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Chaosium Digest Volume 09 Number 02
Chaosium Digest Volume 9, Number 2
Date: Sunday, December 11, 1994
Number: 3 of 4
Contents:
Tristram: A Chronology, Part Two (Peter Corless) PENDRAGON
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From: Peter Corless <pcorless@cisco.com>
Subject: Tristram: A Chronology, Part Two
System: Pendragon
Sir Tristram of Lyonesse
Knight of the Round Table
Copyright 1994, Peter Corless
[Continued from V9.1]
Once again, people assumed Tristram would ride to his lady's rescue.
Yet this time, Tristram was deep in the forest hunting, and could not
be located! Sir Lambegus, another knight of Sir Tristram's, asked for
the honor in his lord's stead. Palomides easily defeated Lambegus,
but during the fight Isoud slipped away. She managed to make it to
the castle of a Sir Adtherp. This knight rashly rode out to deal with
Palomides, but only got himself grievously wounded and was forced to
tell Palomides where the lady had gone to. But safely held up within
Adtherp's castle, Isoud watched as Palomides fumed and stormed around
the walls.
Tristram finally returned and learned of his lady's peril. He found
Lambeg's on the trail, and Adtherp next. He made sure to see to their
care, then came to the castle and fought Palomides. Isoud parted them
at the last minute to prevent Palomides' death. She commanded
Palomides never to come again to Cornwall while she was there (which
he chivalrously obeyed). Secondly, she set a geas upon Palomides to
present himself to King Arthur's court and tell Guenever there were
now four true lovers to be found in the world: Lancelot and Guenever,
and Tristram and Isoud.
In many ways Tristram's story parallels Lancelot's: both knights were
the greatest and most chivalrous warriors of their respective courts,
and both were the lovers of their lord's wives. Both men underwent
wild flights of insanity caused by jealousy (Lancelot's caused by
Guenever's jealousy of Elaine, Tristram by his reading of Sir
Kehydius' correspondences to Isoud). Both found solace in the arms of
others during their banishment from court (Elaine of Carbonek for
Lancelot and Isoud le Blanche Mains for Tristram). Both also had a
maiden die of grief for unrequited love (Elaine of Astolat for
Lancelot, King Faramon's daughter for Tristram). Similarly, both
Tristram and Lancelot are wooed and then hunted by a spurned Morgan le
Fay.
Yet for the apparent similarities, there are significant differences
between the Tristram-Isoud-Mark triangle and that of
Lancelot-Guenever-Arthur. Unlike the veiled secrecy of the
Lancelot-Guenever tryst, there was never a great attempt to keep
secrets in the court of Mark for very long. Whereas Lancelot
practically shies from court to avoid bringing attention to his
liaisons with Guenever, Tristram often flees Cornwall because such
attention has already been drawn. Tristram is repeatedly exiled or
imprisoned only to be reunited and reconciled with the jealous King
Mark; Lancelot never has a chance to be reunited with Arthur. Isoud
also shows more independance (or abandon?) than Gueuever by often
running away with her paramour rather than remain behind duty-bound
with her husband and lord.
Two characters of Mark's court deserve mention here: Sir Andred and
Sir Dinas the Seneschal. The first serves as the "Mordred" stand-in
at the Cornish court; jealous of Tristram's success and always
plotting his downfall. Dinas counterplays Andred's villany by
maintaining a chivalrous and careful balance between his loyalty to
Mark as his king and to Tristram as one of his best friends.
Sir Andred, Tristram's cousin, became chief spy on behalf of Mark. It
was not long before Tristram stood before Mark on charges of treason.
Yet the circumstances of his siezure were questionable -- Tristram and
Isoud had only been conversing at a window -- and no knights obeyed
Mark's order to slay Tristram. Outraged at the unsubstantiated (even
if true) charges, Tristram beat his uncle with the flat of his blade,
then rode away, killing two knights sent after him by Mark.
Sir Dinas the Seneschal interceded on Tristram's behalf, reuniting
Mark with his nephew. Thereafter, suspicions lay heavy on the couple
though nothing more was said publicly. But Mark was shrewd. For
instance, when Lamorak de Gales came upon Mark's hunting party in the
forest and had defeated thirty of Mark's knights in sucession, he then
required Tristram to joust with him. Lamorak's exhausted horse
finally collapsed after this encounter and Lamorak demanded Tristram
continue the fight afoot. Tristram, ashamed for attacking a fellow
knight so ignobly, apologized and declined to dismount. Lamorak was
now doubly outraged and stormed off on foot. Tristram was mortified,
but had been duty-bound to obey his lord's unchivalrous commands.
Though Mark had shamed Tristram, this incident eventually came back to
plague his entire court. Lamorak intercepted the "Horn of Chastity",
a horn Morgan le Fay devised. Any woman drinking from it who had
committed adultery would spill the entire drink. Morgan's purpose was
for it to be sent to Arthur's court to divulge Lancelot and Guenever.
But Lamorak had it diverted to Mark's court instead. There, not only
did Isoud spill the drink, but also ninety-six out of a hundred other
ladies who were required to drink by their husbands!
Rather than burn at the stake Cornwall's entire noble female
population, the men rationalized that it must be a trick by Morgan.
After all, wasn't she a devious sorcerous? The test had obviously
been rigged. But secretly everyone knew the truth. Afterwards, many
of the knights of Cornwall held a special grudge against Morgan le Fay
and vowed to exact revenge. But secretly, Tristram wasn't so much
angry at Morgan, but Sir Lamorak. (Incidentally, the Horn was said to
have been destroyed after this, but it could also have been secreted
away...)
The next year, Andred finally succeeded in catching Tristram in bed
with La Beale Isoud. Bound and naked, Tristram was shut up in a
chapel by the sea. Andred returned with a dozen knights the next
morning for a summary execution. But Tristram heroically broke free
of his bonds, slew ten of the knights, then lept from the cliff onto
the craggy sea rocks below. Gouvernail, with Sirs Lambeg's and
Sentraille, recovered him from the rocks and also rescued Isoud from
her shaming (she had been sent to live in a "lazar-cote" -- a house of
lepers). Together the lovers retired to a manor in the woods.
But this lasted briefly. While hunting, Tristram was shot by an
envenomed arrow as he slept in the woods. He killed his attacker (a
vengeful and unchivalrous man whose brother had been slain by
Tristram). Badly wounded, Tristram returned to the rural manor only
to find Mark had been there and carried Isoud back to Tintagel!
Tristram was unable to see his love but in great need of her healing
hands once again. In a few secret correspondences, La Beale Isoud
asked Tristram to make his way to Brittany to see Isoud la Blanche
Mains ("Isoud with the White Hands"), King Hoel's daughter. Like La
Beale Isoud and her mother Queen Isoud of Ireland, this third Isoud
also had a great gift for medicine. Once again Tristram and
Gouvernail set sail to find him a cure. But this time he had no need
for disguise. After all, King Hoel was his stepmother's father! It
was not long after Tristram's arrival in Brittany that he was healed.
Hoel's greatest enemy at the time was Earl Grip, who harried the land
and had even wounded Hoel's own son Kehydius in battle. Gouvernail
suggested to Hoel to ask Tristram to take up arms in his service.
Gladly agreed to by both parties, Tristram put an end to Hoel's
troubles by personally slaying a hundred knights and Earl Grip himself
in a single day's battle! Astounded by such prowess in a man just
twenty-four years old, Hoel immediately offered his whole kingdom to
Tristram. Tristram declined gracefully, saying he had done as much
for the debt of life he owed Isoud la Blanche Mains.
But King Hoel of Brittany was not the kind of man to let such great
service go unrewarded. Both he and his son, Kehydius, made a great
deal of fuss and eventually arranged a romance between Tristram and
Isoud la Blanche Mains. Catered to and lauded greatly, Tristram
hardly objected and even found himself agreeing to marry the young
lady. (This confusingly making Hoel both Tristram's father-in-law as
well as step-grandfather!) Soon Tristram found himself in his wedding
bed with his new wife. But in her arms Tristram recalled little else
but his love for La Beale Isoud. Though their first night together
was tender, Isoud la Blanche Mains remained innocent and virginal both
before and after her honeymoon -- she didn't know there was anything
more to love than kissing and cuddling. But Tristram knew he had made
a big mistake.
News of his marriage travelled fast, and reaction to it was
universally decried. Ashamed especially at the words he heard spoken
of him by Lancelot, and unable to keep pretenses up very long,
Tristram desired greatly to leave Brittany. But he was not wholly
willing to depart of the company of Isoud and her brother Kehydius.
Though he was not in love with Isoud la Blanche Mains, he was a great
friend to her and her brother. One day these three were sailing on a
barge when it was swept across the sea by a storm. Landing in Wales
at the Isle of Servage, he met up with Sir Segwarides and Lamorak. He
was able to set aside his differences with both of these good knights,
and together they fought against the jolly but wicked giant, Sir
Nabon.
Nabon gladly lent Lamorak and Tristram armor for the jousts, but kept
killing their horses out from underneath them. Tristram eventually
slew both the giant and his son, at which point the newly-liberated
people of the island immediately offered their fealty to Tristram.
Tristram and Lamorak both declined the offer, but Segwarides accepted
it and ruled the island justly thereafter. The fellowship broke up
quickly. Tristram, Isoud and Kehydius returned to Brittany. Lamorak
returned to Arthur's court. Segwarides stayed at the Isle of Servage
to right all the misdeeds committed during Nabon's reign.
Very surprisingly, an invitation arrived in Brittany for Tristram. La
Beale Isoud graciously sent for Tristram and his new wife to stay as
her guests in Tintagel. Tristram made his way to Cornwall as
requested, accompanied by Kehydius and Gouvernail, but conspicuously
left Isoud le Blanche Mains in Brittany.
En route Tristram again met with Lamorak. Kehydius had the first
encounter with Lamorak and was wounded sorely. Tristram then charged
and the two knights fought greatly -- Lamorak having a better time in
the joust, and Tristram in the melee. But Lamorak reminded Tristram
of their earlier vow of friendship made on the Isle of Servage, and
surrendered his sword to Tristram as a test of that friendship.
Tristram was amazed at Lamorak's trusting nature and offered his own
sword in return. Together they made an even greater and everlasting
vow of brotherhood.
They rode along a short ways when the Questing Beast suddenly galloped
past, with Palomides in hot pursuit. The Saracen unhorsed the
surprised Tristram and Lamorak, then rode off after the beast.
Lamorak and Tristram both promised to return the favor if they ever
met up with Palomides again! Then they departed on their separate
paths, agreeing to meet again at that spot when Kehydius was near
whole of his wound.
Tristram next met Sirs Kay, Brandiles and Tor. He put them all to
shame for saying ill of the knights of Cornwall. Tristram was riding
around the Perilous Forest when the Lady of the Lake Nimue found him.
She brought news that King Arthur was being held prisoner by the
sorceress Annowre, and would be killed within two hours if Tristram
did not rescue him immediately.
Indeed, Annowre had Excalibur in her hands and was about to strike
Arthur's head from his shoulders when Tristram arrived. In the
ensuing struggle, Tristram slew the knights holding Arthur, while
Arthur chased after the sorceress. The King regained his sword and
beheaded Annowre for her vile deeds. Nimue took the lady's head, and
hung it from her saddle. But when it came time for Arthur to thank
his rescuer, Tristram refused to tell his name, and also requested
Nimue withhold his identity. Riding together, Tristram and Arthur
found Ector de Maris. After unseating the Round Table knight in a
joust, Tristram transferred the King to Ector's guardianship and took
his leave.
Tristram returned to the spot where he and Lamorak agreed to reunite.
Together they picked up Keyhdius, who had finally recovered from his
jousting wound. Lastly, they returned to where Gouvernail and
Bragwine had been left waiting by the boat. United again, they all
sailed to Cornwall.
Upon learning of Tristram's return, La Beale Isoud swooned for joy.
The two lovers were soon making up for their long separation. But
unnoticed by either of the lovers was the strange expression that had
come over Kehydius. He had fallen in love immediately upon seeing
Isoud! Daringly, he professed his love in a letter to her. Isoud,
pitying him, wrote a comforting but not-very-encouraging letter in
reply. Soon after finishing her letter, but before she could find an
opportunity to give it to him, disaster struck.
Tristram, Isoud and Kehydius were sitting in a room together
overlooking the courtyard when Tristram discovered the letters.
Flying into jealous rage, he drew his sword and charged Kehydius!
Isoud fainted. Kehydius lept from the window, and landed in the
garden just beside King Mark's chess table. Mark, completely
surprised by the Breton knight, asked what happened. Kehydius made up
a story that he had fallen asleep sitting in the window and tumbled
out, then ran for his life.
Tristram, acting defensively and instinctively, ran to the tallest
tower, barred the door and armoured himself. When no rush of
men-at-arms came up the stairs, and no sound of alarm was raised about
the castle, he warily crept back down to the chambers and fetched
Gouvernail. Together they rode from the castle. A fuming Tristram
even unhorsed Gawaine's son, Sir Gingalin, just beyond the castle
gates for no good reason.
Tristram rode about, growing more distraught as time passed. Mad with
grief and jealousy, he even left Gouvernail behind to stew in his
lonely misery. He was befriended by the concerned Irish knight
Fergus, and by a damosel who served Sir Palomides. This damosel
brought Tristram to a manor nearby, where he was cared for by the lady
of the house. He spent the next three months in fits of rage and
depression, alternately wildly uprooting vegetation in the woods or
weeping while listening to or playing the harp. But one day, Tristram
did not return from the forest. He had stripped naked and run wild --
going as far and as fast as he could to escape his memories.
The damosel returned to Palomides, and told her lord about the plight
of Tristram. It was most surprising that, of all people, Palomides
sought to comfort Tristram during his time of madness. But all
rivalry aside, perhaps Palomides understood better than anyone the
pain of heartbreak La Beale Isoud could inspire. He rode out to find
and comfort Tristram, and was joined shortly thereafter by a repentant
Sir Kehydius, who had been banished from Cornwall by La Beale Isoud.
King Mark himself even rode about the countryside to find his nephew,
sincerely distraught at learning of Tristram's mania. They spread out
to search the countryside for Tristram, Palomides going towards
Logres, Kehydius towards Brittany, and Mark remaining in Cornwall.
Tristram settled beside a well in the woods and stayed there for near
half a year, entertaining the shepards with his fits of madness. He
soused Sir Dagonet and his companions when they chanced upon him.
Dagonet later returned to beat the shepards who had laughed at him and
his men, but the mad Tristram once again appeared and put Dagonet to
the worse. (Dagonet later told Mark of the whereabouts of this
madman, but Mark thought it was Sir Matto le Bruene -- another knight
who lost his sanity when Sir Gaheris won his lady in a joust.)
During this time, the vile Sir Andred and his lover plotted to spread
a rumor that Tristram had died. Andred's paramour told the tale
convincingly: how she had found Tristram in his madness just before
his death, and how she had buried him by a well. Mark wept at the
news. Isoud almost committed suicide, attempting to throw herself on
a sword. Mark saved her at the last minute, and kept a close watch
over his distraught wife.
Word of Tristram's demise also reached Cornwall's enemies. Among them
was a giant named Tawleas, who had been hiding for the last seven
years due to fear of Tristram (Even though for much of that time
Tristram had been in Brittany!). This giant began his ravaging again,
and was about to kill a Cornish knight, Sir Dinaunt, beside the well
when Tristram came to his rescue and beheaded the giant. Dinaunt took
the head back to court and told everyone about the remarkable madman
who saved his life.
Mark found the madman in the woods by the well just as Dinaunt
described, but because of his wretched condition -- and also because
he thought his nephew dead already -- he did not recognize Tristram.
Mark had his followers take Tristram back to Tintagel, bathe him and
dress him up in fair clothing. Still, even La Beale Isoud herself
didn't recognize Tristram until her brachet (the same one that was
given to Tristram by King Faramon's daughter) began licking his face
and playing with him. Isoud again swooned for joy at the sight of her
love. Tristram and Bragwine quickly roused her, and sent her off to
avoid the certain reckoning Tristram would have to face alone. Just
as she stole away, Mark and Andred entered the courtyard and they too
finally recognized Tristram. The brachet began barking and growling
angrily at the King, defending her master instinctively.
Mark immediately called his nobles together to pronounce the death
sentence on Tristram. After all, Tristram was still wanted for
treason by adultery with Isoud, and for the "murder" of his
executioners. But the nobles, mostly led by Dinas and Fergus, refused
to obey the letter of the law. Instead, they commuted Tristram's
sentence to a mere ten years of banishment from Cornwall. Tristram
was only thirty years old, so it was reasonable to expect that he
could return to court in his lifetime.
But just as Tristram was being put aboard ship, Sir Dinadan arrived
from Arthur's court and asked to be granted a joust with Tristram.
Tristram obliged, and promptly unhorsed Dinadan. Far from upset at
his defeat, Dindan asked Tristram's permission to accompany him on his
travels. Gladly granted, Tristram and Dinadan encountered with many
knights on the road together. But though he was a rather good knight,
Dinadan had at least some concept of mortality. He soon cursed the
day he began his travels with Tristram. It seems that no matter what
the odds, Tristram always charged into the fray.
One such example was when Tristram dragged Dinadan into a battle with
thirty of Morgan le Fay's knights. They had been lying in wait to
ambush Lancelot. Though Tristram and Dinadan slew the majority of
their enemies and drove the rest off, Dinadan was still smarting days
later when he was required by Tristram to face the superior Sir
Palomides in a joust. Dinadan begged off further adventures, staying
behind at the next priory they rested at.
Tristram found Gawaine had a better stomach for such adventures, but
Gawaine met his match at the hands of Breunis Saunce Pite, who
unhorsed and trampled the Prince of the Orkneys under his horse's
hooves. Tristram chased after the evil knight, but could not catch
him. Though Tristram's steed Passe-Brewel was reknown for its speed
and strength, Breunis had the swiftest horse in Logres. Indeed, Dame
Bragwine recognized Tristram's horse well enough to know it was
Tristram, even in disguise. She delivered to Tristram a few letters
from Isoud, then returned with some letters of his after watching
Tristram's successes at the Castle of Maidens tourney.
The tourney did not begin well for Tristram. The day before the
official opening, Palomides baited Tristram by unhorsing Tristram's
companion Sir Persides. Tristram accepted the challenge, but was
unchivalrously unhorsed by Palomides even before he had a chance to
set his lance. Tristram vowed to have his revenge the next day. But
the greatest vindication came the next morning when Lancelot and
thirty of his kinsmen shocked everyone by carrying the shield of
Cornwall in honor of Tristram! Once again, Tristram played the
anonymous "Knight with the Black Shield" role. Riding with King
Arthur's knights, the "Black Knight" won the honor of the day. But
the next day both he and Palomides switched sides to continue their
personal grudge match. Tristram won the same honor the next day, but
when the prize was to be given, no one could find the "Black Knight."
Like at the Lady of the Launds tourney, Tristram had ridden off again
in pursuit of Palomides. But this time, he meant no mischief to
Palomides. Indeed, Palomides was mad with frustration, since no
matter where he went, Tristram or Lamorak or Lancelot always had the
honor. Tristram had taken pity on the near-suicidal Palomides and
comforted him. He even brought Palomides back to his pavillion for a
meal and to rest overnight. But though Tristram showed Palomides this
comfort, he did not spare him the following day, and once again the
Saracen was knocked from his saddle and soundly trounced in the melee
as well.
Yet it was Tristram's good friend Lancelot who finally took Tristram
out of the tourney. Not knowing the identity of the "Black Knight"
(and being rather characteristically dense and unable to see through
such an obvious disguise), Lancelot wounded Tristram sorely. Dinadan
accompanied Tristram off the field, worried that Tristram might die
from his wounds. But Tristram proved his endurance by soundly
defeating a pursuing Palomides, and even knocking out Sir Gaheris, who
had only come by see if Tristram needed his help.
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