Research on Shrines within Albion by Spineshank Strangetails, penned winter 1122, updated 1124

Whilst the most prominent or those of significant importance have been recorded and noted in past research, for every shrine, altar erected, used in the name of an ancestor and recorded another ten will go unnoticed. Should the shrine be dedicated to ancestor of a less reputable nature, the list of unknown sites grows. This is not to say they do not get recorded, the shrine/altar dedicated to the ancestor Mordred while at the time of it use went unnoticed in the Cathedral of Milford, it is noted in later texts and became quite infamous. 

It may even be the case that say shrine/altar may have been dedicated to more than one ancestor, but these other ancestors were never known or spoken of. 

While their location was not as important as their use, in some cases the location was equally as important to the user. Some of these sites were and could have been set up on site that were already important, whether just to locals or to the wider populace. An example of this was found in a text written around the time of Arthur II.  

Glastonbury Tor, while aligned more to the use of magic, the Merlyn and the line of Arthur, there was found on the hillside a shrine to the Hunter. It was therefore believed that this shrine was placed more for its location than its alignment to the actual ancestor. It has been recorded in other texts that citizens of Albion have used circles (major to transport) as a focal point for their shrines as they believed them to be a direct link to their chosen ancestor, much to the annoyance of the circle guard. 

Some shrines have been dedicated to other ancestors, records of which were able to be found during research in the great library. 

• A shrine dedicated to the worship of Calagar was located within sight of Chapel Perilous.  Locals even used the shrine as a place to worship the Hunter, as both are linked to the wild places and creatures of Albion. It wasn’t until a group of Hunter followers were returned from Chapel Perilous and noticed the light off in the Greenwood that the actual use was discovered and rectified. 
• Close to the town of Warwick locals discovered a shrine in the nearby vale and from its set and look they believed the shrine was to the Pendragon, to which they made a small prayer and left a small offering. Unknown to them the shrine was being used in the name of the Champion. Again, the actual use was discovered by accident when a local patrol happened to past by late one evening. This was during the time of Arthur III. 
• Close to the lake at the centre of the Vale of Avalon, now the current location of the castle at Caer Avalon, stood the Kingstones, a ring of ancient stones believed to have been placed there by the earliest of druids. It was thought that over time the ring of stone was a way to commune with the spirits and ancestors that inhabited the vale, especially Nimuë as it was believed her home was the lake. Again, another chance encounter revealed the ring of stones was being corrupted by those who followed Vortigern.  (Following an expedition into the mists by the White Tower, Ser Ector and other Albiones in 1113 it was revealed this is no longer the case) 

Thus, it appears that shrine and altar can have their actual use hidden for some time. 

Looking further into records searching specifically for shrines of Mordred I have found evidence of some but not many. A number of these shrine/altars were actually dedicated to Arthur and the Pendragon, but much like Mordred’s coat of arms, his followers would simply invert all of the paraphernalia while conducting their rite of service or worship. One such site we have unearthed was located within the Blood Wood, North of Winchester. It was around the time of Arthur II, not long after the battle at Camlann and the demise of Mordred. A group of his knights that survived the battle still wished to follow his ways and his teaching. Other similar sites have cropped up through the ages since the battle at Camlann and Mordred’s ascension to ancestor. These sites are as follows – 

• One outside of Newcastle, toward the coast 
• One within the Black Wood, less than a day’s walk from Gloucester. 
• Two along the southern Cornish coast, between Boscastle and Pendrinn. 
• One was noted in the area of Havoc, but its actual location was never set out in writing. 

I also attempted to look into a way of limiting the power of this particular ancestor as they were becoming somewhat irksome and problematic for the people of Albion at the time of research, this was more difficult to find. A large tome reportedly penned by the Lady Morgana held some hope, but the strangest of things happened – just as the library staff were about to open the book, a murder of crows found their way into the Library and caused a panic. By the time they were chased from the building, they discovered the tome had been damaged by these crows and informed me that its restoration would take many a long month. (Other research carried out by Ser Kaya of House Falcon had similar outcomes, leading me to believe this pertained to the Great Rite and potentially the reversal thereof and was being interrupted by either the Enchantment of Albion or Morgana herself)