Changes

The Red Knight was a French mercenary hired by young William’s father, Wiliam Montagu the first during the campaign of Brittany (where Edward the IIIrd supported one side of a civil war, while France was supporting another). In particular in the sack of Dinan.

William’s father died in 1344 of a strange illness, but his young son who was 16 decided to keep the Red Knight in his employ and brought him to Crécy and Calais.

Just after his victory at Crécy, the young lord just got very bad news : His wive Joan of Kent, the most beautiful lady of the court who is also of royal blood said that she was actually previously married to Thomas Holland, another brave knight who fought at Calais and demanded that her marriage with William must be annulled.

Learning this, he became furious, and listening to his trusted mercenary, the Red Knight’s advices, he sent her to be locked in the Isle of Man, of which he is King. She is locked away, to be sure she cannot testify of this previous marriage, being of royal blood, her testimony would make the papal court lean her way, but being the “property” of her husband, he can lock her away to prevent her from testifying.

At this period the papal trial between Thomas Holland and William Montagu just started and no conclusion was taken yet.

The Red Knight chose this location because this island is not part of the English kingdom and elects its own bishop. It is very far from English and Catholic eyes and has a total population of 1000 people. It has a long history of Paganism and is currently controlled by a heretic witch : “The Hermit”.

Since William’s father’s passing, the Isle is completely independent and he didn’t even visit yet.

By fleeing there with Joan of Kent, the Red Knight makes a valuable prisoner and will try to get a ransom for her before disappearing.

Of course “The Hermit” is not very pleased, but she has to obey her master’s orders.

When the Inquisitors sail to the Isle of man, the Red Knight and “the Hermit” will try anything in their power to defeat the inquisitors.

Then they will try to frame them.

During her abduction, she sent messages to her lover to come rescue her. Being the chivalric knight that he is, Thomas Holland made the trip in person to try to sneak her out of the island. He cannot be accompanied by armed soldiers because rescuing her is illegal and he risks losing the trial.

He is quickly caught by “the Hermit”.

The witch will then try to frame the Inquisitors for the execution of Thomas Holland. If they did have him executed, it would disastrous for them and mark the end of their career as he is one of the favourites of King Eward III.

To do that, they dressed him in the red armor of the Red Knight (which doesn’t fit well) and kept him drugged so he cannot defend properly in the Trial.

To keep him drugged, the witch user her familiar, a big black dog known in Manx legends as Moddey Dhoo. His claws are poisoned and he sneaks in the cell every night to poison Thomas.

Everyone involved have no choice but to cooperate in the farce, the local governor knowing that Joan is now effectively prisoner of the Red Knight has no choice but to cooperate, the local bishop, who was already corrupted by the witch wants to help the players but is too afraid to do so.

Once the players get Thomas freed from the trial, there’s no way back. He will tell the players everything and free the princess. Since it’s the only bargaining chip of the Red Knight and the witch, they have to kill the Inquisitors. So the governor orders his men to seize the players even though the population does not dare to help yet.

Thomas Holland tell the players who he is, but he shouldn’t tell them the identity of the princess he is trying to save because otherwise the players would know that they have no right to do so. So he will categorically refuse to tell them her identity but still try to convince them to help.

Much easier to kill them now and pretend they drowned at sea than explain why the local authorities tried to frame such a noble knight.

The players will then try to save the princess and seize Castle Rushen by themselves with the help of Thomas Holland.

To add insult to injury, the witch poisons the princess to make her behave like a Banshee. Also, this is a way of making it clear that even if they free her physically, she still has he under her control, so there’s no way to free her completely.

Once the players managed to free her, it’s May Day Eve and the local populace is terrified of the demultiplied powers of the witch, they too will join the fight and chase the players in the Manx forests. The local governor is now on their side and his soldiers protect them from the population.

At the end of a long chase the players and the governor are caught and prepared to be sacrificed, that’s when they finally see the witch and heroically free themselves and kill her.

The witch being dead, the governor begs for mercy and give them a ship to leave.