Estates of Perceval of Nottingham

[Barry Goldwater]

Perce-val, 'pierces the valley', was the nickname of the Norman borderer-knight Roger d'Argouges, earned with his sweeping ambush of and victory over a Breton raiding party in a vale while patrolling the southern edges of Normandy's portion of the Breton March. The name stuck even after he died in a later, completely unrelated skirmish, and his son Guillaume bore it proudly. This same Guillaume was among the host of knights who sailed to England beneath the standards of his liege, Duke William, and the Pope, and consequently won the day at Hastings. With a growing family to care for and the battle done, William Perceval is eager to get his hands on his reward of land and settle down in his new, unfamiliar country.

Household

William Perceval Age: 41 (born 4 April, 1032) Spouse: Adelaide de Coutances (age 37) Traits: 6 pts +3 Battles (+2 base, +1 temperament) +2 Personal Combat +2 Charisma Temperaments: - Confident: This character is very self-assured, brimming with confidence and difficult to shake even under pressure. However, taken to an extreme, they can show a suicidal disregard for their life and the lives of others, and fail to take...well, failure into account when planning. +1 battle rolls, +1 to rout rolls against this character. Richard Perceval Age: 23 (born February 26, 1050) Spouse: N/A Relation to family head: Son Traits: 4 pts +3 Charisma (+2 base, +1 from temperament) +2 Personal Combat Temperaments: - Idealistic: This person is a strong believer in higher ideals and the innate goodness of man. On the one hand they tend to be inspiring and uplifting figures, on the other they can be taken advantage of by those who live well beneath their expectations. +1 Charisma, -1 to rout/assassination/escape rolls. Other Percevals Adelaide, William's wife, age 37 Roger, William and Adelaide's son, age 20, betrothed to Maria Bageard Maud, William and Adelaide's daughter, age 18, married to Percy William, William and Adelaide's son, age 15 Gunhild Haroldsdohter, Richard's wife, age 20 Roger Perceval Age: 21 (born 10 October, 1053) Spouse: Maria Bageard (?) Traits: 6 pts +3 Personal Combat +2 Battles +1 Charisma Temperaments: - Impulsive: This character acts before (sometimes, without) thinking. They might move and decide more quickly than others, but their recklessness can lead them to disaster as well. +5% movement speed, -1 to detection rolls.

Provinces

Nottinghamshire: Southwell - Average Income Bingham - Average Income Nottingham - Average Income (caput) Leicestershire: Bosworth - Average Income Ashby/Melbourne - Average Income Donington - Average Income Derbyshire: Bolsover/Blackwell - Average Income Wingfield/Belper - Average Income Chesterfield - Average Income Clowne - Average Income Staffordshire: Leek - Average Income Newcastle-upon-Lyme - Average Income Total income: £3,600

Levy & retinue

Levy 12 provinces x 100 men = 1,200 men (max potential) Perceval retinue composition: 25 knights, 75 serjeants

Buildings

Castles: Nottingham Castle (Stone Wall) Ashby Castle (Motte & Bailey) Bolsover Castle (Motte & Bailey) Tier I: Tenant Homesteads Castle Village Wooden Walls Expanded Keep Armed Peasants Mustering Fields Local Blacksmiths Tier II: Peasant Farmsteads Castle Town Fyrd Barracks Food Larders Tier III: Rented Estates Castle Market Vassal Network

[Lucius Malfoy]

After the conflict was officially over, William de Percy, Baron of Newmarket, arrives to speak with Perceval. William felt he needed to make his name better known and Perceval was closeby... a good ally to choose from among the Norman nobility. He approaches the castle of Lord Perceval, stating he desires an audience with him.

[Barry Goldwater]

Percy finds that the new Baron of Nottingham is still living on a modest estate outside of the eponymous town, for the year's rents have yet to be collected and thus Perceval remains too poor to build his own castle. He is brought in for lunch with Baron William, who is still visibly discomfited by the old war wound left in his flank from the Battle of York.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Percy gladly thanks the Baron Perceval for the offer of lunch and takes a seat.

Thank you, my Lord Perceval, for accepting my audience.

Though he did participate in the Battle of York, and was captured, he had heard of William's war wound.

How is your Lordship's recovery going? I have heard you were given quite the wound, among other Norman Lords, at the Battle of York.

[Barry Goldwater]

"Not well," Perceval admitted with a shake of his head as a servant passed him his trencher of roast duck. "I went to see the local monks a week ago, and they told me this wound will likely trouble me to the end of my days. If it doesn't cause the end of my days, that is." He allowed a sigh to escape his lips. At least he finally got his hands on his promised land for all that trouble (and an extra slice to boot), though. "And you, Baron Percy? I heard you were dragged off the battlefield by the Saxons even as they fled." It had been a very strange battle overall, the bloodshed included. The Normans won narrowly but lost their king, and he helped raise up a Saxon in the Conqueror's stead, while most of the Saxon lords who had troubled them for so long accepted peace under the new order, and of course the man he was talking to had been taken captive in the moment of their victory.

[Lucius Malfoy]

A great mishap on my account. The Saxons were not pleased that I wasn't of great importance compared to some of their previous prisoners.

He was a baron within Cambridgeshire, but still had not made a great name like Giffard, Bageard, nor Perceval, who all stood among the most favored of Edgar's supporters.

At least it wasn't a long captivity and that I was spared injury... least my wife give me a trashing.

William lets out a nervous chuckle before taking a cup of wine offered by a servant.

Perhaps I can give you something better to think about, my Lord Perceval. I have traveled here to see if you would be inclined to join our families in marriage. I have a son, Alan is his name, who is eleven summers old now.

[Barry Goldwater]

"My daughter Maud saw their thirteenth summer not long ago," Perceval mused prior to washing down a mouthful of duck with wine. He had to watch his limited supplies, or soon they'd be drinking ale like their Saxon subjects - just as he didn't have the money to build a real castle yet, so too did he lack the means to import proper more vintages from the continent. "We could see them wed in the early autumn, unless you have a better timeframe in mind." A marital alliance with Percy seemed reasonable enough to the wounded baron, for their lands were quite close.

[Lucius Malfoy]

My son is still rather young... he would not be ready to marry by early autumn, I fear.

There was a sense of urgency, from what Percy could feel. It made him wonder and contemplate, until a new idea popped into his mind.

We can have them be married by proxy, though. Otherwise, we'd have to wait, at least, another two or three years.

[Barry Goldwater]

"That suits me just fine." Perceval replied, nodding. After a moment's thought he added, "I don't suppose you have any daughters of your own? My own heir Richard's in need of a wife, preferably before he gets gutted in battle again." The younger Perceval had had a close call at Goodrich, and William dearly wished for the young man to sire his grandchildren before going off and risking himself in battle once more. If he could not find any matches among the Norman nobility, he supposed he could always look to his new Saxon subjects.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Unfortunately I do not, my Lord. Only my son, my wife and I have tried time and time again, but so far, Alan seems is my sole child for now.

William began to wonder if his wife was barren at this point. The physician stated nothing went wrong with Alan's birth, but it was a bad sign if they had not had a child in eleven years.

We will have the two be married, by proxy, at the beginning of next year. There is still the matter of a dowry though.

[Barry Goldwater]

"Ah yes, the dowry." Perceval coughed lightly into one hand. "Unfortunately I'm presently as poor as the dirt you trod on the way here, my good man, for I've barely had a chance to get settled into these new lands of mine. But once I have collected the rents due to me at this year's end, I can pay you a proper dowry." He considered the surveyors' assessment of his new lands. "Then again, I do still need to build a proper castle...how does a dowry of 2000 pounds, one-half paid next year on the day before the marriage-by-proxy and the other half paid at the dawn of the year after that, sound to you?"

[Lucius Malfoy]

This is more than agreeable, my Lord Perceval.

William was in no desperate need for money after all. He was willing to wait, patiently, for the dowry to be paid in full.

I can understand the need for a castle. Especially in these former Saxon lands of Mercia that you have settled... a castle will be needed to exert your influence and authority to your tenants and ensure their compliance.

[Barry Goldwater]

"Very good. I'll have my treasurer draw up the financial arrangements, once I have finances to speak of." Perceval replied, satisfied. With that said, unless Percy had any other point of import to raise, the conversation soon turned to idle small talk until it was time for the newly minted barons to part ways.

[Trot]

Gerold Bageard arrives at the estate of Perceval arrives to speak to the lord.

[Barry Goldwater]

With Nottingham Castle still under construction, the Percevals must still reside in their manor-house outside of the eponymous town. The Marcher Earl is invited to supper with William in his hall of timber and stone.

[Trot]

Earl Bageard walks into the chamber and takes his seat across from the Baron Perceval. He greeted the man. Perceval had been the first to proclaim his support behind Edgar when Bageard had proposed his plan to name the man king, but he was unsure where the mans true loyalties lay and with Mortain's proclamation Bageard wanted more knowledge of the English nobility. "How have you been fairing Lord Perceval? I hear you have begun construction of a new keep."

[Barry Goldwater]

"So I have," William replied proudly, his chest puffing. "You can see it from here..." While servants were bringing out dinner, he gestures to the windows to his right and sure enough, there was a castle visible on a promontory overlooking the town of Nottingham itself in the distance, though it was still only half-complete. "As for myself, I've fared well enough. It's just that this damn old wound in my side acts up sometimes. How about yourself, Gloucester?" Quite the jump for Bageard, who was now one of the realm's few earls. But the second lord to support Edgar's ascension supposed that was a fair enough reward for the man who'd been first to do so.

[Trot]

"Quite tired really." He began, "I have spent most of the past year traveling between London and my own Lands, except for the brief trip to Paris to arrange the King's marriage." He chuckled at that, "I lived in Normandy for most of my life and never went to Paris once now it is that Normandy is far gone I traveled to the capital of France." The Marcher lord had grown more of a fixture in the court at London offering advice to the king when asked and doing what he could to help administrator the realm. Really the titles earl or Baron made no difference to him. It was his position in the court that truly lent Bageard authority. "I trust you heard Mortain's proclamation?"

[Barry Goldwater]

"I have." Perceval replied as he began to dig into the pork prepared for him, his countenance now much more serious. "And as the first lord to support Edgar's claim, I can guess that nothing good awaits me should he prevail. It is fortunate that I've sworn no oaths to Richard or the House of Normandy in general, and even more-so that the fool seems to have left his brother and children stranded in this land, in addition to making this pronouncement of his almost as soon as he'd landed in Normandy. Rather than, say, waiting and preparing first as William did when first facing Godwinson." Curthose's fate was still outside of Perceval's knowledge. "Truly, the Conqueror's brothers do not seem to be made of the same mettle as he. Bayeux has grown incredibly timid since the Wye - I can't say I've heard of or seen him since - and Mortain seems to have gone too far in the other direction."

[Trot]

Bageard laughed so he seemed to be in Edgar's camp good to know. "Mortain is a fool. William was furious at the man in the last days of his life. He disobeyed orders and got his army and himself caught, but there are still those that hold favor for William's kin here in England." Mortain might have been the one to benefit most from William's death. He went from disgraced Baron to Regent of Normandy.