Mission to kill the witch, Queen Bettrys

A simple Medieval Fantasy Adventure Module

Suitable for many sets of rules apart from Morval Earth. Ideally for a Games Master & four players  

Background

Queen Bettrys was a widow from the Lawic State of Stetia, who was born with magic powers (Magh Pozum). In the year 690ATN she married Prince Reginald, heir to the Kingdom of Foix. Foix, with ten provinces, being the most powerful state in all Morval Earth. Its various races were now united in obedience to the Church of Eru, the overall Neutral Deity, headed by the Monseigneur Gerald. Under Eru Church law, all possessors of magic powers must become members of the Church, or risk being burnt for witchcraft. Members of the Church are also prohibited from marriage, which makes this ruling harsh, on those born with magic abilities. 

Against the advice of the Monseigneur, the heir to the throne married this Stetian witch, who is a devotee of Doucer, Magho (Demigod) of just rewards. Her daughter Maudette, born in 684ATN, is also suspected of having magic powers. When King David III died of a fever, Reginald was crowned in his place and Bettrys became Queen Consort. As part of her dowry allotment, she received Naigre Manor. There an Abbey was being built, founded by her predecessor, Queen Flacilla. The abbey was originally intended for the Lucrecian Order of nuns but Queen Bettrys was changing it into a Temple of Doucer!

 Bishop Herbert Longuard of Chantilly, an easygoing cleric, is trying to mediate and make Doucer an accepted saint, within the Church of Eru.  His mistress, Lady Pattipan, one of the Queen's Ladies in Waiting, is assisting him, in negotiations with Queen Bettrys. 

Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Foix has been allied to various Lawic and Neutral states, fighting against the Chaotics in Hunara and Hamora, to the far Northeast. There the Main Lawic Army, led by the King's nephew Prince Eudes, has recently won the decisive victory of Lungstrete. Soon the Foixian army and camp followers, "morally weakened" by contact with Dwarves, Elves, Amazons and other peoples with strange beliefs, will return to Valles for a victory celebration. 

Alarmed, the Monseigneur Gerald felt his lifetime's work, strengthening the power of the Church, to be under threat. He called two other known enemies of the Queen, to him at the Grey Goose Inn. "Queen Bettrys has the King under her thumb with her witchcraft and is making a mockery of holy Church Law. We have to do something!" he said.  Stefan Complan, the Chancellor and Basylt Devisage, Royal Seneschal of Bara nodded.

Stefan complained "Instead of sticking to her Queenly duties, she has been interfering in treasury matters. She has used her magic to subvert some of my staff and I do not know who to trust any more!" (He meant she had discovered his embezzlements, needed to finance his wife Liligild's, expensive life style.) 

"Shocking!" said Basylt Devisage, "She has talked Reginald into giving my province to her daughter Maudette! I know Bara is the traditional province for the heir to the throne but it has always been a male heir in the past. Under Bara tradition, single women cannot own property. By rights I should hold Bara in my wife Disildt's name. As Reginald's sister she is of the Blood Royal! Does the King expect me to defer to a foreign female teenager? Maudette is a Stetian witch with no Royal blood in her! If Maudette is installed in Bara, we face the prospect of her as a future witch Queen Regnant. I think both Bettrys and Maudette must die!" 

"Bettrys most certainly, but killing Maudette, a young and pretty damsel, could turn many against us," said Stefan. 

"Indeed I could not countenance it," agreed the Monseigneur. "Maudette should be taken into Church custody, to become a nun, or, if she has indeed black witchcraft, to be burnt after a just trial. Another whose conduct needs to be examined is the Bishop of Chantilly, who seems to be far too friendly with both the witches. I believe that once Reginald is separated from these corrupting influences, he will start listening to reason once more." 

"I fear that unless he is killed also, he will turn on us violently," interposed Basylt. 

"You could be right," added the Chancellor. 

"I cannot countenance regicide against and anointed King," pronounced the Monseigneur "We must send reliable agents to kill Bettrys and capture Maudette and the Bishop, whilst they are at Naigre. I will assemble members of the Order of St.Judas, plus someone capable of holding Maudette, in despite of her magic." 

"I will call Sir Helric Blaggart and his two retainers, men I can trust not to be too squeamish," offered Basylt Devisage. "And I will contribute some experts in evil deeds, criminals in my power, who will otherwise soon end on a rope. I have also a member of the Royal guard, who can give our agents intelligence about the situation at the manor."

 You can find our game report here 

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 The Adventures of Morgana 'Exiled' will be published as a novel in 2002.

The Morval Earth Simple Abridged Fantasy Rules can be downloaded from this website click here.

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