Grail Damsel

"He breathed in awe, dropping to his knees in respect. Never had he encountered one of the esteemed handmaidens of the Lady. They were priestesses and protectors, blessed by the Lady herself. Seers and augers of great power, many of them had been granted the gift of future sight, and were among the most respected of the king's advisers. Mistresses of fey, mystical powers, they commanded the forces of nature, and were the devout protectors of the sacred places of Bretonnia."

- Calard of Garamont encounters one of the Grail Damsels.

Grail Damsels, known formally as Damsels of the Lady, are powerful magic-users dedicated to the cause of the Lady of the Lake.

Overview
Sometimes, young children within Bretonnia are seen to have strange and mystical powers. They might be born with eyes of different colours, milk may sour in their presence or they may be able to predict events before they occur. Other children claim to see ghostly apparitions walking about, or are heard talking to beings that others cannot see. A superstitious people as a whole, whether noble or low-born, the Bretonnians will generally be fearful of such gifted children, and go out of their way to avoid them whenever possible, invoking the protection of the Lady of the Lake and Shallya. Often, especially within Quenelles, such children are perceived as having been touched by the fey inhabitants of Athel Loren. However, for every child who shows signs of such mystical powers, there are other "gifted" children that never display any outward sign of their strange, otherworldly talents.

Some of these children are sent to the Empire, if they come from particularly wealthy families, to learn the arts of magic, but this is a rare occurrence. Before they reach puberty, almost all children with these strange talents will be visited by the Fay Enchantress. She takes them with her to the Otherworld, and they are mourned by their parents as if they were no longer living. Nevertheless, it is a great honour to be taken by the Enchantress, and it is believed they go on to a better place, where their powers are used to serve the blessed Lady of the Lake herself. Those males that possess magic are said to have never been seen again. The females will often return to Bretonnia years later as holy Damsels. They wield supernatural power, generally over nature, and tell the Bretonnian nobles of the Lady's will.

Grail Damsels are completely outside the laws of Bretonnia and equally outside its social customs. No one would dare to criticise one, even behind her back. They are all beautiful, appearing young for many years before suddenly withdrawing to the Forest of Loren, where most assume that they die. Many go about with their hair uncovered, and not a few are notorious for their promiscuity, though no tales of a Grail Damsel giving birth are known. It is also common for Damsels to take on Grail Knights as both their protectors and lovers. Few claim to understand their behaviour, but the arcane support they give to Bretonnia's armies is much appreciated.

Damsels and their superiors, the Prophetesses, are powerful individuals, for in their years away from Bretonnia, their innate abilities have been honed and tempered. Their magic is orientated around nature moreso than most other human Wizards, for they are taught by the handmaidens of the Lady. Riding into battle, Damsels and Prophetesses use their powers to lend magical protection to Bretonnia's noble warriors, warding away the foul magic of their enemies as well as casting them down with powerful spells of their own. They are also able to mystically encourage the landscape to fight the Kingdom's enemies; persuading the trees themselves to lash out at the foe; calling flocks of birds to descend on the enemy at their call; even drawing lightning from the heavens to strike down in devastating arcs.

When not in battle, they fulfil such roles as advisers to the Dukes and King, where their magical abilities and visions may aid their lord. They use their powers to scry into the future, to protect the sacred glades favoured by the Lady, to detect the truth in the hearts of men and to lend the Lady's healing where needed. As priestesses of the Lady, they also maintain her shrines and lead devotions and prayers. In a similar way to the Enchantress herself, these powerful individuals exist outside the usual hierarchy of Bretonnia, and may come and go throughout the realms as they please, for none would dare to cross one so favoured by the lady herself.

Damsels are perhaps the most powerful human spellcasters, capable of mastering both the Lore of Beasts and the Lore of Life. This is highly unusual, for even the greatest Wizards of the Empire can only master one lore of magic.

Famous Grail Damsels

 * Anara of Garamont  - Sister of the famed Grail Knight, Calard of Garamont and paramour of Reolus.


 * Eleanor of Quenelles - Was the daughter of the Duke of Quenelles, who assisted Agravain in his famous quest for the Grail.


 * The Three Sisters of Ancelioux - A trio of powerful Damsels who fought at La Maistontaal Abbey during the End Times.


 * Chantelle de la Nuit - Was the Damsel of the Chevaliers de Lyonesse. She was chosen to aid the army of Repanse over and above the arm of any male lord.