Year 463
Ostensibly to bring peace to all sides, Vortigern and Hengest call a council of all combatants to meet at Stonehenge for a feast of peace. Seeking reconciliation, almost all British knights attend.
The Saxons prove their worth through great treachery, though, and the majority of the nobles of Britain are slain in the “Night of Long Knives.” In the subsequent confusion, a large part of their armies are dispersed or slain. The Earl of Salisbury is among the dead.
Historical description of the event according to a later Monk
It happened however after the death of Vortimer, son of King Vortigern, and after the return of Hengist with his forces, they called for a false Council, so that they might work sorrow to Vortigern with his army. For they sent legates to ask for peace, that there might be perpetual friendship between them. So Vortigern himself with the elders by birth of his people [considered the matter and carefully thought over what they might do. And the same] opinion was with them all, that they should make peace, and their legates went back and afterwards called together the conference, so that on either side the Britons and Saxons (Brittones et Saxones) should come together as one without arms, so that friendship should be sealed.
And Hengistus ordered the whole of his household that each one should hide his knife (artavum) under his foot in the middle of his shoe. ‘And when I shall call out to you and say “Eu nimet saxas” (Hey, draw your swords!), then draw your knives from the soles of your shoes, and fall upon them, and stand strongly against them. And do not kill their king, but seize him for the sake of my daughter whom I gave to him in matrimony, because it is better for us that he should be ransomed from our hands.’ And they brought together the conference, and the Saxons, speaking in a friendly way, meanwhile were thinking in a wolvish way, and sociably they sat down man beside man (i.e. Saxon beside Briton). Hengistus, as he had said, spoke out, and all the four hundred elders of King Vortigern were slaughtered, and only he was imprisoned, and was chained, and he gave to them many regions for the ransom of his soul (i.e. life).
The Treachery
Near the end of the feast, in the dark of the night, Hengist stands up on the stone table in the middle of the circle. He reaches his hand down, and helps Robyn up on the table. He puts his hand around his shoulder, smiling. He looks rather drunk.
“I must say, I never expected to find real men in the midst of all these British people.” he waits for a laughter, and all saxons and a few drunk British people laugh. “But then… imagine my surprise. When I found hundreds of them!” people cheer. “Lord Robyn here, told me an amazing story about Eyre a few moments ago… a story that I’m too drunk to retell. But trust me… it was good!” People cheer for Robyn, who seems to like the attention. Vortigern on the other hand, seems angry that the young man is getting such attention. He stands, holding queen Rowena’s hand possessively. (In reality, he cares little for that. He is angry that Hengist is pretending to be King.)
“Let me finish this fantastic feast with a Saxon tradition! Lord Robyn! Raise your goblet! Tomorrow we shall talk of politics, prosperity and riches!”
“Eu nimet saxas!”
He raises his goblet.
The Death of Adwen and the Prophecy of Hate
A man with a similar appearance to Amhar is standing in front of Adwen, with the sword of love in his hand. He raises his sword, and BEHEADS ADWEN!
Innocent blood has been spilt… in a circle of traitors! The sword howl in despair and anger, the suddenly grows silent. Several Saxons fall around him, like a sudden wind has taken them, but they come to their feet quickly.
Amhar comes running, holding a metal stick from the fireplace. He fights valiantly, passionate and with tears flowing down his face. “BROTHER!!! HOW COULD YOU!” But before he gets any answer, the magically enhanced sword beheads him. The murderer cut’s his way through the Saxons, he’s getting away!
Dies during the event:
- Robyn, first to die, dies while toasting to the health of Hengist
- Garr, killed by Hengist when trying to avenge his Lord Bryn
- Cadwallon, pierced by a saex through is heart, dies fighting
- Edern, dies having his heart broken watching his daughter die
- Bryn, dies with his neck cut
- Ceiwyin, dies with his guts spilled
- Magnus, visiting secretly from the continent, stabbed in the throat
- Aldwyth, hand chopped of
- Bishop Joseph, head crushed with a rock
- Amhold, neck slit while fighting of two Saxons with his bare hands
- Maddog, bled to death from having his bits cut off and left to die
- Morlais, dies from multiple stabwounds
- Amhar, slain by his brother
- Newlin, gut spilled on the holy rocks
- Adwen, head chopped of by Amhars brother
- Alwin, dies sleeping and drunk
- Ysfael, ironically dies of old age moments before the event
- The Sheriff of Llud’s hall
- Lord of the Vale
- Lord of the Marche
- Lord of the Saxon Shore
- Lord of Bedegraine
- Lord of Clareia (Caerwent)
- Lord of Castle at the Crossing
- Lord of Hidden Vale
- Lord of Roe Deer Gate
- Lord of Lonely Path
- Lord of Woodgrove
- Lord of Wereside
- Lord of Thorbush Castle
- Lord of Sparrowhawk Castle
- Lord of Southtown
- Lord of Sentinel Ridge
And many more…
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