Sir Geg of Wainfleet, also known as the Peasant Knight, is one of the fabled Grail Knights of Bretonnia. Originally a simple farmhand, Geg became one of the few peasants to ever be granted knighthood, and the only peasant known to have supped from the legendary Grail.
History
Geg was a farmer's son, a simple man of simple tastes. He worked in the fields every day for pittance and a jug of ale everyLady's Eve. His lord was Sir Galas, a young, selfish knight bequethed the village of Wainfleet and its surrounding lands by his uncle. Sir Galas was a knight in name only, a cruel landlord who chased his tenants on horseback for sport or even executed his charges for the most trivial misdemeanours.[1]
As winter approached in the third year of Galas's reign, he heard word of the Grail and set off without nary a word, leaving Geg and his fellow smallfolk to fend for themselves. When he returned later that spring, he had changed. The once exuberant lord was completely silent and had an unsightly carbuncle under his chin. Sir Galas trotted back to his keep in Wainfleet and locked himself inside. Several months went by and the young knight did not emerge.[1]
Geg cared not about his liege, he ignored the gossips on market day that said there was movement in the keep and that Galas was very much alive. The farmhand simply carried on doing what he always did. But then the Goblins came. The Greenskins raided, slaying folk and putting crops to the torch. Sir Galas did not ride out, he ignored his Knightly Vow.[1]
Geg was a large man, with big arms and hands, folk often thought him simple because of his brawn. But that was not the case, he just wanted a simple life. But when his lot got more complicated, he got angry. He fought the Goblins. With hoe in hand he killed three and rallied the other farmers to Wainfleet where he slew thric that again. The few Goblins left mounted their Wolves, fleeing the farmer's wrath back into the wilderness to seek out easier prey. Geg looked around and upon seeing the ruin of his home village, became angry. Now he cared about Sir Galas, the vow-eschewing knight, and so Geg marched to the door of the keep. Two guards made a show of barring the way, but they had seen the farmer pull a Goblin's head from its shoulders and so they stepped aside with little more than a dark stare from Geg.[1]
The farmhand hammered on the door, but there came no response. And so he barged it open. It was dark inside the keep and it stank, but Geg wanted answers and carried on. He walked deeper into the buildingm and found Sir Galas in the solar. The knight slowly rose at the sight of the intruder, the impudent peasant who had dared invade his sanctuary. Geg saw that there was something wrong - the knight's clothes were filthy. Sir Galas's eyes were rheumy, and a straggly beard attempted to hide a boil that had grown to the size of a large cabbage on his neck. Flies flew about sir Galas, like beloved pets.[1]
The knight tried to speak but the pustule prevented him opening his mouth. Instead, he drew his sword, but in an ungainly manner, as he wasn't used to fighting - or even moving it seemed - with such a weight about the base of his head. Geg backed away, unsure until he heard a voice. A lady's voice, asking a favour - asking that Geg the peasant slay this false knight. Geg turned about desperatly looking for a weapon and saw a lance hanging upon the wall. He grabbed the lance and swung it to confront Sir Galas, all while the female voice beckoned him to strike. Geg charged. He struck the knight tip first above the chest, in the neck, and did indeed, literally lance the boil. Pus burst foth like ale from a cracked barrel. If Geg had been closer, or wielding any other weapon, he would have been struck by the fetulant spary, but the lance was long and the peasant remained safe. Sir Galas screamed an inhumane scream and the braver villagers came running in to see him wither on the floor of the solar. None doubted that their liege had not been a mortal man for some time.[1]
And then the Lady appeared with Grail in hand, and bid that Geg sup from it. The villagers prostrated themselves as their Goddess apeared before them. But she told them to look up and bear witness as Geg was made a knight.[1]
From that day forth the farmhand was Sir Geg of Wainfleet, the Peasant Knight. Sir Galas's uncle was outraged at this tale and claimed it was nothing more than a peasants revolt and murder of their legal lord and his nephew. He has since attempted to wrestle the land back from Sir Geg, sending Knights of the Realm to do his bidding, but to this day his plans have always been foiled.[1]
Source
- 1 Total War Warhammer: The Peasant Knight