Sir Dandridge was born in the Village of Kyg, Kingdom of Kaldor on the 17th of Morgat, TR 689, the youngest of his mother’s four children. His father, Sir Danforth, was a Knight-Bachelor of some renown. His courage was on display at the disaster of the Battle of Gedes after which he found minor celebrity status on the Kaldor tournament circuit. Unfortunately, he drank his winnings as quickly as he collected them. His mother, Lady Penephonie of Clan Erhen, saw his prowess on the tourney field and was smitten with him and successfully courted him and was married to him in 685.

His eldest sister died when Dandridge was a year old. His elder, living siblings, Lady Doris and Sir Daniel, endured physical abuse from their alcoholic father. As he grew into his teenage years he took the brunt of the abuse. When he set off to become a squire, his mother committed suicide. He was squired to Sir Nilys of Clan Charen of Lezter. Three year later his father remarried to Lady Kathrim of Clan Elbaros, a woman of noble birth, high ambitions, and questionable morals. She is only a year older than Dandridge and was known to frequent Sir Daynes Bernan’s parties (the Constable of Kyg). She somehow sobered up her new husband and began to find positions for her step-children that enhanced her husband’s (and her) fortunes in the Kyg court with her sights on the courts in Tashal.

When Dandridge’s squire-hood came to an end, his step-mother wanted him to take place in her plan of intrigue. He outright refused and took to the wilds of the Kathela Hills where he lived with outcast Kath tribesmen and learned their ways for few years. After that he went to Thay and found himself caught in Melderyn intrigue. He became a consummate social chameleon, going from court to the street to the fields to the wilds and back again with growing ease.

His life on the road was marked with poverty. His mark of nobility made of pewter. His old palfrey died, which was bad due to the lack of a warhorse. In 718 Sir Dandridge was in a friendly board game with one of the captains of the Constable of Kyg. The captain asked for a wager. Dandridge said that he had nothing to wager. The captain said that he would ask for no more than the poor knight could afford. Dandridge accepted if he had the same honor of wager. The captain agreed. Dandridge won the game and accepted the knight’s Trierzi mount a payment. The captain honored the bet and went on.

Sir Dandridge is my character. I used him on a couple of one-shot and short adventures in between another campaign. It has evolved into a campaign on its own.

I will give the core of the party and past adventures later.

Currently: in Olokand in preparation for the Royal Chelebin Tournament.

As Sir Dandridge prepared for the tourney the word of an inquisitor from the church of Larani (at the bequest of the Kaldorian Serekela) has began an inquisition to possible heresies at Abriel Abbey. I was not long before one of Sir Dandridge's own, Father Widgen (Priest of Larani), was caught up in the questioning about The Reluctant Way. Master Wolfsig, Satia-Maravi (Odivshe), began to have prescient visions of a doom...A Doom...A DOOM! about the inquisition.

The company did not know about the Father Widgen being taken to Abriel for questioning. When word came back to Sir Dandridge, he assembled his team and went after the good father. It was after dark as they caught up to the cart that carried the Father Widgen and the junior clerics responsible for rounding up the usual suspects. After a failed diplomacy Father Widgen was taken into Abriel Abbey.

It was while the party was returning to Olokand that they were attacked by Gulmorvin. They returned to Abriel and took up rooms at the Chapel Inn. Master Toll took to a quick reconnaissance around the abbey grounds. It was there he saw the lead inquisitor take orders from his scribe. The scribe swore by The Shadow to find Father Widgen. Little did the group know while the good priest as in a locked cell praying he well into a trance and a random Barasi point tool him to a Godstone in Orbaal.

The following day as the twilight of dawn began to creep into the eastern sky Sir Dandridge and his Squad of Esoterica began to head toward the abbey to cleanse the abbey of the Morgathian scourge. The Lady of Paladin squadron had no clue of the Morgathian coup going on under their nose and were ordered to close off the abbey grounds. As diplomacy was failing Master Earyndal, Satia-Marvai (Lyhavi), attempted a spell and critically failed. It summoned a powerful light elemental that blinded Sir Dandridge’s party (but for two) and began a mental conflict with Earyndal. One of the three knights was also blinded.

One knight went to raise the alarm as Priestess Ulf of Save-K’nor ran to stop him. Sir Dandridge out of pure frustration blindly charged the remaining knight. They clipped each other as Earyndal failed his attempt to control the light elemental and another light show blinded the last gate knight with a comical dual of three blind men swinging swords.

As the reblena and the rest of the paladins came to the aid of their brothers Priestess Ulf envoked a ritual of her god to get an answer to the moral quandary. Meanwhile Mistress Lillith, Satia-Maravi (Fyvria), managed to dispel the magical blindness on her. As she saw Earyndal glowing and rendered him unconscious in a hope that whatever was set loose would stop if he was knocked out. All it did was allow the elemental full control of Earyndal’s body, which began a debate between Lillith and the light elemental. Lillith began the existential with telling the elemental, “Ray”, that evil in the abbey and needed to be defeated. The element had no clue what the concept of evil was. Then, Lillith told “Ray” that there were people bring forth darkness to destroy the light. “Ray” began to get incensed.

Meanwhile, Sister Ulf calmed the fears of the reblena and the other knights as Sir Dandridge began to use his sword as a blind man’s cane to move forward and again reiterate that there was a Morgathian conspiracy going on in the abbey and asked if the knights were for or against his party.

On the steep hill climbed Tollemach, the infiltration specialist of the group. He became blind in the second wave of “Ray’s” light show. He asked his deity, Halaea, for divine intervention and volunteered for a condition. The party members began to see shapes that distinguished between friend, neutral, and foe. Moments later Lillith made her breakthrough with “Ray” and the blindness was lifted and Sir Dandridge and the Squad of Esoterica began to glow.

The reblena took the party to the Bishop’s Hall where “Ray”, still possessing Earyndal, began to burn away the taint of shadow from the Laranians that were enduring the Morgathian priest’s “questioning” or succumb (most unwillingly) to the shadow. The Inquisitor was too far gone, even though he involuntarily fell to Morgath’s will, and died when “Ray” purified him. The Morgathian priest burst into dust along with several of his minions as “Ray” burned the darkness from the area.

And so, a critical failed spell casting check utterly derailed the GM’s well planned battle of Abriel Abbey.

As for Father Widgen, he was taken to Leriel and began the 10-13 day journey back to Olokand, just in time for the second day of the tournament…and that is a tale for another day.

Dramatis Personae

Sir Dandridge of Clan Baucom

Master Earyndal, Lyahvi Satia-Mavari

Master Alfred, Odivshe Satia-Mavari

Master Wolfsig, Odivshe Satia-Mavari

Master Andor, Jmorvi Satia-Mavari

Mistress Lillith, Fyvria Satia-Mavari

Mistress Idruna, Savorya Satia-Mavari

Master Tollemache "Toll", Information & Acquisitions Specialist

Priestess Ulf, Save-K'nor

Father Widgen, Larani

You forgot Toll...

Also, Master Andor should be listed at the top, just under Sir Dandridge.....just sayin...

The Squad of Esoterica searched for Father Widgen with no avail. When the cleansed priests were asked on his whereabouts, they said that he just disappeared from his room. Realizing that they could do nothing for him until they figure out where he was, they group went back to Olokand with a letter from Rekela Hadan that explained what happened at the abbey.

The night prior Sir Marshal of Quelch went back to tell those in authority he knew personally about the morvin attack and that something more was going on at the abbey that just the inquisition. So, as Sir Dandridge came into town word quickly spread to Caer Olokand and the younger knight was summoned to Serekela Kynn. When the archbishop had interview all involved and read the letter, he was satisfied that nothing sacrilegious was intentionally or unintentionally done. The Serekela was very grateful and Sir Dandridge’s star continues to rise among the lords of Kaldor.

As he came to his borrowed pavilions his new squire, Timoth Lynston (fifth son of a minor noble clan from Kobing), had kept Sir Dandridge’s father (Sir Danforth) and more importantly his father’s wife (Lady Kathrim) from entering the tent. For a young lad of merely fourteen years he dutifully paid attention to his master’s words and how much he despised his father for being an abusive alcoholic and his second wife for using her new husband to get her own star to rise. After a tense but polite encounter Sir Dandridge helped his father find accommodation. He had Toll keep an eye on his father’s wife to see what she was up to and to check on his father’s alcohol intake.

Sir Dandridge spent the rest of the time before the tourney preparing and socializing as most nobles are want to do. Toll reported that his father’s wife kept her profile low, which suited Sir Dandridge, and his father remained sober, which surprised him.

The day of the opening ceremony the tournament came. His Majesty, King Miginath, came out for the ceremony. He looked piqued, but moved and spoke well. Once the pomp and circumstance was over and challenges issued the field settled in to wait for the morning’s first tilt in the round.

Sir Dandridge was challenged by a local hothead looking to make a name for himself, Sir Baeronay of Fife. Sir Dandridge put up as wages treasure that was found with the Prince Brant’s remains and the Crown Treasures and Artifacts of Nurelia (from an accidental early adventure into Ona-Setrun ... will be told later). Sir Dandridge quickly fell 1-0, but with aggressive style won 3-2 and moved on to the Round of 64.

At the end of the day Father Widgen came back. He and Sir Dandridge went to call on the Serekela. Father Widgen told his lords what happened to him. He was in meditation and prayer when he was spirited away to a place in Orbaal. He was blindfolded and taken to Leriel where he bought a horse and found others that were going to Kaldor as so he would travel safely.

The next day he was challenged by the Champion of the Baron of Kolorn, Sir Utys of Marbry. It was an exciting list as the tilts moved back and forth. They were tied 2-2 when the final tilt brought a 3-3 tie as both jousting poles shattered. As Sir Dandridge was challenged he chose broadswords, no shields. Sir Utys chose first blood.

Both were evenly match swordsmen. They sized each other and the sparring entertained the crowd. At one point Sit Utys fumbled the attack giving Sir Dandridge the advantage. Sir Utys on instinct lashed out and caught Sir Dandridge in the mailed, right hand. The sword nicked skin and drew blood. The judges called the melee and declared Sir Utys the winner. Sir Dandridge graciously gave over the box with the treasures of Ona-Setrun to the victor and made his way to his pavilion… very upset.

As he entered the tent Timoth began to assist in taking his lord’s armor off. Sir Dandridge barked that he wanted to be left alone. Timoth quietly stepped out and kept watch as his lord disarmed. Some of the company and his siblings came by but Timoth with far more tact than a 14-year-old should have made sure they did not disturb Sir Dandridge. As Sir Dandridge finished getting his armor off a royal herald came to the tent and asked to give a message to Sir Dandridge personally. Timoth gingerly told his lord he had an important visitor. Sir Dandridge asked for the visitor to be brought in. The herald came in and gave the lord a letter with the seal of the Royal Chamberlain on it. It read that his presence was requested at Caer Olokand for a private meeting with Princess Meliem Elendsa.

Sir Dandridge cleaned and dressed in his finery and went to the castle. He was quickly brought to the private offices of the Royal Chamberlain. She expressed her condolences on the loss in the tourney, but was glad that he had become available for a quest that needed quiet discretion. The king was more gravely ill than he seemed at his public appearances. Her Highness and her esoteric advisor, Master Jack of Clan Autell, have found the king was being slowly poisoned.

Only her, Master Jack, and the royal physician know the truth. Sir Dandridge and his company would be asked to find the notes and research of Bognar, Master Jack has well founded belief that a cure can be found in Bognar’s notes.

The company would be outfitted with discretion. The sooner they could leave the better. Sir Dandridge assured her highness they could be leaving tomorrow. Master Jack made arrangements to meet the company on the road between Olokand and Gardiren with the outfitting.

When Sir Dandridge came back he used his foul mood from losing the list and shouted to his company to pack. They were leaving in the morning. He quietly took Lillith aside and let her know what was going on and what they were tasked. They left Olokand and met Master Jack and received horses, money, and various equipment that the group and individuals could use. It was not long before they were in Gardiren and on Noron’s Way heading north.