Sir Bors the Younger — Grail Knight of the Round Table
In 1454, a rider from the roads of Camelot’s old court brings two cries for help. One comes from the Lady’s country, where Sir Bors the Younger has seen his brother Lionel dragged away and beaten. The other is from a frightened maiden held captive by an armed knight. Bors can reach only one before dusk. He chooses the maiden, and his choice will return to haunt him when Lionel escapes. The road into the Arthurian past is an Otherworld crossing; these are not ordinary current events in the kingdoms of 1454.
At a Glance
- Identity
- Sir Bors de Ganis (Bors the Younger), Grail knight and Round Table champion
- Nature
- Human knight; accomplished mortal warrior, not a fey creature
- Family
- Son of King Bors the Elder and Queen Evaine; younger brother of Sir Lionel; cousin of Sir Lancelot; father of Sir Elyan the White
- Allegiance
- King Arthur’s Round Table; the Grail companions; the displaced house of Gaunnes
- Allies
- Galahad, Percival, Lancelot
- Rivals
- Claudas, his father’s conqueror; Lionel when blinded by grief and fury
- Alignment
- Lawful Good — his vows and concern for strangers can cost him the favour of his own family
- Languages
- Brythonic, courtly French and the languages acquired in Gaul
- Immediate danger
- A rescue that saves a stranger may turn his brother into an enemy
What Is Happening Right Now?
Scouts have seen Lionel bound behind the saddles of his captors. At almost the same moment a knight rides off with a maiden who is calling for help. Bors cannot catch both parties, but he can persuade the characters to divide the pursuit. The Lady of the Lake’s old roads are treacherous, and one of the captors knows how to reach a barred forest gate.
First Meeting
Bors rides a grey horse and wears battered armour beneath a surcoat bearing his house’s colours. A pale scar crosses his forehead. His voice is gentle but his questions are exact: who is the prisoner, how many armed riders, and how long before the trail divides? He listens to a wounded groom before a noble herald. For all his discipline he is terrified that Lionel will mistake his choice for abandonment.
Three Scenes Tonight
- The divided road: each trail is fresh, but neither can be completed before dusk by the whole company.
- The tower of false pity: the party meets an apparent prisoner who offers them a bargain that would break a vow; clues reveal that the scene has been staged by deceptive spirits.
- Lionel’s reckoning: the rescued brother demands that Bors draw a sword against him, while frightened witnesses watch.
Appearance and Manner
Bors has the bearing of a court-trained fighter who has spent too long among captives and exiles. He repairs his own harness, eats little during a watch and makes promises carefully. He does not condemn a frightened companion for turning back, but he will not excuse a strong knight who abandons the helpless. His conspicuous scar is a reminder of past violence, not a magic mark.
Motivations, Pressure and Secrets
- Ambition: preserve the honour of Gaunnes, defend the helpless and return from the Grail Quest with a truthful account.
- Pressure: Lionel believes blood ties should always come first; Lancelot’s divided loyalty to Arthur threatens another family rupture.
- Private knowledge: he suspects the captor of the maiden is a pawn serving a greater enemy who wants him to betray his vow.
- Flaw: he can become so rigid about a promise that he neglects to explain his decision to people he loves.
- Offer: a safe escort, access to Camelot’s court, or a personal oath to return for someone he could not save the first time.
Relationships and Allegiances
Bors the Elder ruled Gaunnes and is not this Round Table knight. Following the fall of the family territories to Claudas, Bors and Lionel were raised under the protection of the Lady of the Lake, alongside their cousin Lancelot. Bors later becomes the father of Elyan the White in a tale involving a magical deception. These family stories offer strong motives for rescue, vengeance and reconciliation without making the two Bors figures interchangeable.
On the Grail Quest, Bors travels with Galahad and Percival. His survival and return distinguish him from his companions in Malory’s version of the romance. He is also the reluctant champion of Queen Guinevere when she is accused of poisoning a knight, until Lancelot returns to defend her.
Game Statistics
Sir Bors is a heavily armoured mortal champion. He has exceptional discipline and the force of a great knight’s reputation, but no innate power to summon the Grail, command the Lady of the Lake or bind the spirits that test his promises.
Sir Bors the Younger — D&D 2024
Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Good
Armor Class 20 (plate armour, shield); Initiative +2 (12); Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80); Speed 30 ft.; Challenge 10 (5,900 XP; PB +4)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8, Wis +7; Skills Athletics +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Persuasion +7; Senses Passive Perception 17; Languages Brythonic, French, neighbouring court tongues.
Traits
Unbroken Vow. Bors has Advantage on saving throws against being Charmed or Frightened. Once per day, when he fails such a save, he can reroll it and must use the new result.
Protect the Defenceless. When Bors hits a creature that has attacked an incapacitated creature or a noncombatant since his last turn, the hit deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage. He never receives this bonus for attacking a surrendering creature.
Actions
Multiattack. Bors makes three Longsword attacks. His mounted lance charge is one attack and cannot be combined with Multiattack.
Longsword. Melee Attack Roll: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Mounted Lance Charge. If Bors is mounted and his mount has moved at least 20 feet straight toward a target this turn, Bors makes one lance attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d12 + 4) piercing damage. Bors has Disadvantage on this attack if the target is within 5 feet of him.
Bonus Actions
Rally the Searchers (Recharge 5–6). An ally within 30 feet who can hear Bors gains 12 Temporary Hit Points and may move 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Reactions
Shield Another. When a creature Bors can see attacks an ally within 5 feet of Bors, he imposes Disadvantage on the attack roll, provided he has his shield and is not incapacitated.
Tactics
Bors protects the people most at risk, even if doing so leaves a relative in danger. He gives opponents a chance to surrender, refuses to strike Lionel in a fury and retreats only to keep civilians alive. The enchanted temptations of the Grail Quest are scenes and creatures, not powers built into Bors himself.
Sir Bors the Younger — D&D 2014
Medium humanoid (human), lawful good
Armor Class 20 (plate armour, shield); Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80); Speed 30 ft.; Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8, Wis +7; Skills Athletics +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Persuasion +7; Senses Passive Perception 17; Languages Brythonic, French, neighbouring court tongues.
Traits
Unbroken Vow. Bors has advantage on saving throws against being Charmed or Frightened. Once per day, when he fails such a save, he can reroll it and must use the new result.
Protect the Defenceless. When Bors hits a creature that has attacked an incapacitated creature or a noncombatant since his last turn, the hit deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage. He never receives this bonus for attacking a surrendering creature.
Actions
Multiattack. Bors makes three Longsword attacks. His mounted lance charge is one attack and cannot be combined with Multiattack.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Mounted Lance Charge. If Bors is mounted and his mount has moved at least 20 feet straight toward a target this turn, Bors makes one lance attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d12 + 4) piercing damage. Bors has disadvantage on this attack if the target is within 5 feet of him.
Bonus Actions
Rally the Searchers (Recharge 5–6). An ally within 30 feet who can hear Bors gains 12 Temporary Hit Points and may move 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Reactions
Shield Another. When a creature Bors can see attacks an ally within 5 feet of Bors, he imposes disadvantage on the attack roll, provided he has his shield and is not incapacitated.
Tactics
Bors protects the people most at risk, even if doing so leaves a relative in danger. He gives opponents a chance to surrender, refuses to strike Lionel in a fury and retreats only to keep civilians alive. The enchanted temptations of the Grail Quest are scenes and creatures, not powers built into Bors himself.
Sir Bors the Younger — Pathfinder 1e
CR 10; XP 9,600; male human fighter 11; LG Medium humanoid (human); Init +5; Senses Perception +10.
Defense
AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 24 (+10 armour, +3 shield, +1 Dex, +1 deflection); hp 105 (11d10 + 33 plus 11 Toughness); Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +7; Defensive Abilities bravery +3 against fear.
Offense
Speed 30 ft. in armour (armour training); Melee +1 longsword +20/+15/+10 (1d8+9/19–20); Mounted charge masterwork lance +16 (1d8+4/×3; one attack on a mounted charge with Spirited Charge); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft. (lance 10 ft.); Base Atk +11; CMB +15; CMD 27.
Statistics
Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16; Feats Combat Reflexes, Greater Weapon Focus (longsword), Improved Initiative, Improved Shield Bash, Iron Will, Lunge, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Toughness, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword); Skills Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Perception +10, Ride +13, Sense Motive +7; Languages Brythonic, French.
Special Abilities
Armour Training (Ex). The stated speed accounts for fighter armour training. Weapon Training (Ex). Heavy blades +2, already counted in longsword attacks and damage. Bravery (Ex). +3 on saves against fear. Oathbound Defence (Ex; 1/day). When a helpless ally within 5 feet is attacked, Bors may use an immediate action to give the attacker a –4 penalty on its attack roll, provided Bors has a shield. This is a unique encounter ability.
Gear and Tactics
+1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 longsword, masterwork lance, ring of protection +1, heraldic surcoat and a cord carrying a message from the Grail companions. Bors prefers to dismount in confined spaces; a lance charge remains a single attack.
Sir Bors the Younger — D&D 3.5e
Male human fighter 11; Lawful Good Medium humanoid (human); CR 11; Init +5; Senses Listen +2, Spot +2.
Defense
AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 23 (+9 armour, +3 shield, +1 Dex, +1 deflection); hp 97 (11d10 + 33 plus 3 Toughness); Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +7.
Offense
Speed 20 ft.; Melee +1 longsword +18/+13/+8 (1d8+7/19–20); Mounted charge masterwork lance +16 (1d8+4/×3; one attack on a mounted charge with Spirited Charge); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft. (lance 10 ft.); Base Atk +11; Grp +15.
Statistics
Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16; Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Shield Bash, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword); Skills Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +4, Ride +10, Sense Motive +6, Listen +2, Spot +2; Languages Brythonic, French.
Special Abilities
Oathbound Defence (Ex; 1/day). When a helpless ally within 5 feet is attacked, Bors uses an immediate action to impose a –4 penalty on that attack, provided he is wielding a shield. Bors gains no innate spellcasting or special immunity to trickery; he wins by restraint and vigilance.
Equipment and Tactics
+1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 longsword, masterwork lance, ring of protection +1 and the heraldry of his family. He moves 20 feet in full plate, and each mounted charge permits only one lance attack even with iterative base attack bonuses.
Running Sir Bors
Give Bors impossible priorities, not a simple duel. He will not sell a captive to protect his rank. He may refuse a second rescue if doing so abandons the first. His most difficult opponent is sometimes Lionel, whom he will not willingly kill. An offer of safe refuge for all the prisoners can change his choice even when the knight delivering it is otherwise his enemy.
Five Encounters
- One horse, two wounded: the company has a single fresh mount and two people who cannot walk.
- The false claimant: a courtier insists that Bors’s father’s land belongs to a claimant backed by Claudas.
- Grail road: the party finds a shrine where every visitor must confess a broken promise before passing.
- Brother against brother: Lionel wants vengeance on Bors, while a bystander attempts to intercede.
- Last witness: only Bors can identify who actually carried the Grail to Sarras, and a rival court seeks to change the record.
Six Adventure Hooks
- A messenger from Camelot reaches Britain in 1454 with a sealed letter addressed to an heir of Gaunnes.
- Claudas’s agents offer an old crown in exchange for the location of the Lady’s protected children.
- A supposed maiden threatens to jump from a tower unless Bors breaks his oath; the characters notice the same faces in every window.
- A witness to Lionel’s captivity disappears on the eve of his reunion with Bors.
- A piece of the Grail companions’ travel record is found among the possessions of a recently dead knight.
- Elyan asks the characters to carry a message to a father who has not yet publicly recognised him.
Equipment, Law and Travel
Bors travels with plate armour, shield, sword, lance, spare harness and provisions for men who cannot purchase their own food. As a Round Table knight his oath has force at Arthur’s court but does not command every kingdom. In Gaunnes the family title is disputed by Claudas’s supporters. The Fey paths to Camelot are hazardous in 1454: crossing one can bring the adventurers into the earlier age of the Grail Quest, with no guarantee that the return road remains open.
Deeper History
In the prose Lancelot-Grail tradition Bors and Lionel are exiled heirs of the ruler of Gaunnes. Their adventures with Claudas belong to the French cycles. Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Book XVI, recounts how Bors rescues an imperilled maiden rather than Lionel, endures a deceptive trial and refuses to fight his furious brother. Other versions vary the details of the family, the Grail’s journey and the aftermath of the kingdom’s fall. Bors is one of the surviving witnesses to the Grail’s end, not a second name for the king who was his father.
Related People and Places
Arthurian characters · Bors the Elder · Lionel · Lancelot · Galahad · Percival · Camelot
Sources and Artwork
Primary narrative: Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, Book XVI, especially the rescue of the maiden and Lionel’s wrath. The family history and relationship with Lancelot develop in the French Lancelot-Grail cycle. These profiles and encounters are original campaign adaptations. The first illustration comes from Tales of the Round Table (1908); the second is by Aubrey Beardsley for an 1893 edition of Le Morte d’Arthur, public domain, Wikimedia Commons. The 1908 illustration and Beardsley plate present different moments in Bors’s legend.
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