Guess what film inspired Swords of Llamissa? Yes, you’re
right, it has to be A Knight’s Tale, the unashamedly historical
inaccurate but fun film starring the late Heath Ledger. It wasn't as huge
a hit as it should have been. It is a popular DVD choice in our house
for the 20th century rock soundtrack. I decided not to get Chrístõ
up on a horse, jousting for two reasons – first because I don’t
actually know much about the techniques of that sport, and second, because
I didn’t want the story to be too similar to the film. So Chrístõ
concentrates on the Broadsword, the discipline Heath’s character
rejected in favour of mounted joust. 
Llamissa was a name thrown up by a random planet namer, but having done so, I decided I might keep the Welsh theme that the “Ll” suggested and give all the indigenous characters Welsh names. Rhys, Aderyn, Cadell, Gwilim, Idris, Yorath, Meuric and Olwyn were all found in a list of Welsh names.
Caer Llamissa as the name of the city came from a quick search of an online Welsh dictionary for the correct spelling of the Welsh for Castle. The modern spelling is Castell, as in Castell Caerdydd – Cardiff Castle. But the online dictionary from University of Wales, Lampeter, also gives Caer meaning either castle or walled town. It is, of course, very similar to the word Cair, used by CS Lewis in the Narnia books for Cair Paravel, the palace of the Narnian kings and queens. Lewis, an Irishman, of course, drew on celtic mythology and history strongly. Caer Llamissa has a nice ring to it, I think.
Chrístõ has proved himself a very good swordsman in the past. But I didn’t want him to have things too easy. Besides, it is perfectly true that broadsword fighting is another ballgame to the fencing and oriental sword fighting he has demonstrated in previous stories. So a bit of practice was necessary. Doing it in the TARDIS and then going back in time a few hours is cheating, and probably against the Laws of Time, but who’s going to tell?
This is, of course, Chrístõ’s first official mission for the Celestial Intervention Agency. Catching the killer of his former rival, Malika Dúccesci, was something of a personal mission, and he doesn’t approach it in a particularly impartial manner. His father and Li Tuo would probably disapprove. In the end, though, having taken Markoviz, the Renegade, alive, he plays it by the book and arranges for his extradition back to Gallifrey and a Celestial Intervention Agency interrogation, followed by a public trial and execution. Perhaps some people expected him to kill Markoviz himself, but that would be out of character.
