Author Topic: Restoring the Round Table- an Immortal Dynasty, Prologue Part 2, 6/27/2013  (Read 3755 times)

Offline Shewolf13

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Restoring the Round Table
The Paendragon Dynasty

Introduction:

One of my favorite sets of legends revolves around King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.  I have decided to adapt these legends and weave them into a tale of an Immortal Dynasty challenge.  I am not really following any one specific tale, but using an amalgamation of several of the different works and then using my own bit of artistic license within.  I hope you enjoy the tale that enfolds.

*****

Table of Contents

Part 1: Living with the Ghosts of the Past
Prologue, Part 1: Prelude to the Fall of Camelot
Prologue, Part 2: The Beginning of the End

*****

Offline Shewolf13

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Dynasty Stats

Paendragon Family Tree- Beware, SPOILERS!

Immortal 1:  Guinevere Paendragon
Traits: Born salesman, cat person, family-oriented, neurotic, proper
Likes: Tri-tip steak, dark wave, aqua
Spouse:
[]Unique LTW: Mystic Healer
[]3 Unique LTRs:
[]Career: Alchemist
[]Unique Supermaxed Skill: Alchemy
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 2 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 3 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 4 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 5 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 6 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 7 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

Immortal 8 :
Traits:
Likes:
Spouse:
[X]Unique LTW:
[X]3 Unique LTRs:
[X]Career:
[X]Unique Supermaxed Skill:
[]Other Skills:
[]6 Black Ops:
[]6 Unique Best Friends:
[]Owned Building:
[]Owned Property:
[]Toddler Museum Pieces:
[]Child Museum Pieces:
[]Teen Museum Pieces:
[]YA Museum Pieces:
[]Adult Museum Pieces:
[]Elder Museum Pieces:
Immortal at:

*****



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Offline Shewolf13

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Prologue, Part 1: Prelude to the Fall of Camelot

Camelot… a name that has fallen into the realm of myth and legend in this modern day and age.  It conjures up a world of magic and the might of the sword.  King Arthur… his Knights of the Round Table.  Merlin…

I am he.  I am Merlin.


No, no!  I’m down here!  *sighs and stretches*  And yes… I’m a cat. 


I’m sure you were expecting something more like this:


It’s rather a long story, my current form.  But I’ll tell you it, since it has bearing on the narrative that will follow.  Most know me as the famous wizard and court advisor of King Arthur.  I was also the wizard and court advisor of his father King Uther Paendragon before him. 



Uther was a hard man.  He was a stern king, though most would say a fair one, once upon a time.  But since his wife, Igraine’s death, he was spiraling deeper and deeper into madness.  Many of his nobles rebelled.  During an attempt to quell one such rebellion, the King was killed.  There was no saving him.  Thus, the Kingdom of Camelot was placed upon a precipice. 



The heir of the Kingdom, young Arthur Paendragon, would assume the throne when he came of age.  There was hope in the boy.  I had great faith in him.  He had been the one to pull the Sword from the Stone, the Sword that had been placed there by Viviane, otherwise known as the Lady of the Lake.  He was the wielder of Excalibur and an exceptional young man.  He was brave and inspired loyalty in those around him, especially his two best friends.  Young Guinevere Gwiedal was Arthur’s betrothed.  Their parents had made the arrangements when they were both still infants.  Lancelot du Lac was Arthur’s best friend.  He was destined for Knight-Hood.  He would be Arthur’s right hand.



He and Arthur were also competitive, as young man will be.  They both were talented archers, even more talented riders.  They practiced their swordplay together as well.  They were as thick as thieves, as close as brothers.  Lancelot was perfectly happy with his lot in life, with his spot by Arthur’s side.  He had no aspirations other than that.


But there was one thing that Lancelot coveted, deep within his heart; the love of the faire Guinivere.  He knew it was wrong; Arthur was his best friend and his King.  Guinevere would be his Queen.  Knowing this, feeling shame, he kept it to himself, hiding it deep within himself.


However… there was one who noticed, one who could see deep into the boy’s heart.  Morgan le Fey.  She had been an apprentice of mine years ago… and the love of my life.  I had been blind to her ambitions, though.  I should have seen it.  She hated the thought of growing old and had begun to delve into facets of the arts that no mortal should.  It was how she was able to keep her youthful look for so long, while I aged. Perhaps her feelings for me had been real, at one time.  I don’t honestly know. Call it an old man’s pride… or call it being blinded by love, but I didn’t suspect her until it was far too late.



It wasn’t hard for Morgan.  Young Gwen was a bit of a flirt; it was just her nature.  Of course, this did not make it easy on Lancelot’s sense of propriety.  But he endured; Gween didn’t mean anything by it, though.  Her heart belonged to Arthur and no other, just as Arthur belonged to her.



As Arthur’s coming of age continued to grow closer, he only grew to be more the King that Camelot needed.  His skills, of course, improved, but so too did his studies with me in politics and court management.  The day of his coming of age, he was crowned King.  He immediately went to Gwen and asked for her hand, officially making her his Future Queen.




The Kingdom rejoiced.  They loved Arthur and his beautiful lady.  Their wedding was a kingdom event; taking months and months of work and planning.  Work ceased and everyone turned out.  Those who could not fit inside the castle walls stood outside it, all clamoring to hopefully get a glimpse of their new king and queen. 



The ceremony was beautiful.  As they exchanged rings and vows, it was as if they were the only two people in the world.  They were so in love.  They left to a hail of birdseed and streamers as they went up to the King’s chamber.



Unfortunately, this idyllic interlude would not continue.  Morgan was already putting her plans into motion.  She had always had a subtle kind of magic, almost like an aura that surrounded her.  It didn’t take much for her to be able to wrap the male species around her little finger… I was one of those poor, unfortunate souls, so I should know.  She worked her charms upon Lancelot and then placed a spell upon him, one that brought his hidden desires to the surface.  Watching the woman he loved get married to another man… the spell was brilliant.


Queen Gwen had just come out of the King’s Chamber when Lancelot found her.  He was unable to help himself, the spell spurring him on.  Gwen resisted… at first.  But then she sank into the kiss.


The door opened… and Arthur walked out.  He saw everything.


Whoop!  Excuse me a moment… I have something to do.  *there’s a squeak, then some scrabbling, before a loud squeal, then silence*

*****

Offline AkonIsAwesome

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Your new dynasty looks like it'll be very interesting! I'll definitely be reading this one, too. Doing two dynasties at once is really fun, I think. Anyway, best of luck!

Offline EtnaFan666

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*applauds* I was enthralled with the stories of Camelot ever since I watched the Disney movie "The Sword and The Stone", watching a young boy Arthur tutor under Merlin (and the owl) was awesome in my youth. I can't wait to see what comes of this.

I noticed that Guinevere is the name of the founder. I have sneaking suspicions what this entails.  ;D
I play The Sims 4 for fun, so I don't care if I never end up being interviewed for the Dynasty Hall of Fame; people who play for keeps burn out too easily and don't enjoy playing the games, so I am going to not sweat the details.

"With great ability comes great taking into account of one's actions!" - spoken by an NPC in Lego Marvel Superheroes

Offline Shewolf13

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Your new dynasty looks like it'll be very interesting! I'll definitely be reading this one, too. Doing two dynasties at once is really fun, I think. Anyway, best of luck!

Thanks!  And yeah, I think it'll be nice.  It will give me a break when I need one.  I can switch between the two as needed. 

*applauds* I was enthralled with the stories of Camelot ever since I watched the Disney movie "The Sword and The Stone", watching a young boy Arthur tutor under Merlin (and the owl) was awesome in my youth. I can't wait to see what comes of this.

I noticed that Guinevere is the name of the founder. I have sneaking suspicions what this entails.  ;D

Yeah, that was a good movie, though actually one of my favorite movies regarding Arthur is called 'First Knight' with Richard Gear and Sean Connery.

Hehehe, well, let me know if you're suspicions are correct after you read this.

Prologue, Part 2: The Beginning of the End

I apologize for that.  *licks chops*  Hey, don’t look at me like that!  Even us cats need to eat!  Hmph!  *curls up into a ball*  Anyway, where was I?  Oh yes, right.

Arthur almost couldn’t believe his eyes.  He didn’t WANT to believe his eyes.  But he knew it was true.  So distraught was he that he stripped both Gwen and Lancelot of their titles, divorcing Gwen then and there.




The spell’s hold broke; Gwen and Lancelot were so very confused.  What had happened?  What had they done?  They had no idea how things had gone so terribly wrong.  Could they fix it?  They would have tried, but Arthur was too upset and felt too betrayed to listen to anything they may have had to say.



Arthur threw himself into running the kingdom, into his archery.  But not even his faithful steed Llamrei could quell his anger and his hurt.  His lady… his lady had betrayed him.  The woman he had given his heart to had ripped it out.



He was only too ripe for Morgan’s plan.  Knowing how vulnerable he was, she waited for him in his bedchamber.  It was only too easy for her to seduce him that night.  Their liaison was brief, but long enough that Morgan’s plan came to fruition; she was pregnant with Arthur’s child.



She used her dark arts to hide the signs, however, wanting no one to know.  It was imperative that the only heir to the throne remain a secret.  She knew that Arthur would need to marry again, in order to secure the succession so things would need to be in place before that.



Morgan had the child in secret, then spirited the boy away to Avalon, an island of magic where time moves differently than here.



In only a few months’ time, Mordred returned to Camelot as a young man.


He found his father, spitting venom.  He told Arthur of Morgan’s deception, of how everything had been so carefully planned.  Lancelot and Guinevere’s betrayal… he and Morgan’s relationship… it had all been a horrible plot.  And now, here was his child…  a grown man.


Mordred laughed at his father’s anguish.  He challenged his father and the two entered into a bloody, fierce battle.


A battle that Arthur lost.  The King of Camelot was mortally wounded.  I tried to go to him, to save him.  But I had no idea that Morgan had betrayed us all.  She intercepted me and before I could do anything, she raised her arms and cast a spell.  She turned me into my present form.  I was able to let one spell of my own off, but it couldn’t save me, nor the man I served as my King.



Arthur Paendragon, the rightful ruler of Camelot, died in the courtyard of his own castle, at the hands of his own son.  At the moment that his soul departed, a fierce cackle echoed around us.  It was Morgan. 

“You fools!” she gloated.  “Your precious kingdom will fall now!  Your King’s soul belongs to me!  And as long as he does, Camelot will be no more.”  It was true… before Arthur’s soul could move on, Morgan had pulled his spirit to her and imprisoned it in the ring she wore on her hand.  She laughed at us all again and then was gone…

A wail rose on the night air.  It was Guinevere.  With Morgan’s spell having run its course, she and Lancelot were free.  But the realization of what she had wrought was too much for her to bear.  They found her body on top of Arthur’s grave the night after the King was buried.


*****

I have lived in this form for centuries, traveling the world, trying to find a way undo what has been done.  The balance of the world was skewed when Arthur died and Camelot deteriorated quickly.  Mordred and Morgan had disappeared.  I knew she was up to no good.  It was only a matter of time before I saw her again.  This time, I would be ready.  In my travels, I had found a way, a way to right the wrongs of the past and to free the soul of a man who did not deserve an eternity of torment.

But I could not do it alone.  I had been waiting for something… and finally, finally, that day was here.  I returned to Camelot… or what had once been Camelot.  Today, it is known as Dragon Valley.  The Camelot I once knew is no more.  But maybe, just maybe, what once was can be undone, can be fixed.


Once I had stumbled upon my solution, it was a matter of waiting and watching.  Finally, she had returned.  Guinevere, the woman whose actions had been partly responsible for all that had happened, had been reborn.  Perhaps, with her help, we could right the wrongs of the past and maybe, just maybe, she would find peace.

Perhaps her past life took its toll, because this Gwen has changed from what she was, but I would know her anywhere.  And she must know SOMETHING of what happened, because when a talking cat approached her and then wove this same tale I have just recited, there was no denial, no refusal.  No, there was only a sad acceptance of fact about the young woman.  The only words she spoke to me at that first meeting was, “I will do everything in my power, Merlin, to make right what I did wrong so long ago.”





So she and I have both returned to Camelot… to Dragon Valley, together.  I’m not sure if it is penance or comfort that made Guinevere choose the same lot that had once been the site of her home… of the Castle of Camelot.  I can’t imagine her ghosts are any quieter than mine here.  I see her stare across the empty lot and know what she is thinking of.  I can only hope that she has the fortitude to survive those ghosts.


*****

Offline Shewolf13

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Just a quick head's up.  I have not forgotten about this or the Incarnations.  Just been busy the last few days.  Plus, waiting for the challenge team to vet the new IP content and figure out what's allowed for the Dynasties before I play those files again.  Hope to have some updates soon though ^^



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