Crusading for Indianapolis: After the End AAR

[Ziemonysl]

First up, our form of government and laws. We're your typical Feudal Duchy. Only boys can inherit for now, and Duke James needs to get on making some boys.

Obviously not the most stable form, too many sons and the duchy will get splits. If I gain more than 1 duchy title without reforming the laws my successors will split the duchies between them. Our goal is to become Kings of Ohio, so these laws will have to get changed pronto.

This is the Pope of the After The End Universe, Pope Praised-Be. Duke James wants to stay on his good side.

So the backstory on the Popes in AtE is pretty interesting. Apparently the highest ranking Clergy to survive 'The Event' was the Bishop of Chicago, and Post-Event Catholicism survived there. The Evangelical Churches then formed the 'Pentarchy' with five head Bishops, but the Bishop of St. Louis wasn't too happy with that. He got in contact with the Catholic Bishops in Chicago, converted, and was made Pope, since all contact with Rome had been lost. Apparently the St. Louis Bishop was super popular, as he took with him all of the Midwest from the Evangelicals.

Duke James needs a wife, but unfortunately there's no Catholic brides around. He sends some missives to the Kingdom of Iowa and finds a bride there, named Arduenna. She's the daughter of a count, and they are wed quite soon thereafter.

This is our early Council. Having conquered the Duchy from the previous ruler, James works on getting all the various mayors and other local rulers to switch their loyalty to him. Gifts of gold convince enough, and get many to convert over.

Since I started as a custom ruler, the base religion of Cuyahoga is still all Rust Cultist. Rust Cultists worship factories and ancient machinery. The most important thing to do now is get all the rulers to convert so I don't have to worry about low levies.

Speaking of Levies, these are the available soldiers Duke James can call on. Not many truth be told, but over time with enough peace and capital improvements, this will increase. For now, Duke James must lay low.

Duke James continues to spend time getting to know the top-ranking men of the land. Despite their religious differences, James and the Count of Columbus, Donovan Carter get along very well, becoming friends.

This was lucky, biggest vassal gets 100+ loyalty bonus

While Duke James is travelling his new realm, converting the ruling class, elsewheres the Catholic Church is suffering. One of its Holy Seats, the city of Chicago, is under attack bhy Rust Cultists, and in danger of falling.

Always happens, too many Norse and Rust Cultists nearby, who benefit from the pagan attrition modifer.

In January, 2667, a new Bishop is chosen and sent by Rome to help oversee the new Duchy of Cuyahoga. Bishop Vincentz is a very learned man who will be of immense help in converting the pagans of Duke James' patrimony.

Nice stats

Duke James continues converting in his own way, swaying some of the local rulers around Cleveland to give him (and Jesus) a chance.

Swaying is a new mechanic introduced in Holy Fury (?) that lets you improve or destroy relations outside of your typical means. It's pretty cool, and at these early stages the most cost-effective way to get these Rust Cultists to like me.

In 2670, a war breaks out between 2 of James' neighbors. The Duchy of Miami Valley wants to reach the Ohio river for its bountiful trade, and attacks much weaker Scioto to incorporate it.

Miami Valley is probably our biggest threat. I've seen them multiple times get monstrously strong if not taken care of early.

Duke James decides the best response to take the other Revelationist territory on the Ohio river before Miami can. Chillicothe is weak and ripe for the taking.

The troops are rallied, and march off to war.

Chillicothe is absorbed into the Duchy, with the young Procambarr left in charge.

Even better news come back from the North. The peasants of Cuyahoga have seen the light, and have converted to the One True Faith!

Real low chance of this happening, glad it triggered so early

In 2671 James and Arduenna are pleased to find they are expecting. An heir is imminent.

A girl is born and named Mary. Pregnancy and birth can be a very difficult time, but fortunately, James consoles his wife after the ordeal.

I like all these life events they added for pregnancy and church. Game was missing this

Following his victories in Chillicothe, some of the Duke's military advisors bring up searching nearby ruins for pre-event weapons. Duke James considers it a fool's errand, this is the age of steel and courage, the age of lightning from a barrel is over.

In the older versions, you could actually find old handguns and the like, and them in duels to insta-kill enemies. I haven't seen a handgun in this fan-fork for a LONG time, maybe it can still happen.

In distant lands, the death of an Emperor is a momentous, and worrisome occasion. Emperor Algernon of the Holy Columbian Confederacy has passed away.

His successor has to deal with an immediate crisis. A HCC Pastor has issued a challenge to the Emperor's ability to demand obedience to the Evangelical Faith. To what purpose, Duke James does not know, but the debates raging in Augusta may contain within them the fate of the entire Empire.

So this event has the potential, based on how the Emperor acts, to basically implode the HCC by destroying its religious unity/authority. I think here the Emperor chose the best option to maintain unity, in other cases he can kill the Monk, leading to wide-scale heresy and rebellion. There may be more events to follow, who knows.

Farther removed, all the way out in what was once called the "Old West", the rumblings of war begin. Mormons, quasi-Christians in the eyes of Church, are declaring a great "Expedition" against unknown enemies.

Having the proper infrastructure to support the Duchy's population is of the utmost importance. For too long, peasants have been trying to use old and decrepit "interstates" that have been reclaimed by nature or by bandits. It is time to build some new roads to assist their travels.

In the private sphere, Duke James and Arduenna grow closer. His dear friend Donovan also continues to travel up towards Cleveland, so the two can play a variety of board games and whittle away the hours of the day.

Boardgamer Trait is pretty good, don't know why they let you choose not to get it if you want.

In February of 2676, James and Arduenna welcome their second child into the world, a little girl named Josefina.

While James enjoys the time he spends with his wife, and his friend Donovan, he finds himself growing more increasingly anxious in other social settings. He begins to pull back other interactions unless necessary. He also increases his spending on local churches and shrines, anything to help spread the Catholic faith.

One place he does exert his physical presence is on wooing his new vassal, Allen Procambarr of Chillicothe. As the years go by Allen is willing to forgive Duke James' takeover, provided he be offered a position on the council

Further up North, a giant is rising. Michiana, under the rule of Rust Cultists, is well on its way to taking over the entirety of Michigan. If they manage to do so they will threaten Duke James' lands to the South.

In these games, it's usually a 50/50 if the Rust Cultists unite Michigan or not. If they do, it can make for a tough fight, if not, you just wait until you can occupy their lands without massive attritition.

On May 26th, 2677, another grand event happens. James and Arduenna give birth to their 3rd child, and its a boy! Arduenna names the little guy James, after his father. The Duchy of Cuyahoga finally has an heir.

Such an occasion demands a celebration, and so Duke James sends out for entertainers from every corner of the Duchy. One such talented young lad is found near Licking. His melodies are pre-Event, what some people say are "The Blues."

Duke James has his land, some converts, 3 kids, and loyal vassals. If he wants to expand his domain, he'll have to play it smart and not antagonize too many neighbors all at once. Can he reclaim all of the Ohio? We'll see...

 

[Ziemonysl]

Tycoon Gelbin of the Miami Valley is Duke James' #1 rival for the entire Ohio. His duchy is compact, and includes the town of Dayton in its demesne, a Rust Cultist stronghold that sits next to an ancient 'air shrine'. Luckily for Duke James, Tycoon Gelbin's own drive for expansion has gotten him embroiled with the Revelationists south of the Ohio River, who seek to free their fellow worshippers in Scioto.

Kind of a lucky break for us, lets two pagan forces we would normally fight whittle each other down. As you can see, other Pagan leaders have joined in since it's a declared Holy War, further drawing pressure off us.

With the Ohio pagans distracted, Duke James decides the time is right for another round of conquests. The Countess of Mahoning Valley, Grimhilt has sided with Tycoon Gelbin, and so her forces are on the wrong side of Ohio to defend her lands. An attack now could seize her lands before any allies can come to help her. Vassalizing the Mahoning Valley would also nicely secure the Eastern border.

All these new Cassi Bellas have really changed the way to conquer Pagan lands for a Christian ruler. In older versions, the only option was Holy War, which led to you getting dogpiled. Now, I can pick them off one-by-one, but have to keep the old pagan ruler in charge. Small price to pay for easier expansion.

Cuyahoga levies flood into the Mahoning Valley, and quickly lay siege to Countess Grimhilt's steadfasts. The Countess' army detaches from the Miami forces and quickly heads East as soon as they hear of the war, but Duke James sits astride their path with a superior force.

The two sides meet outside a small enclave of Anabaptists called Akron, and Duke James' force quickly flanks and throws back the Mahoningers. The Duke's skill at fighting on wide-open plains improves, a type of terrain where maneuverability is key to victory.

Yay for combat bonuses

Cuyahoga soldiers finally force Mahoning to capitulate from starvation, and the Countess' family are taken prisoners. With that, the Countess capitulates to Duke James, bending the knee for release of most of her kin.

With the war over, the Duchy now has a direct border with the only other Catholic power in the land, the County of Yohongia, where the city of Pitt is located. The Count is an underage child of the house of Ashur, and in desperate need of allies. Since he's the only Catholic ruler who could realistically support Cuyahoga in times of war (Without having to cross tons of borders and attrition), Duke James offers the hand of his eldest daughter, Mary, in exchange for an alliance.

Yay, Fallout 3 References, I always like to see if I can help the Ashurs survive in the Pitt

Arduenna, pregnant again with the Duke's 4th child, is feeling uneasy, and writes to James while he is on campaign. James orders his servants to but his wife the finest jewelry in Cleveland to take her mind off of things.

While the peasants of Cuyahoga have found the one truth Faith, the Rust Cultists in other areas of the Duchy are not so easy. Bishop Vincentz has caused the pagans of Ashtabula to riot and cause trouble. Knights are sent out to quell the disturbances, but the pacification of the Cuyahoga will take some time.

Our chance to convert our lands depends on the Faith Authority of the Catholic Church, which right now is pretty low due to all the lost holy wars against the Norse, and lack of Holy Sites controlled. AtE is much harder to play a Catholic than vanilla.

Duke James knows however that the key to converting the people is converting their rulers. While Countess Grimhilt is obviously no friend of Duke James, the Duke has sent Count Allen of Chillicothe, his new Chancellor to start building relations. Count Allen, a former Pagan now Catholic, is an ideal choice to help the Rust Cultist Countess see the benefits of her new vassalage, and reasons to convert. Over time, Grimhilt softens.

In April of 2680, a grand announcement comes from the Holy Columbian Confederacy. Their Evangelical Missionary pastors have managed to convince the High Chief of the Tenesi to give up his semi-pagan ways and submit to the theology of the Evangelical President. The Tenesi Tribe is the most powerful of the Revelationists in the Uppland region. It seems the days of the Revelationists are numbered, as more and more return to Christ.

Too bad a Catholic ruler couldn't have gotten the Tenesi to flip, they're right on the border of the Papacy. The HCC is doing very well this game

With the multitude of faiths in the Duchy of Cuyahoga, it's inevitable great change would take place here. The Anabaptists in the County of Licking have broken away from the Church of Hudsonia and the Deitsch, and have embraced a more violent form of theology. These 'Batenburgers seem intent on attacking Rust Cultists, Catholics, and even their fellow Anabaptists alike. For now, Duke James must keep a close eye on them.

New Anabaptist heresy introduced in the latest mod patch. Anabaptists I don't think had many heresies before, this one actually lets them fight Holy Wars. Anabaptist rulers usually can't, but in exchange get a huge loyalty bonus from all vassals due to the Anabaptist-reputation for peaceable-ness.

In mid 2680, a new infectious outbreak hits the duchy. Measles. Duke James quarantines his steadfast, intent on keeping his family's health safe.

[/I]Great Lakes region is always getting these diseases. Very annoying. As soon as one abates, another one arrives. Lakes, I tell you![/I]

Despite his precautions, Duke James and Arduenna's youngest son, Joseph, comes down the measles. His Court Physician does what he can for the young boy. Meanwhile, food stores run low again. Duke James must really look into what his steward does before these outbreaks. He can't be that much of a heavy eater, can he?

Every time I seem to have these health scares immediately. With diseased people inside the Castle, it's very annoying.

Even secluded as they are, news filters in to the Von Bedfords from the outside. Other Christian faiths, the Ursulines, and the Mormons, are going on the offensive, to reclaim former lands. In Duke James' mind, any Christian advance is a good one, but he wonders when the Catholic Pope in St. Louis will issue his own summons to reclaim lost land like Chicago.

In early 2681, tragedy hits home. the Duke's close friend and valuable vassal, Count Donovan of Columbus, dies from measles. He is succeeded by his new son, Count Whitfield, an untalented man who takes no note of his father's old friendship, but demands his father's old seat, despite his unsuited-ness. For the time, Duke James ignores the younger Carter's advances.

May of 2681 brings another surprise. Another group of pagans, this time some Norse living north of Chicagoland decide to come to the light of Christ. But it is not Evangelical missionaries who have brought this about. Instead it is Anglicans from the Kingdom of Ontario! The Pope really must step it up, there's no reason why pagans close to St. Louis should decide to join a farther-away Church.

These conversions of the Norse are actually counter-productive, these new Christian states become easy targets of their still-Norse neighbors. The Badgerlings will get eaten up quick.

While the Von Bedfords are still secluded, this gives plenty of time for Duke James and Duchess Arduenna to spend together. While they have always been friendly, all this time in the castle lets love truly blossom between them. A little miracle.

Yay, I'm always a sap for these events

It also gives Duke James more time to focus on his children's educations, especially his heir, little James. Little James is given the run of the Castle, while being trained in all manners of warfare. While his Father is at best a competent warrior and commander, Duke James wants his son to be an unmatched military leader. He knows that in order to unify the Ohio and force the pagans to submit, brute force will be the swiftest method. His son future descendants will have to finish what he started.

His eldest daughter Mary receives her share of attention too. She will be educated in the fields of diplomacy. Being able to defuse situations and reach understandings will be very important when she goes to marry her future husband, the Count of Yohogania, who has already built a reputation for unruly and unpredictable behavior. Rumor has it he even had his own mother put to death for claims of apostacy. While Duke James considers breaking the betrothal, the alliance is too good to reject.

A kinslayer and a lunatic, eh? Young Vincentz hasn't turned out too well. But his levies are over 1,000, we'll need them in the next war.
Count Allen's work with Countess Grimhilt has paid off. Between diplomatic overtures and personal letters, Duke James has gotten the Countess to realize her lands are much better off a part of Cuyahoga then by themselves, and that the Catholic Faith offers much more than her Rust Cultist practices. Countess Grimhilt has her and her family baptized, and soon enough, priests are in her lands trying to convert her peoples.

Duke James congratulates the young Count Allen for his work helping bring the pieces of the Duchy together. Count Allen in response asks for a boon; the county of Scioto, ruled by Miami Valley, was once his father's, and is now ruled by his younger brother. Count Allen has a claim on it, and if Duke James would be so inclined, he could wage war for it, weaken Miami, and expand his own realm at the same time. Duke James sees the wisdom in the request, and goes forth with the war declaration, calling in the Count of Yohogania as an ally.

I apologize but I did not save a picture of the war declaration. My bad. But we did declare war using Count Allen's claim for Scioto. Since the territory is still Revelationist, I won't suffer any pagan attrition in it because it is ruled by Rust Cultists, and the pagan religions don't match.

Duke James' army is raised and marches down to Scioto, but before it can arrive, it sees the Miami host already laying siege to Columbus. Duke James engages, their forces are even and it will come down to which leader has the superior skill.

But in this case, the pagans of Miami prove the better warriors. Duke James' army is flanked and rolled back, forced to retreat with a 1/3rd of their host cut down. They pull back to Cleveland, to lick their wounds, while Tycoon Gelbin marches his forces North, to take advantage of his victory.

Ouch, sometimes the battle numbers just don't go your way. Duke James, a military master he ain't

Back at his steadfast, James calls the local merchants together and takes a loan from them to secure mercenaries. His own forces are too depleted to finish the job. As the mercenaries arrive and his soldiers prepare for the next stage of the campaign, Duke James has time to contemplate all that has happened since he first took the Duchy. He acknowledges that all he has done is only because of the great majesty and mercy of God, and in order to win this war, he must not trust in his own skill, but in the Lord. Only that way will lead to his dream of a unified Ohio, loyal to the One True Church.

[/I]Duke James becomes humble.[/I]

The pagans arrive and attempt to attack Duke James' smaller force outside of the village of Parma. But unbeknownst to them, James' heavy infantry mercenaries have hidden themselves away in nearby woods. When the two sides meet in battle, the mercenaries spring their surprise, and slam into the Miami rear. The result is a route.

Duke James' army move back down to Scioto, where his ally, Count Vincentz, has been laying siege since the war began. The Miami host follows, attempting to find some way to force the invaders away from the contested territory. Instead, once the steadfast is secure, Duke James turns his army back North, intent on crushing the Miami forces once and for all.

At the 2nd Battle of Reynoldsburg, the smaller Miami host is pushed around by the Cuyahogans. But at one point, Duke James is separated from his men in the heat of battle, and his waylaid by a much stronger and wilier pagan. Rather than strike him down and end his dream here and now, the Pagan however finds amusement in embarrassing the Duke in arms, and falls back with his warriors, after taunting the Duke. The battle is won, and Duke James is rescued by his men.

Our ally captured the Tycoon of Miami Valley in the Battle, auto-win

The war is officially over, with the Tycoon handing Scioto over to Duke James, to be held by his vassal Count Allen. Allen's brother, dispossessed, comes to live with his Christian brother.

The war produces a new conflict however. Count Whitfield of Columbus, angered over his continued exclusion from Duke James' council and the destruction brought upon his lands from several battles and raids, tries to use intrigue to get his way. Our Spymaster, a Jewish man named Chelbo, discovers the plot and is nearly killed by hitman sent by Whitfield to silence him. With an attack on a Duke's man, Whitfield has made himself an enemy to Duke James. James issues a warrant for his arrest, to which Whitfield responds by revolting.

The revolt is short-lived though. With far fewer troops than Duke James, Whitfield's men are put to flight, his steadfast is besieged and captured, and Whitfield is brought in chains to Cleveland. Duke James strips the young man of his fiefdom, but out of respect for his father, lets him languish in the dungeons rather than be executed.

I kind of skipped over the pictures of imprisoning him too, sorry, getting back into the swing of writing an LP, forget which pictures are important, and which aren't, especially with so many pop-ups to snap pics of.

And with that, the Duchy of Cuyahoga has been greatly expanded. It now controls one half of all of the Ohio. Yet Duke Jame's true goal, a Kingdom, still lays out of reach, for now.

Map of all countries in 2688
https://imgur.com/SxghHvL

Religion in 2688
https://imgur.com/eQEZ7lI

 

[Ziemonysl]

Heyo I'm not going to be here this weekend so I'm updating a few days early. Enjoy.
Chapter 3 in the reign of Petty King James of Cuyahoga: 2/24/2688 - 12/22/2698
Nestorians and Consumerists

Returning home, Duke James is met with news most dire; with the Catholic Church under siege, it has become apparent even to the simplest peasant that the word of the Pope can be questioned. If God would allow these calamities to befall the Church, perhaps it is not the right one after all? Most of the peasants and local bourgeoise have taken to following recently arrived Nestorian Priests, who promise them that their church and interpretation is free from error.

Well this stinks, the one county we actually had that was our religion is now caught in heresy! This'll increase revolt chances dramatically

For now, Duke James must hope his clergy can convince many back. He turns his focus to secular matters, and begins to sway the Duke of Cincinnati, a Charismatic fellow known as Duke Benjamin.

He also sends his daughter off with much fanfare, and a few tears, to be married to the Count of Yohogania, to cement the alliance between the sole two Catholic states in the Rust Belt.

In November, a mob of Nestorians rise up and try to lay siege to Duke James' keep, intent on kidnapping his family and forcing them to convert! The Duke's men chases them off and puts the rebellion down.

Confession time, I actually couldn't beat this rebellion, it happened when I was down to 2000 men in my levies, so I had to control-console end the war, sorry about that, but otherwise the LP would be over at this point, soooo....

As Duke James and his court are being laid siege to by their own peasants, news filters in from the area known as Maryland of a mysterious group of assassins who worship ancient men.

The Duke's son, his namesake, has turned 12. It has come time for Duke James to choose a particular education focus for his son. Having thought long and hard about it, Duke James decides that his son will need a strong right hand in order to cement his rule over all of Ohio. Diplomacy will only go so far. It is a martial education his son, then.

Little James is progressing nicely. He's playful, fussy, and rowdy, all pretty good kid traits, that can turn into excellent traits later on.

The siege of Cleveland had left Duke James shaken, but when he found out his wife Arduenna had expressed sympathy for the Nestorians, he realized how serious this heresy was. Luckily, James was an educated man, and managed to convince his love her sympathies her misplaced.

More news from far away. Deep in the Jungles of South America, tribute is paid to a mighty "Emperor of Brazil" by all the surrounding rulers and strong-men. But apparently, that Empire has been going through hard times as of late. Decadence and failed military expeditions seem to be the cause.

So the most recent version of AtE added Brazil as the "China" stand in. The Emperor can grant boons, send wives, etc. There's 3 different types of Catholicism the Emperor can also switch between, based on internal events.

The last several years, Duke James has noticed his health has gotten increasingly frail. He charged it to old age at first, he is in 50s after all, but his Court Physician, the Bishop of Mogadore has a more serious claim; he has been struck by the dreaded cancer, of which there is no known cure.

Dang

Duke James is anxious. He has achieved only a part of his grand goal; to reclaim all of the Ohio for Christ. He asks the Bishop if there is anything, anything, that can be done to give him more time. The Bishop tells him of a theory involving bees and pollen... Shockingly, it works, and Duke James feels rejuvenated.

As if to add more urgency to his mission, another near Pagan realm comes to Christ through the Evangelical Church. If Duke James is not swift enough, a chasm of evangelicals will open up between his realm and the Catholics of St. Louis.

He decides to go after the easiest target, the tiny duchy of Maumee, mostly swampland, but in a position to threaten Cleveland.

As Duke James raises his levies and marches to war, the other pagan rulers take note. However, instead of attacking him, they also declare on the Tycoon of Maumee, which incidentally, makes Duke James and those pagans enemies as well. It is not a 3-way war for Black Swamp.

Duke James finishes the siege and drags the Tycoon out of his castle, establishing himself as the suzerain of the swamps. Now he must defend his new land from the Pagans of Marion and Miami Valley.

Luckily, or perhaps, providentially, the attention of the Pagans is diverted when the Duchy of Cincinnati declares its intent to conquer and absorb the pagans into itself.

Having been on campaign for so long, and with the cancer eating away at him, Duke James has increasingly become a gaunt figure. His wife Arduenna, who has come to visit his winter encampment, encourages him to eat and not stop. Duke James doesn't know how to say 'no' to his wife.

While trying to fatten up her husband, Arduenna also brings sad tidings with her. A letter has reached her while in Cuyahoga that their daughter Mary, their eldest child, has passed from illness, and the Count of Yohogania, in his grief, has ended their alliance.

Arduenna implores James however not to grieve for too long, but to continue to mind the family dynastics. They still have 3 living children, who need to be wed. Their 2nd daughter, Josefina, is betrothed to the son of Chief Allen of Chillicothe, to guarantee his loyalty.

And their son James, who stayed behind in Cleveland to oversee the family estates, now fully a man, is given rank and command befitting his level of skill. In the next campaign, Duke James may well stay at home and let his son fight his battles for him.

For their two sons, James and Joseph, marriages are also planned. While Duke James may claim to be a "petty king", most American royalty scoffs at his claims. Bastard daughters may be the best he can get for his sons, but alliances are alliances. He begins to send missives to King Archibald of Hudsonia, to seek the hand of Archibald's sister Kirsten for James. For Joseph, a bastard daughter from the Kingdom of Iowa will do.

So is the Duchy of Cuyahoga in mid-2692. Slowly expanding, filled with a multitude of a faiths, and surrounded on all sides by fool pagans. To the North, the Anglican Kings of Ontario have fallen to the Vermont Occultists. To the west, the Rust Cultists under the High Tycoon of Western Michigan are gathering strength into strength, forcing each tribe of Michigan to join them. Only to the East, where the Anabaptist kingdoms of Hudsonia and Deitscherei lie is there any stability.

Wait, what's that in the duchy Of Niagara?

Oh Shit

A massive force of religious fanatics dedicated to an archaic god called 'the bull' or 'the invisible hand', intent on conquering all.

A new religion has appeared. The Consumerists.

These Consumerists follow a 'Prophet' or "Profit", who demands obedience and worship of the Almighty Dollar. Their fanaticism knows no bounds.

Wow, so the Consumerists are scripted to appear somewhere in the world during AtE. Basically they are the mod's stand-in for Islam, and they use a lot of the same mechanics. They start off with a Shia-like revolt, huge army, and can easily roll over most of the areas they start near. And they started near us. With 10k troops versus our 4k. This might be game over.

If they take over Hudsonia it will be game over.

News or no news of dangerous fanatics, Duke James continues to send missives to the King of Hudsonia, attempting to win him over.

A few of those missives might also have some very fine gifts inside them, made up of lots of rust belt gold. Duke James' attempts are a success, and his son James is allowed the hand of Kirsten.

His other son Joseph also marries, a young lady from the Kingdom of Iowa.

 

[Ziemonysl]

Following the betrothal, Duke James continues to try to win Duke Archibald over, with offers to hunt in the Emerald Necklace. King Archibald turns the offer down politely, as he wants to focus his attention to things on his border.

Duke James, likewise, turns matters back to the Ohio. While the Consumerists are frightening, they are focused on the Alleghany for now. But there are pagans far closer who could cause more trouble. Duke James considers attacking Miami for the county of Marion, but the cost of breaking the truce too early is not to his liking.

To bide his time, and give himself more rest as his body is wracked by disease, he turns to books. Mostly those of a religious nature, including a diary written 200 years ago by a monk in the Rocky Mountains. It is a classic around the Catholic world.

Keeping vassals in line theologically is another pastime.

One day, feeling a little more energy than usual, the Duke hears some commotion coming from the keep's abbey. Hearing from the family priest of how bandits must have stolen the precious chalice, Duke James races off with some household guards, only to return empty-handed.

A year goes by, and now is there no truce between Miami and Duke James. He declares his intent to gain Marion.

The Tycoon of Miami is joined by ally, the Gee-yem tribe.

Gee-yem, G.M., get it? Because it's a tribe near Flint, Michigan, home of General Motors?

Despite two pagan armies, Duke James' forces crush their enemies, and Marion is stormed and captured. While the war is basically over, the Duke's men will be tied up laying siege to Miami's other steadfasts until the Tycoon sees reason. Duke James can return to Cleveland knowing the campaign is in the hands of his capable son and heir.

Upon reaching home, he is greeted with the most delightful news. His first grandchild has been born, a girl named Hailey, to his second son Joseph and his wife Muriel.

There is no kidding himself, James can feel the cancer inside eating away at him. Even with the... ingenious treatments of his court physician, it is of little use. Duke James must make peace with the fact that he will never be crowned King of Ohio. His duchy has come to encompass most of the would-be kingdom, oh yes, but he lacks the sure dominance to lay claim to the title. It will be up to his sons, if they are worthy, to accomplish that dream. At this point, Duke James simply wishes to rest, and ease his suffering.
But instead he receives a letter from King Archibald of Hudsonia, who he is allied with through his son's marriage to Archibald's sister. The Consumerists have decided to attack, to spread their perverse idolatry, and the King is calling on Duke James to help.

Yep, that's 12,000 men, the Anabaptists actually have more.

Before Duke James can summon the willpower to get up and begin rousing his levies to march Eastwards, the war against the Consumerists is over. King Archibald, not a patient man, attacked the Consumerist fanatics across the Finger Lakes of Hudsonia. The Consumerists, showing more guile than they were given credit for, used the geography to great effect, trapping many Anabaptists between their blades and lakefront. Thousands drowned attempting to escape the slaughter.

And like that, the western half of Hudsonia has fallen to the Consumerists.

The Prophet must not have been satisfied with the Finger Lakes however. A literate man, he has issued a 'Statement', declaring that all the East Coast will be dominated by Consumerism in due time. And with that he attacks the Dietsch, ruled by Archibald's niece.

King Archibald cannot come to the aid of his niece however, for as soon as he hands over part of his patrimony to the infidels, vultures begin to swoop in. Occultists from Vermont see easy pickings and attack Hudsonia from the East.

And, stranger news, but still closer to home, the heretical Ursulines have failed in their Crusade for Michigan. The Rust Cultists proved too strong for them.

All these news of his fellow Christians' defeats weigh heavily on Duke James. Why has the Lord forsaken them? What acts of reparation can be done to sway the Lord's wrath? It is on these things that Duke James ponders on while drifting into another night of uneasy, pained sleep. A night that he does not wake up from. On December 21st, 2698, just 4 days before the Blessed Lord's coming on Christmas, Duke James is called home. His wife Arduenna finds him in his chamber. Gone is the first generation of the House of Bedford.

Duke James failed to establish the Kingdom of Ohio. His son, James vows to achieve that dream.

​

 

[Ziemonysl]

The Reign of King James I of Ohio, 2/24/2698-8/25/2705
So let's meet our new "petty king" James. He's a skilled tactician, giving him good martial ability, as per his late father's wishes. He also has some skill in commanding cavalry, though Cuyahoga is mostly a pikeman and heavy infantry duchy. He's also brave, deceitful, and patient. Not bad traits overall, it'll help him be a decent a well-respected ruler. He also has a brother, Joseph, with one son, so the dynasty is pretty-secured, for now...

With the death of his father, Duke James has to pick up where he left off, continuing the war with the Miami pagans for Marion county. In January, he starves them out at Harpster, taking the county.

He also re-news the alliance his father made with King Archibald of Hudsonia, his father-in-law. Even with Archibald's defeat at the hands of the Consumerists, the Anabaptists are the best bet to protecting Cuyahoga itself.

With a new Duke in Cleveland, the restive Nestorians decide to try their luck again. Duke James is forced to pull away from fighting Rust Cultists in the West to deal with heretics back home.

Taking no chances, Duke James takes out a loan and hires a wandering group of mercenary horsemen called 'The Hell's Angels' known for their brutality.

Combining the mercs with his own levies, Duke James marches on the Nestorians besieging his home estates.

The battle is fierce with the heretics, with no quarter on either sides. During the battle though, Duke James has to deal with infighting between his commanders. His brother Joseph has caused an embarrassment by disputing the battle plans. While the Hell's Angel's run the Nestorians to ground, Duke James has to dress his brother down.

With the Nestorians pacified, Duke James can turn his attention back to the war for Marion. The Rust Cultists are on their last legs, and after a brief skirmish, James is able to wrestle the county of Marion from them.

The entire Duchy is now under the rule of the Von Bedfords, as is most of the Ohio.

With the war over, other matters can hold the Duke's focus. The Consumerists are still a great threat, though for the moment they seem concentrated on taking over the rest of the Anabaptists. The ancient kingdom of the Dietsch's days seem to be numbered.

Cuyahoga county itself seems to be doing very well since James' dynasty took over. Religious dissent aside, the farms are bountiful, trade routes protected, and law well-enforced.

Well, perhaps not well-enforced. James gets bad news in December when the body of his spymaster, Henrich, turns up in his steadfast, stabbed. Who would kill him, James is unsure, but evidence seems to point to Henrich's brother Einselaus, the Count of Muskingum.

The year 2700 dawns. It has been 34 years since Duke James' father came out of Chicagoland with his band and liberated Cleveland from its Rust Cultist holders. In 34 years, the lands of Ohio look much different. Where there were once 7 fiefdoms feuding over Ohio, there are now 4.

Religiously, the Duchy of Cuyahoga is a hodgepodge. Ruled over by a Catholic Nobility, the peasants hold to a variety of faiths. In the North many remain Rust Cultists, worshipping their factories. In the center there are Anabaptists. In the South, Revelationists, a perversion of Christianity that worships a pantheon made of "The Holy Spirit" and "The Burning Bush" among others. And in Cleveland itself, Nestorians.

In early 2700 wonderful news reaches Cleveland. Duke James is told that the case of his father, James, for sainthood, has reached the Pope, and the Pope has found his cause worthy of consideration! Duke James I shall now be considered a "Venerable Servant" of God, and, if given enough time and several miracles, can be advanced along the way! This is a great boon to the family reputation.

2700 is notable for another momentous decision in the history of the Von Bedfords. It was the deepest dream of James' father to lay claim to the Kingdom of Ohio, but he fell short before he passed from illness. But the son has succeeded where the Father failed. No one can dispute that Duke James holds the majority of the kingdom under his sure control. In the eyes of his fellow Christian rulers, Duke James surely has the right to claim a kingship.

And so he does.

One of his first actions as King is to delegate. Chief Allen of Chillicothe has been a trusted and loyal vassal for two generations of Bedfords, and will make a good Duke of Upper Ohio.

There is one other thing that is preventing now King James from completely asserting his sovereignty. In the Catholic world, a ruler does not crown themselves. Their rule was be recognized as divinely approved. To the Rust Cultists and Anabaptists subjects in the Kingdom this means little, but in the eyes of his peers and vassal lords, King James must get someone to crown him.

Unfortunately, events conspire to prevent King James from holding a coronation ceremony of fitting proportions. A deadly smallpox outbreak has hit the entire Great Lakes region. The gates of Cleveland steadfast close in self-quarantine.

Just within a few short weeks however, food in the keep starts running out. Duke James really must speak to his steward about this...

No joke, as soon as I closed the gates, I got hit with this.

One of the first losses during the quarantine is the Queen Mother, Arduenna. Sick with the same cancer that took her beloved husband, Arduenna succumbs and is buried in the small keep crypt.

A missive makes its way to the keep, and is let in, despite the quarantine. The Duke's Father-in-law is once again at war, this time with the pagans of New York, and requests aid. Duke James sends an affirmation back, but his troops will be long in coming.

A year in, and the smallpox has not abated around the coast of Lake Erie. The quarantine remains in effect.

While the Reaper's toll is light at James' court, the same cannot be said elsewhere. The Anabaptists Kingdoms are hit hard, as both the Queen of the Deitsch, and James' Father-in-law are taken during the pink plague. First the Consumerists, now this, perhaps God is angry with the Anabaptists.

While the smallpox still infects, some good news does trickle in to Cleveland. The tribe of horse nomads, the Nebraskans have accepted Christ at the behest of the King of Iowa. Good to know during these dark times some still do the Work of the Lord.

Looks like the Catholic faith is back on the upswing, good, should help us convert our own provinces.

2 years after the pink plague first appeared, there are no new cases of infection in Cleveland. Trade slowly begins again, and keeps and steadfasts begin to open back up. While there is resentment towards the nobles who barricaded themselves during the pandemic, all must thank God that they lived while others died.

Unfortunately, much work remains before a coronation ceremony can begin to be planned. the damage from the pink plague must first be fixed.

I actually was not allowed to choose this because I was still technically in a war on the side of Hudsonia against New York. Poopy.
One bit of good news at least, the King and Queen are expecting a 3rd child.

One thing that needs be taken care of before a coronation is the tale of monsters around Columbus. A king who cannot protect his subjects is no good King, so James sets out to see what the matter is.

Once there, King James listens to the local nobles who bring forward peasants with tales. It seems the beasts have taken to shattering windows and tipping over the local's cows, while screeching in the night. After listening for a while, King James is not so convinced these acts are the work of an animal. Several Knights are dispatched for an ambush in the local village, and they catch some local boys in the act. Forcing them to confess, King James then lets them go, problem solved.

 

[Ziemonysl]

As James returns to Cleveland, he is greeted with dire news from the East. The Consumerists have invaded the Kingdom of the Deitsch, and wiped it out.

He is also greeted with the news his wife has given him a little girl, Claire.

Close to the end of the year, a new epidemic appears, the dreaded camp fever.

Can't catch a break, can't close my gates again either because of that 'abandoned the commoners modifier
Many fall sick during this time, among them the Queen herself. Help is sought, but to little avail. King James is left to mourn.

In times like these, it is good to have family who can help. The King's sister, Josefina, takes some time from Chilicothe (She is married to Duke Allen of Upper Ohio) to come up to Cleveland. While the King recovers from his grief, she tends to the education of the royal children, and the managing of the estates.

And when the time is right, she reminds her brother that it is his duty to marry again and secure the family dynasty. 6 months after the queen's passing, King James agrees, and a bride from Illinois is found. Suzy Hermann, her name is.

Genius, well-groomed, humble, and brave. All great traits.

Almost immediately, King James and Suzy take a liking to each other. Suzy is a clever and tactful lady. The Castle in Cleveland is becoming a less somber place again.

Sadly, the Grim Reaper is not done with claiming Von Bedfords too early this generation. Camp Fever seizes both the King's brother and his only. There is only 1 branch left of Von Bedfords again.

In June of 2705, the camp fever has finally abated, and the Kingdom of Ohio is no longer in a state of war. King James can finally begin to plan for his coronation.

It has been almost 10 years since James claimed the Kingship, and after 2 plagues, and the deaths of many in the Royal Family, there is talk that perhaps it was only a fluke that the Von Bedfords became King. James decides there is only one way to silence the naysayers, which is to have the Pope himself of the Catholic Church crown him.

Pope Simple, the current reigning Pontiff, agrees to come to Ohio! However, he must have his safety guaranteed, what with so many Pagans still about. A significant donation, a strong brace of Rostmann Knights secure the Pope's visit.

With the Holy Father coming to this nascent Kingdom, James decides to spare no expense t o make this day to remember. Generations of peasants and nobles alike will remember when the Pope came to Ohio.

As the day approaches, the activity in and around Cleveland reaches a frenzy with preparations, and as hundreds of visitors pour in. Some are not just here to witness the coronation however; a very learned man named Gelbin has come from the West and offers his services to the King. The King takes him on as his Court Chaplain.

Check out that learning, 24!

The day of the coronation is here, and nearly all the guests have arrived, including the Holy Father. King James decides not to embarrass himself by doing anything rash before the ceremony. The Pontiff does pull him aside and comments on how pleased he is with the effort of the Kingdom here. He was unsure of how things were going in Ohio, with so many pagans about, but now he has no doubt God's work is happening here.

Before the Holy Mass is offered by the Pope, he places the Crown of Ohio upon James' head, proclaiming him God's chosen servant for this land.

All Hail King James I of Ohio, the 'Stonewall'.

I promise these updates will start covering more years more quickly eventually, compared to the old CK1 there's just so many more events you can talk about.​

 

[Ziemonysl]

The Reign of King James I of Ohio, 8/26/2705-11/16/2712
Ohio now has a King, coronated by the Pope no less. The vassals are content, and the peasants are either mollified or worshipping strange gods. But Ohio as a kingdom itself is incomplete.

One of its historic cities that is missing is Cincinnati, ruled by the independent Charismatic petty king Benjamin. His with rule now blessed by God, King James declares on the Charismatics to force them to bend the knee.

The war gets off to a rocky start. King Benjamin of Cincinnati, a veteran warrior from fighting Miami, sneaks his troops through the pagan lands and lays counter-siege to Cleveland. King James is forced to pull his men back to deal with the attack on his steadfast.

The two armies meet outside of the village of Cuyahoga Falls near Anabaptist country.

With such numerical superiority, the outcome is foregone.

James' men make their way down to Cincinnati and then lay siege to the war's target.

With his steadfast in the hands of Ohioans, the Charismatic Benjamin is forced to submit.

So King Benjamin is actually a successful peasant rebellion guy. He's actually a pretty good commander, but a coward too.

Returning to Cleveland, James turns to family matters. Tragedy strikes the Von Bedford minor branch when its last heir, Prince James, dies from camp fever. Black Swamp reverts to the crown. The death of his young nephew forces King James to re-think how much time he spends with his own children, and decides to do it more often.

He also finds he wishes to spend more and more time with his new wife Suzy. Their marriage, originally dynastic, becomes a loving one.

The peasants of Cuyahoga are still partying from the Coronation ceremonies. Better that than rebelling.

Speaking of the Pope, Pope Simple sends a missive to James in 2706, complaining of his unconverted vassals, such as Count Walther of Marion. Duke James, not wishing to make an enemy of the Holy Father, temporarily removes the man from his position as marshal, and then re-instates him quietly after he is baptized.

He's actually the uncle of the Pagan ruler of Miami Valley

Speaking of council members, here is the current council of Ohio. Truly, King James has at his access some of the best men of the age.

Duke Benjamin, still sore over being forced to submit, is sent gifts and missives from King James, to patch things. He is even put on the council as Steward. These actions win him over to the King.

So much so that he decides to submit himself and his family to the One True Faith.

In 2707, the tiny county of Maumee breaks away from the Evangelicals in Indianapolis. King James sees an opportunity to expand.

The war is over quickly.

Ordulf the Whiner hmm?

Whiner or not, King James does not want any disloyal vassals. He creates the Duchy of Maumee and hands it off to Ordulf, giving him the swampy lands that were once his nephew's.

King James' actions have encouraged his oldest vassal, Duke Allen, to do some adventuring of his own. He attacks the Revalationists south of the Ohio river, and adds them to the Kingdom without the King's permission.

Ohio is not the only Kingdom expanding in the region. To the north, the Rust Cultists of Michiani have achieved what was thought impossible, and brought to heel many of the disparate factory-worshippers, enough to claim the 'crown of Ford' and acclaim themselves Kings of Michigan. Only the Gee-Yem Tribe stays independent.

If you look closely, you can see that there is a second Kingdom of Michigan, ruled by Norse. That's weird.
Further North and West, an even greater threat is forming. The Norse of the Lakes region are coming together under the Green Bay Tribe, and are threatening the Christian realms of Iowa and Badgerlings.

And to the East, an old kingdom is made new. The Americanists, who worship ancient men from the before-times, have been formed into the Kingdom of the Old Dominion by Queen Lucilla, renowned for her way with words and turning enemies into allies.

Good news from our Court Chaplain Gelbin. after several years of hard work, many of the Nestorians of Cuyahoga have seen the light and returned to the Catholic Church.

Just as good, two years after that, King James and his beloved wife Suzy find out that they will have a child.

King James wants his love to be as comfortable and healthy as possible, and spares no expense during this pregnancy. They are rewarded by God some months after with a healthy baby boy. The throne is secure again.

With the birth of an heir, the question of baptism comes up. King James decides that if he was able to be coronated by the Pope, why shouldn't his son, the next King, be baptized by the new Pope? Pope Simple has died and the Church has a new Pontiff, Pope Babylon. To secure his coming to Ohio, a generous gift must be made.

Godparents must also be picked. After some deliberation, King James chooses his loyal bannerman Martin of Parma. The Parmas were one of the first warriors to side with Duke James when he conquered Cuyahoga, and have been erstwhile supporters ever since.

Prince Joseph is Baptized.

Cool bonuses.

King James is approached by his wife Suzy. who is concerned all his activities are running him ragged, she encourages to rest and eat more. Duke James puts on 2 stone in weight in short order, and horrified by his new appearance, begins a hard diet to get back in shape.

I hate this event

Hailey, the King's niece, is now 12 years old and becoming a very smart and considerate young lady. We'll have to find a good match soon.

 

[Ziemonysl]

More good news, James' hard dieting does not prevent him from getting Suzy with child again.

The dieting is paying off, King James feels like himself again.

Duke Benjamin has become a most loyal vassal, and is doing his job as steward very well.

2710 is marked by both joyful and sorrowful news. The King and Queen welcome a new little princess into the realm, but King James' oldest and most trusted vassal, Duke Allen, passes away. His son is not as skilled nor as loyal either.

Prince Joseph is getting bigger and bigger, and demanding more of his father's attention.

2712 sees another little princess be born.

Outside of family activities, it is brought to the King's attention the trade route he set up with Washington has deteriorated. Not as many merchants travelling the routes, and bandits are now prowling in search of prey. It doesn't help that the Old Dominion is trying to tax those who pass into its realm. He has to spend some money to shore up the problems. He also buys some nice artwork for Suzy.

2712 closes with a small but significant event. King James has decided that a new castle is in order in Cuyahoga county. He builds it on the site of where his ancestors claim they once lived in Ohio, in the before-times. A small hamlet outside of Cleveland called Bedford. This castle will be used a summer residence, but it shall have all the amenities and defenses any other castle might.

The Von Bedfords have truly come home.

​

 

[Ziemonysl]

The King is dead, long live the King. King Joseph and his lady wife Natalie, of Ohio. King Joseph is a tough soldier, humble yet ambitious, diligent, and patient. His lady wife is greedy, envious, trusting, and, well, ugly. It will be King Joseph's personal ambition however that drives the next chapter in the Von Bedford Dynasty.

Missed a king picture early on, sorry.

Joseph passes the new Duchy of Trans-Allegheny off to his younger brother Luke, sending him down to Kanawha with a strong brevy of advisors to rule the duchy while the bow grows into manhood.

King Joseph meanwhile gets busy making the next generation with Natalie. His marriage to Natalie was purely dynastic, as her looks were never something to write poetry about, but her pregnancy for the first time makes the King actually want to look at his wife. The Queen is delighted that her husband's attraction is growing.

With a new King comes the need for coronation. His father and grandfather were both crowned by Popes, and Joseph is going to have no less if he has his way. Just one problem, there is little coin in the treasury left.

He takes a loan to cover the expenses of having the Holy Father in town.

Pope David IV arrives and the feasts begin. Pope David is a pious and stern fellow though, and he wants to make sure Joseph is aware of his obligations as a Catholic monarch. His words buoy Joseph's desires to be the best monarch Ohio, and indeed, old America has ever seen. If that includes smiting heretics and protecting the flock, so be it.

I know my rulers keep getting zealous, seemed to fit an ambitious guy here
Many other rulers have come to Cleveland for the coronation, giving Joseph time to meet with them and build relations.

Like his father before him, King Joseph is crowned by a Pope.

Shortly after the coronation, the royal couple's first child is born, a boy they name James. James will be an important dynastic name.

Little James is a healthy and active boy, and needs a baptism. For the most Catholic King of Ohio, nothing less than a Papal baptism will do. Joseph's ambition makes the dynastic look great, but it costs much coin.

Before Pope David leaves Cleveland a 2nd time, he has good news. Peasants around the Great Lakes region are reporting miracles they attribute to the intercession of his father, King James of Ohio. A second von Bedford is now a candidate for sainthood.

As the festivities wind down, Norse raiders show up to try to steal some wealth. They are chased away.

A warrior, Aldafuns. makes a name for himself fighting off the Norse, perhaps the King can use his talents.

The war between the Consumerists and Anabaptists continues in the East. It looks like the Anabaptists have reclaimed some territory.

Meanwhile, in the West, the Rust Cultists of Michigan are attempting to attack the newly-converted Vikings of Superior.

The Tycoon of Michigan

Two years into his reign, King Joseph is in a funk. According to ancient manuscripts and signs, Ohio was once considered "The Heart" of ancient America. But the Ohio of his day is seen a backwater of the Catholic world, a regional power to be sure, but the great trade routes of the world pass it by, while all the great states busy themselves warring or negotiating with each other instead. King Joseph desires to change that, and his steward has just the idea...

A trade expedition! While it will be costly, King Joseph is all for it. To bring Ohio into the great trade networks of the Americas will be a long-lasting boon. He buys the necessary equipment, and also, as a good Zealous King, lets many members of the clergy come with the expedition.

The expedition begins. The company must travel through Consumerists Alleghenia, the Americanist New York, all the way to their destination, Washington, the fabled city of Presidents.

The company travels through the Consumerists lands unmolested, but in New York gold is demanded for their safe passage.

They finally arrive in Washington D.C. Even 600 years since the 'event' the city and its massive roadworks around, the crumbling yet beautiful buildings of old, is inspiring. The Americanists who rule there expect gifts for our coming, King Joseph presents them with horses.

Once negotiations for trade are underway, a number of cultural sore-points emerge. In D.C., the Americanists maintain exquisite yet ancient sets of china to feast off of, and the simpler ways of Ohioans are mocked. Religious conflicts between the Americanists who worship Presidents, and the expedition's priests who try to convince these men that the presidents were simple men also erupt. King Joseph does not stop the priests however, conversion can come at any time.

Despite these issues, the District Judge and King James see mutual benefit in establishing trade. A trade route of exotic and luxury goods from D.C. to Ohio, and Ohio corn and wheat back is set up, enriching both areas.

For his part in the successful expedition, King Joseph gives his steward a great reward. Ohio may not be the heart of the continent again, but perhaps it has re-established one tiny artery.

The trade continues to pour in, and the royal treasury is able to pay off its debts and build some savings. But no King has ever become a legend by just saving. King Joseph looks for a new project to show his dynasty's majesty, and building a structure to last the ages seems like just the ticket.

The building begins in Bedford, but hits a snag early on. King Joseph hires a legendary architect from Iowa, known his prodigious talents, but once in Cuyahoga, the man shows more interest in chasing skirts than actually building. The King's men-at-arms convinces him to get working.

 

[Ziemonysl]

One thing the architect tells Joseph is that he will need access to high-quality stone. It could be imported, but where is the glory in that? Far better, thinks Joseph, to build a quarry that will last Ohio for centuries to come. The cost is exorbitant however.

As construction continues with the new stone, however, accidents happen and workers die. Being a good Catholic King, Joseph gives generous alms to those grieving families.

All this money puts the kingdom into huge debt. So much so that the constables and tax collectors stop doing their job. Lawlessness begins to spread through the King's demesne as all his focus is on this tower.

Tragic news reaches Ohio even as the building continues. The Children's crusade led by the young Cleon has failed, and Christian families all across the Midwest grieve as they learn that their children will never return home, having been either killed or sold as slaves to parts unknown. King Joseph declares to his court that all future crusades should be led by men trained as warriors, not little kids.

Turning back to domestic matters, King Joseph has to do something about the massive deficit his ambitious plans have caused. He begins the process of sending letters to his wealthier vassals to ask for gold in exchange for royal favor. Joseph may be ambitious, be he is also humble, and the letters cause him to lose little sleep.

As the tower is nearing completion, Rust Cultists from nearby Ashtabula rise up, considering the building an affront to their gods, the ancient factories, which the tower threatens to dwarf. They are crushed.

As King Joseph smashes the pagans mercilessly, he receives a gift from the Papacy for all his pious activity. His coffers are slowly re-filling.

Still, the deficit remains, and King Joseph is a stressed monarch.

Not all Church officials are happy with the King however. The Bishop of Licking writes to him saying the Tower must not be higher than the tallest churches of the realm. Wanting to be a most Catholic King, Joseph relents and orders the building to completed ahead of scheduled, slightly unfinished.

And so it. 2 years after its start the tower is finished. It towers over the hamlet of Bedford, built on the highest point of the city, near an ancient convent of Vincentian sisters. Truly, this is a wonder that will last the ages.

Ohio in 2730

​

 

[Ziemonysl]

News from up North, the Heretical Ursulines have declared a new Crusade against the Occultists who hold their ancestral lands to the South.

Sadly. while the Ursulines spread the Gospel by the sword, the Catholic world languishes under the hands of a 'wicked' Pope, who can no longer keep his deviances a secret.

His worse traits are slothful and 'bad priest, not really sure what's made him so wicked then.

The venerable Court Chaplain of Ohio, Gelbin, passes away in his sleep. Having served 3 generations of Ohio rulers and even the cause for a war, he will be missed.

Besides the Tower of Bedford, there has been another benefit to the King's huge spendings. Many workers have moved to Cuyahoga county in recent months to help construct, and the villages are swelling with their new inhabitants, mostly Rostmann from nearby counties.

Not sure how the province of a culture is beneficial, perhaps low revolt risk? I do prefer the Rostmann castle art.
James, the King's heir, is growing up to be a good little boy, and the Queen has even better news for her husband, another child is on the way.

A second son is born to Joseph and Natalie nine months later, but his health is very frail. The Court Physician, Steward Gelbin, does what he can to heal the little boy, but it looks precarious.

With all these news peasants living near Cleveland, with new bustling cities such as Parma, Oakwood, and Bedford bursting at the seams, lawlessness is becoming an issue. Not to mention the King's debts has strapped the local constables severely. Joseph's marshal convinces the King to put aside glorious projects and invest in some law and order.

From the East, interesting news filters in from the Consumerist heathens. The founder of Consumerism is known adherents as "The Profit", and descendants of him are held in high esteem in the Corporation of Alleghenia. But the Profit's direct line of male heirs has been cut down to sizeby several untimely deaths. High Chairman Lucian and his son are dead, and Lucian's brother, Julius has taken the Chairmanship. Rumors abound that his hands are tainted with the blood of his brother and nephew, but Julius seems to be leading the Consumerists to a new time of conquests, so those who suspect keep their mouths shut.

On the other side of Alleghenia, the beleaguered Anabaptists struggle under the renewed assault of the Consumerists. Their ruler is Quuen Margaret, known as "The Careless", for her languishing of the body guard.

A situation the Consumerists are exploiting.

Over the past 2 years, King Joseph has turned things around. Having been obsessed with his legacy, he came to realize his legacy would be cemented only by being an excellent ruler in the here and now, not by establishing things to be remembered by. He has restored the treasury, eradicated the bandits, and increased drilling of soldiers. Around the Kingdom, men and women alike begin to call him "The Just"

King Joseph the Just. Note that his humbleness has turned to pride.

Bad news from Superior. The Old King is dead, and his son has sought to return to the old ways of Norse paganism.

This creates an interesting dilemma. Under the old King, Superior had inherited the lands around Yohogania, and the old city of Pittsburgh, lands the Von Bedfords have desired. Now that is ruled by a pagan again, those lands are fair game, though Superior still possess more levies than Ohio.

The first step is to secure Yohogania itself. A tiny city-principality ruled by the Countess Josefina, Joseph offers her protection in exchange for fealty. She accepts.

Norse raiders quickly pop over the border to raid the city of Pitt, and King Joseph makes good on his promise to defend, routing them.

Queen Natalie gives the King a 3rd son. With several brothers and sons, the Von Bedford dynasty is surely secure.

Speaking of brothers, Luke has come of age. Hopeless in combat but with a silver tongue for negotiations, he will make a good future Chancellor.

News from Quebec. The Ursulines have succeeded, throwing the Occultists out and re-establishing control over the area.

Interestingly the Ursuline Matron does not grant the new lands to the King of Quebec himself, but instead to a new 'Crusader Queen', splitting the Kingdom in two.

New Crusade mechanics, COOL

A letter arrives for King Joseph from Superior, asking for help to re-convert. Apparently the attempt to go back to the ways of the Norse failed, as most of the peasants were eager for the Cross of Christ, and refused any attempt to give it up.

Almost the entirety of Superior has converted to the Cross. A good day for Christ's Church.

Or, it would be, if Pope Cruxipher were a worthy man for the Papal throne.

A 4th child is born, a little girl named Diane.

 

[Ziemonysl]

Having expanded peacefully, King Joseph is ready for a war. A number of small independent counties lie on his Western borders, ripe for the picking. The first to fall is Indianapolis.

Putting them together, he creates the Duchy of Indianapolis, and hands it off. This will strengthen the Western border.

The ultimate goal is not simply to gain more little counties, but to gain a grand prize. One of the reasons for the Mother Church's sufferings now is that it has lost many of its holy sites, none more important than Chicago, where it first survived The Event. King Joseph knows the reclamation of Chicago will surely cement his place in history as a grand Catholic King.

Another marriage invitation is made by the Holy Columbian Confederacy, another Ohio princess for a Columbian prince. Joseph agrees to wed his sister to the Emperor's son.

Just a current picture of the King's council. Keeping vassals happy is important, even if they are not the best suited for their role.

Another letter from Superior, asking for missionaries. King Joseph sends them.

As part of King Joseph's goal to get to Chicago, he decides to look at the local royalty. The Badgerlings were Vikings who converted nearly 50 years ago, and their lands border Chicago. A marriage alliance with them will give the Von Bedfords a better claim on the city.

A general map of the area, 2738. Ohio and Michigan have not come to blows yet, but if Joseph is to gain Chicago, it is inevitable. Another state to note in the area is Kentuckiana, an Evangelical dukedom with its own designs on Chicago and the little counties in-between. The Catholic Duchies of Illinois, Badgerlings, and Forgottonia complete the picture.

Forgottonia is actually Sedevacantist right now.

Near the end of summer, King Joseph decides to introduce his heir James to the realm, to get him ready to rule one day. The planning of festivities begin.

Festivities must be put on hold, however, when news arrives from Rome of great import...

​

 

[Ziemonysl]

Following the death of his father down in Texas, James II mounts the throne at the cusp of adulthood.

So skilled tactician, baptized by the Pope, brave, patient, diligent, temperate, and cruel. James II is gonna focus on the cruel a bit more to make his reign a little different
His younger brother Benjamin is now heir to throne, as James II has not had a chance yet to sire any children.

Word travels back to court of the disaster at Jaboncillos that cost King Joseph his life. The Ohio forces have largely melted away into the desert. Worse yet, the body of the late King is somewhere out there, lost in the desert.

As the Catholic Kingdoms are pummeled by the Sangrado Corazon pagans, the Holy Columbian Confederacy decides to turn the screws on their own minority catholics on the border of Arkansas. When pleas for relief are sent to James' court, he ignores them. Emperor Pellinore is his good-cousin, and furthermore, those sods are faraway from the borders of Ohio.

News of Pope Cruxipher's Crusade is going from bad to worse. The pagans have the upper-hand, and the Crusaders are disorganized as they come to fight.

King James focuses instead of tinkering on some trinkets found in a derelict building hundreds of years old. One of his hobbies.

His men are able to piece together an ancient far-seer, a cylindrical object that allows the user to see from far away. Undoubtably useful on the battlefield.

Despite his attempts to ignore the Crusade, grumbling in his court increases, among both clergy and family. Is it not the duty of a Catholic ruler to fight God's wars? Furthermore, there is still no news of his father's remains being returned. His father was well-liked and it is seen as a black mark that James will do nothing to at least attempt to recover his bones. After months of incessant pressure, King James reluctantly agrees, and announces his intention to join the Crusade.

He begins his march along the same path his father took, taking another 3600 good men with him. After several months of journeying, his men encounter a merchant caravan hawking wares to Crusaders. One of the items the leader of the merchants show is a crown of immense worth, presumably taken off some dead Crusader King. King Joseph has his men slay the entire merchant caravan, claiming their goods were stolen from valiant crusaders, and takes the crown for himself.

Upon arriving in Transpecos, King James puts up a token siege against the Fort of Sam Houston, while outriders are sent to find Crusader bands who might have knowledge of his father's remains. He is quickly assaulted by pagan forces, who see his men as one more easy picking. King James however puts his far-seer to good use, and actually routes the numerically superior force.

His men celebrate the victory against the pagans, one of the few in this war, well into the night. King James however is unmoved. This expedition was a fool's errand, his father's remains most certainly have rotted away or picked apart by vultures. He falls into an uneasy sleep. Half-way through the night though, a voice seems to pierce his mind. It tells him to search a hill near the fort his men lay siege too. King James obeys the voice and as his men search they find a mass grave. They excavate it and, lo and behold among the many crusader corpses there, one with a ring with royal seal is found. King Joseph, 3 years dead, has been found.

The event leaves the young king shaken. His cruel nature had always led him to take a dim view of his father's piety, and he laughed in his cups at his uncles' desire to fight a holy war. Yet all the way out here, surely God must have spoken to him. How else could he have been guided to find his father's years old bones amidst the millions of miles of prairie, now spattered with the blood of warriors?

James' newfound faith however, is in conflict with his cruel nature. His mission complete and his father's remains packed for the journey home, he and his host stop at an old mission with several monks minding dozens of pre-war literature they continue to copy down as old manuscripts start to wear. The monks attempt to stop the King from taking several tomes he finds interesting, and so he has them put to the sword, and the mission burnt in retaliation.

Upon arriving back in Ohio, King James is greeted with the news that the Rust Cultists of Michigan have fallen to butchering themselves, breaking the kingdom apart. A weak king no doubt is to blame.

Such is their weakness, that the virulent atomicists who continue to insist upon their rights to Chicago have risen up and claimed the entire area for themselves.

Before King James can taken advantage of the self-inflicted trouble of the pagans, he must deal with a family matter. His uncle, Prince Jacob, accompanied King James' host home, having been found before the expedition left. Jacob has been living with immense guilt over his inability to defend James' father in battle, and for the failure of the Crusade in general. He asks to atone by joining the Knights of Columbus, and continuing the fight wherever those holy warriors are sent. This means his marriage to Melissa Musbach must be set aside, a slight to the Musbachs of Miami.

King James allows his uncle's act, and promises Melissa to his brother Benjamin, so that the Musbachs are not too upset.

Before the Knights of Columbus can venture south again however, Pope Cruxipher calls the Crusade off.

That same year, King James' betrothed, Sarah Cygnus from the Badgerlings comes off age. The two are wed at once.

King James gives his new wife little attention however. His focus is on the pagans up north, in particular the city of Toledo. Legends have it that over 800 years ago, brave Ohio warriors fought for Toledo and made it theirs. That the Kingdom of Michigan should have any claim on it is a farce. King James could care less about the history of the city however, he wants its ports and ability to shore up with northern border.

The war begins quickly enough, with the seizure of Sandusky, a town in Ohio but ruled by foreign pagans.

In this war, the Ohioans clearly have the advantage. Even with their allies of the Gee-yem tribe, the pagans are badly outnumbered.

The city of Toledo and its surrounding villages are quickly seized.

There is little the pagans can do to stop King James' drive north.

But then, everything changes. The old Rust Cultists of Michigan are overthrown, and new pagans from the East start arriving in large numbers. They worship strange gods with many tentacles, and amidst their fury and devotion, King James pulls his men back. Toledo falls to these new invaders, who are intent on holding on to their entire domain, a large slice of the north.

Bummer.

Enraged at being cheated of his prize, King James goes back home and vents his frustration out on prisoners he took while down in Texas. The screams and pains of innocent women and men in his dungeons leaves him with a guilty conscience. Does God want him to do this? But a darker part of him urges him on.

A year later, he receives a letter from the Vatican asking about when he will be coronated. With wealth from two wars filling his treasury, King James sees no reason why he should have a pissant ceremony. He invites the Pope to oversee his coronation.

A wave of visitors start to show up in Cuyahoga ahead of the event. King James lets some stay, and sends others on their way. He is not going to feed every hungry mouth that shows up.

Pope Cruxipher arrives, and King James is officially coronated. Surely, his reign will be a blessed one like his father's.

Pro-tip, it won't

The Kingdom of Ohio at the coronation of King James II, religious map.

1 Update to go before World 2766 update.

 

[Ziemonysl]

A short recap on the elder members of the Von Bedford Dynasty. Here we have King James II and his wife Susan. King James from a quick glance seems much like his forebears; a strong warrior, zealous, and diligent, but deep down he has a cruel streak that marrs many of his actions. His new wife Susan is a likeable enough woman, and cordial to her husband, but she seems to prefer to spend much of her time with her ladies in-waiting, as opposed to her husband.

Here are the other 3 male adults of the dynasty. Benjamin is James' younger brother. Jacob, or Jakkob, and Luke are the King's uncles. Jacob took his vows as a Knight of Columbus, Uncle Luke leads a cadet dynasty down in Transallegheny.

Oh yeah, I had some empty space on this picture, so I included the seal of the city of Bedford, where the Von Bedfords are supposedly from. Going to include more pictures of the natural beauty of Bedford and Cuyahoga County at large in future updates, its a seriously beautiful place.
Back to world events. a Viking conquerer has settled in the Old Dominion, and is planning his next stage of conquests against the Holy Columbian Confederacy.

I really hope they take the Carolinas from them. Would be a nice knock-down for the Confederates
Emperor Pellinore seems to be taking the threat seriously, and is keeping his vassals at the ready.

To the north, Occultists have conquered both Ontario and Michigan, yet their authority seems to not extend very far.

A Revelationist revolt is put down in the south of Ohio. The sooner these snake worshippers are converted, the better.

The King's spymaster, Duke Edgar of Miami Valley, brings important news to his attention. His spies have let him know there is a plot afoot against the king's life. Who could be behind it?

Apparently, the source of the plot may be none other than Spymaster Musbach himself. His uncle Luke writes to the King that Duke Edgar has been overheard by his courtiers of how the 'upstart' Von Bedfords usurped the throne that was rightfully his family's, way back in 2666, and that it would be a 'sweet thing' to rectify that 'mistake'.

Seriously, look at this guy, ambitious, high intrigue, and plotting to claim Ohio? This guy is going down.

King James' first impulse is to imprison and execute Duke Edgar. But his brother is married to Edgar's sister, Melissa. Furthermore, his wife Susan counsels him that an enemy close is better than an enemy afar. Instead, the King humors Duke Edgar's 'plans' to stop these assassination attempts.

News from up North. The Occultists and Atomicists are at war again over the holy city of Chicago.

Down South, it looks like the Norse Vikings have succeeded in carving out a piece of the Holy Columbian Confederacy. They have conquered the kingdom of Louisiana, crushing Dixie's armored knights with sheer northern rage.

Man, of all the places to take over, they took over the poorest and furthest-away kingdom from piedmont. The Norse gathered 50k warriors against the HCC's 19k and crushed them utterly. The suckiest thing is once their ruler dies all of these counts go independent. Had they taken over the Carolinas, they would a regional powerhouse the HCC would have to take back one piece at a time.

Amidst all the turbulence of this age, some good news for the dynasty. Both the King and his brother's wives are expecting, or have delivered.

A missive comes from the elderly queen Margaret of Hudsonia. She wishes to marry off her youngest son to the King's only sister. This would revive the old alliance of Ohio and Hudsonia. The King accepts.

Above is a picture of Bridal Veil Falls, a park in Bedford's Reservation system

2751, five years have passed since King James' last attempt to conquer Toledo. His truce with the Occultists runs out, and he declares war again.

His levies are quickly gathered, Sandusky is sieged and taken, and his 13-thousand strong host marches on the port town of Toledo.

As King James lays siege to Toledo, scandal and treachery come from home. Apparently, his spymaster, Duke Edgar, is not content with the distribution of lands his father set aside for him and his 2 brothers. He pushes his younger brother Virgil into revolt, imprisons the man, and then on the flimsiest of charges, executes him. His own full-blooded brother. While Edgar gains the county of Urbana, his ambition has outraced him. He is now known all throughout Ohio as a Kinslayer of the worst kind. King James uses the despicable act to remove him as spymaster and appoint a more loyal vassal.

Count Edward of Lima, the Duke's other brother, asks for the King's protection, which King James grants. No kinslaying will be allowed if King James has anything to say.

Occultist tribals finally show up to fight against the Ohio shieldwall and knights, but they are badly outnumbered, and stay away from King James' host.
Without relief, Toledo has to capitulate on March 6th, 2752.

Following the victory, the King receives letters from his wife Susan. She has delivered a boy, and named him Daniel. The King has an heir of his own.

She also writes to him about her difficulties following the pregnancy, of anxieties and troubles that she can't seem to shake. She asks him for advice. King James reads the letters and then has them sealed in his private collection. The woman must be mad to expect him to take the time to write when he is the middle of a campaign!

A few months pass, and the Occultists attempt to be bold, striking at Ohio steadfasts in the Black Swamp. King James moves to intercept.

The two armies clash near the swamps, the terrain almost more difficult to fight through to get to the enemy. The Occultists are rolled up and smashed.

During the battle, James II is a merciless combatant. He strikes down warrior after warrior, sparring none even when they thrown down their weapons and beg for mercy.

Just as his force is victorious in the north, news reaches him of another pagan uprising to the south. With Toledo secure, King James rushes down to the south to smash these upstarts.

The battle should have been a rout. But the pagans know the territory well, and turn the campaign into a series of skirmishes where they continually ambush the Ohioans. In one such engagement, King James' own bodyguard is ambushed and wiped out, leaving him dazed and jibbering.

Zackquill, leader of the revolt, who has dealt the King such a blow.

 

[Ziemonysl]

Yet the revolt is still crushed, over time. and Zackquill is brought to the King in chains. On the one hand, the King wants to rip and tear this pagan apart with his bare hands. On the other, every time he looks in Zackquill's eyes he begins to sweat and feels as if he is about to soil himself. The feeling enrages him all the more and he orders the man to be confined to the smallest crow's cage his army has, to be brought back to Cleveland for a worse fate.

Marching back up north to finish his Toledo war, King James cannot bear to look out at his men-at-arms training, each time his mind flashing back to the snowy hill in Appalachia where Zackquill speared the last of his men before humiliating the king himself. When he closes his eyes, all he can see is Zackquill, and burning bushes wishing to consume his flesh. He wants to weep, but instead takes out his sword and starts to hack savagely at a training dummy. Eventually, he learns that Zackquill, stripped and left to suffer in exposure, has perished. King James has his NEW personal guard go and gather the body of the pagan, before he is buried in a pauper's grave.

In his command tent, King James takes liberty with the corpse and his sword. His personal guard balk at the King's frenzied mutilation of what was once a man.

Back up North, the Occultists are attempting to lay siege to Ohio-held Toledo. The King's host shows them the error of their ways.

The Occultists, utterly outclassed, sue for peace, and Toledo is taken by its rightful owner.

As a reward for his long years of service, and because King James does not want the responsibility of administering even more pagan land, he hands off "The Strip", to his brother, Benjamin.

One responsibility the King cannot ignore is the tradition of greeting noble families in mourning, from those who lost loved ones in the King's latest war over a strip of territory many of them will never see. Faced with quite a number of local landed families who have lost a father, son, or brother in service to the King, James finds himself at a loss for words to justify their deaths. He instead leaves court in a fury. Who are these families to blame him? Is he not the King, and are vassals not supposed to obey unto death?

He takes his anger and frustration out on the few prisoners still left in the Cleveland dungeons from his father's Crusade. Elderly women, they do not last long.

In 2753, one such local noble, who was wounded in the King's service, passes, Baron Walter of Hilltop castle. Since he has no male heirs, by Ohio law, his lands and peasants pass to the King's control. However, he does leave behind a wife and two twin daughters by his first marriage. As King James has inherited the land, it would be a grave crime to not offer than hearth and home until he can marry the daughters off at least.

The King's mood continues to deteriorate. Where he was once patient and thoughtful, he now flies into rages at the very least provocation, and is rude at the drop of a thimble. He also begins to neglect his wife and young son Daniel.

One bit of good news. The King's former spymaster Duke Edgar is assassinated on the orders of the local count of Scioto, via poisoned wine. King James suspects that while the Musbach dynasty swears vengeance, Edgar's last surviving brother must be secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

The assassination is also a boon to the Von Bedfords. Duke Edgar has no sons but a daughter, who has inherited the duchy. While he might not want to spend any time with Daniel, the King knows a great marriage opportunity when he sees one, and 'suggests' Duchess Ann's regents accept a betrothal to the Kingdom's prince as opposed to one of Duchess Ann's cousins.

Despite finding God in the desert, King James never could let go of old habits. Never maintaining fidelity to the Queen, James had known a number of women, serving wenches, camp women while on campaign, but now in his keep is one of high station that he greatly desires, the elder Hilltop daughter, LaBrenda. Only one problem, LaBrenda has been married to his younger brother Adam, with the promise that Adam may get Hilltop Castle. Brushing aside concerns about his wife, or cuckolding his brother, the King takes what he wants, and sends a courtier to summon LaBrenda.

Getting bored in Cleveland, King James takes a small entourage from his court to go visit his uncle, Duke Luke. It is a good idea to keep the eldest living member of the Von Bedford Dynasty on your side. And it gives him more opportunities to be away with LaBrenda.

Returning home, the King's spies report to him his brother Adam is looking to hire a poisoner. Immediately thinking he and LaBrenda have been found out, the King is assuaged when he learns his own self is not the target, but their middle brother Benjamin, for reasons unknown.

He summons Adam to him and demands his youngest brother swear to never again threaten life or limb of any other family member, no matter what. He also takes time to liberally berate him on the importance of family loyalty.

I always forget to turn on auto-stop plots

From the Far-away West, the coasts of California, come strangle tales of outlandish invaders.

These events fired but I have seen zero evidence of actual invasion success

That's new.

Far more serious news to the King is that his lover LaBrenda is pregnant. All evidence seems to point to the King being the father, and not her own husband Adam, who she has shunned as much as possible without suspicion. The King encourages her to keep quiet.

But it seems divine justice has a way of coming back to King James. His spymaster reports that now there are attempts in the works on his son Daniel's life, his only heir. He doubles his household guard and tasks several spies with watching his brother Adam for disloyalty.

A curious thing has happened in Rome on the Mississippi. The old Pope, Cruxipher, has finally passed on, and with his body barely cold, it has been put on trial. The Catholic faith has suffered numerous trials and tribulations under Cruxipher, and the new Pope, He-Has-Heard, declares it was the sinful lifestyle of Cruxipher that brought them on. His body is desecrated and tossed in the river outside the city.

Speaking of Catholicism under siege, the Occultists from Vermont are attempting to conquer Superior up North. Feeling some responsibility for them since the Vikings had converted under his father, King James decides to help them in their struggle.

The troops are called and King James II is ready to march off to war once again. But will the plots against him and his son follow them up North? Will his brother, campaigning with him, find out about his wife's infidelity with his brother? Or perhaps the campaign will provide a nice distraction from the King's issues.

We shall see.

0 Updates to the World 2766 update, will be coming in a few days.​

 

[Ziemonysl]

100 years. It has been 1 century since James von Bedford took a small but loyal band of followers into hostile territory and made a kingdom for himself and his descendants. The world has changed much in some ways since then.

World Map with states

World Religions Map

Cultures Map

Government Map

The Great Lakes region has changed in some ways, in others it has stayed the same. Many pagans continue to war, consolidate, and collapse against each other. Yet the Kingdom of Ohio rises from the shores of Lake Erie as a challenge to the status quo.

The Church of Christ is slowly but surely winning its war for souls in Ohio. The interior is still largely Rust Cultist, but many Rostmenn along the lakefront and Ohio river have embraced the Cross.

The King of Ohio is currently James II, known as the butcher for all the dark tales of savagery that follow him about. His son Daniel, largely ignored and neglected by his Father, has a rather different nature.

The King's council. Despite the King's precarious state, his council remains largely loyal, so long as he remains closed up in Cleveland to stay away from the plague.

The Kingdom's religious and civil laws.

Vassals, levies, and factions.

To the South of Ohio lies the mightiest Empire the Americas have ever seen, the Holy Columbian Confederacy. Despite some recent Viking incursions, the proud Knights of Dixie stand ready to advance the Evangelical faith. Having recently re-captured Washington D.C., they are encouraged to keep going.

Emperor Tertius rules the Confederacy with an iron fist, yet his spending habits may have gotten the better of him.

To the immediate Northeast lies a two states locked in mortal combat. The Consumerists, with their golden palace in the ancient Mall of America, have kept the Anabaptists in Hudsonia on their toes for the better part of a hundred years. They have also forced the Americanists of New York to pay tribute. But a recent civil war over the status of the Prophet's descendants may give the Anabaptists an opportunity to reserve a century of decline.

The male line of descendants from 'the profit' died out in a frenzy of kinslaying, but descendants from the profit's daughters now rule Alleghenia. Yet some Consumerists contend that rulership of the Corporation should not be based on blood, but on business acumen, and steel.

Queen Margaret the Careless ascended the throne of Hudsonia as a babe when her father passed from illness. Now known better as the 'Old Queen' she has conserved her people's strength to stem losses, while she educates a worthy heir.

To the far Northeast, the Ursulines of Quebec wage an unceasing war against the Occultists of New England. Strangely, there are three contenders to the throne of Quebec, a situation the Ursuline See as seen fit to let be, despite the weakness from division.

A recent addition to the Ursuline states, a military order in the north of Michigan. After the Ursulines shattered the Occultist hold on Ontario, their knights elected to stay in Michigan to convert the unfortunate pagans who live there.

Occultist leaders of New England.

To the immediate north of Ohio, the old pagan kingdom of Michigan has imploded under Ursuline assault.

Will any of the pagan leaders have the strength to rebuild?

The Mid-west has consolidated into several strong states. Formerly known as Superior, the Kingdom of Aurora turned to the Catholic Faith under King James' father Joseph, though its most recent ruler has given into the Sedevacantist Heresy. Kentuckiana, a tribal evangelical state, holds much of what was once Indiana and Kentucky.

Superior is in a three-way war for the throne.

Iowa is the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church in the Americas, and continues to stand as a strong bulwark against the pagans of the North.

Their elderly queen Gladys has seen better days, but her heir is currently comatose.

 

[Ziemonysl]

Pope He-Has-Heard is hard at work to restore the reputation of the Papacy following the decadence and debauchery of Pope Cruxipher

To the South and West of the Mighty Mississippi, what was once catholic land has been usurped by Revalationists. The heart of the Ozarks is at stake.

Down in Texas, the Sangrado Corazon cult continues to expand. The Kingdom of Comanche has been destroyed, and its survivors are being picked off one by one.

To the north, the ground shakes as thousands of horse hooves beat across the land. The Sioux hordes have made themselves masters of the Dakotas, and no one can stand against their horse archers.

The son is indeed a warrior like his father. All the mid-west best beware.

And to the far-west, outside of a major native resurgence, things are much the same. Mormons hold all the rocky mountain passes, and in valley of California, the strange Cetic worshippers give homage to their Emperor.

The Mormons are ruled under two brothers.

Interesting, a Coloradan who worships the gods of the Sioux. Perhaps a good way to stop them from invading.

The Cetics. Perhaps the Emperor can marry his son off to the Queen of Gran Francisco?

The entire Northwest has been conquered by Haida natives.

Now, outside of what was once America. To the South of Texas, the Sangrado Corazon faith stands strong. The ancient state of Mexico re-asserts its control over large swathes of its land.

South of Mexico lie many fractured states. Carribean invaders, Falling Star adherents, Gracia Divinia followers, the land of Central America is ever changing.

South America, also known as the "gateway to Brazil", at least, it was when Brazil was not in the throes of absolute chaos. Strange things have been afoot here.

Queen Julianni fights a 1-woman war against both the Brazilian invaders of the North, and of the Russians.

The Hindus of Guyana have converted to the Apostolic Faith. Also, so here is where the Russians invaded (!)

And then there is the Caribbean. What was once a grand Empire that spanned all the waters of this sea fell on hard times around the decades when Duke James first ruled from Cleveland, but since then two states have reclaimed most of the old Imperial lands, Cuba, and Hispaniola.