Selected Facts from the Legend of King Arthur ============================================= [Storyguide's note-- These notes are based on the unabridged version of "Le Morte D'Arthur" by Sir Thomas Mallory. The notes are accurate, but the work should be regarded in-character as legend and not perfectly reliable. For simplicity, the tome on King Arthur in the covenant's library is an exact copy of "Le Morte D'Arthur," and players are welcome to conduct their own Arthurian research if they are so inclined.] One of the interesting facts about the Holy Grail is that it was not truly lost. Several knights throughout the legend encountered the Holy Grail and even drank from it. However, none of these knights ever actually possessed the Holy Grail: it appeared mysteriously before them and just as mysteriously vanished. It seems the quest for the Holy Grail was not so much a long search to find out where it is, but rather a struggle to become worthy of the Grail. There were several trials and prophecies along the way: great and nearly-miraculous deeds that could only be accomplished by the purest and most holy of knights. Galahad is the one who completed all these tasks. Launcelot and the Grail ----------------------- Launcelot was one of the first knights to find the Grail. He encountered it in the court of King Pelles of Listeneise, cousin of Saint Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph of Arimathea had brought the Grail from the Holy Land to Britain. The encounter between Launcelot and Pelles in is Book XI, Chapter II: "And anon there came in a dove at a window, and in her mouth there seemed a little censer of gold. And herewithal there was such a savour as all the spicery of the world had been there. And forthwithal there was upon the table all manner of meats and drinks that they could think upon. So came in a damosel passing fair and young, and she bare a vessel of gold betwixt her hands; and thereto the king kneeled devoutly, and said his prayers, and so did all that were there. O Jesu, said Sir Launcelot, what may this mean? This is, said the king, the richest thing that any man hath living. And when this thing goeth about, the Round Table shall be broken; and wit thou well, said the king, this is the holy Sangreal that ye have here seen." The text almost always refers to the Holy Grail as "the Sangreal." King Pelles arranged for his daughter Elaine to magically disguise herself as Guenevere and thereby have a tryst with Sir Launcelot, begetting Galahad. Pelles did this because he had some kind of foreknowledge that Galahad would eventually achieve the Grail. Moreover, Galahad would heal King Pelles of the Dolorous Stroke, which he had sustained previously. Queen Guenevere learned of Sir Launcelot's tryst with Elaine, and she was so angry (from jealously) that she banned Launcelot from Camelot. Launcelot went mad with grief and wandered for several years, eventually coming to the castle of Carbonek. There, Elaine recognized him and used the Holy Grail to restore his wits. The Dolorous Stroke ------------------- King Pelles is also called the Maimed King because he was wounded for many years by the Dolorous Stroke, dealt to King Pelles by Sir Balin le Savage. This is a tale in itself. An evil knight named Sir Garlon had the power of invisibility and was using it to ambush rival knights. Garlon killed a knight who was under Balin's protection, so Balin, of course, had to go and avenge that knight. Balin met Garlon at a feast hosted by King Pellam of a land called Listeneise. Balin got into an argument with Garlon and killed him right in front of the host, and worse yet, Garlon was King Pellam's brother. So Pellam attacked Balin and broke Balin's sword. Balin fled through the castle with Pellam hot on his heels. Balin eventually came to a chamber where lay the Spear of Longinus, also called the Spear of Destiny- a Roman spear that pierced the side of Christ while He lay on the Cross. (Presumably, this relic had been placed in King Pelles' castle by Joseph of Arimathea.) Balin siezed the spear and attacked Pelles with it, stabbing him in the thigh. The stroke was so mighty that it brought down the whole castle. Balin and Pelles lay beneath the rubble for three days until Balin was rescued by Merlin. This blow was called the Dolorous Stroke because, with the wounding of King Pelles, the land of Listeneise languished into a wasteland. Great suffering and death were upon the land for many years. Finding the Holy Grail ---------------------- Galahad, Bors, and Percivale arrived at the castle of Carbonek, where they found King Pelles. In fulfilment of a prophecy, Galahad mended "the broken sword wherewith Joseph was stricken through the thigh" (though the striking does not seem to appear in the legend). Then the Holy Grail appeared before them. A vision of Jesus emerged from the Grail, and commanded Galahad to take the Grail and bear it to the city of Sarras (presumably in the Holy Land) because "[God] is not served nor worshipped to his right by them of this land, for they be turned to evil living; therefore I shall disherit them of the honour which I have done them." The vision also offered Galahad a bloody spear, perhaps the Spear of Longinus, and told Galahad to anoint King Pelles with the blood. When Galahad did this, Pelles, the Maimed King was healed. Returning from the Holy Land ---------------------------- According to the book, Bors, Galahad, and Percivale traveled to Sarras. Percivale and Galahad both died in Sarras. Only Bors returned, many years later, to relate the tale to the Round Table. The story of the Grail was recorded in detail in a book at Salisbury.