The WayBack Machine’s awards cabinet must be looking pretty full by now, what with all these highly illustrious people joining us for our voyages!
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Time is only one of the four dimensions that the WayBack Machine transcends. The Director is not joining us at this time. You are now the Captain and in complete charge (except when a drunken admiral pulls rank).
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HAHAH! When I saw Laura I thought you meant Laura Gilbert who is a cosplayer in Australia. Her father was a fan of the character from the book and gave her that first name.
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Welp. That didn't last long.
*Meanwhile, in some alternate timeline*
Blake "Trojan" Robinson puts down his pencil as his fellow historian Chris "History Dude" Wright delivers news on the abrupt end of Queen Urraca II's reign. The retired Stormbreaker shakes his head in disappointment and throws away the half-completed manuscript on his desk.
"You know," Chris says. "You'd get more books written if you didn't focus your stories on child rulers, teenage heroes, and warrior women."
"Who knows." Blake sighed. "I might not be able to tell such stories here in the land of great men like our Kings, knights, and champions, but perhaps there's a world where I wrote many stories doing nothing but that."
"That would be a very different world indeed." Chris agrees.
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Nah, I am Old School. Post #426, even if has Hoss telling Little Joe that the pint sized one (Laura) looks like him. This was a Bonanza / Little House crossover. As Michael Landon was Little Joe Cartwright and Charles Ingalls. There is also a Bonanza / Battlestar Galactica crossover in same post.
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Teenage heroes and warrior women, that sounds like All of our Sins Remembered. Queen Urraca II is actually lucky. She got to throne at 5yo after her mother and maternal grandfather (king) perished to suspicious circumstances. Her father ruled only one year before being killed on the battlefield. Her half-brothers would be dead before 25. One in an usurpers dungeon, the other to an assassin. She was set up for failure as she did not have any traits or a tutor at 13yo. To live to be 38 and possibly become a Duchess-Consort, is a big Victory. On the subject of warrior women, Duchess Jelena will become a worthy successor to Doux Gjin.
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We have a worthy successor to Doux Gjin in Duchess Jelena. She will not remain a shy 17yo controlled by her older husband.
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1350 #5 England
14 January 1350 Dyrrachion Wharf
Duchess Jelena asks if Laura and @Cora Giantkiller would reconsider joining the AAReaders on the voyage to England. Laura states that it would have too many memories for @Cora Giantkiller and that she wants to observe @Kage265's interactions with the children. She adds that they will probably visit Constantinople to see the Hagia Sophia and the changing of the guard. (Around 1346, Constantinople had become a theocracy. The Basileus would usurp the Prince-Bishop on the 10th of every month except March. This continued for eight to ten years before the Basileus could again legally own Constantinople.) @DensleyBlair admonished @37th Armoured div to be forever vigilant and use whatever force that he deemed necessary to protect the ladies including Countess Dubravka.
14 January 1350 aboard the Mediterranean Maiden
Julie welcomes the AAReaders and with Beryl's help gets cabins assigned. She says that Isaac is set up in the Viking Alehouse who wishes a refreshment. Anne Howe has set up a ACA voting station for anybody that receives a drink from a writer. (Due to helping @Nikolai with vote counting, Anne will not be providing war scores during the 1350 world check.) Captain Lord Admiral @Nikolai will be joining everyone for dinner and the show in the Sparrows Roost Theatre. The show is based on R.L. Stevenson's popular biography of Jack Sparrow that @Nikolai was a primary source. Julie asks if the Duchess and the Doux-Consort would meet the cast and especially for the Duchess to meet our darling Wendy who portrays her mother. Also, The Dr. and his Medicine Show has a new song named Jelena's Mother to unveil at tonight's show.
1 February 1350 Middlesex, England
Queen Sybilla and her regent, @Le Jones welcomes the AAReaders to England. The regent will provide a briefing on England's status before the evening banquet. @Le Jones states that, while the Kingdom of England is still #5, it is growing with the addition of ten holdings (171) and one county (46). England's leadership timeline for the 14th century's second quarter:
NEXT: Across the channel to the Holy Roman Empire, #1 for the seventh consecutive check. I am still accepting guesses for our 1350 newcomer.
THANK YOU: To Lauren Tewes, Fred Grandy and Ted Lange for welcoming Duchess Jelena and Doux Chaghagan aboard the Love Boat.
Duchess Jelena asks if Laura and @Cora Giantkiller would reconsider joining the AAReaders on the voyage to England. Laura states that it would have too many memories for @Cora Giantkiller and that she wants to observe @Kage265's interactions with the children. She adds that they will probably visit Constantinople to see the Hagia Sophia and the changing of the guard. (Around 1346, Constantinople had become a theocracy. The Basileus would usurp the Prince-Bishop on the 10th of every month except March. This continued for eight to ten years before the Basileus could again legally own Constantinople.) @DensleyBlair admonished @37th Armoured div to be forever vigilant and use whatever force that he deemed necessary to protect the ladies including Countess Dubravka.
14 January 1350 aboard the Mediterranean Maiden
Julie welcomes the AAReaders and with Beryl's help gets cabins assigned. She says that Isaac is set up in the Viking Alehouse who wishes a refreshment. Anne Howe has set up a ACA voting station for anybody that receives a drink from a writer. (Due to helping @Nikolai with vote counting, Anne will not be providing war scores during the 1350 world check.) Captain Lord Admiral @Nikolai will be joining everyone for dinner and the show in the Sparrows Roost Theatre. The show is based on R.L. Stevenson's popular biography of Jack Sparrow that @Nikolai was a primary source. Julie asks if the Duchess and the Doux-Consort would meet the cast and especially for the Duchess to meet our darling Wendy who portrays her mother. Also, The Dr. and his Medicine Show has a new song named Jelena's Mother to unveil at tonight's show.
1 February 1350 Middlesex, England
Queen Sybilla and her regent, @Le Jones welcomes the AAReaders to England. The regent will provide a briefing on England's status before the evening banquet. @Le Jones states that, while the Kingdom of England is still #5, it is growing with the addition of ten holdings (171) and one county (46). England's leadership timeline for the 14th century's second quarter:
4 October 1324 6yo Anselm de Cognac inherits the Kingdom of England.
24 April 1339 21yo King Anselm II dies a maimed cripple. His 17yo sister Anne de Cognac inherits the Kingdom of England.
1 November 1349 27yo Queen Anne is removed. Her 8yo daughter Sybilla de Cognac is installed as the Queen of England. (Youngest and shortest reigning Big 5 ruler.)
Queen Sybilla is a 9yo English Catholic without any traits (3-2-3-0-2). Her personal holdings are the kingdom and two counties (@Le Jones state that Queen Sybilla is capable of managing two more holdings.) He adds that her vassals include nine dukes and two counts. Her five thousand man army (smallest in Big 5) is maintaining peace in the kingdom.NEXT: Across the channel to the Holy Roman Empire, #1 for the seventh consecutive check. I am still accepting guesses for our 1350 newcomer.
THANK YOU: To Lauren Tewes, Fred Grandy and Ted Lange for welcoming Duchess Jelena and Doux Chaghagan aboard the Love Boat.
To @Nikolai for coordinating the ACAs. I think that balloting will close on Sunday the 22nd.
To everyone for reading and commenting.
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Whenever I see that a ruler isn’t at or over desmense, I develop a twitch in my eye
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Thank you for replying. You may need to see an eye doctor before the 1350 tour is over as all five rulers are below. The elected Emperors (Byz and HRE) are usually below probably to allow the electors to keep the Emperor under thumb. Queen Sybilla is forgivable as she is only 9yo and her mother has just been overthrown. I worried when you were given free reign to use whatever force that you deem necessary.
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England certainly seems to be in good shape despite a rapid turnover of rulers. I'll be curious to see how our other top realms turn out.
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Turbulent times at the top in olde England! Still, as long as it doesn’t start breaking up, perhaps another strong leader will emerge as they can stay in the top five.
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Gentlemen, thank you for replying. England did not have that many rulers as only two changes in quarter century. If one considers a generation to be twenty-five years, each check should see one change. (Spoiler alert: Between February and October 1363, my liege Byzantine Empire will have four ruler changes.) But the English rulers are so young. The siblings, Anselm and Anne, are out before age 30. Anselm and Sybilla, both took over less than three months before our visit. England is controlling most of proper England as well as part of the mess that is France. England's army or lack of is troubling. The 5.2K is the smallest Big 5 army since 1250 King Fulk's England had only 5.1K while fighting five defensive wars. The Plantagenet's Ireland is #10. England, Syria and Byzantine has been this game's roller coaster rides. With four games in my watching career, I have grown to expect the most surprising possible result out of England. (Brother Murphy allows Brother O'Toole to make English law. While you prepare for the worst, England will find something that you can not envision.)
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Hear ye! Hear ye! The ACAs are closing in only a few days, Sunday 22nd, 20.00 CEST! Make your voice heard and vote for the most worthy AARs in Q2 2021! Don't let this chance get away from you! Vote now!
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Thank you for the reminder! Hopefully, you will have enough votes that Anne Howe's calculator will crash.
In a follow up to my response in #494, at 27yo when she was deposed, Queen Anne was the oldest English ruler in the first half of the 14th century!- 1
1350 #1 HRE
8 February 1350 Duchy of Wayne; Kingdom of LomGable
"Why are we stopping HERE?" asks MR8440 as her grandson @Macavity116 brings the wagon to a stop outside the Long Branch. He replies that he needs to see Heath Barkley about a job and that she can get a glass of Sam's sweet ice tea or a sarsaparilla. Also, Miss Kitty is donating Sunday sales to the church rebuilding. If one were to look up, they would see Marshal Matt and Quint covering the word saloon with the word tabernacle. Before @Macavity116 can move, Adam Cartwright is helping MR8440 to the ground where Adam's father, Count Ben is waiting to escort her inside. Countess Victoria of Big Valley and her children, Jarrod and Audra of the Barkley dynasty are stepping onto the sidewalk. To her great surprise, MR8440 finds that her family and her congregation are not at home preparing to enjoy Sunday dinner but rather here in the Long Branch to wish her a happy birthday. Miss Kitty and her hostesses have replaced their gowns of silk and lace with dresses of gingham and calico with a few buttons and bows. Doc is supervising Chester and Festus as they reinforce the tables that are bending under the weight of the church ladies' bounty. There are breads and rolls, pickles and relishes, vegetables and salads, cakes and pies, cookies and tarts. Behind the Long Branch, men are busy preparing the meats. Two master grillers are competing. Hoss Cartwright is traditional with a steer, a boar hog, trout and a flock of chickens on his grates. But @filcat's grates have more exotic offerings with goat and lamb being joined by what he calls yak and yeti. Doux Chaghagan and @Superstorm are acting as helpers for @filcat. Gamebirds, rare and well known, grace the grills, also. @Bullfilter has produced shrimp that he has placed on both grills. @RustyHunter and the Barkley brothers, Nick and Heath, have large pots going with the bounty of their recent hunt paired with root vegetables. Little Joe Cartwright leads a host of men cranking ice cream freezers. There are at least four different chocolate flavors and three of vanilla. Apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and figs lead the fruit flavors. Some are using fresh fruit while others have dried fruits or jams and jellies as their base.
Inside among the friends and family wishing MR8440 a happy birthday, are the Duke and Duchess of Wayne, John and Maureen. Mayor Audie reads a letter from King Clark and Queen Carole proclaiming today as MR8440 day in LomGable. Duchess Maureen asks her husband what did he say to MR8440. He replied that he wanted to know when he could get a slice of her seven layer chocolate cake and she told him that the Connors family barn raising on Thursday would be a good time. The Duchess tells her husband that he is as bad as the boys. They begin looking for their young sons and spy Patrick among children playing a memory game with Bret Maverick for cookies. They see Michael among the children at the wheel where Bart Maverick is awarding cupcakes for correct guesses. To the Duke and Duchess' shock, their 3yo granddaughter, Mini Mo with chocolate spread from ear to ear, moves the ball when Bart turns his back so that she may win a cherry cupcake. Heath Barkley introduces @Macavity116 to Judge Christine Sullivan who needs help bringing the unwilling to her courtroom. After an afternoon of feasting and fun, Festus is joined by a pair of cowboys from old El Paso, Gene Autry and Marty Robbins, to lead the crowd in singing Happy Birthday. Mr. Autry follows by singing his current hit, Spot the Polka Dot Dragon while Marty hands a pink carnation to MR8440. Everyone gathers outside to watch a visual treat. Crimson and Clover spell out h-a-p-p-y b-i-r-t-h-d-a-y in alternating red and green letters while Bluebonnet, Daffodil and Tulip decorate the night sky with multi colored flowers. Little 2yo Rose closes with a pale pink flower before crawling upon her mother's back for the flight back to the Alps. The presence of the directors, John Ford and @volksmarschall, in the balcony would be undetectable if not for the aroma of their cigars and the quiet words 'to all a good night'.
1March 1350 Thüringen (Germany), Holy Roman Empire
Kaiser Georg and his chancellor, @RedTemplar, welcome the AmazingAdventurousReaders to his castle overlooking the Saale River. Before beginning his briefing, @RedTemplar carefully sits the AAReaders so that they can view the workmen hanging the seven #1 banners in the great hall before the evening's grand banquet. (Hopefully no one will remark that the banquet pales in comparison to the birthday feast and that the food lack the secret ingredient called LOVE.) As they have proudly mentioned, the Holy Roman Empire is #1 for the seventh straight check. The HRE has added thirty-three (723) holdings and is found in seven more counties (186, this is greater than #5 England's total holdings). The HRE's leadership timeline for the 14th century's second quarter:
NEXT: We will visit a major war in the East. (Still not unveiling our newcomer.)
THANK YOU: To John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara for always being great and when together each made the other two better.
"Why are we stopping HERE?" asks MR8440 as her grandson @Macavity116 brings the wagon to a stop outside the Long Branch. He replies that he needs to see Heath Barkley about a job and that she can get a glass of Sam's sweet ice tea or a sarsaparilla. Also, Miss Kitty is donating Sunday sales to the church rebuilding. If one were to look up, they would see Marshal Matt and Quint covering the word saloon with the word tabernacle. Before @Macavity116 can move, Adam Cartwright is helping MR8440 to the ground where Adam's father, Count Ben is waiting to escort her inside. Countess Victoria of Big Valley and her children, Jarrod and Audra of the Barkley dynasty are stepping onto the sidewalk. To her great surprise, MR8440 finds that her family and her congregation are not at home preparing to enjoy Sunday dinner but rather here in the Long Branch to wish her a happy birthday. Miss Kitty and her hostesses have replaced their gowns of silk and lace with dresses of gingham and calico with a few buttons and bows. Doc is supervising Chester and Festus as they reinforce the tables that are bending under the weight of the church ladies' bounty. There are breads and rolls, pickles and relishes, vegetables and salads, cakes and pies, cookies and tarts. Behind the Long Branch, men are busy preparing the meats. Two master grillers are competing. Hoss Cartwright is traditional with a steer, a boar hog, trout and a flock of chickens on his grates. But @filcat's grates have more exotic offerings with goat and lamb being joined by what he calls yak and yeti. Doux Chaghagan and @Superstorm are acting as helpers for @filcat. Gamebirds, rare and well known, grace the grills, also. @Bullfilter has produced shrimp that he has placed on both grills. @RustyHunter and the Barkley brothers, Nick and Heath, have large pots going with the bounty of their recent hunt paired with root vegetables. Little Joe Cartwright leads a host of men cranking ice cream freezers. There are at least four different chocolate flavors and three of vanilla. Apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and figs lead the fruit flavors. Some are using fresh fruit while others have dried fruits or jams and jellies as their base.
Inside among the friends and family wishing MR8440 a happy birthday, are the Duke and Duchess of Wayne, John and Maureen. Mayor Audie reads a letter from King Clark and Queen Carole proclaiming today as MR8440 day in LomGable. Duchess Maureen asks her husband what did he say to MR8440. He replied that he wanted to know when he could get a slice of her seven layer chocolate cake and she told him that the Connors family barn raising on Thursday would be a good time. The Duchess tells her husband that he is as bad as the boys. They begin looking for their young sons and spy Patrick among children playing a memory game with Bret Maverick for cookies. They see Michael among the children at the wheel where Bart Maverick is awarding cupcakes for correct guesses. To the Duke and Duchess' shock, their 3yo granddaughter, Mini Mo with chocolate spread from ear to ear, moves the ball when Bart turns his back so that she may win a cherry cupcake. Heath Barkley introduces @Macavity116 to Judge Christine Sullivan who needs help bringing the unwilling to her courtroom. After an afternoon of feasting and fun, Festus is joined by a pair of cowboys from old El Paso, Gene Autry and Marty Robbins, to lead the crowd in singing Happy Birthday. Mr. Autry follows by singing his current hit, Spot the Polka Dot Dragon while Marty hands a pink carnation to MR8440. Everyone gathers outside to watch a visual treat. Crimson and Clover spell out h-a-p-p-y b-i-r-t-h-d-a-y in alternating red and green letters while Bluebonnet, Daffodil and Tulip decorate the night sky with multi colored flowers. Little 2yo Rose closes with a pale pink flower before crawling upon her mother's back for the flight back to the Alps. The presence of the directors, John Ford and @volksmarschall, in the balcony would be undetectable if not for the aroma of their cigars and the quiet words 'to all a good night'.
1March 1350 Thüringen (Germany), Holy Roman Empire
Kaiser Georg and his chancellor, @RedTemplar, welcome the AmazingAdventurousReaders to his castle overlooking the Saale River. Before beginning his briefing, @RedTemplar carefully sits the AAReaders so that they can view the workmen hanging the seven #1 banners in the great hall before the evening's grand banquet. (Hopefully no one will remark that the banquet pales in comparison to the birthday feast and that the food lack the secret ingredient called LOVE.) As they have proudly mentioned, the Holy Roman Empire is #1 for the seventh straight check. The HRE has added thirty-three (723) holdings and is found in seven more counties (186, this is greater than #5 England's total holdings). The HRE's leadership timeline for the 14th century's second quarter:
14 October 1322 61yo Humbert Rapotonen is elected Emperor.
25 February 1327 65yo Kaiser Humbert is overthrown. 37yo Berthold Wittelsbach is elected Emperor.
11 May 1331 41yo Kaiser Berthold II dies in Patrician Antonio Mastropiero's custody. 38yo Georg Ludowinger is elected Emperor.
56yo German Catholic Kaiser Georg is a diligent but greedy Charismatic Negotiator (8-6-7-4-11). He controls the empire, a duchy, two counties and a barony. (Eye twitch, @RedTemplar states that Kaiser Georg can handle two more holdings.) His vassals include two kings, forty-one dukes and nine counts. His seventeen bad boy points has caused fear among neighboring Christian leaders. The Kaiser has a thirty-one thousand man army to protect the Empire's peace.NEXT: We will visit a major war in the East. (Still not unveiling our newcomer.)
THANK YOU: To John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara for always being great and when together each made the other two better.
To Pernell Roberts, Milburn Stone, Ken Curtis and Dennis Weaver for their work on Bonanza and Gunsmoke. I have earlier highlighted their cast mates. I am not revealing the ID of Quint as I have previously highlighted him for a later better known role and I want you to have the joy of discovering his early work.
To Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Long, Peter Breck, Linda Evans and Lee Majors for living in a Big Valley.
To James Garner and Jack Kelly for being Maverick.
To Gene Autry and Marty Robbins for many hours of joy.
To Audie Murphy for being a personal favorite even before I learned his life story.
To Markie Post for A Fall Guy and Night Court. We lost her earlier this month to cancer. Markie, Rest in Peace.
To @Superstorm for Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury. This is new CK2 material from Pagan Pomerania.
To @Macavity116 for loaning me his grandmother. Will this belated birthday present make up for not letting you help Matt Dillon earlier? With your wonderful sense of time (his ninth work is the earliest in the series), if we ask nicely will you write the first mega campaign that begins in Stellaris and ends in CK2?
To everyone for reading and commenting. Please vote in the ACAs. Thank you @Nikolai, for all your hard work.
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This just warms so many hearts. I lost count of how many times I heard my Grandma say "Hot Diggity Dawg!" while I was reading and explaining this whole excursion to her. She's absolutely jazzed and demands to know when to expect the royalty checks, both for this story and my own series; and she also threatened to whack me with a yardstick if I cause any trouble for THE Duke. (yes, she said it that way)
a man of the wild
Thrown into combat
where bodies lie piled
Hides his emotions
His blood’s running cold
Just like his victories,
His story unfolds
Bright
A white light
If there’d be
Any glory in war
Let it rest on men like him!
Dead men will never come back
Crosses grow on Anzio
Where no soldiers sleep
And where hell’s six feet deep
That death does wait
There’s no debate
So charge and attack
Going to Hell and Back!
*Ahem* Thank you, Sabaton.
A Special Message for @Midnite Duke,
Thank you so much! You've brightened all of our days!
Signed:
Blake Robinson and
his sister Enutanga
his father JD Robinson
his mother Odette Fournier
his grandmother Hakina Patariki
Readers of my Stellaris Series, have fun trying to track these characters down.
I've just published a prequel that predates my whole series, just like Lewis. Careful what you wish for.
A short man from Texas
a man of the wild
Thrown into combat
where bodies lie piled
Hides his emotions
His blood’s running cold
Just like his victories,
His story unfolds
Bright
A white light
If there’d be
Any glory in war
Let it rest on men like him!
Dead men will never come back
Crosses grow on Anzio
Where no soldiers sleep
And where hell’s six feet deep
That death does wait
There’s no debate
So charge and attack
Going to Hell and Back!
*Ahem* Thank you, Sabaton.
Absolutely it does, and you have the gratitude of not just me, but several other members of my family who got a good laugh from this whole excursion. So let me give thanks in my odd Macavity116 way: Did you know that several characters in my own stories are based on members of my own family?
A Special Message for @Midnite Duke,
Thank you so much! You've brightened all of our days!
Signed:
Blake Robinson and
his sister Enutanga
his father JD Robinson
his mother Odette Fournier
his grandmother Hakina Patariki
Readers of my Stellaris Series, have fun trying to track these characters down.
C.S. Lewis published The Magician's Nephew in 1955, taking readers on a magical journey to witness the miraculous birth of the world of Narnia. But when that book hit the shelves... The Last Battle was already finished and Narnia's days were sorely numbered. Now what was I planning to name the tenth and final book in my own series again?
I've just published a prequel that predates my whole series, just like Lewis. Careful what you wish for.
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Another fun update! It's always good to see a fan of the Duke, and I appreciate the my return to the action.
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The music of an armoured shoe never disappoints.
I would much like to start a campaign that runs backwards in time
but such a thing would require at least a gigabyte of screenshots, and careful organisation.
though it would be fun to end on a ruler called Benjamin Button.
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