Chapter 119: A Question of Character (24 September 952 to 24 July 954)
Chapter 119: A Question of Character (24 September 952 to 24 July 954)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … The young new Fylkir and Emperor Eilif II was just days into his reign after the sudden and untimely death of his father Styrbjörn in battle against a minor revolt in Pomerania. The peasants were put down ruthlessly soon afterwards, so the interrupted great raid was the next priority. Eilif’s brother and current presumptive heir Sigurðr, who he was very close to, was now King of Sviþjod, though still subject to Eilif. Sigurðr would be allowed to settle his own future there – both with his vassals and matrimonially.
September-December 952
Eilif II was quite a different person to both his father Styrbjörn and his grandfather, Eilif I ‘the Just’. He was brave and erudite, but also rather cynical; strong in martial skills but mediocre in most others. Despite preferring the company of men, he had made a special effort to foster familial relations and to produce an heir, which he viewed as an important duty – if not a pleasure. His other driving motivation at that time was hatred of his sworn rival, the Sami courtier who Eilif had a well-advanced murder plot against. Ásllat Keite was a master of intrigue, so it was not unreasonable for Eilif to be worried about him.
The raiders had a general plan to head to Italia and look for rich but vulnerable counties to sack. They would aim for the path of least resistance, but their force was now larger and more heavily armed than it had been in the days of Rurik’s early (and disastrous) raid there. And word had come through travelling merchants and despatches from Spymaster Jarl Helgi in Constantinople that the Levant was beset by smallpox and the eastern Black Sea coast by camp fever, so they would be shunned.
Eilif, who had found himself briefly in charge of the raiding host after the death of his father, relinquished command and had no plans to resume battlefield duties until at least his reign was properly secured at home, where he now headed. Hrafn [Martial 23] would take command of the 4,500-plus host, with Gunnarr [Martial 14] the siege specialist on one flank and Velmayka [Martial 23] on the other.
As Eilif returned to Nygarðr, on 27 September he was advised by Chancellor Arnbjörn that he had improved relations with the powerful High Chieftess Bodil ‘the Strong’ of Lithuania [opinion of Eilif to +38]: a good thing for the stability of his reign. He admired the aggressive lord of the Holmings – good Norsemen all and the earliest and most loyal supporters of the Rurikids from the very beginning. Arnbjörn’s next mission was to do the same in Sugrov with the equally aggressive Jarl Sumarliði of Sarkel [current opinion only +6], who led the independence faction.
The raiders began embarking from Werle on 29 September for the next phase of their adventure on a fleet of 70 ships: plenty of room for treasure to be loaded aboard.
But there was more worrying news for Eilif on 2 October when his own Spymaster sent him a letter announcing he had started a faction to make himself King of Garðariki!
As it happened, this kicked off a very active period of factionalism within the Empire during the early phase of Eilif’s reign. There were many comings and goings in the next months, but only the more significant ones will be reported in detail here. But there were many notes in the Imperial journals of the time, indicating faction management was an important and preoccupying issue for the young Emperor. It may have been a significant factor that led him to adopt certain methods he used later in order to shore up his power. Methods quite different to those of his three dynastic predecessors.
Back at the capital, Eilif – his interest piqued by discussions at the recent Þing – obtained a report on the potential for creating a Kingdom of Finland as part of the Empire. Something his father had tried to achieve in two aborted Holy Wars against the Sami.
Perhaps the conquest of three small realms on the Baltic, south of Narva, might permit this to be done. But Eilif would also need more money and a greater reputation for piety to complete this goal.
The money should come from raiding – and the first target would be a stop off at the perennial site of Kernev, currently ruled by the Breton King Pascueten of Breizh. By 8 October the raiders were all aboard and heading there, with salt in their beards and wind in their sails. A smaller fleet of 14 ships, anchored off Flanders, was sent ahead to Italy via Kernev to reconnoitre.
Back at court, Helgi sent another “it’s only family business, nothing personal” letter to Eilif on 29 October, informing him he had called in a favour on the powerful Jarl Tryggve de Normandie ‘the Unready’ to force him into Helgi’s Garðariki faction. It was quickly becoming a genuine concern. Then a month later, the powerful Jarl Bertil ‘the Devil’ joined Jarl Sumarliði’s independence faction. [By then, it was at 36.5% strength, with Helgi’s faction at 68.8% with him and Tryggve alone.]
Around this time, Eilif reviewed his minor court appointments, making his trustworthy (and diplomatically skilled) Chancellor the Designated Regent and shoring up a few other vassal relationships. Meanwhile, King Sigurðr went through a frenetic period of reallocating vassal contracts in Sviþjod, presumably trying to stabilise his own rule against his many powerful and ambitious vassals.
Another factor making the factionalism harder to control in this early part of the reign was discontent on the Council, allowing its collection of zealous or glory-seeking members to plot and connive freely. This was likely to continue for a few years yet.
On 4 December, Hrafn’s fleet anchored off Kernev and his 4,500-plus warriors began disembarking. But back in Nygarðr, a different kind of encounter was taking place …
Over a four day period, High Chieftess Bodil proved an engaging interlocutor to the young Emperor and Fylkir. And with rivals (personal and factional) to contend with, Eilif’s cynicism and curiosity began to lead him down a path none of his forebears had trodden. And a potentially problematic one for a man who was now Fylkir of the Reformed Germanic faith - and thus supposedly Odin’s chief agent in the world of men!
He justified it to himself by arguing that all the Gods deserved his respect – including the darker ones such as Loki and Hel.
But while his mind had started to lead him along a path of darkness, outwardly his dedication to family marched side by side in the light of day. His relationship with the Empress had begun to blossom, despite everything else distracting him.
One of those constant distractions was the active factionalism in the realm. By late December there were only three factions left, one of them insignificant; but one was serious and the other he had been warned was now dangerous. And made worse because his own Spymaster (and reputed kinslayer) Helgi was in charge of it!
Recently discovered and translated secret journals indicate such worries – and his search for ‘alternative solutions’ to his problems – were prime drivers of Eilif’s increasingly dark pursuits at this time.
And the last day of the year found Eilif studying dark tomes in the middle of the long and dark northern winter. His inhibitions began to dissolve away … bringing a hint of a dangerous but exciting future, after a tumultuous first few months of his new reign as Emperor of Russia.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-April 953
A new faction – very small at first [5.8% strength], led by a minor chief – was founded on 5 January 953, dedicated to bringing elective succession to the Russian Empire. What foolishness, Eilif noted dismissively in his private journal, it is beneath my dignity to bother responding to it.
Of more concern were some loose lips threatening to sink ships.
But some drunk mayor was not going to stop Eilif pursuing the death of his hated enemy. Especially as the strength of the plot was growing promisingly.
Better factional news came in late January, with Jarl Bertil leaving Sumarliði’s independence faction, taking most of its strength with him. Then just a day later, as revealed in a recently discovered secret personal journal of Emperor Eilif II, contact was made by Hel’s minions. Eilif’s dark journey had begun in earnest. And just to make sure of it, he confirmed his interest with some subtle hints to Bodil.
But it seemed Hel’s people moved slowly and carefully, as February slipped by quietly with the raiders besieging the main walls of Kernev in far off Brittany, where the citadel fell on 6 March. And also in early March, Helgi’s faction had grown further in comparative strength [to 82.9%; this seems due to both Helgi in particular and Tryggve gaining strength, from around 5,000 to 6,000 men combined since December, as no new members had joined.] And just a week later, Jarl Refill II of Vladimir linked up with Helgi, bringing its strength to the brink of outright rebellion.
A bribe was sent first to Tryggve. Other attempts at persuasion would follow, as the increasing tax base grew the treasury even without an influx of gold from the current raid.
On 23 March, a short note signed by Trollmaðr Rikulfr (Jarl Rikulfr Ironside) arrived, addressing the young Emperor as ‘Brother Eilif’, noting his dedication and desire to ‘join the legion of the True Lord’ and advising him to ‘await the messenger – let the Dark One guide you’. Now this was more like it! He quivered in antici…… pation!
April brought news of a new murder plot – against the Fylkir himself! And it wasn’t from his long-time rival. It seemed the wife of his cousin Rikulfr Tolirsson (who like his father had a claim on the Imperial throne) wanted to advance her husband’s prospects!
And while investigating this plot – which Eilif ordered stopped, of course – he discovered that his uncle Tolir, now a direct vassal of Sigurðr, was bedridden and incapacitated with cancer. Rikulfr may soon inherit two powerful Jarldoms. He would bear watching.
A few days later, Helgi himself received a chest of treasure [24.2 gold for +30 opinion] in Constantinople from Eilif, hoping to sway him away from his campaign to claim the Garðarikian crown. And just two days after that, Rikulfr succeeded Tolir – where his ambitions now fostered an open dislike of both his direct liege King Sigurðr and Eilif himself.
Into this frantic rush of events, a new element emerged: Spæmaðr Sigtrygg of the Fellowship of Hel.
And even as Eilif’s initiation into the dark rites of the Fellowship played out, word came of the fall of Kareaz in Kernev and Eilif being hailed as a Viking for the pillaging done in his name. Excellent!
By mid-April, Eilif II – Fylkir of the Germanic Faith – was an initiate of the Fellowship of Hel, with the most junior rank of Spæmaðr. The head of the order, Jarl Rikulfr, was already known as one of those ‘colourful characters’, and now Eilif became aware of a few other traits that had been hidden to the uninitiated.
It seemed that the demands of the role had driven Rikulfr even further into madness, but fortunately he liked Eilif – and was perhaps even physically attracted to him, to boot. It would be better to have him as a friend than an enemy, the Emperor mused to himself. It turned out Bodil the Strong was Rikulfr’s deputy and heir apparent.
Eilif was informed of four levels of expertise within the Fellowship and the powers each one bestowed. As an initiated Spæmaðr, he had a few himself already.
And he decided to exercise one of them straight away, on a worthless Sami prisoner from Satakunta who had languished in Nygarðr’s prison for over 21 years. His accumulation of Dark Power had begun.
The next day, the ‘other’ Bodil (now High Chieftess of Bergslagen) formally renounced her plot to kill Eilif. Just as well for her continued health! After such a busy first half, the second part of the month passed without any more significant events.
May-December 953
May began well for Eilif, with the earlier blandishment apparently working on Spymaster Jarl Helgi, who left his own faction, leaving Tryggve in charge and lowering its danger enormously [to 38.4% strength]. Helgi then informed him of a plot by the new Jarl Rikulfr of Bergslagen to kill his King, the Emperor’s beloved brother Sigurðr. No doubt part of his attempt to clear the way for his Imperial claim. And there was no way to make him abandon it.
Eilif explored the Council’s view on an attempt to imprison Rikulfr, but only two other members were in favour, even though as a known plot leader the vassals would not have objected. The five dissenters had a mix of reasons for opposing the request. And with everything else happening in a so-far short reign, Eilif was not keen to add a charge of tyranny to the mix. Given what would transpire in coming months, that was just as well. His brother would have to look out for himself in this matter.
Better news arrived on 19 May, with Jarl Tryggve also leaving Helgi’s Garðariki faction, leaving it only a minor annoyance. Though by early June Sumarliði’s independence faction now had five members and reasonable strength [44.4%]. It was appropriate then that on 26 June, Chancellor Arnbjörn reported he had improved relations with Sumarliði. He was left in place to see if he could do even more to swing the violent and ambitious Jarl away from his separatist path.
Further siege victories in Kernev at Langoned (31 May, 44.8 gold) and Kemperle (25 June, 21.2 gold) had followed for the raiders, who lost only 110 men in the entire campaign since December the previous year. By 12 July, the last of the treasure had been loaded up and the troops followed, with the fleet carrying around 210 gold from their thorough plundering of Kernev: the locals had never been able to muster enough troops to interfere.
As the raiders boarded ship, back at court Bodil of Lithuania came to Eilif with a proposition. She had tried this before, but been rejected. But Emperors and circumstances had changed since then.
The problem was that on the one hand his uncle Jarl Gorm was a powerful lord and as a woman, Bodil’s appointment would be considered scandalous by the vassals. On the other hand, Bodil was a very strong candidate as well as being powerful in both the realm and the Fellowship. She would be either greatly pleased or offended, depending on Eilif’s choice. Both currently liked him well, but this would surely change for one of them, no matter his decision.
In the end, Eilif decided to throw caution and convention to the winds: Russia would have its first female Marshal and (known less widely) promote a key Fellowship member into a position of power. Naturally, Bodil was greatly pleased, though the other vassals would grumble about it for the next five years.
Bodil was currently leading troops in the field, so was not yet free for tasking as Marshal of Russia. But she was clearly the most talented appointee on the main Council when they were compared in their respective fields of expertise.
Of course Gorm was now very upset. And given his power, this was not something that should be left to fester. With the treasury in reasonable shape due to a now healthy monthly income balance, gold was sent to take the edge off Gorm’s anger: some of which would fade with time, while some would be more persistent – certainly if a way could not be found to get him back onto the Council at some point.
Ravenna, on the Adriatic coast of Italy, was the next rich province being considered as a raiding target. It belonged to the Doge of Venice. On 23 July, the recon fleet (then sitting east of Sardinia) was sent around to take a look at what was going on there, while the main fleet set sail from Brittany to the Mediterranean.
By late August, the Russian boats of the recon fleet were in the Gulf of Venice – and it was discovered the Serene Doge Adelmio II had his forces mustered and had just begun a war with Count Giulio of Firenze, with a major battle taking place in Ravenna itself. While this might work in the Russian raiders’ favour eventually, for now the area was simply too ‘hot’.
Count Giulio of Firenze had won the battle in Ravenna by 11 September, but the Doge had more troops coming. This whole area would be left alone for now. As at 10 October, Ademolio II had 4,243 men under arms in total – 2,621 of his own levies, another 1,321 from vassals and a small retinue of 300.
So on 20 October, after exploring a range of possibilities, the next target was selected. Lucca may not be as rich as Ravenna and there was a raiding force of unknown size sitting off it, but it was assessed Count Castore would have trouble resisting an attack. Carrier pigeons took the information back to Hrafn’s fleet, which was still en route.
In the meantime, at court the plan to kill Ásllat was coming to fruition: a poisonous viper would be used. Very appropriate, thought Eilif to himself, it should recognise his enemy well enough!
And so it did – though unfortunately, the damage to Eilif’s reputation as a known murderer would probably outlive him! Still, it was good to see Ásllat dead and cold, his face contorted in pain and horror.
As the murder plot was being implemented, a small battle broke out in Lucca between 472 Gentian raiders and a defending Melfi army of 234, on 2 November. Neither should be able to stand up to Hrafn’s far larger force, once it arrived, even if suffering from a long sea voyage and attacking directly from the sea.
Indeed, two weeks later the Russian Vikings were storming ashore and fighting the small Melfi force in Lucca. The entire company had been pursued and wiped out by 4 December, with the looting and siege work starting. Nearby to the south-east, the Doge’s combined army had caught up with and was in the process of defeating the Firenze force now less than half its size, in Firenze itself.
Falki of Hlymrek founded a small ‘Gorm for Russia’ faction on 18 December, but Gorm himself was not yet signed up to it and the threat was as yet tiny [0.4%]. So the year ended with the factions bubbling along at home and the siege in place in Lucca.
January-July 954
The new year of 954 AD began with Jarl Bertil winning his long-running revocation war against Hrörekr of Breda on 1 January 954. [Note: I’m no longer reporting most of the more minor vassal wars.]
The next day, Helgi re-joined his own Garðariki faction, taking it back up to the ‘clear and present danger’ level [73.4% strength]. And as he’d already been bribed recently, another gift would do no additional good. Tryggve had not yet joined again, thankfully.
But February was brightened with some good family news for Eilif: there may be a new Imperial heir soon and relations with one of his younger sisters had improved.
In mid-March, the castle of Lucca fell, yielding not just 40 gold, but also two members of the Count’s family who could be ransomed for another 36 (and were, of course). Two more holdings (Cascina on 4 May and Pistoia on 22 June) would fall between then and July, but only 35 Russian raiders were lost in the process.
As spring came in Nygarðr, the stress of Eilif’s secret life began to tell on him. It seemed to be a price of being one of Hel’s devotees. But when his first mission was proposed, Eilif was excited to take it on. It would be a strike against those pompous, foolish Godis for whom the dislike was mutual – though they did not of course realise the full scope of their own Fylkir’s disdain and betrayal.
As Eilif prepared for a surreptitious journey to Strassburg, Marshal Bodil became available for tasking and on 6 May was ordered to help organise the army – which should cut around 1/5th of the cost of maintaining the large Imperial Guard, as well as perhaps improving the skills of the commanders.
The same day, Eilif’s preparations were complete and he was approaching Strassburg with a small band of accomplices.
Once inside, his approach was ruthless. Anyone getting in the way had their throat cut, then when it was all done Eilif opted to burn the whole place down rather than grabbing a few gold pieces worth of loot. He could feel the Dark Power begin to course through him.
And while Eilif conducted this bloody mission, the Chancellor reported from Sugrov that between mid-May and early June, he had improved relations with Jarl Sumarliði twice more! Surely, this charm offensive should eventually persuade the combative Jarl to call off his push for independence that seemed so appealing to many of Eilif’s smaller vassals.
Jarl Helgi had received some nasty news on 17 May when he was told his son Vagn had been murdered by some disgruntled vassal. So be it – Now Helgi knows what it feels like to have close family members murdered. And one less potential competitor for me, at least, was Eilif’s harsh private assessment.
Eilif revelled in the completion of his first mission. His Dark Power, already growing by that point, would be greatly boosted. And the desecration of one temple was not enough to dent the overall moral authority of Germanicism, which Eilif still wanted to remain high, for his own selfish reasons as Fylkir.
By mid-July, the raid in Lucca came to an end. All the loot was retrieved by 16 July and there was around 472 gold now sitting with the fleet, as the troops began to board again. And in Ravenna, the Doge had around 5,000 troops fighting and beating an Anconan force (which must have come in to support Firenze) of around 3,150 men. Clearly, some target other than Ravenna or Venice would have to be considered next. That new destination had not yet been decided when the raiders finished loading up on 24 July.
The known world at that time was depicted in a map found with records from the period.
Elif’s treasury had grown as the tax revenue from the core Imperial counties blossomed under feudal administration.
Eilif could sanction progress in legalism [to level 3] at any time he wished, which would allow late feudal administration to be adopted under the civic laws. And that in turn was a criterion for the enactment of primogeniture succession, should Eilif wish to pursue it. But first, he would have to get ten years of ruling under his belt, ensure all his direct vassals had a positive opinion of him and have none of them fighting among themselves – none of which were currently the case. It was a longer-term decision, so was not taken yet.
Factions in the realm were an underlying concern, but none an imminent danger at that time. The diplomatic work on Jarl Sumarliði had paid off – he had abandoned the independence faction, even though four other lords remained in it. Jarl Bertil’s support for elective succession in Russia was enough to make it a mid-range threat. Helgi’s Garðariki faction still simmered away, but at below ‘dangerous’ levels.
On the religious front, in the last couple of years the counties of Pallteskja (17 May 953) and Sussex (20 April 954) had seen Odin’s light. But from the very top of the Fylkirate, an unseen canker ate away at the heart of Odin’s Germanicism – with the Fylkir himself now a sworn and blooded member of the Fellowship of Hel. Its membership was largely composed of unlanded and otherwise little-known adherents. The only three members who had achieved anything beyond the first initiate rank of Spæmaðr were Jarl Rikulfr (at the highest fourth level rank of Trollmaðr), then Marshal Bodil (a Visenkadona) and another second rank devotee, Visendamaðr Kettil.
Questions
Ch119 Q1: The Highway to Hel. Most details will be discovered along the way and I’m happy to learn as I go, so won’t be doing too much consulting of Wiki the Black at this stage. But I am curious as to what the 25 steps represent and how one gets closer. Does it mean there are 25 members ahead of Eilif in the pecking order? Or is a succession of tasks or levels to be ascended?
Ch119 Q2: General Comments and Advice. As always, I’d welcome any comments, suggestions etc that anything above may have raised, regarding the Fellowship of Hel specifically or the way ahead more generally. My general plan at present from here is to find one more suitable, non-plagued raiding target then probably head to one of Russia’s Black Sea ports to drop off the treasure, disband the levies and look for a new conquest target. Either a large one for a Great Holy War, or one of the independent Finnish counties on the Baltic.
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … The young new Fylkir and Emperor Eilif II was just days into his reign after the sudden and untimely death of his father Styrbjörn in battle against a minor revolt in Pomerania. The peasants were put down ruthlessly soon afterwards, so the interrupted great raid was the next priority. Eilif’s brother and current presumptive heir Sigurðr, who he was very close to, was now King of Sviþjod, though still subject to Eilif. Sigurðr would be allowed to settle his own future there – both with his vassals and matrimonially.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
September-December 952
Eilif II was quite a different person to both his father Styrbjörn and his grandfather, Eilif I ‘the Just’. He was brave and erudite, but also rather cynical; strong in martial skills but mediocre in most others. Despite preferring the company of men, he had made a special effort to foster familial relations and to produce an heir, which he viewed as an important duty – if not a pleasure. His other driving motivation at that time was hatred of his sworn rival, the Sami courtier who Eilif had a well-advanced murder plot against. Ásllat Keite was a master of intrigue, so it was not unreasonable for Eilif to be worried about him.
Eilif, who had found himself briefly in charge of the raiding host after the death of his father, relinquished command and had no plans to resume battlefield duties until at least his reign was properly secured at home, where he now headed. Hrafn [Martial 23] would take command of the 4,500-plus host, with Gunnarr [Martial 14] the siege specialist on one flank and Velmayka [Martial 23] on the other.
As Eilif returned to Nygarðr, on 27 September he was advised by Chancellor Arnbjörn that he had improved relations with the powerful High Chieftess Bodil ‘the Strong’ of Lithuania [opinion of Eilif to +38]: a good thing for the stability of his reign. He admired the aggressive lord of the Holmings – good Norsemen all and the earliest and most loyal supporters of the Rurikids from the very beginning. Arnbjörn’s next mission was to do the same in Sugrov with the equally aggressive Jarl Sumarliði of Sarkel [current opinion only +6], who led the independence faction.
The raiders began embarking from Werle on 29 September for the next phase of their adventure on a fleet of 70 ships: plenty of room for treasure to be loaded aboard.
But there was more worrying news for Eilif on 2 October when his own Spymaster sent him a letter announcing he had started a faction to make himself King of Garðariki!
“Just in the interests of full disclosure, you understand,” was Jarl Helgi’s off-hand closing remark.
The attitude – the liberty! But he’s too powerful for me to do much. Yet … was the pensive note Eilif made in his private diary when he received the news.
As it happened, this kicked off a very active period of factionalism within the Empire during the early phase of Eilif’s reign. There were many comings and goings in the next months, but only the more significant ones will be reported in detail here. But there were many notes in the Imperial journals of the time, indicating faction management was an important and preoccupying issue for the young Emperor. It may have been a significant factor that led him to adopt certain methods he used later in order to shore up his power. Methods quite different to those of his three dynastic predecessors.
Back at the capital, Eilif – his interest piqued by discussions at the recent Þing – obtained a report on the potential for creating a Kingdom of Finland as part of the Empire. Something his father had tried to achieve in two aborted Holy Wars against the Sami.
The money should come from raiding – and the first target would be a stop off at the perennial site of Kernev, currently ruled by the Breton King Pascueten of Breizh. By 8 October the raiders were all aboard and heading there, with salt in their beards and wind in their sails. A smaller fleet of 14 ships, anchored off Flanders, was sent ahead to Italy via Kernev to reconnoitre.
Back at court, Helgi sent another “it’s only family business, nothing personal” letter to Eilif on 29 October, informing him he had called in a favour on the powerful Jarl Tryggve de Normandie ‘the Unready’ to force him into Helgi’s Garðariki faction. It was quickly becoming a genuine concern. Then a month later, the powerful Jarl Bertil ‘the Devil’ joined Jarl Sumarliði’s independence faction. [By then, it was at 36.5% strength, with Helgi’s faction at 68.8% with him and Tryggve alone.]
Around this time, Eilif reviewed his minor court appointments, making his trustworthy (and diplomatically skilled) Chancellor the Designated Regent and shoring up a few other vassal relationships. Meanwhile, King Sigurðr went through a frenetic period of reallocating vassal contracts in Sviþjod, presumably trying to stabilise his own rule against his many powerful and ambitious vassals.
Another factor making the factionalism harder to control in this early part of the reign was discontent on the Council, allowing its collection of zealous or glory-seeking members to plot and connive freely. This was likely to continue for a few years yet.
But while his mind had started to lead him along a path of darkness, outwardly his dedication to family marched side by side in the light of day. His relationship with the Empress had begun to blossom, despite everything else distracting him.
And the last day of the year found Eilif studying dark tomes in the middle of the long and dark northern winter. His inhibitions began to dissolve away … bringing a hint of a dangerous but exciting future, after a tumultuous first few months of his new reign as Emperor of Russia.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-April 953
A new faction – very small at first [5.8% strength], led by a minor chief – was founded on 5 January 953, dedicated to bringing elective succession to the Russian Empire. What foolishness, Eilif noted dismissively in his private journal, it is beneath my dignity to bother responding to it.
Of more concern were some loose lips threatening to sink ships.
Better factional news came in late January, with Jarl Bertil leaving Sumarliði’s independence faction, taking most of its strength with him. Then just a day later, as revealed in a recently discovered secret personal journal of Emperor Eilif II, contact was made by Hel’s minions. Eilif’s dark journey had begun in earnest. And just to make sure of it, he confirmed his interest with some subtle hints to Bodil.
On 23 March, a short note signed by Trollmaðr Rikulfr (Jarl Rikulfr Ironside) arrived, addressing the young Emperor as ‘Brother Eilif’, noting his dedication and desire to ‘join the legion of the True Lord’ and advising him to ‘await the messenger – let the Dark One guide you’. Now this was more like it! He quivered in antici…… pation!
April brought news of a new murder plot – against the Fylkir himself! And it wasn’t from his long-time rival. It seemed the wife of his cousin Rikulfr Tolirsson (who like his father had a claim on the Imperial throne) wanted to advance her husband’s prospects!
A few days later, Helgi himself received a chest of treasure [24.2 gold for +30 opinion] in Constantinople from Eilif, hoping to sway him away from his campaign to claim the Garðarikian crown. And just two days after that, Rikulfr succeeded Tolir – where his ambitions now fostered an open dislike of both his direct liege King Sigurðr and Eilif himself.
Eilif was informed of four levels of expertise within the Fellowship and the powers each one bestowed. As an initiated Spæmaðr, he had a few himself already.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May-December 953
May began well for Eilif, with the earlier blandishment apparently working on Spymaster Jarl Helgi, who left his own faction, leaving Tryggve in charge and lowering its danger enormously [to 38.4% strength]. Helgi then informed him of a plot by the new Jarl Rikulfr of Bergslagen to kill his King, the Emperor’s beloved brother Sigurðr. No doubt part of his attempt to clear the way for his Imperial claim. And there was no way to make him abandon it.
Eilif explored the Council’s view on an attempt to imprison Rikulfr, but only two other members were in favour, even though as a known plot leader the vassals would not have objected. The five dissenters had a mix of reasons for opposing the request. And with everything else happening in a so-far short reign, Eilif was not keen to add a charge of tyranny to the mix. Given what would transpire in coming months, that was just as well. His brother would have to look out for himself in this matter.
Better news arrived on 19 May, with Jarl Tryggve also leaving Helgi’s Garðariki faction, leaving it only a minor annoyance. Though by early June Sumarliði’s independence faction now had five members and reasonable strength [44.4%]. It was appropriate then that on 26 June, Chancellor Arnbjörn reported he had improved relations with Sumarliði. He was left in place to see if he could do even more to swing the violent and ambitious Jarl away from his separatist path.
Further siege victories in Kernev at Langoned (31 May, 44.8 gold) and Kemperle (25 June, 21.2 gold) had followed for the raiders, who lost only 110 men in the entire campaign since December the previous year. By 12 July, the last of the treasure had been loaded up and the troops followed, with the fleet carrying around 210 gold from their thorough plundering of Kernev: the locals had never been able to muster enough troops to interfere.
As the raiders boarded ship, back at court Bodil of Lithuania came to Eilif with a proposition. She had tried this before, but been rejected. But Emperors and circumstances had changed since then.
Of course Gorm was now very upset. And given his power, this was not something that should be left to fester. With the treasury in reasonable shape due to a now healthy monthly income balance, gold was sent to take the edge off Gorm’s anger: some of which would fade with time, while some would be more persistent – certainly if a way could not be found to get him back onto the Council at some point.
By late August, the Russian boats of the recon fleet were in the Gulf of Venice – and it was discovered the Serene Doge Adelmio II had his forces mustered and had just begun a war with Count Giulio of Firenze, with a major battle taking place in Ravenna itself. While this might work in the Russian raiders’ favour eventually, for now the area was simply too ‘hot’.
So on 20 October, after exploring a range of possibilities, the next target was selected. Lucca may not be as rich as Ravenna and there was a raiding force of unknown size sitting off it, but it was assessed Count Castore would have trouble resisting an attack. Carrier pigeons took the information back to Hrafn’s fleet, which was still en route.
As the murder plot was being implemented, a small battle broke out in Lucca between 472 Gentian raiders and a defending Melfi army of 234, on 2 November. Neither should be able to stand up to Hrafn’s far larger force, once it arrived, even if suffering from a long sea voyage and attacking directly from the sea.
Indeed, two weeks later the Russian Vikings were storming ashore and fighting the small Melfi force in Lucca. The entire company had been pursued and wiped out by 4 December, with the looting and siege work starting. Nearby to the south-east, the Doge’s combined army had caught up with and was in the process of defeating the Firenze force now less than half its size, in Firenze itself.
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January-July 954
The new year of 954 AD began with Jarl Bertil winning his long-running revocation war against Hrörekr of Breda on 1 January 954. [Note: I’m no longer reporting most of the more minor vassal wars.]
The next day, Helgi re-joined his own Garðariki faction, taking it back up to the ‘clear and present danger’ level [73.4% strength]. And as he’d already been bribed recently, another gift would do no additional good. Tryggve had not yet joined again, thankfully.
But February was brightened with some good family news for Eilif: there may be a new Imperial heir soon and relations with one of his younger sisters had improved.
As spring came in Nygarðr, the stress of Eilif’s secret life began to tell on him. It seemed to be a price of being one of Hel’s devotees. But when his first mission was proposed, Eilif was excited to take it on. It would be a strike against those pompous, foolish Godis for whom the dislike was mutual – though they did not of course realise the full scope of their own Fylkir’s disdain and betrayal.
The same day, Eilif’s preparations were complete and he was approaching Strassburg with a small band of accomplices.
And while Eilif conducted this bloody mission, the Chancellor reported from Sugrov that between mid-May and early June, he had improved relations with Jarl Sumarliði twice more! Surely, this charm offensive should eventually persuade the combative Jarl to call off his push for independence that seemed so appealing to many of Eilif’s smaller vassals.
Jarl Helgi had received some nasty news on 17 May when he was told his son Vagn had been murdered by some disgruntled vassal. So be it – Now Helgi knows what it feels like to have close family members murdered. And one less potential competitor for me, at least, was Eilif’s harsh private assessment.
The known world at that time was depicted in a map found with records from the period.
Elif’s treasury had grown as the tax revenue from the core Imperial counties blossomed under feudal administration.
Factions in the realm were an underlying concern, but none an imminent danger at that time. The diplomatic work on Jarl Sumarliði had paid off – he had abandoned the independence faction, even though four other lords remained in it. Jarl Bertil’s support for elective succession in Russia was enough to make it a mid-range threat. Helgi’s Garðariki faction still simmered away, but at below ‘dangerous’ levels.
At some point I will have to examine the rest of them in more detail, to see if they are potential allies, opponents or sources of talent, Eilif jotted in his secret journal as a reminder for later. But I wonder what “25 steps from being Trollmaðr” means or entails?
Questions
Ch119 Q1: The Highway to Hel. Most details will be discovered along the way and I’m happy to learn as I go, so won’t be doing too much consulting of Wiki the Black at this stage. But I am curious as to what the 25 steps represent and how one gets closer. Does it mean there are 25 members ahead of Eilif in the pecking order? Or is a succession of tasks or levels to be ascended?
Ch119 Q2: General Comments and Advice. As always, I’d welcome any comments, suggestions etc that anything above may have raised, regarding the Fellowship of Hel specifically or the way ahead more generally. My general plan at present from here is to find one more suitable, non-plagued raiding target then probably head to one of Russia’s Black Sea ports to drop off the treasure, disband the levies and look for a new conquest target. Either a large one for a Great Holy War, or one of the independent Finnish counties on the Baltic.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
Let Ragnarök come! For Hel and Loki!
Let Ragnarök come! For Hel and Loki!
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