Prudence was the chief antagonist, or perhaps one should say protagonist, of the Midsummer Night's Dreaming affair, possibly the strangest of the C23 missions. She was a Faerie Princess trapped on Earth since the Crusades, and the best understanding of her story comes from a document the team recovered in the course of the mission, reproduced in full below. The team ultimately struck a deal with her and journeyed with her down the trod to the Court of Dark Summer, returning her home!
In the year of Our Lord 1183, men took the Cross all over Europe and journeyed to Palestine, determined to save the Holy City of Jerusalem from the satanic threat of Saladin. There, one crusader knight, Robert de Langton, rode with the knights who set out to relieve a beleaguered Christian garrison. Maddened by thirst and trapped in an ambush, they were destroyed, much as our Crusader army was to be annihilated at Hattin three years later, grieving the hearts of all Christendom.
Somehow escaping the massacre, Sir Robert became hopelessly lost in the desert of Palestine, wandering until he saw a strange city in the lifeless plain. As sunset fell and scorching heat turned to icy cold, he saw its great walls of brass blazing in the ruby glare of the dying sun.
He entered the city on Midsummer's Day, the Feast of John the Baptist, 1184, and found the court of an oriental Sultan. Sir Robert was taken in by the strange court, greeted by the Sultan Shubar, Lord of the Dark Summer, and introduced to his beautiful Queen, Lady Nugara. The Sultan and Queen were beautiful, shining like the Sun, but their youngest daughter, the Lady Millennia, was the most beautiful of all. Robert gladly accepted their hospitality.
As the days passed, Sir Robert began to fall in love with Lady Millennia. Each night, as the sun fell, she would meet him in the garden, and their bond grew stronger.
One night, Sir Robert asked Millennia about the secrets of the strange land. She revealed to him that the land was neither heaven nor hell but a place called the Land of Dark Summer. She warned him never to enter the garden at night, for every plant and drop of water would be deadly to him.
Torn between his love for Millennia and his desire to return home, Sir Robert made a bold request to the Sultan, asking for Millennia's hand in marriage. After some negotiation and a clever intervention from Millennia, they were allowed to leave the Land of Dark Summer together, flying on a magic carpet.
When they arrived at Robert's manor in Gloucestershire, Millennia warned him never to open her dowry box. If he did, she said, their love would turn to hate, and she would leave him forever. For many years, they lived happily together, but one fateful night, after hearing rumors and doubts planted by a fellow crusader, Sir Robert's curiosity got the better of him. He opened the box.
At that moment, Millennia—now known as Prudence—screamed and fled into the night, cursing Robert and his descendants. Sir Robert never saw her again.
This material is fiction and relates to the C23 live roleplaying game. The authors have no real-world interest in occultism, espionage, or practical eschatology!