Bors
knight
Don't read further unless you have chosen the character!
41 yo, older brother of Lancelot, younger brother of Lionel, Knight of the Round Table, very Christian.
Christian
Your foster mother is a Lady of the Lake but she never cared for you much. Old gods didn’t give you what you wanted. Maybe the new God will. At least he is providing you a good cover.
“Walking in the shadow all my life, having nothing, being nothing… at least, I can shine as a Holy Knight I pretend to be.”
When you were 6 years old, you lost your father, and your home was conquered by Saxon King Claudas. (see Story of Benoic) Your mother married Claudas – the man who killed your father, and who adopted you. Your little brother Lancelot disappeared. Your older brother Lionel was your only friend. There was also Claudas’ son Doris who was your age. It was never easy with him. He used to remind you that he is more important than you and Lionel. And there was also this baby, Mordred, Claudas’ adoptive son. He was visited from time to time by Morgana.
Your mother died while giving birth to Claudas’ second son – Claudin. You hated that kid because he killed your mother, but you also hated your mother because she married Claudas.
As Mordred was getting older, he got very annoying. He kept repeating that King Arthur is his true father. You, Lionel, and Doris were mocking and laughing at him. When Mordred got aggressive and tried to beat you, you beat him back. But also Doris was growing worse and worse. Fortunately, there was Seraide, the maid, who always jumped in when Doris was getting too annoying and somehow saved the situation. You think she was your first love but you were too young to do anything about it.
Once, when Doris suggested throwing rotten fruits at Mordred, Mordred threw back an insult: How can you be siding with the son of a man who killed your father? It started an argument and then a fight. You and Lionel beat Doris to the ground, but then something happened, something that you didn’t want to: while you were holding Doris down, Lionel took a bust and smashed Doris’ head.
For a minute you didn’t know what to do. But then Seraide appeared and took you to the nearby lake, then she did some magic and took you to an underwater city. There was the city of Viviana, Lady of the Lake, and there was also your little brother, Lancelot. Soon, Mordred joined you as well, but you didn’t like that little brat and Viviana sent him away soon.
In a few years, you had been taken to the court of King Arthur who accepted you as sons of his friend Ban and knighted you all. Claudas demanded your heads but Arthur refused. Lancelot soon became a great hero. You didn’t. You have never been as strong as him.
In Camelot, you fell in love for the second time, with Elyzabel, the cousin of the queen. You courted her, but then you saw her walking hand in hand with Gawain. That little prick.
When Arthur accused Guinevere of betrayal, you stood on the side of your brother Lancelot together with Hector, and Balin Ill-fated. (see False Guinevere blueprint)
Later, Claudas imprisoned the Elyzabel which sparked a war. Lancelot led the army to victory. When the war was won, you demanded your share of the kingdom. But Lancelot didn’t want anything, Lionel claimed that he is the oldest and that he should rule, and Arthur supported him because Lionled had never betrayed him. So you were left with nothing – no girl, no glory, no possession. For that reason, nobody wanted to marry you. People started to whisper that you are just like a saint. So you made it your act… In order not to look stupid, you accepted the role of a Knight of God.
During the Quest for Holy Grail, you become a great friend with Galahad (Lancelot’s bastard) who sought a companion of somebody with the same morals, and you understand how much he is seeking for a father. So you became one to him.
At a certain point, your path separated. Soon after, you had encountered bandits who were forcing themselves on a young lady. Turns out her name is Aoife, she is a servant of Queen Guinevere. She was ordered to bring Lionel to the court, but her escort had been killed by bandits. You agreed to accompany her. When you were sharing wine at night, you reveal to her what injustice Lionel committed to you. “So why not kill him?” she asked.
The next day you have met Claudin on the journey. Even though he wasn’t the knight of the Round Table, he heard about the Quest and he considered it way too important not to join it. You knew he attempted to marry Isolde, the princess of Ireland but had been refused. You shared the same fate with him – no possession, no girl. You offered him a deal – if he is going to give you money to hire thugs from Meliodas, leader of vagabonds, they will kill Lionel. You will inherit the kingdom and give him back the part of the Benoic which belonged to Claudas before your father was defeated, and you will rule the rest (with Aoife as your wife).
Claudin agreed. You hired Meliodas and his group of bandits and sent them to attack the convoy of Lionel. But bandits, instead of killing Lionel, captured him and took him away. You rode down to finish what they did, but you had seen Aoife (who lured Lionel into a trap) who was barely defending her chastity before one of the vile bandits. So you protected her. You took her to the Camelot. As you learned, later on, Lionel had been saved by Gawain and Percival.
It had to be Claudin who betrayed you and ordered bandits to capture Lionel. But even though you had failed, you are now courting Aoife. You need to talk with Claudin, and you still need to find a way to get rid of Lionel. Even if you would marry her, you have no possession to offer her.
Claudas: you hate him less than when you were a kid. But he still killed your father.
Lancelot: your little brother who won all the fortune. Having a great foster mother, beauty, strength, ladies, fame… You are remaining on his side but only to take the part of his glory.
Lionel: he was your best friend. But he didn’t leave you anything. When you demanded part of the kingdom, he retorted you don’t deserve it, because it was he who killed Doris and avenged your father. That’s what gave you the idea to kill him and to take what is yours by force.
Gawain: arrogant asshole. If you would only find a way to destroy him.
Claudin: you see him as an innocent victim of circumstances. Very much similar to you. You are willing to support him… but first you need to know if he betrayed you.
Seraide: always kind, always nice. So beautiful. Unaging. You love her… but she never wanted you.
Viviana: she took care of you after you ran away from Claudas but it is clear she always cared only for Lancelot. How could you love her, if she didn’t love you back?
Elyzabel: how could she betray you? Weren’t you good enough for her?
Galahad: what a nice little boy. Your brother hurt him so much.
Aoife: she is so beautiful and skilled. She would be a great wife to you.
Whole life, you had nothing, you were nothing. The only glory you ever had was the glory of a saint and it was a lie as well. You finally wish to mean something! Doesn’t have to be much, but at least something!
TODO
- Get in touch with Claudin and find out why he betrayed you. What did he promise to Meliodas that he only kidnapped, but didn’t kill Lionel?
- Find a way to kill Lionel and get Benoic. Consider poison, challenge, union with his enemies. You can try to talk to Seraide. You know Lionel forced himself upon her. Maybe she could be helpful.
- You need to find a way how to get revenge on Gawain. Maybe you could find an ally in Ragnelle, his wife, who looks very unhappy lately. Aoife also might know something.
- You wish to marry Aoife. You should propose to her and make arrangements.