Quick question, is Kent off limits because of Cantebury? And oh hey a cool game comes up when I actually have posting time.
In any event
House of Sussex (Sussex and Surrey)
Oswald (dead, listed for background info) - Paternal cousin to Aelthred the once King of Sussex, Oswald was educated to be a great warrior in the name of his family. However he upon reaching manhood, he found sleepy little Sussex, mercantile and godly kingdom was sorely lacking in battles to fight. He spent his adulthood traveling the courts of the greater Saxon kingdoms, serving as a Huscarl, hunting companion, and general diplomat to the royal house. He was grew increasingly frustrated by the idea of, admittedly petty, royalty spending his days as a subordinate to other man and became resentful of his uncle and later cousin. As the decades wore on p, he finally got his chance for glory for himself. Sussex had allied itself with Wessex as the unification wars started and his cousin, the King of Sussex had sent Oswald to lead a force in relieving some deary fortress but he had been in Æthelbald's court many years ago and still held some respect and affection for the man, well more so than any Wessex man anyway. Besides which, the man new how to pick a winner. Along the way, he lead a 'scouting patrol' made up of those men he knew had deeper personal loyalty to him than Aelthred, to forage outside of camp. Once out of sight of the camp, under cover of night, he anounced his intention to join Æthelbald's army, invited his chosen companions with him, and rode to the nearest Mercian camp at all haste. He would swear fealty to Æthelbald, fight on the Mercian side at [major battle] and would gather an army after Mercia had men to spare to retake the kingdom in his own name, but as a loyal bannerman of Æthelbald would hold Sussex as an Earl to his liege.
Oswald died of an apoplectic fit nearly three years ago, predeased by his eldest son, the earldom passed to his grandson Osmund.
Osmund (26) - Earl of Sussex
Osmund raised by his mother, Ealdgyth, in his grandfather's court, he was groomed in his very early life to contentious and fair and full of Christian virtue and manly heroism. Until that is, his father died of pneumonia when Osmund was eight . An only child and with his father's brother having taken holy orders, it was clear that he need not simply be groomed to rule, but frankly educated in the harsh lessons of maintaining power that the idealistic only learn from bitter failures. Osmund has taken the lessons of his youth to heart and applies them to his rule. First if you have a standing army you have options, never fight if you can't decisively win. He is careful never give to the men who fight for him, or worse his enemies, the appearance of anything less than cocksure bravery, but he knows keenly that that is for show, and judicious deployment and tight shieldwalls beat manly courage. Perhaps even more importantly, never trust anyone. The merchant, the priest, the king, and his own retainers, each has brought greater men them him low, and he is, as he was taught, constantly keeping his ear to the ground for any advantage he might gain to guard his position, or any ploy he can use to discredit or dispose of those who would challenge his standing.
Osmund however, is a pious man. While of course the importance of maintaining public piety to popularity and staying on the good side of the church to commerce and diplomacy was stressed, beyond learning passable Latin and attending mass, his religious education was light, and perhaps that is why he has taken to it in his adulthood.
In any event, his three years as earl have been uneventful. Too unenevtful for the dowedger lady (earless?) Ealdgyth, who is working rather feverishly to see that he is married and makes a future earl already. 26 is getting oldish.
Godwin Oswaldson (41) - Bishop of Selsey, Chancellor.
Osmund' uncle, chief advisor, secretary, and chaplain, Godwin was the younger son of Oswald. Entered into the priesthood as a means of rallying the local clergy around Oswald and installed as bishop later, he was afforded a high qualitity education among the monks, to go along with his affable personality. Osmund finds his uncle indespencible in dealing with not only the church but other nobles, the local merchants, and keeping ledgers. Godwin is the earl's confessor and perhaps only truely trusted friend.
One of those banners would be pretty sweet too. When you're up to it.