abstract
| - The origins of the knight known as Mallobaude are uncertain. Few if any know his true identity, although rumors persist that he is the bastard son of King Louen Leoncoeur himself. What is known is that Mallobaude was once among the most skilled and honorable Knights Errant in the land. After proving his valor Mallobaude earned his spurs and was confirmed as a Knight of the Realm; however, so dedicated was Mallobaude that he immediately set aside his lance and took the vow of the Questing Knight.[1a] For many years Mallobaude sought the Grail, traveling the length of Bretonnia and performing countless heroic deeds. As recounted in one tale, however, Mallobaude began to despair that he had been forsaken by the Lady of the Lake and would never receive her blessing. Weary of his quest, he came to rest at a Grail Chapel. When greeted by the Grail Damsel, he angrily questioned why he should continue his quest if he were never to drink from the Grail. The maiden explained that the true quest was a trial of the spirit -- whether a knight could accept that he may never find the grail and yet resolve to continue seeking it. Heartened by the damsel's words, Mallobaude left the chapel in the morning and rode to a place where he could conquer his despair: Mousillon, the Land of Despair itself.[1a] Of the trials that Mallobaude faced in the cursed lands of Mousillon, none can say. All that is certain is that eventually Mallobaude came to the edge of the Forest of Arden. There he beheld a clear lake surrounded in mists, and watched as a hand reached up from the water holding aloft the Grail. But when Mallobaude took up the Grail and sipped its contents, he had a stunning revelation. Mallobaude did not become a Grail Knight, nor did he perish, as would those with impure hearts. Instead he saw through the veil of magic and discovered a terrible truth behind the Lady of the Lake. With this shocking realization Mallobaude became outraged at the lie that had shaped his entire life. He resolved to claim the throne for himself and free Bretonnia from the Lady's falsehoods forever.[1a]
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