Southern Forests, he knelt on
the white stones, and gripped his father's sword, and prayed to Odin.
Then did a flight of valkyrie appear in the heavens to lead the
warriors of Valkennord to King Arr'thuu.

For five days and five nights the valkyrie lead them through the
forests of Anglund, until, on the morning of the sixth day, they
entered into a break to find a woman weeping.

And Prince Beorin, son of Christina said unto her: 'Woman why do you
weep?' And she looked up, and saw the Prince, with the chosen behind
him, and was afraid at their strength and numbers. But Prince Beorin
said: 'Woman, do not fear us, for we are on a Holy Quest. Why do you
cry?' And the woman said: 'because my husband will soon leave this
land to fight a great evil, and I am feared he will never return.'

And Beorin said to her: 'Woman, weep you no more. For if your husband
should fall in battle against an evil enemy, then he shall dine with
the gods in Valhalla. And that is cause for celebration, not tears. So
dry your eyes, and tell me if you can where I might find Arr'thuu,
King of Camelot and the Southern Forests.'

The woman rose and dried her eyes. 'I am his wife,' she said. And
Beorin, and all his warriors, even Hilgar the Black, bowed down
before her. And Beorin said: 'I am Beorin, Prince of the Oslo Great
Tree, son of Christina, Queen of Valkennord. I bring these men to go
with Arr'thuu on his quest to rid the South of evil, and save another
of the Great Trees.'

And then did Gueneveire, Queen of Camelot, wife to Arr'thuu, lead
them all, over 300 in their number, to the walls of her city."
_________________________________








FROM THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THEODORE RUMLEY, OFFICIALLY APPOINTED
HISTORIAN OF THE CRUSADE, RECORDED ON RE-WRITABLE LASER DISK;
OCT. 15, 104

"I'll never forget the day the Norsemen showed up. I doubt anyone
will. It was, simply put, one of the most bizarre things I had ever
seen.

The King was despondent. The 100 knights promised to him by King Lot
were weeks overdue, and the general consensus was that Arr'thuu had
either been lied to, or that the all the men had somehow perished on
their way to Camelot. Neither prospect filled any of us with joy.
There was nothing from Berwynmoore, but many chalked that up to the
fact that the old Queen was on her deathbed, and that her son was
getting ready to take the reigns of power.

Even with the money from Tarramore, it was doubtful whether this
assembled army would even survive the trip through France, let alone
lay siege to Rama. But then the warriors of Valkennord came in.

I was seated under an oak tree, as I recall. A little ways away from
me, in the parade grounds west of the palace, His Majesty was
training the Irish volunteers. The day was cold and heavily overcast.
The first real snow of the season was only days away. Then I could
see a large crowd moving towards the gate; two or three hundred I
should say, all on foot. The King and the Irish stopped what they
were doing, and I ran over to see what the crowd was about. My first
thought was that King Lot's men had finally, somehow, made it
through.

The first person I saw was the Queen. As Arr'thuu got down from his
horse, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. She said something
about how these men were here to help him, but I didn't catch it all.
I was staring at the Norsemen.

The tallest one in that group, the one named Hilgar the Black, was
the biggest elf I have ever laid eyes on. Hilgar was nearly seven
feet tall, and so thin it looked like a strong wind would knock him
to the ground. His hair was the colour of coal, and went almost to
his waist. He wore tall black boots that went to his knees, and a
long, white cloak that looked like the pelt of a giant wolf. He
carried a tall wooden staff in his right hand.

I assumed the elf to be the leader of the group, but it was the young
blonde man who spoke first. He said he was a prince of some place
called Valkennord. We'd never heard of it. This prince went on to
tell the King that he had brought nearly 380 warriors to go on the
Crusade into Africa. Seems they not only wanted to destroy the
Phoenix Empire, but save that Millennium Tree Prrcyval mentioned.

And I, for one, believed him when he said they were warriors; for
with the exception of Hilgar, they were nearly as wide as they were
tall. Their clothing was of furs and rough materials. A few of them
wore crude breastplates with a single white runic symbol on them.
Their weaponry consisted of huge swords, double-headed axes, and war
hammers. All the men wore scraggly beards, and unkempt hair. The
women who were amoung them looked strong enough to beat any of
Camelot's champions into a pulp.

But Hilgar was not the only one who stood out amoung them. Prince
Beorin, given time, would look like them. But that day all I could
see was a boy of no more than thirteen years. He was tall and
straight, but still heads shorter than the army he commanded. His
blonde hair was fine and blew about his face. He had not even the
first down of a beard. And when he spoke, his voice was soft. He and
Hilgar were like two exotic animals amoungst a herd of cattle..."
_______________________________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU;
OCT. 15, 104

"...Wonderful company these men and women of Valkennord. I find Prince
Beorin to be a fine young man, well mannered, and highly educated.
Though I could not understand everything he spoke of, I take it that
he is some kind of priest amoung his people.

His mother, Queen Christina, rules over six or seven thousand people.
The city-state surrounds a Millennium Tree, though how such a tree
could grow in such a climate is a mystery to me. They are hunters and
fisherman. They are apparently one of the only human settlements in
all of Scandinavia; the Prince spoke of giants and monsters that roam
the high north. Their ships are somehow magical in nature; although
they are giant oar-driven long ships, they have some kind of
enchantment so that the men can row them for days at a time.
Valkennord has some contact with a few settlements in Russia (which
they raid, I believe), and has explored much of what used to be
Denmark.

Hilgar brought out a large map, inked onto a piece of leather. It was
a map of the "Known World", the boundaries of which stopped on our
shores. That they have the dedication to leap into the unknown with
us, gives me confidence all the more..."
__________________________________________________

A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN LE PALAIS ROYAL, DEADMOON, UPON THE ARRIVAL OF
MRRLYNN THE ENCHANTER;
OCT. 15, 104

[The setting is the receiving room in le Palais Royal. Mrrlynn is
dressed in a single, long, black robe. His white hair is wild and all
about him, blending seamlessly into his beard. He carries a rolled
parchment in his left hand. His right hand is extended.

Prince Gerrome is seated in a golden throne with thick, red cushions.
He is wearing green pants, and a striped tunic with a frilled collar,
and a short cloak. His blue hair is slicked back tightly onto his
head, with one lock hanging down the left side of his face. He looks
bored.

Left and right of the Prince's throne are gnome attendants, dressed
as he is. They do not wear pants, and their heads are shaved. They
hold bowls of fruit and jugs of water and wine.

The royal bodyguard can be seen in he background, mostly obscured by
the throne.

The rest of the scene is filled with various men and women of the
court, looking on. The Temporal Raider, Surveillant (trans.
Timekeeper), is especially prominent.]
______________________________________________

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'TUU I, FROM GERROME,
PRINCE REGENT OF DEADMOON (PARIS), DELIVERED IN PERSON BY SURVIELLANT;
OCT. 16, 104

"...your sorcerer has told us everything we need to know. He has been
very accommodating. Combined with your letter, you make a convincing
argument. We will agree to go on this Crusade with you. Although it
will be dangerous, it is the right thing to do...

There are, however, a few conditions that we will discuss with you
when you arrive. They are nothing too great, and deal mostly with the
payment of mercenaries, and compensation for the families of those
who will surely die in this undertaking...

...My servant, Monsieur Surveillant, will escort your forces to the
mouth of the River Siegne. From there, it will be easy to find your
way to us..."
________________________________________________

FROM THE DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I;
OCT. 16, 104

"I wish Mrrlynn were here. I do not trust this...thing."
____________________________________________________

[The Galactus Kid]

amazing. simply amazing.

[Subjugator]

Nice! How long did it take to compose that?

Sub

[Braden Campbell]

:shrugs:

A few days. I can write interesting background till the sun burns out.

Adventure layout is a bit harder...

[Riftmaker]

ME I'd love to burn the CS to the ground and build a new empire to take its place. Its not going to happen in the books though the CS is to central in to many books.

[Kelorin]

Amazing write-up.

On the topic of the thread, between the Lord of the Deep, Nxla, the Vampires, Mechanoids, Daemonix, Tolkeen, the CS, Tikilik, Gargoyles, Splugorth, and the Oni, frankly I'm surprised that Lazlo doesn't issue Edicts of Planetary Distress on a weekly basis.

[Braden Campbell]

Thanks guys!

You know, now that I think back, there was going to be a whole other angle on the mega-adventure as well. I decided that prior to the fall of Atlantis, there was a war between the Atlanteans and the Egyptians...and, conversely, the gods of Olympus and the Egyptian pantheon.

The Egyptians stole a ton of "the Knowledge of Atlantis"...like pyramid tech, temporal spells, whatnot. Then Atlantis disappeared. Long story short, the powerful, stolen knowledge was locked inside the Giza pryamids. But the vaults can only be opened by assembling all the body parts of Osiris.

The Pharaoh is trying to do that now...

It was a way to get some True Atlanteans to join the King's Crusade. I also had visions of creating little kingdoms along the coast of Syria, and Israel...like in the REAL Crusades.

None of this ever went beyond some ideas on paper, so if they get used, please let me know how it goes.

[Braden Campbell]

FYI...

the money given King Arthuu by the Irish is enough to hire all of Larson's Brigade for about 15 weeks...

[Kelorin]

Wouldn't the Megaversal Legion be a more likely choice?

[The Beast]

The Devouring Swarm was the Mechanoids.

The four demons were the Horsemen.

The one who hides amidst heros is Myrrlyn of New Camelot.

The last, distant threat that rises out of choas to create chaos is supposedly Tikilik, a giant frog in Austrailia who is slowly drinking all the world's water.

Seriously.

However, since most of us think that the giant frog-global-killer is kind of dumb/funny/retarded, you could really make it anything you wanted.

Actually later books say that the swarm may be Xitixix, not Mechanoids.
And what is this about a giant frog?

[Killer Cyborg]

Actually later books say that the swarm may be Xitixix, not Mechanoids.

Later books are wrong.

[Prince Cherico]

I dont think merlin is the being mentioned I
think its Archee, think about it the littel guys the
only one with satelite, he has mechonoid tech,
hes run a kindom in the past. And the stealth thing
that fits him to a T.

[grandmaster z0b]

I don't know if we will ever get a canon answer to what demons are and aren't specifically meant in the edict. This is one of those things that would have already become part of people's campaigns so it's too late to give a definative answer.
I would assume that most people would have played the devouring swarm as the Mechanoids, not the Xiticix.

[Rifter_GM]

This is going to be really long... so you might want to copy it into Word to read at your leisure.

The basic premise was this: following the Four Horseman adventure, King Arthuu declairs a Crusade against the monsters in Egypt. So he calls upon all of the local kingdoms of Europe to gather together and crush the Pharoh. (GMs go wild creating new baronies!) The King wants to go in person, and this time, Mrrlynn cannot stop him.

The Guienivere-thing is also genuinly concerned/in love with him...a side effect from inhabiting dead people.

So this crusade goes to Cyprus, spends the winter there, then attacks Rama.

BUT>>> while Arthuu is gone, the Fomorians attack in earnest (this where King Lot has gone to). England is in reall dnager. So much so that the real King Arthur is brought back on the black barge that took him away. He goes to Camelot, and well, recognises his old friend Merlin. What happens after that...is up to GMs everywhere

So here is some background I was once working on, to bring England up to 105 PA. this was written long before the Siege Series. Enjoy, and let me know what you think...
____________________________________________

THE FOLLOWING IS A SPEECH DELIVERED FROM THE THRONE BY HIS MOST ROYAL
MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I, SEPT. 21, 104.

"Members of the Court, Knights of the Realm, Our Queen, Our friends,
loyal subjects;

Though We are yet in the throws of celebration, and our nuptial hour
not yet a fortnight old, though all the Kingdom revel in Our joy,
with every night must come a dawn.

Three days ago, We received word from our brave and dear friend Sir
Prrcyel, gone these six months to fight menace in Africa. Every day
since their departure Our prayers have gone with them, and it has not
been in vain. God and the spirit of truth have prevailed in that
distant land, and the powers which threatened our destruction have
been overcome.

But the source of this evil remains. For We have now been made aware
by these messages, of the vast and powerful Empire that was first to
summon these beings. And now that the fruit of their hellish labour
has been destroyed, We must not to falter, but go on to destroy the
very tree from which such vileness sprang.

This Empire, writes he, is peopled entirely by demonic minions.
Humans and our D-bee brethren are treated as cattle, and subjected to
the most cruel treatment imaginable. The rulers of this land worship
Dark Gods, and seek to extend their machinations into continental
Europe.

Have We the power to live in comfort while others suffer? Is Our
duty to destroy evil selective, in that We only strike against those
who threaten us directly? Does our Chivalric Code extend only to we
privileged few who live upon this Isle, or rather shall we, as Christ
commanded 'go unto all the world' and be as benefactors to the
downtrodden, liberators to the enslaved, and a mighty arm for those
who have not the strength to fight.

And so, this day, before you assembled, and before the Lord our God
to whom We do appeal, We do declare a Holy Crusade upon the Empire of
the Phoenix. And as We are God's representative in this realm,
appointed by His hand, so shall We too in the distant lands that have
need of His love.

We thereby command all Barons of the land to come and join us. And We
extend a hand of brotherhood towards Our fellows in Bath and
Berwynmoore. Yea, even the lowliest farmer, or simplest craftsman
shall heed the call, and join those of Our forces already waiting for
word in Cyprus.

The Lord has willed it, and so We shall go. May His hand watch over
us all."
__________________________________________

AN EXCEPT FROM A LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING BRONIN II, RULER OF
ETERNIUM (BATH); SEPT 23 104.

"...And so, having now acquainted you with the nature of this enemy, I
humbly ask for your assistance in this matter. Rest assured that the
mantle of this Crusade falls not only to our two Kingdoms, but indeed
to all who would fight against evil and who believe in the necessary
destruction of such horrific powers.

Already, I have dispatched similar pleas to out brethren in
Tarramore, Berwynmoore, and to His Majesty King Lot of Lothain and
Orkney; and even unto the Contintent and many of the dukedoms and
realms reported to be there by my knights.

Though you are not my subject, and therefore not bound to obey my
command, I come to you as a fellow, both by Our Divine Right, and in
the greater brotherhood of Mankind. As we are Kings, we are leaders
of men. And as we are Men, we must fight to free our fellow Man.

I humbly thank Your Majesty for His indulgence, and eagerly await His
most excellent reply."
__________________________________________

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS GERROME, PRINCE REGENT
OF DEADMOON (PARIS), SEPT. 23, 104

"...Though Our forces have never met face to face, I have been made
aware of your Kingdom through the reports of my knights, and by
others who have traveled from Britannia to the Continent. I would at
this time, like to extend my most sincere hope that your wife, the
Queen, regain her health with all expedience. We have here in Our
Court a sorcerer of most amazing ability. I shall put him at your
immediate disposal if it will aid Her Majesty in any way...

...The immediate plan calls for a great mobilization of smaller
European forces into one of unstoppable numbers. However, as the
geography of the interior, that is to say, the most efficient route via
a traversing of the Alps, remains closed to us, I believe it best to
travel from Normandy to the Gulf of Lions (500 miles). From there,
God willing, and with the assistance of General Toulon of
Montpellier (whom I have also yet to meet), we shall sail for the
protective Isle of Cyprus. The powers there have been harbouring my
first wave of Crusaders since their victory this past summer, and all
reports indicate they will aid us in any way they can. After wintering
there, our combined forces shall converge on the City of Doom, and
destroy it utterly..."
_____________________________________________

HOLO-MESSAGE OF LEO VAN FALKENBURG, MINISTER OF DEFENCE, VICE
PRESIDENT OF TRIAX INDUSTRIES, TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I OF
CAMELOT; DELVIERED BY ROBOTIC DRONE SEPT 30, 104

"Your Majesty;

We must regretfully inform you that at this time the people of
the NGR cannot commit so much as one division to your cause. Although
we support the ideal, we simply have not the manpower to allow German
troops to engage forces in Northern Africa. Nor am I at this time
able to free up conventional air strikes against targets whose exact
location you cannot provide us with.

If you would like to purchase any of our fine weapons or equipment,
please contact us again at you leisure. Triax and the NGR support the
cause of freeing humanity, and will gladly sell you anything you may
need to accomplish your goals.

On a personal note, if I may, Your Majesty; our best intelligence
shows that the Gargoyle Empire could not have possibly armed
themselves with such a vast array of technological weaponry without
some kind of outside help. The two nearest sources of this help would
either be the Phoenix Empire, or more likely, Atlantis. If Atlantean
technology is reaching the Gargoyle Empire via the Phoenix Empire,
then it stands to reason that the minions of the Pharaoh are also
supplied by Atlantis. In such a case as this, I would suggest you
rethink this Crusade, lest you find yourself fighting the Splugorth
as well.

Your very truly, Leo Van Falkenburg"
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EXCERPT FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, SEPT. 30, 104

"The absolute bastards!

This is the reply form such a powerhouse as Germany, a country that
claims to be defenders of the weak, but are in fact, defenders of
nothing but their own interests. And the fact that they were still
willing to sell me much needed weapons, most likely knowing I cannot
afford them, is like teasing a small child with candy that one never
intends to let him have.

I know I should be understanding, and that to have hatred in my heart
is retrograde to a Christian attitude, but how can they do that?

Lord, is this greatest of quests to be over before it is begun,
snuffed out by mankind's callous indifference to the suffering of
others?"
_______________________________

LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'THUU I, FROM FIRST FOUNDER O'DAULK,
DELIVERED BY THE HAND OF SIR LOWELL, KNIGHT OF TARRAMORE, OCT.2, 104

"Your Most Exalted Majesty;

In our time of need, we were helped by others. And so, we Founders
have agreed it only right to return that courtesy unto others. We
present unto you these 250 men and women, among them our best
soldiers, to be used as you see fit. As well, as no army is complete
without the proper tools for the task, we extend you 100 million of
our 250 million line-of-credit with the NGR and Triax. Use it to
purchase weapons, armour, or if it please you, turn it into cash with
which to pay for the use of mercenaries to add to your Crusaders
numbers.

Included among these fighters you will find 45 doctors and nurses.
They have all been trained by the Germans in the use of the greatest
medical technology known to man, and are in your charge.

Our prayers go with all of you."
_______________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, OCT. 2, 104

"Thank you, Lord. Thank you."
_____________________________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I, OCT. 14 104

"For weeks we have been trying to train the Irish in the proper use
of broadswords, but they constantly complain that we should be taking
more guns. As well, they seem far less disciplined than my own
Knights, or even the Knights from Eternium. They are given to staying
up late, and drinking too much of the whiskey they brought with them.

Berwynmoore has declined to send any reply to my query, which in
truth does not surprise me. A magic pigeon from Lothain and Orkney
claimed that King Lot was sending some of his men, but they have not
arrived yet, and time is growing late. I am anxious to get things
underway before France is snowed in beyond all means of travel.

Myrr'lyn finally gave me his blessing this morning. 'If you truly feel
called to do this thing,' he said, 'then who am I to dissuade you.' I
think he had a talk with Gwen as well. She is understandably upset,
but unlike this past spring, she seems to understand my need to go
into the fray personally. I cannot ask Knights and common men to face
such a villainous Empire, while I remain safe here in England."
___________________________________________

MEMORY RECORDING FROM RUNE STATUE ONE, A CAVE ALONG THE WHELSH COAST,
OCT. 10, 104

(Awakened. The Lady is the last to arrive. The Master and the Queen
are already here. Rune statue two [Lion] is also animate. A
conversation ensues.)

LADY: We must come to consensus. Arr'thuu is adamant about this
Crusade. Will we let him go?

QUEEN: To risk his life now...if he should die...

MASTER: We are aware of the danger. If he should die now, we
calculate a 57% probability of collapse. This is increased to 74% if
he is killed outside of the island.

LADY: We should consult Zashan.

MASTER: He does not yet need to know. The question is whether or not
the King's undertaking has any real chance for success.

QUEEN: The combined forces are nearly 3000. Is it enough?

LADY: Unlikely. Prrcyval reported that the Empire is vast. Their
forces will be great. The token numbers of three small Kingdoms will
not suffice.

QUEEN: Then you cannot let him go. He will certainly be killed, and
for nothing!

MASTER: Are you beginning to display genuine feeling for this man?

QUEEN: I...am only concerned with the expansion plans.

LADY: What of the French?

MASTER: I have delayed a journey to Deadmoon as long as I can.
Arr'thuu knows he must have support from the Prince Regent.

LADY: Will he give it?

MASTER: The Prince is no fool. He does not want myself or anyone to
heal his Queen, not after he spent so many years poisoning her. I
think he will join Arr'thuu's cause; for money if no other reason.
His Temporal Warriors will be enticed by the promise of looting Rama.

QUEEN: And bringing Splugorthian weaponry back to Europe.

LADY: What of the Splugorth? Will they rush to reinforce?

MASTER: If one of us could gain control of the Giza pyramid, they
would have to reinforce through Gorth, significantly reducing the
available numbers. There is a 43% chance that they will leave the
Pharaoh out to dry.

LADY: Out to dry?

QUEEN: A human term. Myrrlyn means the Splugoth may abandon Rama Set.

LADY: I see.

QUEEN: The Gargoyles are heavily supplied via the Empire. Won't they
attempt to intervene?

MASTER: I foresee that they will soon be too involved with the Germans
to send forces to aid Rama Set. In this instance, the King is wise to
avoid going over the Alps. And there is something else...

LADY: Share.

MASTER: Although Arr'thuu will not receive aid from King Lot, or
Berwynmoore, I sense that another power will join him. Someone
unknown to us.

QUEEN: What kind of power?

MASTER: Great warriors. And equally great magical support.

LADY: In addition to General Toulon?

MASTER: Toulon is a relic from the Golden Age. His strength lies in
technology. He will see the wisdom of destroying the source of the
Gargoyle's weaponry. This is something more.

LADY: So do we let him go?

QUEEN: Will he be safe?

MASTER: I will grant him my blessing to go, provided he take a
private guard of Nexus Knights.

LADY: Then we will know his movements at all times.

QUEEN: And what of the Kingdom?

MASTER: By the time that Arr'thuu returns, Camelot will have an heir
to the throne, thereby avoiding collapse.

QUEEN: How? These bodies no longer function on such a level.

LADY: I will see to it, when the time comes.

MASTER: If his combined forces are strong enough, it may finally be
time to begin expansion of our domain. If all goes well, we could
gain control of England, France, and North Africa. The Gargoyles
will be cut off, and easily destroyed by the Germans. The Splugorth
presence in this area will be removed.

LADY: Then he goes.

QUEEN: He goes.

MASTER: He goes.
_________________________________________

FROM: "SONGS OF THE GREAT JOURNEY", CHRONICLED BY THE BARD KARSTEN,
SON OF THEORIN THE GREAT, AT THE REQUEST OF QUEEN CHRISTINA OF
VALKENNORD

"...And so they came, over the seas, the mighty longships, carrying
the chosen to the shores of Anglund. And Prince Beorin, son of
Christina, unwound the Horn, and let loose a mighty blast. And lo,
the fog of that place did part like a curtain, and the ships came
ashore. Hilgar the Black was first to walk on Anglund. He saw the
tall white stones, and said: 'This is Helluland; the flat rock land.
Where is their King?'

And since Prince Beorin, son of Christina, knew not where he should
go to find King Arr'thuu, King of the Southern Forests, he knelt on
the white stones, and gripped his father's sword, and prayed to Odin.
Then did a flight of valkyrie appear in the heavens to lead the
warriors of Valkennord to King Arr'thuu.

For five days and five nights the valkyrie lead them through the
forests of Anglund, until, on the morning of the sixth day, they
entered into a break to find a woman weeping.

And Prince Beorin, son of Christina said unto her: 'Woman why do you
weep?' And she looked up, and saw the Prince, with the chosen behind
him, and was afraid at their strength and numbers. But Prince Beorin
said: 'Woman, do not fear us, for we are on a Holy Quest. Why do you
cry?' And the woman said: 'because my husband will soon leave this
land to fight a great evil, and I am feared he will never return.'

And Beorin said to her: 'Woman, weep you no more. For if your husband
should fall in battle against an evil enemy, then he shall dine with
the gods in Valhalla. And that is cause for celebration, not tears. So
dry your eyes, and tell me if you can where I might find Arr'thuu,
King of Camelot and the Southern Forests.'

The woman rose and dried her eyes. 'I am his wife,' she said. And
Beorin, and all his warriors, even Hilgar the Black, bowed down
before her. And Beorin said: 'I am Beorin, Prince of the Oslo Great
Tree, son of Christina, Queen of Valkennord. I bring these men to go
with Arr'thuu on his quest to rid the South of evil, and save another
of the Great Trees.'

And then did Gueneveire, Queen of Camelot, wife to Arr'thuu, lead
them all, over 300 in their number, to the walls of her city."
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FROM THE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THEODORE RUMLEY, OFFICIALLY APPOINTED
HISTORIAN OF THE CRUSADE, RECORDED ON RE-WRITABLE LASER DISK;
OCT. 15, 104

"I'll never forget the day the Norsemen showed up. I doubt anyone
will. It was, simply put, one of the most bizarre things I had ever
seen.

The King was despondent. The 100 knights promised to him by King Lot
were weeks overdue, and the general consensus was that Arr'thuu had
either been lied to, or that the all the men had somehow perished on
their way to Camelot. Neither prospect filled any of us with joy.
There was nothing from Berwynmoore, but many chalked that up to the
fact that the old Queen was on her deathbed, and that her son was
getting ready to take the reigns of power.

Even with the money from Tarramore, it was doubtful whether this
assembled army would even survive the trip through France, let alone
lay siege to Rama. But then the warriors of Valkennord came in.

I was seated under an oak tree, as I recall. A little ways away from
me, in the parade grounds west of the palace, His Majesty was
training the Irish volunteers. The day was cold and heavily overcast.
The first real snow of the season was only days away. Then I could
see a large crowd moving towards the gate; two or three hundred I
should say, all on foot. The King and the Irish stopped what they
were doing, and I ran over to see what the crowd was about. My first
thought was that King Lot's men had finally, somehow, made it
through.

The first person I saw was the Queen. As Arr'thuu got down from his
horse, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. She said something
about how these men were here to help him, but I didn't catch it all.
I was staring at the Norsemen.

The tallest one in that group, the one named Hilgar the Black, was
the biggest elf I have ever laid eyes on. Hilgar was nearly seven
feet tall, and so thin it looked like a strong wind would knock him
to the ground. His hair was the colour of coal, and went almost to
his waist. He wore tall black boots that went to his knees, and a
long, white cloak that looked like the pelt of a giant wolf. He
carried a tall wooden staff in his right hand.

I assumed the elf to be the leader of the group, but it was the young
blonde man who spoke first. He said he was a prince of some place
called Valkennord. We'd never heard of it. This prince went on to
tell the King that he had brought nearly 380 warriors to go on the
Crusade into Africa. Seems they not only wanted to destroy the
Phoenix Empire, but save that Millennium Tree Prrcyval mentioned.

And I, for one, believed him when he said they were warriors; for
with the exception of Hilgar, they were nearly as wide as they were
tall. Their clothing was of furs and rough materials. A few of them
wore crude breastplates with a single white runic symbol on them.
Their weaponry consisted of huge swords, double-headed axes, and war
hammers. All the men wore scraggly beards, and unkempt hair. The
women who were amoung them looked strong enough to beat any of
Camelot's champions into a pulp.

But Hilgar was not the only one who stood out amoung them. Prince
Beorin, given time, would look like them. But that day all I could
see was a boy of no more than thirteen years. He was tall and
straight, but still heads shorter than the army he commanded. His
blonde hair was fine and blew about his face. He had not even the
first down of a beard. And when he spoke, his voice was soft. He and
Hilgar were like two exotic animals amoungst a herd of cattle..."
_______________________________________________

FROM THE PERSONAL DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU;
OCT. 15, 104

"...Wonderful company these men and women of Valkennord. I find Prince
Beorin to be a fine young man, well mannered, and highly educated.
Though I could not understand everything he spoke of, I take it that
he is some kind of priest amoung his people.

His mother, Queen Christina, rules over six or seven thousand people.
The city-state surrounds a Millennium Tree, though how such a tree
could grow in such a climate is a mystery to me. They are hunters and
fisherman. They are apparently one of the only human settlements in
all of Scandinavia; the Prince spoke of giants and monsters that roam
the high north. Their ships are somehow magical in nature; although
they are giant oar-driven long ships, they have some kind of
enchantment so that the men can row them for days at a time.
Valkennord has some contact with a few settlements in Russia (which
they raid, I believe), and has explored much of what used to be
Denmark.

Hilgar brought out a large map, inked onto a piece of leather. It was
a map of the "Known World", the boundaries of which stopped on our
shores. That they have the dedication to leap into the unknown with
us, gives me confidence all the more..."
__________________________________________________

A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN LE PALAIS ROYAL, DEADMOON, UPON THE ARRIVAL OF
MRRLYNN THE ENCHANTER;
OCT. 15, 104

[The setting is the receiving room in le Palais Royal. Mrrlynn is
dressed in a single, long, black robe. His white hair is wild and all
about him, blending seamlessly into his beard. He carries a rolled
parchment in his left hand. His right hand is extended.

Prince Gerrome is seated in a golden throne with thick, red cushions.
He is wearing green pants, and a striped tunic with a frilled collar,
and a short cloak. His blue hair is slicked back tightly onto his
head, with one lock hanging down the left side of his face. He looks
bored.

Left and right of the Prince's throne are gnome attendants, dressed
as he is. They do not wear pants, and their heads are shaved. They
hold bowls of fruit and jugs of water and wine.

The royal bodyguard can be seen in he background, mostly obscured by
the throne.

The rest of the scene is filled with various men and women of the
court, looking on. The Temporal Raider, Surveillant (trans.
Timekeeper), is especially prominent.]
______________________________________________

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER TO HIS MAJESTY KING ARR'TUU I, FROM GERROME,
PRINCE REGENT OF DEADMOON (PARIS), DELIVERED IN PERSON BY SURVIELLANT;
OCT. 16, 104

"...your sorcerer has told us everything we need to know. He has been
very accommodating. Combined with your letter, you make a convincing
argument. We will agree to go on this Crusade with you. Although it
will be dangerous, it is the right thing to do...

There are, however, a few conditions that we will discuss with you
when you arrive. They are nothing too great, and deal mostly with the
payment of mercenaries, and compensation for the families of those
who will surely die in this undertaking...

...My servant, Monsieur Surveillant, will escort your forces to the
mouth of the River Siegne. From there, it will be easy to find your
way to us..."
________________________________________________

FROM THE DIARY OF KING ARR'THUU I;
OCT. 16, 104

"I wish Mrrlynn were here. I do not trust this...thing."
____________________________________________________

Well done!

[glitterboy2098]

Oslo does not have a mellenium tree.

I should know.

[Mack]

Topic Locked for bumping a 15-year old topic.