The Knight of the Lion

The Story of “Le Chevalier au Lion“

Sir Yvain of Gorre was born the son of the vassal King Uriens and his wife, Queen Morgaine Le Fay, the beautiful and evil half sister of King Arthur Pendragon of Britain. Trained early on in all manner of knighthood, Yvain, now a young man, matured into an honorable and valiant knight. When war between Arthur and the Rebel Kings broke out, Yvain joined up with his cousin, Sir Gawain, and their small force defeated a number of raiding Saxons at the Battles of Diana Bridge and Arundel. King Arthur, impressed with Yvain’s bravery, made him a Knight of the Round Table and he fought in Arthur’s wars against King Claudas, the Saxons, the Roman Empire and Lord Galehaut. After becoming one of Arthur’s finest knights, Yvain embarked on a series of quests that earned him repute and respect throughout the kingdom. He prevented his wicked mother from killing his father, rescued the Lady of the Rock, killed Malduit the Giant, saved Sir Lancelot from drowning, and with the aid of Sir Gawain, killed the seven evil brothers of Maidens Castle. 

Intrigued by Sir Calogrenant’s tales of an enchanted fountain in the Forest of Broceliande, Yvain set out for Brittany and adventure. He quickly discovered the magic fountain and poured some water onto its stone surround. This alerted Esclados, the Lord of the Fountain, to his presence and he appeared in a mighty hail storm. The two knights, with thunderous blows of steel,  brutally clashed until Yvain emerged as the victor. Gravely wounded, Esclados knew defeat was upon him and gracefully succumbed to his wounds and died. While canvassing the castle yard, Yvain was trapped between the portcullises of the castle. A maidservant, Lunete, appeared and gave him a ring of intangibility which enabled him to escape. She presented him to her mistress, Lady Laudine–the widow of Esclados–and Yvain immediately fell deeply in love with her. The fountain, mystical in origin, needed a protector, so Lunete persuaded the two to marry, and they were happy together for a while. However, before long a company of Knights from the Round Table rode by and Yvain, longing to return to Court, was convinced by his cousin, Sir Gawain, to quest with them. Laudine, knowing how much Yvain desired adventure, permitted him to go on the condition that he returned within the year. Yvain, of course, soon lost track of time and, finding himself coldly denounced by his wife, he fled to the hills and became a recluse. He was eventually rescued and cured of his suicidal depression by the servants of the Lady of Norrison, who administered one of Morgaine Le Fay’s healing potions. Yvain helped the lady fend off the attacks of the cruel Earl Alier on her land, before deciding to ask his wife to take him back.

On the way home, he rescued a lion from combat with a serpent and the animal became his faithful and lifelong companion, earning him the moniker of “Le Chevalier au Lion.” Together they had a number of adventures, including killing Harpin the Giant, rescuing the maidens of the Castle de Pesme Aventure, and settling a dispute between the daughters of the Lord of the Black Thorn. Eventually, back in Broceliande, Yvain rescued Laudine and Lunete from lecherous bandits and was happily reunited with his wife.

The Cry of Crows

                 

 Theron Drysdale, a courageous hunter of a Dalish clan of Antiva, was in a passionate romance with Lady Amethayne, the beautiful daughter of a powerful Antivan Crow master. Disapproving of the “wild elf,” the Crow master had Theron’s entire clan hunted for assassination in the hopes he would be amongst the slain. Amethayne, who learned of her father’s plot, went in disguise to warn Theron of the attack, but could not find him. When the assassins arrived, they butchered the Dalish elves and killed Amethayne, who was mistaken for a Dalish. Theron, who was out on a hunt, returned to find a dying Amethayne among his slain brethren. Distraught with unending rage, Theron, under the cover of night, unleashed a devastation upon the assassins by smoke and dagger, in a black storm of retaliation.

Knowing the Crows would seek revenge, Theron fled from Antiva for parts unknown, leaving behind the memory of his one true love and the only home he has ever known. The next morning, the Crow master was found amongst the bodies of a dozen beheaded assassins, with a chest full of arrows and a dagger plunged into the back of his head. Sometime after the Crow massacre, a mysterious “knife eared” warrior, known only as “Crowkiller,” flawlessly slew his way to victory at a Proving in Orzammar. However, once all glory was his, the masked champion disappeared into the cheering madness of the drunken crowd and was never seen or heard from again.