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So there was enough feedback and then debate on the questions raised, especially on the merchant republic, to warrant a Þing being called this time, with topic-by-topic treatment. The first in almost 20 years, and the first of Eilif II's reign.
Ch127 Q1: Dorpat to Styrbjörn.He was due to inherit this anyway and Styrbjörn didn’t have a very good opinion of Eilif, so I ‘what the helled’ and gave it to him. Fair enough, or a mistake? One thought was he might be made King of Finland in time, but will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Q1 I like this decision. How are you going to do other excess counties? Spread among sons or just to heir? All to heir is better game play but you will probably have to give away holdings when Styrbjörn inherits. I like idea of giving sons property in different areas.
He can at least decide which ones he keeps and handing out the excess will help him quickly build relationships with key nobles, I'm thinking. Not sure about the other excess ones, but I'm tempted to 'fill' Styrbjorn up first.
I'm not 100% sure about this but one problem with this is you will probably have less control about your heir's education since he's a ruler somewhere with a regent now. Other than this, I don't see any problems with this.
True, but RP-wise it makes him a freer agent during his apprenticeship as Emperor, so could end up causing a bit of 'fun' and making him less a malleable gameplay cypher for the player/ruler, which I don't mind. Until he turns on the seduction focus and gets the pox, etc!
1) Should mostly be fine but as others pointed out it can be convenient to exercise control when they're young. Maybe be purposeful to become his guardian when he's six.
Generally, if you want to control your heir, keeping him unlanded is the wisest choice. If he's landed, anything is possible. He may achieve great victories if given the chance, may make friends across the whole realm, be in a happy marriage with great children of his own.
Or he can become a crippled, drunk failure of a man, constantly attempting to seduce your vassals' wives and daughters, his children in useless marriages.
He can die in a raid, be a tyrant, waste his inheritance...
Ch127 Q2: Kingdom of Finland. Eilif now has the cash and piety to do this now. Should he, or maybe hold off? If he does, should he keep it, or perhaps give it to his heir (ie like an early inheritance)?
Q2 How many king titles do you currently hold? Vassals get upset if emperor holds too many kingdoms and duchies. Giving to Styrbjörn, raises question is he strong enough to hold it against his future vassals. But a strong king could conquer the de jure properties outside of empire.
Just the Gardariki one at the moment, with Sweden held by the king's brother Sigurdr. Styrbjorn would be very young, so as long as he can control it, I'm leaning to Eilif retaining it himself, so he can make the conquest decisions.
If you give Finland to Styrbjörn can't he make wars on the remaining Finnish counties on his own so Eilif doesn't get the impact of the aggression himself? them being rather worthless.
What are the religions of other realms in the de jure kingdom of Finland? If there are Norse, by creating the kingdom now it would be possible to ask for their peaceful vassalization. Otherwise as I said I normally wait for the heir to become the new ruler to create so they have instant prestige. If it's created now, it's not a bad idea to gift it to the heir so he starts accumulating some prestige already. But, if you give the kingdom title to the heir HE might have to ask the diplomatic vassalization requests since he holds the title and I don't know if the AI does that or not.
They are mainly Suomenusko I believe, but will have to check. Finland is an area I'd like to convert more to Russian possession before the horse lords and Aztecs arrive. Eilif is still comparatively young, so maybe using Finland sooner rather than later might be good?
This was my main aim in doing these Finnish conquests ahead of other short-term options I could have taken. It seems a let-down not to use it sooner rather than later.
Finland is quite poor, so it shouldn't be too powerful even if unified. Still, giving Styrbjörn the kingdom might enable him to move against the remaining Finns, which would turn into priority targets for him.
Besides, he's going to return the kingdom into the empire's hands once he takes over. Might make for a nice family tradition (until it's inevitably screwed over during some inheritance).
Keep in mind that if you do this, then there would be complications for an Estonian merchant republic.
Yeah. If peaceful vassalization is to be pursued, then the vassalization requests have to be done before handing over the title, while Eilif is the actual de-jure-liege.
My worry is that a child King of Finland will not be strong enough to hold the title and we will again have an Eilif in supreme control but vassals holding an heir Styrbjörn captive.
Agree. Eilif could create and use it, then either just hang onto it or hand over to Styrbjorn when he is older and better prepared to rule it, perhaps. Will consider.
Ch127 Q3. Merchant Republic.I quickly read Wiki the Red on this, but have never done it before. It seems to be something like first create the duchy, and then allocate it to a lord mayor of/in a coastal county? Or is it more complicated than that? If that’s pretty much it, do people think it should be a higher or lower priority than founding Finland?
Are there any cities in those provinces? If so, whom are they held by? If there aren't any cities but there's a tribe, you can go with the creation of a castle from a tribe which auto creates a temple and a city in the empty holdings. In any case, (by creating from tribe, or if there's already a city in one of the provinces that you personally hold), you should right click on that city holding and make it into county capital. Thus, when you grant this county to a person of your liking (a content Germanic Norse with high stewardship, and remember to marry him first to a fertile, preferably lustful Germanic Norse woman with high stewardship before granting him the county) he will become the Lord Mayor of a Great City. Once this is complete, also grant him the duchy at which point it will become a merchant republic.
I'm not sure if it'll work if you just give a lord mayor of a city barony the duchy. It might, but it might not. I think he first needs to have a county level title.
All are tribal, none have a second holding yet, but Reval does have a Level IV Stone Hillfort.
The owners of the counties are as follows:
Toll, who owns Reval, is still tribal and has two lieges between him and the Emperor. So can't revoke his title and I'm assuming even if he did go feudal and could build a city, he would make any appointments anyway, nor could I make it the capital? So does that effectively mean I couldn't create a merchant republic, or yet, anyway?
3) Like @diskoerekto, I'm pretty sure they need to be a city-based ruler of a county to receive the duchy. The process was explained well above. I'd prioritize this, as it will help bring in money.
On second reading and further thought, it seems like for the merchant republic the easiest way would be just to revoke the title of a mayor in the Duchy of Estonia in a country that you directly hold. If all 3 counties in the duchy are held by others, then we might have to look at another duchy for the merchant republic. Which counties except the core ones do we hold personally?
Per above, the only title I think I can revoke in Estonia would be Ingria and it would take some time and money to build it up to Fort Level IV.
As to other options, the current demesne list is included below: most are inland counties. In the Duchy of Livonia I do still hold Laanemaa, having given Dorpat to Prince Styrbjorn. I need one more Livonian county to declare the Duchy.
This I'm not really sure, but if you just gave the county to a Mayor, there's a chance he'll just be a count and give the city to a new mayor since it's wrong holding type. About merchant republics it can be any coastal county, but merchant republics have little use for inland counties so most suitable duchies are small duchies with all counties coastal.
I think promoting a mayor or a bishop changes the county type and makes his holding the new county seat. The mayor would become a lord mayor and a bishop would become a prince bishop.
You may want to make the merchant republic (it probably can be a single county), a vassal of a vassal. The merchant republic will always have a negative opinion modifier for being wrong government type and be a source of discontent. If you put the republic on the border, with deep pockets the republic may be aggressive. In my Avon game, Ragusa has conquered provinces two away from the coast.
To add my opinion to the previous discussion: A mayor becomes lord mayor if he gains a county title.
A merchant republic is created if a coastal lord mayor gains a duchy title. If the title is Venice or Ikh Bogd (in Mongolia) doesn't matter in that moment, but it might later on. So all you need to do is give a coastal mayor lordship over the county in which his town is located, then whatever duchy you've got at hand. Problems arise if he loses his capital though, as it will then revert to another part of the duchy, the de-jure capital if possible. If that other county is inland, then the merchants suddenly disband and you've got a normal republic with little use. As the Russians are quite fond of infighting for now, it might be a good idea to give your chosen mayor more than one coastal town to hold.
Giving a coastal mayor an inland county (without the associated town, or that becomes his inland capital!) and then a random duchy should work, too, but no guarantee for that.
Giving him a random duchy will annoy the people who think it is theirs, while giving him Estonia would make him de-jure vassal of Finland - then it might be a better idea not to create the kingdom, for either your new merchant republic will annoy the king of Finland and he'll slowly take the initially very weak republic over or you'll have to transfer it to Finland, where it offers no benefit for the Fylkirate.
So something might be done with Laanemaa over time, but it could be a bit iffy and perhaps unstable? Though if I retain the Kingdom of Finland (if created) then that aspects might be neutralised?
But the biggest upsides of having a merchant republic vassal is the increased taxes they give and the number of ships. Making a vassal of a vassal would make those go to the vassal instead. The upsides are big enough to make the wrong gov type relation penalty bearable. Yes, they occasionally conquer provinces up to 2 sea zones away. If they can thrive so, the trade zone will get bigger too.
In theory, yes. In practice, that would last as long as the republic can actually defend itself, which it won't in the beginning. If it's to be Estonia, then the Finnish kingdom title should definitely not be given away as that would spell the merchants' doom. Others will need claims first, which might be enough time for the merchants to gain enough strength/wealth.
Taking everything above into account, it looks like "I'm not there yet", and if it is to happen, it might be in Livonia (eventually) rather than Estonia (if I hold onto Laanemaa)? Or should I look at conquering something already eligible elsewhere?
About priority, I think the order of this or the founding of Finland matters much so you can do as you like. If you don't already hold a city (I doubt so since that's a wrong type of holding, so it should be coming from the latest conquest which probably brought a tribe if I saw that right) the merchant republic might have to wait until you do (the upgrading of castles from tribes and spontaneous creation of cities and temples in the meanwhile only works when the province is your religion) so you can go ahead with the Kingdom of Finland. One thing I'm not sure (but I doubt) is if you can directly make a city that you don't personally hold the capital of the county. If you can, then you don't have to wait until you hold a city personally.
For some reason I explained the process like crap, it's not as complicated as I describe it
Jorvik looks to be in a good state. Murdering Þorbjörn is certainly an option - but before that, Eilif can simply ask him for a NAP, as their siblings are married.
Taking everything above into account, it looks like "I'm not there yet", and if it is to happen, it might be in Livonia (eventually) rather than Estonia (if I hold onto Laanemaa)? Or should I look at conquering something already eligible elsewhere?
Quite right unfortunately. As you said a few lines above, it's possible in Estonia by revoking Ingria and building the fort there (and it needs to be a correct religion province) but that's probably more difficult than just conquering another duchy. That can be one more county from the Duchy of Livonia, but might also be a duchy near Pommeranian coast where we already hold some counties, so maybe we can go for one more county to be able to create the duchy and go from there. The duchies around there are fully coastal provinces. What is the situation of the duchies there with regards to province religion, whether cities exist and who holds the duchy title if already created?
One thing to keep in mind is that, there either already needs to be a city or the province should be Norse religion so the tribe can be upgraded. So maybe send a proselytizer to Laanemaa if you decide to create the republic there?
So something might be done with Laanemaa over time, but it could be a bit iffy and perhaps unstable? Though if I retain the Kingdom of Finland (if created) then that aspects might be neutralised?
The unstable scenario is if the mayor is coastal, but the county he has is inland and with Laanemaa that wouldn't be the case so no problem. Retaining the Kingdom of Finland is important here though, or creating the duchy in a Kingdom you'll retain (again, maybe Pomerania?).
Recently de-tribalized lands aren't the best choice for a new MR anyway, as they will be very, very weak in the beginning. If you pursue that road, then Livonia, Finnish coastal counties (or Gotland) might be your best choice, but the best way to move would be to simply conquer a feudal duchy and establish the MR there.
The easiest option is likely Pomerania. If you are up for a fight, then Cherson is probably the best choice, as it would be relatively safe. If you send a GHW against a feudal realm, then you'd be able to found a merchant republic there too.
In any case, the merchants work best if you are their de-jure liege.
So here's the sneaky option. Which is weird, because it should be the obvious one - take over an existing MR. Of course, it wouldn't work like that, as you'd need to build your own MR upon the ruins of the previous one, but oh well.
Both Amalfi and Venice are merchant republics with one-county duchies, Amalfi non-de-jure only being creatable by a republic owning the county. Thus simply waging a conquest war against Venice is the easiest option, though as an island only accessible by boat the fight is tough, so you'd need to take care to outnumber them quite handily.
Recently de-tribalized lands aren't the best choice for a new MR anyway, as they will be very, very weak in the beginning. If you pursue that road, then Livonia, Finnish coastal counties (or Gotland) might be your best choice, but the best way to move would be to simply conquer a feudal duchy and establish the MR there.
The easiest option is likely Pomerania. If you are up for a fight, then Cherson is probably the best choice, as it would be relatively safe. If you send a GHW against a feudal realm, then you'd be able to found a merchant republic there too.
In any case, the merchants work best if you are their de-jure liege.
So here's the sneaky option. Which is weird, because it should be the obvious one - take over an existing MR. Of course, it wouldn't work like that, as you'd need to build your own MR upon the ruins of the previous one, but oh well.
Both Amalfi and Venice are merchant republics with one-county duchies, Amalfi non-de-jure only being creatable by a republic owning the county. Thus simply waging a conquest war against Venice is the easiest option, though as an island only accessible by boat the fight is tough, so you'd need to take care to outnumber them quite handily.
yeah but the fun is creating one where it wasn't already, and also Venice etc are far away. Pomerania though is also the option that makes sense to me as well. We already have counties there, so conquering 1 might be enough to create a duchy and put the MR in the newly conquered county.
yeah but the fun is creating one where it wasn't already, and also Venice etc are far away. Pomerania though is also the option that makes sense to me as well. We already have counties there, so conquering 1 might be enough to create a duchy and put the MR in the newly conquered county.
While I do agree (one of my favourite games was as Icelandic MR - thanks to Tibetan refugees Bön at the beginning -, conquering all islands on the map and nothing else), it takes a while for lands that haven't been feudal a while to become profitable, so taking over the competition is the easiest way to rich lands.
That said, Pomerania is feudal and has asked for payback with their previous attack, so it clearly makes sense to move against them, though Eilif would have to contend with the pact.
MR on edge of empire could be two fold good! 1) Cash Cow! 2) They have money of their own and big brother empire protection. They could get very aggressive.! Turf and moola, what more do you want?
Looking at a former screenshot it seems like (if I'm not confusing any of the colors) we're 1 county away from being able to declare/usurp the duchy of Pomeralia title but that county is owned by Poland.
We're also 2 county away from the title of the duchy of Mecklenburg out of 2 provinces held by High Chief Wratislaw of Pomerania and 1 province by that single province gray realm who holds Weligrad. It's good there are 2 separate realms since we can simultaneously declare on them and take both provinces at the same time. If there's a truce with Wratislaw, it might be a fun challenge to dark power him to the underworld to void the truce if that's possible.
By the way, we have both provinces of the duchy of Pomerania but the duchy title seems to be also held by Wratislaw (which, if county revoking is out of question, unrelated to the Merchant Republic topic but can still be usurped for half the creation prestige since he doesn't have any holdings in the de jure duchy).
Also, any one of those aforementioned provinces also allow us to create the kingdom of Pomerania!
The next chapter is now ready to go. It was played just after the first couple of supplementary comments below, so bear that in mind when it comes out. The advice provided all remains relevant, but the timing of when it may be put into practice (if the opportunity presents in due course) remains moot. And the game has been played a few years after even the time the next update covers, so in-game events also bear on that. I'll try not to spoil in answering below.
Quite right unfortunately. As you said a few lines above, it's possible in Estonia by revoking Ingria and building the fort there (and it needs to be a correct religion province) but that's probably more difficult than just conquering another duchy. That can be one more county from the Duchy of Livonia, but might also be a duchy near Pommeranian coast where we already hold some counties, so maybe we can go for one more county to be able to create the duchy and go from there. The duchies around there are fully coastal provinces. What is the situation of the duchies there with regards to province religion, whether cities exist and who holds the duchy title if already created?
One thing to keep in mind is that, there either already needs to be a city or the province should be Norse religion so the tribe can be upgraded. So maybe send a proselytizer to Laanemaa if you decide to create the republic there?
The unstable scenario is if the mayor is coastal, but the county he has is inland and with Laanemaa that wouldn't be the case so no problem. Retaining the Kingdom of Finland is important here though, or creating the duchy in a Kingdom you'll retain (again, maybe Pomerania?).
Excellent guidance. It is shaping up as quite a complicated process, especially for a novice player when all you need to do is miss one criterion to prevent declaration. And when playing Ironman mode, experimentation and scum saving is not an option. And funny you should mention Pomerania ... but you'll have to wait a few chapters for that to be revealed.
Recently de-tribalized lands aren't the best choice for a new MR anyway, as they will be very, very weak in the beginning. If you pursue that road, then Livonia, Finnish coastal counties (or Gotland) might be your best choice, but the best way to move would be to simply conquer a feudal duchy and establish the MR there.
The easiest option is likely Pomerania. If you are up for a fight, then Cherson is probably the best choice, as it would be relatively safe. If you send a GHW against a feudal realm, then you'd be able to found a merchant republic there too.
In any case, the merchants work best if you are their de-jure liege.
So here's the sneaky option. Which is weird, because it should be the obvious one - take over an existing MR. Of course, it wouldn't work like that, as you'd need to build your own MR upon the ruins of the previous one, but oh well.
Both Amalfi and Venice are merchant republics with one-county duchies, Amalfi non-de-jure only being creatable by a republic owning the county. Thus simply waging a conquest war against Venice is the easiest option, though as an island only accessible by boat the fight is tough, so you'd need to take care to outnumber them quite handily.
More good advice. Not sure a war on Venice will roll trippingly off the sword edge, but I would like to try some kind of early Hanseatic arrangement in the Baltic if possible.
yeah but the fun is creating one where it wasn't already, and also Venice etc are far away. Pomerania though is also the option that makes sense to me as well. We already have counties there, so conquering 1 might be enough to create a duchy and put the MR in the newly conquered county.
While I do agree (one of my favourite games was as Icelandic MR - thanks to Tibetan refugees Bön at the beginning -, conquering all islands on the map and nothing else), it takes a while for lands that haven't been feudal a while to become profitable, so taking over the competition is the easiest way to rich lands.
That said, Pomerania is feudal and has asked for payback with their previous attack, so it clearly makes sense to move against them, though Eilif would have to contend with the pact.
This is also a good point. Later, I may try doing a survey to see what Merchant Republics may already exist. And again, Pomerania does figure in the next few years, though not exactly in the way advocated here.
MR on edge of empire could be two fold good! 1) Cash Cow! 2) They have money of their own and big brother empire protection. They could get very aggressive.! Turf and moola, what more do you want?
Good points. And Eilif is really keen to get more real money flowing in regularly that does not require time-consuming and sometimes risky raiding for that one big sugar hit.
Looking at a former screenshot it seems like (if I'm not confusing any of the colors) we're 1 county away from being able to declare/usurp the duchy of Pomeralia title but that county is owned by Poland.
We're also 2 county away from the title of the duchy of Mecklenburg out of 2 provinces held by High Chief Wratislaw of Pomerania and 1 province by that single province gray realm who holds Weligrad. It's good there are 2 separate realms since we can simultaneously declare on them and take both provinces at the same time. If there's a truce with Wratislaw, it might be a fun challenge to dark power him to the underworld to void the truce if that's possible.
By the way, we have both provinces of the duchy of Pomerania but the duchy title seems to be also held by Wratislaw (which, if county revoking is out of question, unrelated to the Merchant Republic topic but can still be usurped for half the creation prestige since he doesn't have any holdings in the de jure duchy).
Also, any one of those aforementioned provinces also allow us to create the kingdom of Pomerania!
This will no doubt get more detailed treatment (and reporting) at a future Thing. Whether just Pomerania, or any other options that might emerge down the track. If for no other reason than the learning value of it all.
To All: Thanks once more for the fulsome advice on this aspect, new chapter up soon!
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Chapter 128: Loki Laughs (5 May 964 to 1 January 967)
Chapter 128: Loki Laughs (5 May 964 to 1 January 967)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … May 964 AD saw Russia poised to declare a new Kingdom of Finland after the successful conclusion of the recent Finnish Wars against Karelia and Livonia. The recent Þing had explored the possibilities of founding a merchant republic in Estonia, but it seemed (as always) that the lawyers kept bringing up technicalities to prevent it – yet, anyway.
With threat now high and the coffers running low, the Viking urge was surfacing once more …
Editor’s Note: as the story of the Rurikid Dynasty approaches the centenary of its founding, the modern scholars translating and researching their scroll trove have come to rely heavily on the detailed, explicit and rather shocking personal journals of the ‘Dark Fylkir’, Emperor Eilif II. Read in conjunction with the more conventional public documents of the time, they reveal an increasingly demented dichotomy between the private and public figure – Emperor of Russia, Fylkir of Reformed Germanicism and Trollmaðr of the Fellowship of Hel. How long could he keep these two lives separate?
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May 964
The increased threat Eilif posed to those around him [19.4%] after the end of the Finnish Wars on 5 May 964 AD was estimated by his Chancellor to require another five years to dissipate.
To keep his vassals happy – and a powerful but now disaffected Jarl Helgi especially happy – the newly acquired Tavastehus (formerly Häme) was given to the grizzled (63 year old) Spymaster [giving +40 opinion, from -7 to +33]. Läänemaa would be held on to for now within the Emperor’s own demesne.
And then a grand ceremony was performed in Kexholm to found the new Kingdom of Finland, kept by Eilif for himself.
The de jure Kingdom of Finland.
With truces running for High Chief Ahma of Karelia for the next five years, for Saaremaa to 21 January 965 and the Pagan and Christian pacts expanding rapidly, Eilif would turn to raiding to rebuild the treasury. Most of the vassal fleets were raised and ordered to meet in the Gulf of Finland.
With King Þorbjörn of Jorvik still unwilling to forge a non-aggression pact due mainly to ‘political concerns’, Eilif decided (secretly of course) that the alternative would be death.
However, Þorbjörn was in seclusion and Russia couldn’t afford to bribe people to back it yet – it would be a situation of ‘doing him slowly’. At the same time, it was noticed that a plot [29.4%] had been hatched by Marshal Þorbjörn of Smáland to kill Eilif’s lover Botulfr! Þorbjörn agreed four days later to cease – had he not, a visit in the dark would surely have followed.
As May was drawing to a close, Eilif seemed a bit footloose as the raiding preparations continued. He turned to some of the long-standing prisoners in his dungeon (all women who couldn’t be ransomed, taken from an old war with Karelia years before) for some ‘sport’.
If I can’t get any gold for them, then I’ll extract my pound of flesh another way. Literally, was the disturbing remark on this episode recorded in Eilif’s secret journal. It would be one of many such entries during this period. [Game note: Done for pure RP reasons and in the hope of earning him a suitably grisly nickname.]
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
June 964
On 3 June, Eilif’s personal levies (dismissed when safe on home territory after they were all out of Karelian territory after the recent war) were raised again and ordered to assemble in Ingria, while the Guard mustered and recovered its strength in Kexholm. The Sacred Raiding Toggle was invoked in a solemn ceremony on 9 September as Eilif’s men prepared for another viking.
As they gathered, news came of an important succession: the powerful and often troublesome Jarl Refill II ‘the Cruel’ of Vladimir had died before his time in what appeared to be a genuine accident. His brother Hroðgar inherited. He was soon made a Hirdman.
But the improvement in opinion was not enough for Eilif. Feeling at a bit of loose end, he decided to send a Jotun to possess the new Jarl! Meanwhile, his own core demesne was flourishing under his wise administration.
And in Fellowship news, Eilif noticed Chief Chichayka ‘the Seducer’ of Radstofa, Marshal and Designated Regent of Vladimir, was now next in line to him as Trollmaðr. The two Fellowship leaders apparently got on quite well with each other, so Eilif did not feel particularly threatened by him.
At the end of June, the Jotun was duly summoned and sent to do its work on Jarl Hroðgar.
Unfortunately, despite a dream Eilif recorded of this ploy having succeeded (and of Jarl Bertil ending his own life), by 1 August it transpired the possession had failed, leaving the poor Jarl insane, which would have consequences later.
I had a rare game crash in July 964, and lost some weeks of play. In that thread, the possession worked fine, while Jarl Bertil ‘died of depression’. Neither of these happened after the re-start. Just goes to show how random events can quite noticeably affect the arc of the game.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
July-September 964
On 1 July, monthly income stood at 16.21 gold and expenses at 17.57, leaving a small monthly deficit of 1.36 against 60 gold in the treasury. It highlighted the need for some lucrative raiding to replenish the finances and allow new construction projects.
A review of the available commanders at this time showed there was a bit of dead wood that needed pruning. Three new military leaders were sourced from other courts and invited to Imperial Nygarðr. One of them, Olafr Karlsson from Nidaros, brought his wife Morag, a warrior herself, with him.
A check in mid-July of people who might be interested in joining the plot to kill King Þorbjörn of Jorvik showed there were quite a few, but all would need inducements to overcome their ‘moral qualms’ (which couldn’t be all that strong if 15 gold would do the trick). The plot was allowed to meander along for now.
By 8 August, all the new commander appointments were in place, the three new men installed to an improved selection of excellent officers.
Apart from old Jarl Tryggve, Jedvard and Chief Virdyan of Austerbotn (not to be confused with the old veteran Virdyan who had died some years before) had been put onto the ‘reserve list’.
On 5 September, the raiders (1,715 Guardsmen and 3,104 Imperial levies) were assembled and started boarding the boats for their adventure. They were all aboard by the 15th and set off for the first way-point of the Straits of Dover, after which a target would be selected.
Eilif kept himself occupied with some more prisoner torture on the 23rd, according to his journal. He never bothered to inquire as to how they fared afterwards, but none were reported to have died following these grisly episodes.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
October-December 964
Other members of the Fellowship continued to fall foul of the authorities – most of these seemed to be in Sweden, where both Eilif’s beloved brother King Sigurðr and his Seer had now acquired the nicknames of ‘Witch Hunter’. Another interesting irony at the top of the Rurikid dynasty at this time.
A random report in early November became a brief sensation and became known as the ‘Qamdo mystery’. The historical record reveals nothing further about how one of Bertil’s sons had acquired the title, nor how ‘King’ Steinn of Dege came to usurp this small county at the very edge of the known world.
Of more immediate interest, the raiders arrived off Dover on 5 November and decided the rich lands of Dorset, owned ultimately by King Raimbaut ‘the Just’ of West Francia, would be the first raiding target. Five days later, the (definitely not dead) Jarl Bertil ‘the Devil’ of Brabant launched his second attempt to conquer Lincoln against Maria of the English Revolt (whose rebellion had stymied his first attempt).
The Spymaster brought news in mid-November of an affair between his concubine Aslaug and Jarl Einarr of Lithuania.
While many men would have sought the blood of one or both, this kind of thing did not really concern Eilif very much, unless it led to a plot against him. His own preferences were not directed towards women anyway, he had done far worse in his private life and Aslaug was the mother of his heir, Prince Styrbjörn.
On 23 November came good news that Jarl Gorm of Bolgar had won his conquest of Yaik against the Cumans, expanding this eastern enclave of his Jarldom, and thus Father Russia itself.
On 20 December, the raiders arrived in Dorset but on landing they were advised it was against the Unwritten Viking Code to loot! No matter how closely Wiki the Red was consulted, Hakon (the raid leader) could not discern the reason for this: the toggle was properly invoked, the local lord and his liege were Christian … but he would try to get around it if he could, as the troops headed back to the ships.
Ch128 Q1: Raiding Impasse.More below, but I checked the usual things. There’s a chance there could have been an ongoing war with one of Eilif’s vassals over some county somewhere, but it’s too late now to check. I couldn’t think of anything else.
Back in Nygarðr, as Eilif lay awake and unable to sleep in the dark and cold Russian winter, he heard the wind rusting the fir trees outside and thought he could discern Loki’s laughter in it. It would not be the last time he had this thought over the next few years.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-June 965
It seems he took out his fears and frustrations on the poor prisoners of his dungeons, another of whom – Syeju – was put to the rack on 6 January. Back in Sussex, Hakon was rechecking the raiding toggles (all were in order) and after a short pause [where I saved and restarted the game, in case it was a glitch after the previous crash], set off overland for neighbouring Winchester instead to see if he could do any better this time.
Alas, when he arrived on 10 February, it was still a ‘no-go’. He made for the ships to try elsewhere. Hakon set out next for Brittany in mid-February to see if he could get his raiders to actually loot.
Perhaps it was Eilif’s unwillingness to fight personally (though a crack commander himself) or his relentlessly reprehensible treatment of defenceless prisoners that led to him questioning his own courage that February.
By 20 March, the raiders were in Léon, but it was West Francian territory and still not legally lootable, proving the point for a third time in a third location. So he then set out overland for good old Breizh – the popular raiding destination of Kernev. Where it was found that looting was entirely legal, according the to mysterious workings of the Viking Code of Conduct Whilst on Tour (4th Edition, Viking University Press, Wiki the Red, 962 AD).
On 21 April, as the raiders went about their work in Kernev, their living off the land at last seemed to have reduced expenses, meaning a small monthly surplus of 4.13 gold was being recorded, the treasury stabilised at 52 gold.
May passed quietly, and it wasn’t until late June that Eilif recorded another clandestine attempt to recruit a troublesome vassal into the Fellowship, to thus exert more influence over them as its leader. As had others recently, it ultimately failed.
The trees rustled in the late spring breeze and once more, the Dark Fylkir detected the sly and rasping laughter of Loki in it.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
July-December 965
In Kernev, the siege of Kemper yielded 43.4 gold for no troop losses on 1 July. Eilif celebrated with more prisoner torture on 5 July – poor Päiäva this time. The outcome was again unrecorded. For Eilif even this guilty pleasure was becoming boringly routine.
In mid-July 965, there were five active factions in Russia, but none of them amounted to much.
Karaez fell on 26 July, bringing another 66.8 gold and no troop losses: the raiders’ strength was now up to 5,066 men. After Langoned was taken on 1 September, 44.8 gold was loaded onto the fleet, which now carried a total of 188.3 out of a capacity of 520 gold.
On 18 September, an old vassal of Eilif’s who had long ago been transferred to Jarl Helgi passed away, apparently at his own hand: Chief Timohir Slovensky of Luki was dead at the age of 52.
Just a few days later, Helgi was seen acting suspiciously. Given the hot-and-cold relationship of the Jarl and Kinsman to his Emperor, Eilif decided to investigate further.
But it soon turned out to be nothing more than business-as-usual for any Jarl of the time. The same day that plot fizzled out, word came that the siege of Kemperle was over, with another 23.2 gold stashed aboard the fleet for no troop loss. With Kernev sucked dry of loot two days later, the raiders took to the sea again to look for another target.
They landed in Desmond (southern Ireland) on 26 October – and once more found themselves barred from raiding. There was a clue this time, when it was noted that young Count Valdemar’s ultimate liege was Maria of the English Revolt – who was at war at the time with Jarl Bertil over Lincoln.
Was this the still-quivering arrow they had been looking for? Hakon concluded that it was as they once more headed back to the boats after yet another fruitless landing.
As the northern winter deepened through November to December, major news emerged from Belo Ozero: it seemed a bout of violent illness – whether dysentery, pneumonia or a combination of the two – had claimed the formidable Jarl Helgi at the age of 65. One of the great and powerful figures of the period and a leading member of the Rurikid dynasty, a crafty Spymaster and known kin-slayer, had died in the office, but not because of it. A rare achievement for the time.
His son Jarl Buðli II succeeded, bearing some residual good will to the Emperor for the recent generous land grant to his father, but otherwise consumed by a not unreasonable desire for a seat on the Imperial Council. This scion of the Rurikids was also married to another Rurikid, Eilif’s cousin Gyla – who was also a shield maiden and commander, which Eilif admired. Buðli was a decent diplomat and might make a decent Chancellor, but not good enough to displace the far more talented occupant, Arnbjörn. But he would have to be managed in the future, somehow.
Helgi’s death also left some key appointments vacant – the first priority being that of Spymaster. Of those on the short list by talent within the court, Queen Elin of Karvuna (a possessed acolyte of Eilif) led the pack, but the most loyal was Ingrid, the High Chieftess of Lithuania. As a powerful lord and leader of the Holming clan – the longest standing and most loyal supporters of the Rurikids since the start of the dynasty – and with a focus on intrigue, Eilif selected her for the post. He hoped to make her a Loyalist on the Council in due course and he liked her moniker of ‘the Monster’, too – very suitable for a Spymaster.
Ingrid would be kept at court to scheme in Eilif’s interests.
As the next raid neared landfall in Spain, the monthly budget was in healthy surplus at 13.4 gold, with 134 gold in the treasury. But Eilif’s building ambitions demanded yet more cash.
Landfall was duly made in the Kingdom of Asturias on 8 December and looting started without hindrance. King Silo III retained a powerful army of his own, but was embroiled in two wars with Muslim neighbours at the time, so Hakon sought to take advantage of his distraction, while keeping an eye open for danger.
Back home, Jarl Buðli was made a Hirdman on 21 December, but it was not enough to make him a supporter. Eilif subtly sounded him out as a prospect for entering the Fellowship, but this would be rejected early in the new year.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-April 966
On the first day of the new year, Helgi’s vacant commander slot was filled by Morag, a Scottish Germanic Holy Warrior, wife of the recently recruited commander Olafr Karlsson Yngling. It was the first husband and wife team in the commanders’ fraternity in the almost century of Rurikid history. She and the Emperor may not like each other much, but Eilif liked the arrangement. A family that fights together, sticks together, he noted with some wry humour in his personal (but not infernal) diary.
On 6 January, Eilif’s thoughts were once again drawn to his helpless prisoners … but this time he ‘resisted his foul impulses’ [+10 piety] he noted in his Infernal Journal, as he now referred to it. Mainly, he was just bored and it seemed it wasn’t leading anywhere useful. And he wanted to keep his four remaining prisoners alive, ‘for better things to come’.
Late in January, another diplomatic feeler was sent to King Þorbjörn of Jorvik – and it was discovered his political concerns of earlier had completely reversed. He had become an enthusiastic supporter of closer links with Russia! He made the very wise choice and Eilif quietly abandoned the barely progressed plot to murder him, glad he hadn’t thrown any money or effort into it.
The prisoners’ reprieves proved to be short-lived: the first Great Blot in many years was called on 1 February and with only four prisoners – held for over 20 years each, unransomed, unloved and tortured – would soon be rewarded for their endurance in the traditional Norse way.
Extensive records of this Blot were discovered in the Rurikid Scroll Trove. The traditional rituals were observed, the four prisoners sacrificed to Odin (though Eilif secretly dedicated them to Hel, rather than the Allfather) and the feasting began. Poor mad Hroðgar made a fool of himself and all the vassals left happy, the morale of the army was improved and Eilif’s reputation grew over the coming year.
As this was under way through February and March, Eilif’s brother King Sigurðr won a major victory in the long-running conquest of Pfalz, as Russian holdings in Western Europe slowly expanded through the efforts of its diligent magnates.
News of a successful end to the siege of Oviedo also came on 27 February, yielding 50.8 gold but costing 106 raiders, as they moved on to besiege the next holding of Gijón in the county of Asturias de Oviedo.
Then on 24 March, a proposal to renew the Russian-Jorvik alliance was put to King Þorbjörn, whose agreement was received on 1 April, just after the Blot finished.
Next was a report from Jarl Bertil: the Devil had finally succeeded in winning Lincoln for himself and the Empire on 30 March.
Bathed in the succession of good news days, the Emperor was enjoying a restful slumber in mid-April, only to have it rudely interrupted by something even worse than the mocking laughter of Loki or the howls and roars of a Fellowship rival in a dream that soon turned to nightmare: infernal bagpipes!
There was only one way to end this nocturnal torment …
An unexpected by-product was the publication (for a Hellish audience only) of a series of poems by Eilif entitled Songs of Anguish. It added slightly to his somewhat abysmal diplomatic skills.
The siege of the city of Gijón ended on 29 April, with rich pickings of 92.8 gold for no troops lost, leaving the treasure fleet at over 391 gold. The raiders started on the church precinct of Cangas de Onis.
A day later, Eilif was going over his notes from the last Þing, when he realised he had forgotten some of the useful advice that had been provided. He soon became the formal guardian of his son and heir, who at six years old was serving his apprenticeship in ruling as the Chief of Dorpat.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May-September 966
May passed quietly enough for the Russian Empire in 966 AD, though for many months various small-scale Finnish raiders had been infesting the remote northern counties, basically ignored by the Emperor. But their arrival in Kexholm in mid-June prompted him to call out over a thousand levies from various larger vassals in Russia proper – something he usually tried to avoid, for the expense and ill-will they generated. They would muster in Ingria.
Cangas de Onis was sacked on 17 June, with 64.2 gold looted, again for no loss among the 4,977 raiders. But the first sighting of the main Asturian army (4,908 men) was made to the immediate south in Astorga, marching towards Leon, where a Muslim army was trying to escape south.
Spymaster Ingrid unearthed reports of slander by Eilif’s otherwise loyal and effective Seer on 30 June.
On this occasion, Eilif decided to simply file it away: Hysing was otherwise a good servant of the crown and – to be fair – if he was telling stories, they were likely true. And not even half the real story!
The same day, as Hakon’s scouts watched the battle being fought in Leon, where the Asturians had the numbers and upper hand, another 1,400 Asturian troops were spotted in Astorga heading east to join in. This they did on 5 July, at which point the raiders broke off their siege of Noreña and headed west to the safer ground of Coruña, while the fleet followed.
They reached their new objective on 21 July and set to work.
What some scholars have interpreted as a ‘softening’ of Eilif’s infernal resolve came on 18 August, when his bafflement at the fine art of financial management led to him trusting the Empress to ‘lighten his load’, rather than alienating her.
This led to a new contentment in Eilif’s life – though it took an edge off his alertness for intrigue.
[Game Note: I was mainly keen for the temporary tax modifier and also had a small hope he might get an permanent improvement in his poor stewardship skills, but it was not to be.]
In early September, another change in the leading Russian vassals occurred when the mad Hroðgar met with a suspicious end. The benefactor (and therefore prime but unproven suspect in his probable murder) was a relative, Kolbjörn de Normandie. He was soon made Hirdman, but retained a poor opinion of his Emperor.
The siege of A Corunnã was closed out on 19 September, the 45.1 gold filling the treasure fleet to its capacity of 520 gold, though at the loss of 314 raiders during the siege. They all began embarking that day for a return voyage to Russian-controlled lands.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
October-December 966
The fleet made it back to Hlymrek on 22 October, bringing the treasury to 738 gold and elevating Eilif’s prestige further [to 4,679]. Two new projects were soon started, including trying to bring L Two new projects were soon started, including trying to bring Läänemaa to the point it could be made into a feudal county, plus yet more heavy infantry capacity for the capital.
The vassal levies (1,271 troops) were concentrated in Ingria by then. Folki commanded the force, plus the husband and wife team of Morag and Olafr on either flank, as they headed to where the raiders had since retreated: Austerbotn.
1 November saw the raiding party still in Hlymrek, seeking to build their strength somewhat before heading out again (4,713/6,518, reinforcing by 81/month).
In early December, King Þorolfr of Denmark sent a rather needy note protesting about pirates and hinting at Russian complicity.
Eilif swallowed his irritation, assuming an intemperate reply might jeopardise the alliance, and answered cordially.
On 18 December, Hakon set out again on another raid after a draft of replacements grew the host to 4,829 men. He was impatient for more loot (as was Eilif) and this time headed for the rich Muslim lands of western Spain.
By 22 December, Eilif was considering another legislative project, albeit quite a minor one. The one realm law change available to him was to institute regulated inheritance, to disallow a title to pass to another realm through inheritance. At present, the entire Council would be opposed to this change, though Eilif could work on this, just needing three to side with him in due course.
Ch128 Q2: Regulated Inheritance.I’m hoping this will either disable that irritating reminder that a title is in danger of being lost from the realm on inheritance, but am not sure how the law works if implemented. Does it prevent that from happening entirely, or allow a veto if it comes about? Does it work for all forms of inheritance and for all vassals of vassals? Or only direct vassals of the player character?
Since May 964, a substantial eight counties had converted to Germanicism all across the now vast Russian Empire: Olvia (18 May 964), Nizhny Novgorod (30 July 964), Don-Portage (9 August 964), Westfriesland (3 October 965), Abkhazia (28 May 966), Artois (23 June 966) and Inder (22 June 966).
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
Questions
Ch128 Q1: Raiding Impasse. More below, but I checked the usual things. There’s a chance there could have been an ongoing war with one of Eilif’s vassals over some county somewhere, but it’s too late now to check. I couldn’t think of anything else.
Ch128 Q2: Regulated Inheritance.I’m hoping this will either disable that irritating reminder that a title is in danger of being lost from the realm on inheritance, but am not sure how the law works if implemented. Does it prevent that from happening entirely, or allow a veto if it comes about? Does it work for all forms of inheritance and for all vassals of vassals? Or only direct vassals of the player character?
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
1 January 967
It had finally come: the anniversary of the founding of the Rurikid Dynasty! There were feasts and celebrations in Nygarðr and reminiscences of the founding father Rurik’s early days.
Gumarich der Schreiber, the original Rurikid chronicler, reading a book about Blut und Schlacht (Blood and Battle), the informal motto of the Rurikid dynasty that had grown from the Petty Kingdom of Holmgarðr, to the Kingdom of Garðariki and ultimately the Empire of Russia, now embracing three kingdoms and leading the Reformed Germanic Faith one hundred years after its founding. Some things had changed, but many themes remained the same.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
Note: this update covers the first half of the latest play session. Will Loki start laughing again, or has Eilif managed to quieten him down with the latest Blot offerings? More will be revealed next time …
An easy way to do this would be to check the trade map mode which shows the silk road and trade zones, if there are trade seazones except the silk road, there are MRs there
With King Þorbjörn of Jorvik still unwilling to forge a non-aggression pact due mainly to ‘political concerns’, Eilif decided (secretly of course) that the alternative would be death.
But the improvement in opinion was not enough for Eilif. Feeling at a bit of loose end, he decided to send a Jotun to possess the new Jarl! Meanwhile, his own core demesne was flourishing under his wise administration.
The disease susceptibility here made me look up hospitals in Wiki the Red since I have little experience with them, and I saw this intriguing line:
Code:
Alternatively, you can spend 300 piety and allow a holy order to build a castle in your capital in exchange for a hospital there. This is accessed by right-clicking a holy order captain and selecting "Invite to Build Hospital".
So does this mean we can relocate the Jomsvikings to the capital to become our direct vassal while also gaining an hospital as a special building? Sounds like a good deal for 300 piety.
I had a rare game crash in July 964, and lost some weeks of play. In that thread, the possession worked fine, while Jarl Bertil ‘died of depression’. Neither of these happened after the re-start. Just goes to show how random events can quite noticeably affect the arc of the game.
A random report in early November became a brief sensation and became known as the ‘Qamdo mystery’. The historical record reveals nothing further about how one of Bertil’s sons had acquired the title, nor how ‘King’ Steinn of Dege came to usurp this small county at the very edge of the known world.
On the first day of the new year, Helgi’s vacant commander slot was filled by Morag, a Scottish Germanic Holy Warrior, wife of the recently recruited commander Olafr Karlsson Yngling. It was the first husband and wife team in the commanders’ fraternity in the almost century of Rurikid history. She and the Emperor may not like each other much, but Eilif liked the arrangement. A family that fights together, sticks together, he noted with some wry humour in his personal (but not infernal) diary.
Since she's Scottish culture, she has access to the Schiltron Formation cultural combat tactic which gives huge bonuses to Pikemen and also big bonuses to Heavy Infantry so if she'll command a flank it should preferably be one with Pikemen
Ch128 Q1: Raiding Impasse. More below, but I checked the usual things. There’s a chance there could have been an ongoing war with one of Eilif’s vassals over some county somewhere, but it’s too late now to check. I couldn’t think of anything else.
Ch128 Q2: Regulated Inheritance.I’m hoping this will either disable that irritating reminder that a title is in danger of being lost from the realm on inheritance, but am not sure how the law works if implemented. Does it prevent that from happening entirely, or allow a veto if it comes about? Does it work for all forms of inheritance and for all vassals of vassals? Or only direct vassals of the player character?
The calm before the storm, even if there are a bunch of people disagreeing with that statement - mostly the Bretons and Asturians - but who cares for them any more than for Kettilmund? The Dark Fylkir needs gold for his plans, he seems quite capable of filling his needs in blood himself.
All the while, his brother is busy purging Sweden from Hel-worshippers and insulting German kings from an alternative timeline.
My guess concerning the Qamdo mystery? Adventurer shenanigans. With his one county, he shouldn't be able to call upon that many troops, so he likely led a claimant host, or he would have the adventurer trait. King Steinn's an interesting character in any case, as he's a virtuous, depressed gay with claims on the Samanid Sultanate. His story is surely worth to be told by the skalds, even if he's Catholic.
Ch128 Q1: Raiding Impasse. More below, but I checked the usual things. There’s a chance there could have been an ongoing war with one of Eilif’s vassals over some county somewhere, but it’s too late now to check. I couldn’t think of anything else.
Those are West Francian holdings, right? So I guess King Ogier's truce with Russia might have consequences. Or did the French defeat an army with the raiding toggle invoked, I don't recall... Either way, those would be my guesses.
Ch128 Q2: Regulated Inheritance.I’m hoping this will either disable that irritating reminder that a title is in danger of being lost from the realm on inheritance, but am not sure how the law works if implemented. Does it prevent that from happening entirely, or allow a veto if it comes about? Does it work for all forms of inheritance and for all vassals of vassals? Or only direct vassals of the player character?
Yes, that would eliminate this reminder - for all de-jure vassals of Russia. If, say, a Norwegian duke is set to inherit a Russian county, then the secondary heir would get it and stay a Russian vassal.
The inheritance warning alert is weak. You will get warning about people who even if they inherit will come join you. But no warning about one of your people who gets a better offer and goes elsewhere (eg your count becomes others duke) with your land.
An easy way to do this would be to check the trade map mode which shows the silk road and trade zones, if there are trade seazones except the silk road, there are MRs there
The disease susceptibility here made me look up hospitals in Wiki the Red since I have little experience with them, and I saw this intriguing line:
Code:
Alternatively, you can spend 300 piety and allow a holy order to build a castle in your capital in exchange for a hospital there. This is accessed by right-clicking a holy order captain and selecting "Invite to Build Hospital".
So does this mean we can relocate the Jomsvikings to the capital to become our direct vassal while also gaining an hospital as a special building? Sounds like a good deal for 300 piety.
Since she's Scottish culture, she has access to the Schiltron Formation cultural combat tactic which gives huge bonuses to Pikemen and also big bonuses to Heavy Infantry so if she'll command a flank it should preferably be one with Pikemen
The calm before the storm, even if there are a bunch of people disagreeing with that statement - mostly the Bretons and Asturians - but who cares for them any more than for Kettilmund? The Dark Fylkir needs gold for his plans, he seems quite capable of filling his needs in blood himself.
All the while, his brother is busy purging Sweden from Hel-worshippers and insulting German kings from an alternative timeline.
Prophetic words. And we'll see what kind of storm soon. Re Eilif's brother, they share a deep friendship, but it makes you wonder what would happen if the Fylkir's true nature was revealed.
My guess concerning the Qamdo mystery? Adventurer shenanigans. With his one county, he shouldn't be able to call upon that many troops, so he likely led a claimant host, or he would have the adventurer trait. King Steinn's an interesting character in any case, as he's a virtuous, depressed gay with claims on the Samanid Sultanate. His story is surely worth to be told by the skalds, even if he's Catholic.
It was an interesting one that caught my eye and thanks for the deductive work. I'd be tempted to delve into it more, but it's taken me almost four years to cover the first 100 of the dynasty, so I'm thinking (though I know I've said this before) I really do need to speed up the time line, lest I not be finished when CK4 is released!
Those are West Francian holdings, right? So I guess King Ogier's truce with Russia might have consequences. Or did the French defeat an army with the raiding toggle invoked, I don't recall... Either way, those would be my guesses.
I did check the truces and am pretty sure the main one between Russia and W Francia had expired from the earlier war and I didn't have any recent raids against them, let alone lost any raiding battles myself. It could only have been one of those with a vassal (such as Bertil, or another raider) and I don't know whether things they do would affect Eilif. And the same thing happened on the lands of a vassal of the English Revolt, who I know Bertil had foungt recently, but I've never had anything to do with directly.
Yes, that would eliminate this reminder - for all de-jure vassals of Russia. If, say, a Norwegian duke is set to inherit a Russian county, then the secondary heir would get it and stay a Russian vassal.
Probably, though I've also been conscious of wanting to build up the HI component of the army so its a match for the other Feudal powers, especially of Western Europe. But I probably should shift back to building the tax base again when possible.
Yes, I'm now had experience of that one and have been caught before, but I had not raided for a long time before this, so don't think it should have applied, which was why I wondered if the sins of the vassals can be visited on the liege in these case.
The inheritance warning alert is weak. You will get warning about people who even if they inherit will come join you. But no warning about one of your people who gets a better offer and goes elsewhere (eg your count becomes others duke) with your land.
Probably, though I've also been conscious of wanting to build up the HI component of the army so its a match for the other Feudal powers, especially of Western Europe. But I probably should shift back to building the tax base again when possible.
Chapter 129: Loki Laughs Hard (1 January 967 to 30 September 968)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht… with the Kingdom of Finland declared and the anti-Eilif defensive pacts strong, the Dark Fylkir turned to raiding to replenish the treasury and let the perception of his threat die down.
The centenary of the founding of the Rurikid dynasty was celebrated on 1 January 967 AD – and it had come far. What might the next 100 years bring? In any case, with a network of entangling alliances now built among the other major Norse Germanic kingdoms, Eilif would continue to both build Russia’s position in the world and to guard his position and exercise his evil powers as leader of the Fellowship of Hel.
All while balancing touchy allies, some pesky and powerful vassals and a complicated family life. With a wife, three (sometimes murderous) concubines, one of his commanders as a lover and a now widespread and ambitious collection of dynastic relations, what could possibly go wrong!?
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-April 967
The world in 967 saw the most wealth concentrated in a band stretching from Western Europe, through Asia Minor and North Africa, to Central and then East Asia and in parts of India. The core counties of the Russian Empire, led by the capital of Holmgarðr, stood out like a small but growing beacon of prosperity amid a sea of poverty.
Spain looked particularly tempting for Vikings on tour for gold – and it was to there that Hakon’s raiding army headed next. As they sailed back south, one of Eilif’s younger brothers had found himself a marriage match. A pity, noted Eilif, who at present happened to be his heir. Örvar was learned, content but cynical; and quite insane. An excellent combination of traits for a Norse nobleman, noted Eilif without obvious sarcasm.
In early February, the raiders came ashore to plunder their latest raiding target: the Islamic Aslamid Emirate. Lishbuna should prove a fairly lucrative target, but Emir Ramadan had a fair sized army, though was also currently involved (perhaps to varying extents) in two wars. A careful eye would have to be kept in case his liege or other allies might lend support against the well-armed Norse raiders.
Another opportunity came in mid-February for Eilif to help his brother – and also gain his gratitude. The diary note of this sword training mentioned reluctance and of ‘risking his life’, though how this was so was not explained. In any case, help his dearest brother and friend without any consideration of financial reward he did.
In March, Eilif decided it was time he made a major sacrifice of Dark Power to summon a familiar to aid him in his governance of the realm – and the Fellowship.
His choice was the wise raven: mainly chosen because he realised his own stewardship skills were his weakest personal area. And in the Fellowship, buffing intrigue skills a little was always a useful thing.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May-June 967
After April had passed in routine fashion, the beginning of May brought turmoil for Eilif’s son and heir Prince Styrbjörn with a peasant revolt in his county of Dorpat. A host that had earlier been assembled to chase Finnish raiders off was fetched from Austerbotn and would be joined by a couple more vassal companies that would all gather in Narva. Heavier arms and better training rather than numbers would be relied upon to deal with the rebel scum.
Mid May brought victory in the siege of Lishbuna, with 52 gold taken but 463 raiders killed during its investment (strength down to 4,500 men). Setúbal was the next target and should prove quicker and easier to take. There were no nearby enemy forces in sight.
At this time, only one faction had any real following – aimed at introducing gavelkind succession in Finland. No Russian emperor would ever willingly agree to that. Eilif considered revoking a county from Jarl Einarr (Ingrid's husband) of Lithuania as punishment for his impudence.
The Council would have disagreed and his vassals would have considered it an act of unwarranted tyranny. And it would have made a trenchant enemy of Einarr. But he did mark him and Jarl Kolbjörn down as troublemakers and also showed he needed to boost the Loyalist vote in Council, so a couple of gifts were distributed to that end.
June brought momentous news and an important decision for Eilif: Denmark had declared war on Poland King Þorlofr was demanding Russian support. Eilif did not want to break the alliance and certainly did not want the opprobrium of being labelled an Alliance Breaker. And he wouldn’t mind seeing Poland taken down a peg or two.
War it would be then – though with a raid in progress and a revolt to put down at home, any physical Russian support may be slow in coming.
A few days later the remaining vassal companies were called out, though most of them were in the west (in Brabant and Pfalz). The others in Russia were sent to add to the host gathering in Narva, which when gathered with those already in motion should add up to about 2,250 men.
By 8 June, the landscape of Þorolfr’s invasion was taking shape. His own army was in Pomerania and considerably outnumbered King Witosz II’s personal levies. Witosz was not flush with funds either, already owing gold to moneylenders.
But he had managed to attract the support of a Christian Holy Order, the Teutonic Knights, who had already contributed around 2,900 men. With a couple of other wars occupying his attention, he would need them. The Russian levies in the west made no move as yet to join in.
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July-September 967
On 4 July, Setúbal was taken and with it 97 gold, for no Russian loss. But personal news the next day doused any good feeling Eilif would have drawn from that. His complicated romantic life had caught up with him. But the Empress’ will would win in this case.
Dorpat fell to Maru’s rebels on 26 July, with the main Russian army still only in Ingria. They would be in neighbouring Läänemaa in a little over two weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, King Þorolfr of Denmark forwarded a marriage proposal on 4 August on behalf of his son and heir. But Eilif thought he could do better than one of his cousins.
His counter-offer was for the hand of his sister Ingfrid. It would provide a double-bond through marriage ties to both of Þorolfr’s sons and was soon accepted.
Alcobaça in Lishbuna was looted of 66 gold on 22 August for no troop loss. Hakon then moved south to continue the raid in the county of Alcácer do Sal.
A week later, back in Russia the army of Folki (1,372 men at that stage) began marching south from Narva to retake Dorpat, while the rebels (1,322 men) continued their siege of Läänemaa.
It was in early September that Chichayka ‘the Seducer’, Eilif’s secret deputy in the Fellowship, tried his hand at a bolder stroke: rebellion against the troublesome Jarl of Vladimir. The two looked evenly matched on paper, anyway. And Eilif was happy to see the troublesome Kolbjörn given a little stick by a Fellowship member.
Leaving them to their ‘personal business’, Russian troops arrived in Dorpat about a week later and soon launched an assault against the small garrison the rebels had left. It was overcome in a couple of days, but with some more levies on the way, Folki sat tight for now and waited for more of them to join, given how even the numbers were.
By 29 September there were just over 1,400 men assembled in Dorpat: Olafr was given the command and marched for Läänemaa but would not get there before it fell, which it did the next day.
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October-December 967
On 12 October, Sheik Ramadan appeared with his main Aslamid army of just under 3,600 men a few provinces to the south of the raiders, making for the adjacent county of Mértola. But such strength was not enough to swerve Hakon (with 4,500 equally well equipped men) from his purpose in Alcácer do Sal, where he had since arrived.
The rebels would have their reckoning in Läänemaa, though the battle would take a month. Along the way, the Russians received a couple of reinforcing contingents at the end of October and in early November. The first melee came on 30 October and it was here that the better trained Russian infantry were able to assert their superiority. The enemy centre broke first and struck the enemy’s left in the flank, while the battle on the right was a closer run thing. But the rebels were all retreating by the 10th, though when the battle was over, the cost to Russia was appreciable.
By 30 November the rebellion was over and Maru in prison. It was hoped he could be kept there until the next Blot, but the man’s puny physique succumbed within a day of his incarceration. And the Dark Fylkir had not even had any ‘sport’ with him yet! The delayed Reinforced Hillfort in Läänemaa was completed the day the rebellion ended.
News came from Jorvik on 8 November that a civil war had broken out to enforce Seniorty on Eilif’s previously reluctant ally King Bjorkvard. And this Halsten the Monster looked to be enormously powerful and impressive – but for an apparent illness. It seemed that was all that could stop him beating Bjorkvard.
In Spain, Ramadan’s army had stayed quietly in Mértola for some weeks and Hakon’s scouts must have grown complacent [it had been quiet there for a long time and I was a bit distracted by other events]. But Sheikh Khalid of the Umayyad Sultanate, Ramadan’s overlords, had moved into Mértola in early December and were marching on Alcácer do Sal before Hakon could react quickly enough.
Hakon missed out on escaping by boat by just a day: they would have to give battle in a hopeless delaying action and scramble aboard with whoever could be rescued from the debacle. Even after breaking contact as soon as they could, casualties were heavy and the pursuit pitiless. Still, complete destruction had been avoided. When Eilif finally got word of this, the blood rushing in his ears rang loudly with the harsh laughter of Loki, the Fickle Mischief Maker.
By 28 December, the surviving troops were aboard with the 290 gold they had collected to that point. The long a subdued voyage back to safe territory in Sussex (owned by Jarl Bertil) commenced.
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January-March 968
Word came that Warchief Palnatoke of the Jomsvikings, fighting under contract in Bedford (England) at the time, had joined the pagan pact opposing Eilif. What a cheek, wrote the Emperor in his Infernal Journal. May Loki strike the scoundrel dead for such insolence to his Fylkir and ingratitude for past favours shown.
Russian forces – principally composed of vassal levies – were congregating in the west of the Fatherland in mid-January and were now ordered to start assisting the Danes by besieging Lepiel, an isolated county in eastern Poland.
Soon after, more irritating news arrived. Eilif’s half-sister Vigdis, the shield maiden married to Prince Dag of Denmark and commanding troops at the front, was plotting to kill the Empress! And Eilif could not stop her directly.
But Vigdis had enlisted the aid of his cousin Malmfrid (perhaps still angry about being ‘cheated’ out of a marriage to the Danish heir the year before) and that Eilif could stop. Hopefully the plot could be prevented from ever getting anywhere.
But even as that was being dealt with, the relationship with Denmark threw up even more aggravation for the Emperor, with some misbehaving Russian noble causing angst in Sjaelland, apparently. Once more, Eilif swallowed his pride for the sake of the alliance. And he again thought he could detect the hissing chuckle of Loki in the winter wind that howled through the palace at Nygarðr.
More disturbing was the recent turn the war with Poland had taken. Although doing well in terms of past battles and occupation, it seemed the Teutonic Order had mobilised in far greater numbers, reinforcing Witosz’s main host and with two other armies in the field, one of almost 6,000 men. Þorolfr looked to have lost a battle recently and Poland’s fortunes were now on the up.
But some things did not change: Jarl Bertil was looking to expand again. And he was ambitious, taking on none less that King Louis V ‘the Usurper’ of West Francia over possession of Brugge. That Louis was both imprisoned and insane probably did him no favours, either.
A week later, the battered raiders were on friendly soil in Sussex, with a smaller haul of gold and fewer men returning than they would have hoped for when setting out.
They would still be resting and rebuilding in Sussex a month later (up to 3,891/6518 strength by 14 March).
But March was to bring another big change in the upper echelons of the Russian nobility. Old Jarl Bertil II, who had done as much off his own bat as any other noble to expand the greater realm in a very competitive environment, had died in his sleep at the age of 67. His 49-year-old son Bertil III took up his mantle. Raving mad, a good intriguer with a sporty moustache and a desire to be on the Council, he would continue his father’s war for Brugge. And bear watching.
By the end of the month, Eilif had decided to appoint him to the vacant position of Advisor his father had occupied. He was still a powerful lord and now one with quite a good opinion of his emperor. Perhaps that could be cultivated.
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April-June 968
On 1 April, the Poles began besieging the Russian holding of Danzig. Eilif returned the favour the next day, with Olafr’s siege of Lepiel (2,200 men with Folki and Botulfr taking the flank commands) commenced.
On 7 April, Eilif finally began to move the vassal levies that had been waiting in Brabant (660) and Pfalz (1,374). They would concentrate in Gent, for shipment over to join Hakon in Sussex. Aiding Denmark in its war against Poland would now be given a higher priority.
Then on 18 April, word came that Chichayka – a busy and nefarious man – had taken it into his mind to have Eilif’s Spymaster, Ingrid of Lithuania, murdered! This brought her 13 year-old son Gandalfr to the leadership of Lithuania and a vacancy on the Council. Things at the top in Russia seemed to be pretty hazardous to the health in those days!
Bertil III was soon switched into the role and, after years of desiring it, Eilif’s well-loved brother Sigurðr could be brought onto the Council as an Advisor, replacing Bertil. Eilif hoped this might be rewarded with his support as a Loyalist in future votes.
The arrival of the Brabantian regiment in Sussex grew Hakon’s army to 4,700 men and it was at this time they’re raiding status was ‘de-toggled’ [as Russia was now at war, the Brabantian troops couldn’t toggle to raider and merge with them otherwise].
As May 968 lengthened further into spring, the Poles were militarily in the ascendancy, even though behind in the so-called balance of the war to date. There were raiders besieging Danzig now and the Teutons in Holstein. A large central Polish army of over 13,400 men (the majority also Teutons) was in central Poland reversing earlier Danish gains by siege.
On top of all this – and at a very inconvenient time for Bertil III, as he sought to solidify his position as Jarl and claim Brugge from West Francia – Hrörekr announced a war to claim the Jarldom for himself. This time, Eilif felt compelled to intervene. For the cost of a little of his great prestige, a fair peace was made within a week. And Bertil was duly very thankful.
In the east, Aqtobe was converted to the Germanic faith on 31 May – the only such event in the period reported on in this chapter of the Rurikid Chronicle.
On 2 June, Eilif once more looked to see if he could get a law on regulated inheritance through the Council, but only Godi Hysing (the only Loyalist at that time) and the Marshal Mayor Gnupa (also now a fellowship member but still only a Pragmatist) were in favour. Even Sigurðr (still a Glory Hound) remained opposed.
On 13 June the fading war effort against Poland was given a small boost when Lepiel Tribe fell, for the loss of 83 men[to 19% warscore].
As often happened during these years, when things got a bit tedious or frustrating, Eilif turned to his less savoury pass-times to get a bit of pleasure. Especially now Botulfr had been scared off by the Empress. Marshal Gnupa thought he needed a bit of cheering up – a small devotion to Fenrir. This inspired Eilif to go for a bit of an ‘unholyday’ (or week).
While Eilif took his evil pleasures, in Sussex the second continental regiment had arrived and Hakon now had 6,255 men at his disposal. Hakon took as many troops as he could at once on the fleet and headed for Holstein. Morag was put in charge of the rest and would make her way over when the ships returned.
It was hoped a similar ‘defeat in detail’ approach could be taken to the Poles as had been achieved against West Francia some years before. And that the Jomsvikings would finish their current contract and become available for hire again.
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July-September 968
On 9 July, word came that young Jarl Gandalfr had been murdered before he could come into his inheritance. He died under suspicious circumstances, but the killer was not discovered. That said, his own father inherited to title of Jarl and he had recently remarried … suspicion fell on his new wife, but no proof could be found that she had ordered the death. Hmmm.
Hakon landed in Holstein on 18 July and started getting his men back into condition, ready to carefully enter the war in support of Denmark.
Back in Russia, Chief Chichayka’s fortunes had taken a turn for the worse: his revolt against Kolbjörn was defeated and he was thrown in prison in mid-August.
Hakon had pushed out of Holstein in late August and by 2 September was besieging the Polish holding of Liubice. A detachment of 2,855 Teutons was in Brandenburg and heading north-west to (Russian) Werle county, home of the Jomsvikings. The main Polish-Teuton army (13,253 men) remained in central Poland, heading towards Litomerice.
In eastern Poland, Chashniki was taken by Olafr’s army on 3 September for 38 men lost, fully occupying Lepiel [but only bringing the fading warscore back up to +17%].
In court politics, Helgi’s charismatic but apparently inept (as well as being irksome to his Emperor) son Buðli was dubbed ‘Ill-Ruler’ by his people. This at least gave Eilif a chance for a wry chuckle. Something will have to be done about Buðli, Eilif noted down in his Journal. He’s too powerful to have as a thorn in my side during coming years …
Another check was made on 9 September, but the Jomsvikings still remained under contract to one of Bertil’s vassals, Þorgil of Sussex: he was still fighting to take Norfolk from the English Revolt. But Palnatoke was no longer their Warchief: one Ermengau Súrr had taken the post, and he was secluded in his castle at Werle. Eilif new nothing of what had happened to his predecessor – only that for once, he’d had nothing to do with it!
Werle was under siege from the Teutons just two days later: what a liberty! Hakon wanted to finish his own siege in Liubice before he moved to intervene against this isolated enemy contingent.
Chichayka’s run of poor fortune continued. Still languishing in Kolbjörn’s dungeon, his Jarl predictably stripped him of his chiefdom in mid-September.
Then Morag brought the remaining 1,185 troops over from Sussex, landing in Holstein on 21 September and due to reinforce Hakon in Liubice at the start of October. Once that siege was done with, he intended to teach the Teutons a hard lesson in Werle.
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Endnote. No specific questions this time, but all advice and comments are warmly welcomed and hoped for, as ever. I decided to split the rest of the session, so there is one more part after this before we are up to date again with the game. There will be a few questions in that one, no doubt.
That's the mindset to take before disaster strikes...
Anyway, looks like the Teutons are quite a thorn in the Norse's side. As Poland has feudalized now, they are in a state of great weakness, and the Danes tried to take advantage of that. But as a prepared invasion, adjacent Christians sadly came to Witosz's aid. Things will be tough, and it doesn't help that the raiders were defeated in Umayyad lands.
Halsten the Monster is another of those people worthy of their own saga. Once he's taken Borkvard down a notch, he'll likely terrorize the surrounding Christians with the army from his adventuring days.
Eilif should really take a more active stance in these days, or he's likely to lose his army against the Teutons - and there are always people waiting for any show of weakness, within the fellowship and without.
