The Court of Camelot is where the story starts during the court's winter festivities. It's where Arthur says he wants something interesting before anyone can eat and promptly gets his response with the Green Knight coming in and making his challenge. The Green Knight states his challenge, which involves each side getting one swing of an axe at the other who is to take off all of his armor, is testing the legends that he heart about Arthur's court. Arthur inititally takes up the offer after an extended period of silence and a remark from the Green Knight, but Sir Gawain is able to sucessfully petition both his court and the Green Knight to take over Arthur's position. Sir Gawain takes his swing, chopping off the Green Knight's head, but then the Green Knight picks up his own head and, not forgetting to remind Gawain about their meeting in a year, prompty leaves the Court.

Gawain leaves on November 1st of the next year in order to make it to the Green Knight's castle by the time he agreed to.