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Officially on hold till i kan get the darn thing working with Dalarna.
If you want to help then by all means please.
http://www.europa-universalis.com/forum/showthread.php?t=257113
If you want to help then by all means please.
http://www.europa-universalis.com/forum/showthread.php?t=257113
Chapter 5 - In the dark forests of the north. - The Count
Rurik Ståhlhandske stood next to his trusted steed, Spjut, and looked out across the fields of Dalarna. This had been the seat of his family for many hundreds of years. Of course, much had changed since the days of Ybor and his kin. The great dark forests of old had retreated far to the north, roads had been made, spreading like a spider’s web across the land.
Yet, much was still the same. Even though the priests had tried and tried again to convert the villagers to the true faith, glorious Christianity, it would never quite get a hold of the populace. No, they still revelled in the disgusting warrior-faith of old, glorifying bloodshed and hedonistic ways. Rurik sighed, touched the silver crucifix that hung in a small chain around his neck and thought that some day all the land would be saved from blasphemy.
The Pope did not look favourably upon the Swedish king having pagan vassals and so; after ousting the pagan chieftain of Dalarna the pagans took up arms. The county was in open revolt. The king appointed his trusted knight-marshal Rurik Ståhlhandske to convert the heathens to the one true faith.
They had made camp just outside Leksand with their army numbering over a thousand strong. The morning had broken and it was time to capture the first heathen den.
One of Rurik’s lieutenants, Torsten, rode up to him. “Good morning brother”, he said. “Are we ready to set out anytime soon?”
Rurik didn’t answer. That bastard brother of his didn’t deserve more than a degrading look. That his mother had left this man in his care and had had the audacity to just die was his greatest shame of all. It had deeply wounded the reputation of the family.
However, Torsten was right this time, they had to get moving soon.
He raised his arm and bellowed out “Onward!”, and they rode off to do the lords work.
***
The sweet smell of blood wafted through the morning air. It came from the north and it was there they were headed. He saw the grove, he saw the priests. No doubt praying for divine intervention, it would not save them.
The grove was situated in a valley boxed in by steep hills to the south and north. A path from the southwestern lowlands was the only fast way to get to and from here. To the West a great forest stretched out, from the southern shores of Dalälven and reaching to the Scandian mountains in the far west.
The sacred grove consisting of old oaks had been one of the many places were the pagans had retreated upon his capture of Mora, Falun and Leksand. His contignent numbering just short of four score had been tracking them for days. This sacred grove housed just short of a hundred refugees.
He motioned for his knights to advance on the path leading up to the grove. The riders were the finest in the land; and the kings personal knights. Among them the count of Gästrikland and the recently turned vassal; Finnveden. He would cut off any retreat with his three scores of footmen- hiding in the forest- from the rear. He let out a battlecry and charged.
The old men surviving the slaughter of the previous weeks could to little to resist the sword wielding knights. The remaining pagans were rounded up.
- Will they recant their false gods? Rurik asked
The diocese bishop the pope himself had appointed to oversee this holy crusade against the heathens, drew close to Rurik.
- These people have raised weapons against the soldiers of our lord. Even if they do recant it will not save them. Their sins are too great.
- What say you I do then?
- Put them to the sword.
Rurik was revolted, he had known many of these people in his younger days and was related by blood to more than one. But if it was the lords will then so be it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got a fanatical priest appointed by the pope to have as my diocese bishop. At the same time the peasants of the province started a revolt against my Iron rule. I have a feeling that this revolt wil carry on for a long time. I'm just one month into the game.
Rurik Ståhlhandske stood next to his trusted steed, Spjut, and looked out across the fields of Dalarna. This had been the seat of his family for many hundreds of years. Of course, much had changed since the days of Ybor and his kin. The great dark forests of old had retreated far to the north, roads had been made, spreading like a spider’s web across the land.
Yet, much was still the same. Even though the priests had tried and tried again to convert the villagers to the true faith, glorious Christianity, it would never quite get a hold of the populace. No, they still revelled in the disgusting warrior-faith of old, glorifying bloodshed and hedonistic ways. Rurik sighed, touched the silver crucifix that hung in a small chain around his neck and thought that some day all the land would be saved from blasphemy.
The Pope did not look favourably upon the Swedish king having pagan vassals and so; after ousting the pagan chieftain of Dalarna the pagans took up arms. The county was in open revolt. The king appointed his trusted knight-marshal Rurik Ståhlhandske to convert the heathens to the one true faith.
They had made camp just outside Leksand with their army numbering over a thousand strong. The morning had broken and it was time to capture the first heathen den.
One of Rurik’s lieutenants, Torsten, rode up to him. “Good morning brother”, he said. “Are we ready to set out anytime soon?”
Rurik didn’t answer. That bastard brother of his didn’t deserve more than a degrading look. That his mother had left this man in his care and had had the audacity to just die was his greatest shame of all. It had deeply wounded the reputation of the family.
However, Torsten was right this time, they had to get moving soon.
He raised his arm and bellowed out “Onward!”, and they rode off to do the lords work.
***
The sweet smell of blood wafted through the morning air. It came from the north and it was there they were headed. He saw the grove, he saw the priests. No doubt praying for divine intervention, it would not save them.
The grove was situated in a valley boxed in by steep hills to the south and north. A path from the southwestern lowlands was the only fast way to get to and from here. To the West a great forest stretched out, from the southern shores of Dalälven and reaching to the Scandian mountains in the far west.
The sacred grove consisting of old oaks had been one of the many places were the pagans had retreated upon his capture of Mora, Falun and Leksand. His contignent numbering just short of four score had been tracking them for days. This sacred grove housed just short of a hundred refugees.
He motioned for his knights to advance on the path leading up to the grove. The riders were the finest in the land; and the kings personal knights. Among them the count of Gästrikland and the recently turned vassal; Finnveden. He would cut off any retreat with his three scores of footmen- hiding in the forest- from the rear. He let out a battlecry and charged.
The old men surviving the slaughter of the previous weeks could to little to resist the sword wielding knights. The remaining pagans were rounded up.
- Will they recant their false gods? Rurik asked
The diocese bishop the pope himself had appointed to oversee this holy crusade against the heathens, drew close to Rurik.
- These people have raised weapons against the soldiers of our lord. Even if they do recant it will not save them. Their sins are too great.
- What say you I do then?
- Put them to the sword.
Rurik was revolted, he had known many of these people in his younger days and was related by blood to more than one. But if it was the lords will then so be it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got a fanatical priest appointed by the pope to have as my diocese bishop. At the same time the peasants of the province started a revolt against my Iron rule. I have a feeling that this revolt wil carry on for a long time. I'm just one month into the game.
Last edited:
Dare I say that the golden object is a certain item made for the fourth digit which was elaborately expanded upon by a certain R. Wagner? 
Chapter 5 - In the dark forests of the north. - The Crusader the Saint and the Heir
I'll write this part like a school paper.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1066 -1084 The reign of Rurik Ståhlhandske
To Mr.Drake
Rurik Ståhlhandske is a peculiar character durig the middle ages. He was the first real statesman in Sweden, he showed deep insight and great skill. Not only in economic and political but also military affairs. His wife Inga-lill the the most skilled speaker of the time. She is perhaps most renown for hear speech in Åbo/Turku to the pagan finns were she averted a rebellion that surely would have brought the county to its knees.
But perhaps most interesting is Ruriks gradual descent into what we today must call madness. He writes in letters to his wife (one of the few sources of swedish literature from that time) talking about his disgust for the actions he was forced to commit upon his countrymen by Olaf von Brandenburg. The papally appointed bishop in charge of the crusade against Dalarna. The letters however increase in their fanaticism as the years go by. In Finland his name was used to scare children for the larger part of the millenia to come. It is estimated that over 50 % of the populace in his Finnish counties perished as a result of his conquest and sub-sequent forced conversions.
Rurik was the eldest son of one of the few christian barons of Dalarna. He claims to have grown up in Västmanland but his father payed taxes to the high Chieftain of Dalarna. He early on showed his skills as a horserider and took up arms training at the age of 7. His skills as a soldier was widely known, he was in fact even invited to Constantinople and the court of the Holy Roman Empire to serve as a bodyguard to the emperor's themselves.
He declined however. Instead he joined the Kings guard. The best cavalry unit in Sweden during that era. He quickly became the Kings Marshall. As his long years on the battlefield had developed a good tactical aswell as strategical knowledge.
Sources are unclear as to his becoming a count. Some historians claim he was sent to Dalarna to quell a rebellion, others that he was invited by the "Stormän" to bring order to the lawless land. Nevertheless he brought order and prosperity to the land. He ruled however with an Iron fist -hence the name (Ståhlhandske - Steel gauntlet) - and the common people of Dalarna resisted his rule until his death in 1084.
In 1067 he had established control over Dalarna and begun the construction of a church in Mora a small town which he chose as residence. The love of his life Inga-Lill married each other in 1068 in Mora church. The church was later burnt down during the second Dalecarlian uprising. He was 38 at the time, which was a very high age to get married at. He fathered eight children with her. His future heir Bo, the other three boys Anund, Gustav and Erik. Aswell as the girls Rikissa, Aleta, Katarina and Kristina.
In 1075 the Kingdom of Sweden declared war upon the tribe of Mecklemburg, seeing a chance to expand the chiefdom of Ångermanland declared war on Sweden. All the swedish counties marched their troops to the south to avert the biggest threat, except Rurik. He marched his troops north and faced the invading Ångermanlandians in Hälsingland. He soundly defeated their troops and captured their strongholds. He was granted the title of count of Ångermanland for his efforts.
Now the vast wilderness of Northern Norrland lay open for his taking. It has been questioned whether it was for religious purposes or for personal gain he invaded. Probably a mix of both. He took the counties of Lappland (Laponia) and Västerbotten and with papal sanction made himself count over these aswell.
It is somewhere around here that he has a revelation of sorts. He claims to have been visited by an archangel in his dreams. Compelling him to bring christianity to the pagan Finns. It was sometime around 1081, that he started using the epithet crusader. He captured the southwestern part of Finland aswell as Åland. It could have been more but the King of Sweden brokered a peace with the pagans.
This caused a deep divide between Rurik and the king Erik Stenkil. Rurik demanded that the king allow him to continue his crusade. He was dissillusioned and concluded that all power corrupts. Whilst trying to quell an uprising in Ångermanland in 1084, he fell terminally ill. On his deathbed he decreed that his lands be split up between his sons and any excess lands be given to the church. He was canonized soon after and became the patron saint of Norrland
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I admit that this was a bit powergamy but i have a feeling that if Bo does not follow his fathers wishes civil war will ensue. His wife was rather insane, 18(!) diplomacy skill, I made her a bit overpowered. I gave both of them an insanely high fertility rate as i was too lazy to create a large family of nobles by scripting them myself.
I'll write this part like a school paper.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1066 -1084 The reign of Rurik Ståhlhandske
To Mr.Drake
Rurik Ståhlhandske is a peculiar character durig the middle ages. He was the first real statesman in Sweden, he showed deep insight and great skill. Not only in economic and political but also military affairs. His wife Inga-lill the the most skilled speaker of the time. She is perhaps most renown for hear speech in Åbo/Turku to the pagan finns were she averted a rebellion that surely would have brought the county to its knees.
But perhaps most interesting is Ruriks gradual descent into what we today must call madness. He writes in letters to his wife (one of the few sources of swedish literature from that time) talking about his disgust for the actions he was forced to commit upon his countrymen by Olaf von Brandenburg. The papally appointed bishop in charge of the crusade against Dalarna. The letters however increase in their fanaticism as the years go by. In Finland his name was used to scare children for the larger part of the millenia to come. It is estimated that over 50 % of the populace in his Finnish counties perished as a result of his conquest and sub-sequent forced conversions.
Rurik was the eldest son of one of the few christian barons of Dalarna. He claims to have grown up in Västmanland but his father payed taxes to the high Chieftain of Dalarna. He early on showed his skills as a horserider and took up arms training at the age of 7. His skills as a soldier was widely known, he was in fact even invited to Constantinople and the court of the Holy Roman Empire to serve as a bodyguard to the emperor's themselves.
He declined however. Instead he joined the Kings guard. The best cavalry unit in Sweden during that era. He quickly became the Kings Marshall. As his long years on the battlefield had developed a good tactical aswell as strategical knowledge.
Sources are unclear as to his becoming a count. Some historians claim he was sent to Dalarna to quell a rebellion, others that he was invited by the "Stormän" to bring order to the lawless land. Nevertheless he brought order and prosperity to the land. He ruled however with an Iron fist -hence the name (Ståhlhandske - Steel gauntlet) - and the common people of Dalarna resisted his rule until his death in 1084.
In 1067 he had established control over Dalarna and begun the construction of a church in Mora a small town which he chose as residence. The love of his life Inga-Lill married each other in 1068 in Mora church. The church was later burnt down during the second Dalecarlian uprising. He was 38 at the time, which was a very high age to get married at. He fathered eight children with her. His future heir Bo, the other three boys Anund, Gustav and Erik. Aswell as the girls Rikissa, Aleta, Katarina and Kristina.
In 1075 the Kingdom of Sweden declared war upon the tribe of Mecklemburg, seeing a chance to expand the chiefdom of Ångermanland declared war on Sweden. All the swedish counties marched their troops to the south to avert the biggest threat, except Rurik. He marched his troops north and faced the invading Ångermanlandians in Hälsingland. He soundly defeated their troops and captured their strongholds. He was granted the title of count of Ångermanland for his efforts.
Now the vast wilderness of Northern Norrland lay open for his taking. It has been questioned whether it was for religious purposes or for personal gain he invaded. Probably a mix of both. He took the counties of Lappland (Laponia) and Västerbotten and with papal sanction made himself count over these aswell.
It is somewhere around here that he has a revelation of sorts. He claims to have been visited by an archangel in his dreams. Compelling him to bring christianity to the pagan Finns. It was sometime around 1081, that he started using the epithet crusader. He captured the southwestern part of Finland aswell as Åland. It could have been more but the King of Sweden brokered a peace with the pagans.
This caused a deep divide between Rurik and the king Erik Stenkil. Rurik demanded that the king allow him to continue his crusade. He was dissillusioned and concluded that all power corrupts. Whilst trying to quell an uprising in Ångermanland in 1084, he fell terminally ill. On his deathbed he decreed that his lands be split up between his sons and any excess lands be given to the church. He was canonized soon after and became the patron saint of Norrland
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I admit that this was a bit powergamy but i have a feeling that if Bo does not follow his fathers wishes civil war will ensue. His wife was rather insane, 18(!) diplomacy skill, I made her a bit overpowered. I gave both of them an insanely high fertility rate as i was too lazy to create a large family of nobles by scripting them myself.
Pirate Z said:Dare I say that the golden object is a certain item made for the fourth digit which was elaborately expanded upon by a certain R. Wagner?
Error, insufficient information.
Further explanation needed.
Now I've experimented a bit with the different types of writing. I liked writing the background the most, although that type of writing is easy to write sometimes. It limits the story, since it more often that not excludes dialogue and any longer explanation and it turns into the school report. I'm probably going to slow down the game a bit and instead concentrate on a more novelly.
The swedish king usually snuffs it after a few years and that leaves Bo with the crown, maybe I'll center it around the succession. Anyway we'll see.
The swedish king usually snuffs it after a few years and that leaves Bo with the crown, maybe I'll center it around the succession. Anyway we'll see.
I'll be vacationing in Gotland county for two weeks. But for the few of you who are waiting for an update, it will come in about 2 weeks. It....will.....be.....awesome.
Why my friend gave it 4 platypuses of 5.2 possible. So cancel your plans, break up with your girlfriend. Have a backup source of electricity ready incase power goes out. Make sure you have your seatbelt fastened. For this will be one hell of a mediocre update :/
Why my friend gave it 4 platypuses of 5.2 possible. So cancel your plans, break up with your girlfriend. Have a backup source of electricity ready incase power goes out. Make sure you have your seatbelt fastened. For this will be one hell of a mediocre update :/