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This is the AAR thread for the Crusader Kings Part of our Megacampaign, Our Virtue in Blood. In which Players can write an aar detailing the various perspectives of each session in exchange for some small reward.
Walther looked out the window after finishing his breakfast trying to remember what was needed of him today, Karloman and his army should be arriving around supper, passing through for the Bavarian Campaign. He would have to welcome him of course, lavash feast and all that. But preparations for the feast have been made already, so he figured he had a few hours. His resolve set, Walther retired to his study. Settling down in his favorite chair, Walther closed his eyes and willed himself to Journey,
Walther opened his eyes in his study and swiftly made for the door. Opening it revealed a oasis with a desert city off in the near distance. Grinning he sets off towards the city. It is further away then it seemed, so he reaches the outskirts in the middle of the night. Although hours have past he didn’t seem to get tired or hungry. Walther stops at a nearby peddlers stall, still open after dark.
The peddler offered to tell him a tale of the city. Walther declines, stating that he didn't listen to stories, he made them. With that he left the mysterious peddler and made for the castle in the center of town.
(At this point play the series of events of the Disney movie Aladdin(c) and imagine Walther being just out of the shot for every scene)
Walther knew his time in the world was limited however, so he bid Aladdin and Jasmine farewell and set out back towards his study door, in the middle of the desert. After walking for a period of time he reached a freestanding door near an oasis. He opens the door to his study, and sits back down in his favorite chair, closes his eyes and willed himself to Journey.
Walther opens his eyes and is back in his study. He looks out the window to try and see the time. It was barely past noon. With a feverish zeal Walther opens his ink pot and begins writing about the magical city of Agrabah. He writes until a page knocks on the door and informs him that the King has been sighted down the road.
With a sigh, Walther closes the book he had been writing in and left the study. The Page, curious, sneaks a peak at the cover before following his Duke. The title on the book was “Aladdin”
And so another Great Game begins. I've made it my mission to always try and be in a new region for every iteration, but I am bending that rule a bit to reprise the Bavarian Dez Neigh dynasty I played briefly a couple years ago. I felt they didn't get their fair shake since I had to bow out session 3 or so.
The opening map however looks much different with 4 players immediately neighboring me to the north/south/west/NW and an imaginary wall a couple duchies to my east.
I haven't been shy with what I plan to aim for my final nation, basically a Balkans based Greater Austria-Hungary, a solid block of a Nation that will become a swing 2nd tier power going into EU. The problem being then, 80% of my desired land is cordoned off by GM Fiat until a nebulous time in the future, so I have time to kill essentially, time to aim for score and conversion goodies.
Besides my national ambitions I have secondary objectives on how I would like the world to shake out, but I won't lose any sleep over if they don't pan out.
1 Bohemia as a vassal state entering EU
2 Death of Byzantium
3 A strong Papal states
If I can accomplish my main goal and my three side goals I will exit CK a happy player.
Times of change were coming to the world. Forces are brewing in the lands of Francia to bring about the largest state since the fall of the Roman Empire.
In the mountains of the lands that in one universe would be called Switzerland another change was brewing. A dynasty had come to control the western part of the alps known as Transjurania. Centered from the town of Bern this relatively obscure family was looking to create an empire of their own. It would be in the shadow of giants, at least to start, but they were hoping with correct positioning and timing they could grow into strength and when the giants fell they would be there to take their place.
---
So compared to Song of the Dead Take 1 and 2 I couldn’t really be starting in a more different place. Unlike either of those games I’m not starting on the edge of the map, and I’m also not starting on a coastline. Instead I’m starting in the landlocked provinces of western switzerland. Practically in the heart of this absolute cluster of players we are potentially going to be having going along when the game starts. If nothing else it will certainly be an interesting attempt, one that I wouldn’t be surprised if its failed before CK2 ends, but hey who knows. All goes well I’m in a good spot to become a relatively stronger player in southern France-Northern Italy, or at the very least a minor nation that thanks to good terrain might be able to survive until sometime in EU4.
As it is the ideas of this game is going to be much more involved in general politics then I have the last two games. The first Song of the Dead I was hidden up in Finland and mostly played a game of ‘who to suck up to’ at any given time between King of Men’s Scandinavia and Goll’s Russia. The second Song of the Dead I was more or less in a place where most of Europe was completely unattached from me and vice versa. If they weren’t in the med, or actively screwing with my colonial interests, I didn’t have much to say.
Well this time that won’t really be an option. While theoretically I’ll be able to expand across the sea if I can get some coastal territory, I’m intended to play this as a much more home focused nation, though I may still end up splitting the country up into a few different players if I can. My location will mean that its more likely then not that I’ll end up in alot of wars this game as well which will give me a bit more to do then last time. As it is I don’t actually expect to be around for most of EU4 though, as I’ll be shipping off in two months for four months, so it’ll mostly be a game of CK2 for me. One I intend to try to do as well in as I can to set the nation up for the next person.
So that’s a quick run down of where I’ll be starting this game. I’m looking forward to it, and hoping I’ll manage an even better game then Atlassia.
I won't be writing this time around, but I am following. I'm starting in Barcelona as the "de Errolan" dynasty; like Khan, I'm revisiting [an old attempt](https://ynglingasaga.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/the-matter-of-spain-the-song-of-roland/) that didn't get a fair shake. It's even possible I will roleplay a little. But not on these forums.
At noon on Friday 25 March AD 421, Roman authorities from the city of Padua established a trading post in the swampland of North-Eastern Italy. They built a church in this swamp as well, the Church of St. James. Unfortunately, a bunch of people calling themselves "Lombards" moved into Italy, sacked the entire area, took Rome, and sort of ended the Western Roman Empire. So in response, a bunch of people living in the lagoons on North-Eastern Italy united together into one community, a community they lovingly called "Venice". Thus, the City and the Republic of Venice were born. Now, the Venetians were under Greek rule for a while (even though they were basically autonomous), and soon found themselves basically independent but heavily influenced by the Byzantines.
Now, the Venetians did quite well for themselves given the fact that on their left were the Lombards, the Slavs and their raiders and the Byzantines on the right, and with some Frankish people conquering all of the areas west and east of the Rhine. But we are not going to be talking about Venice as a whole. Instead, we will be focusing on one particular merchant dynasty that has just so happened to find itself in charge of the city at a major turning point in European affairs. This family, the House of Borgonia, is the key focus of this tale. Through various narrative and historical devices, the story of this family and Venice will unravel.
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Last time I played a CKII Grand Campaign I got ganked by two empires and BTFO. This time I hope to at least not have that happen. My plan is simple, "Git Stronk". Its gonna be fun and interesting though to say the least!
I won't be writing this time around, but I am following. I'm starting in Barcelona as the "de Errolan" dynasty; like Khan, I'm revisiting [an old attempt](https://ynglingasaga.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/the-matter-of-spain-the-song-of-roland/) that didn't get a fair shake. It's even possible I will roleplay a little. But not on these forums.
I hope you found this book in a dusty library, somewhere lost or forgotten.
I hope that what I write of is just the ramblings of an old man, leaping at ghosts and gremlins.
I hope…my fears do not prove true.
That’s what it boils down to.
Hope that the man that has wormed his way into the graces of our good lord, is just that.
A man that is.
Perhaps I should explain from the beginning.
A few months ago, the wife of our lord was suffering from terrible humours.
Our lord, in his wisdom, sought out every wise man between Paris and Jerusalem, but none could aid his beloved.
As her condition worsened, our lord promised any reward to whomever could cure her.
And so, he arrived.
Wearing a Yellow Cloak, he had requested refuge in our lords castle from the thunderstorms that had been ravaging the countryside for days if not weeks.
Benevolent as ever, our lord allowed the Traveler into his home and invited the man to dine with his household.
As the night progressed, talk turned to the Travelers occupation and ‘lo and behold, he proclaimed himself as a healer of some skill.
Hailing From Whence? Our lord asked.
Carcosa. Was all that the Traveler replied.
Our lord, hopeful for the first time in months, asked the Traveler to see if his healing skills would be capable enough, where all others had failed.
The Traveler laughed.
Right there, at the meeting hall.
Our lord, feeling insult inquired as to what amused the Traveler so much.
You’d never be able to afford the price. Echoed the voice of that man.
Our lord, he… he said if she was free of her ailment, he’d pay any price.
The traveler laughed again, but agreed to take a look.
Our lord, accompanied the man to his patient.
Now, you must understand, I never saw what transpired next.
But I heard. I heard it all.
I heard it throughout the night while I cowered in the castle chapel.
I heard it at dawn.
And I heard when our lord addressed…
No... when that thing that wore our lords face and infested his body as a puppet...
Instructed the survivors on what was expected of them.
The servants… By God, they never saw it coming.
That thing of too many limbs, sharp as swords, as it tore into them..
I’ve locked myself in the library for now, but they must have seen me.
They must know I am here.
I’m sure the ~~things~~ are coming to take me away.
Lord, perhaps I’ve gone mad and are seeing things.
Lord, I pray that I have gone mad and it is just me who suffers from this and not the World.
Oh No...No… I am truly the only sane one left…
The text cuts off abruptly here.
- Heretical work written by a nameless writer an unknown time ago.
- Found during the renovations of Castle Arles, in Provence.
- Text referred to incineration by the command of her Holiness Aletheia VII and the task, carried out by the Papal Inquisition.
As the Gonfaloniere strolled across his country estate, escorted as always by his two guards, he was struck once again by the beauty of his city, his Florence, just visible over the walls of his palatial estate. Crunching through the crisp morning dew, the breathtaking view of the outer city was enough to sweep anyone off their feet. It was a mild winter this year, and now, on the First of January, it was time to return to his beloved city and ring in the new year with the Signoria. There was important work to be done. The other Merchant houses would clamor once again for expeditions to set up further trade lanes, and he'd once again have to note that the shipbuilding capacity of the coastal cities still was not up to the task, the nobles would need to be placated about the upcoming ceremony bending the knee to the Lombard invaders, but it was nothing Yusuf could not accomplish. Yusuf was the youngest Gonfaloniere in Florentine history, and the child of his father and a Berber lover to boot, but no one dared talk of that anymore now that he was in undisputed control of the Republic. He had already shown a strong military streak for the son of a Merchant, as well as a knack for business that many attributed to pure luck, or more probably the education he received from his uncle, who ran the family Bank, but it did not matter. He would do what must be done to save Florence once more in this barbaric age, with the memory of the glory days of Rome fading quickly in the Western imagination, or he and everyone he cared about would die trying. That would not happen. That could not happen. That must not happen.
As you might have guessed, I'm playing Florence. Surrounded by an aggressive Papal Vassal in Latium, a more friendly Lombard in Modena, Venice to the East, Sardinia to the West, Milan sandwiching Modena, the Swiss menacing further north, and some very strong players not too much further away, and furthermore with many of my expansion opportunites cut off for the near and long term by the Invisible Wall of Death, it's been a bit of a struggle working out how to even survive, but I think I have a strategy. Unfortunately, Southern Italy is out of bounds, as is Spain and Croatia, leaving essentially only players as options for expansion once the small duchy is consolidated. As a Merchant Republic with tech 0, it'll be a while before I can really get going, since I can't currently build tradeposts and such, but once I do hopefully I can compete on not too unequal footing with the Two Player Venice and the very experienced Fimconte also playing as a merchant republic in Toulouse. This time around, no one is safe, no one is comfortable, blood will run thickly through the streets and plains of Europe, and only the worthy will be able to stand up and claim that they survived. Who that will be, only time can possibly tell.
A flight above a falcon nest – the Falconi family and the duchy of Modena
Source about the exact origins or the Falconi family are very scarce, but it is pretty clear that the family rose in prominence with Lucca Falconi around the middle of the 8th century. Somewhere around 760, northern Italy was ruled by the Lombard kingdom under king Desiderus. At some point, a man calling himself Lucca falconi started appearing at the king’s court and gained some popularity through his smooth talking’s.
Historians still debates what he did or said to the king to gain such influence, but in 768, he was given the lands of Modena and the title of duke. He quickly managed to acquire lands along the Via Emillia, going from Parma to Ravenna, all granted to him by Desiderus. In 769 he then proceeded to…
So unlike the others, I am not a veteran of those campaigns, it is my first time in. In fact, it is my first mp game at ck2. My plan is the following:
This is my first internet mp game. I am playing as Flanders.
My goals:
1)Become a hereditary Emperor
2)Survive to Stellaris
3)Colonize some of the New World
What happened (no screenies or exact dates, sorry):
At first, not much happened.Karl inherited Middle Francia. I married a Lombard princess. Karl invaded and conquered Lombardy. Saxony was also conquered.
Karl died and three realms formed from the ruins. I remained part of Middle Francia. Aquitaine was quickly returned to Middle Francia (via a fishy death of its Carolingian ruler). The Merovingian ruler of Austrasia was resubjugated. The Pope crowned Pepin the Hunchback Holy Roman Emperor.
He eventually died and the electors elected the Duke of Poitou. He transferred the count of Guines to me (he was formerly under Poitou). Before he died, the aforementioned Lombard princess died and I only inherited a random Milanese county and claims to Milan and Ivrea. I also wanted to install her on the throne of Italy, but the faction failed.
He then got elected. After this, the session ended. Next game, Francia shall rise! Another player also became King of Italy and Germany. I also took a favor from him. I have not yet used this favor.
I can't remember when, but Measles broke out. It eventually disappeared from the Netherlands. I shut the gates.
Events around the map:
The Avars lost their realm to Pannonia, which I think also conquered Bulgaria. They then took Thrace.
Serbia became a mega-blob, but had little troops. I wanted to declare war on them, but game rules disallowed it. Epirus is also their tributary.The Umayyads lost Aragon to a Catholic revolter and were overthrown. They also had to fight the Shia. The Algarve also broke free from them, but Asturias quickly conquered them. The Abbasids are still a giant blob.
In short,I got elected Emperor and nothing else of much importance occurred in Flanders.
I also kept getting bad treatments for diseases until I took an unorthodox one.
Also every Emperor/King of West Francia expelled the Jews. All four did it.
Ok, ok. I said I wasn't going to write an AAR this time around. And I'm not, I swear. But this week I particularly need money. So...
The Sons of Roland: Precious Loot in Saddles
I Know Nothing, I Am From Barcelona: There has been some confusion on where I'm playing, so I'll set it straight. I am definitely playing Barcelona. Now it's true that in the gross world of mere matter, my actual physical location is, yes, Holland. Obviously this doesn't, you should excuse the pun, matter. In spirit, in the true reality, in my heart, and above all in the sight of God I am playing Barcelona. If necessary I will conquer my way across France, but it's probably easier to turn Holland into an industrial powerhouse and burn so much coal that global warming gives me the nice Mediterranean climate, while turning the impostor location south of the Pyrenees into a baked desert.
The Sons of Roland: I've changed my dynasty name from "de Errolan" to "van Roland"; there is no particular need for Roland to be from Spain. All that's actually known about him is that he was lord of the Breton March and died in the retreat across the Pyrenees. So, rapid retcon: Roland first became known in border skirmish and raid against the MoorsSaxons; he courted and married a wife in AsturiasHolland; and his legacy to his children was Durendal, "the sharpest sword in all the world", and a tradition of leading the battle against the heathen from the front.
Precious Loot: The refrain of Rolandskvadet, the Song of Roland, literally runs "Ride they out of the Frankish lands / with precious loot in saddles". This is my bid to extract some precious, precious loot from our AAR rewards, which I'll use for mercenaries. Machiavelli wrote, but everyone already knew, that who has good soldiers can always get gold, but who has gold, cannot always get soldiers.
Free and Unlimited Elections at 4 to 3: Some time after Dragoon, acting as the Hand of History, formed the Holy Roman Empire, I found myself in a position to inherit the Empire; that is to say, I had the most votes. However, by the Grace of God, the emperor was a hale and hearty man of 40, and obviously not likely to die in the near future, so I resigned myself to fighting my immediate neighbours over crumbs, like a loyal Elector, and in no way recruiting all the human players to conspire against the AI. The proof of this is that when the Emperor died a few months later, the electors hadn't stayed bought did not elect me, but rather Jems, a new player, my neighbour to the west. So, obviously, I had nothing to do with the death, and any complaints I may have made about bribed electors, hanging chads, and recounts, were jokes intended to josh the winner, in a comradely spirit that recognises the Emperor as first among equals.
Lorraine Campaign: My southern neighbour, Mike, made the mistake of being a young girl for a while, which made the Pope willing to grant a claim on Lower Lorraine to an adult male who is a proven warrior against the infidel; we can't be having with border marches being held by women, much less women not of age. With levies and mercenaries, I could raise 2700 men; Mike, 2400. However I had deeper reserves of money; and since the war was fought in his lands, I would occasionally get some loot, letting me extend my campaign for another month or two. We fought two battles, both of which I won, by the skin of my teeth. Every so often I would check Mike's treasury, and see that he could pay his mercs for another ten months, then six, then five... then Dragoon joined on Mike's side, with an additional 1000 men. I didn't retreat fast enough, and was brought to battle. I gritted my teeth and planned to come back when Mike's mercenaries were gone; and by some miracle I won! Outnumbered three to two, my heavy infantry held their ranks and threw back wave upon wave, and in the end it was the Franks who broke and ran. And just then, Mike's treasury suddenly increased massively; did he find some secret Jews? A clandestine supporter? Marry some lowborn merchant's get, trading his noble blood for a pot of filthy gold? Who knows; but it didn't help. I was able to siege the barony that put me over the top just before he could hire new mercenaries, and gain Lower Lorraine as the Pope intended.
Felix Nube: Mike inherited back two of the three counties I had taken from him with the Duke title.
Burgundian Campaign: With my new title I had claims on Loon and Liege, held of the Duke of Burgundy; I attacked, and this time my armies got hammered in two successive battles I should have won. The RNG giveth, the RNG taketh away; praised be the name of the RNG!
Second Lorraine War: With my levies reduced to half size, and my treasury drained, Mike very naturally attacked to get his own back. He was again allied to Dragoon, and had enough money for a mercenary company, giving a total enemy army of 3500 while I could raise 600 men. This war is still ongoing at session's end, and is the source of my strong need for gold. (So to the extent you've enjoyed this AAR, thank Mike). While my military options are currently somewhat limited, I am exploring the diplomatic ones; and, all else failing, it's only one county and the restoration of the situation before the Lorraine Campaign.
Situation 793. Note the large, hostile army sitting on the disputed territory in Lorraine.
The thundering smash of the hall’s doors being struck by the battering ram echoed through Mayor Aneurin’s palace. During the night an armed mob bearing unknown banners sailed up the River Usk on a ramshackle fleet of rafts and fishing boats lead by a handful of well made cargo vessels. Circumventing the palisade, they landed in the city and overwhelmed the garrison before converging on the palace, calling for Aneurin to surrender. With his lord, Athrwys, only some handful of miles away in Caerwent, he knew that he need only hold for a day before his salvation came and drove out the mob. After that, what revenge he would reap, that loud one calling-
CRASH
The guards pushing the door back were sent flying as the portal was shattered. Those storming inside were a disarrayed rabble of peasants and rogue militia, but at their centre stood a young, slightly better groomed and rather large man with an engraved and golden-hilted longsword at his side and a tabard bearing a strange blue coat of arms. Whilst the soldiers swarmed forward, menacing the exhausted guards with a collection of swords, daggers, pikes and crossbows (obviously not belonging to the low-lives that now wielded them) their leader walked forward, surveying the room and evaluating his admittedly good chances in a fight before calmly saying, “Gentlemen, my friends, this is not your fight. My only enemy in this room stands there, enemy of the people and tyrant that he is, Aneurin. Lay down your arms, or add them to our own, and no ill will come to you”.
With this escape route presented to them, most of the guards threw down their weapons and ran by the mob into the city leaving only those who turned their arms and joined the mob.
“You ruffian! By tomorrow, all of you will sit atop pikes on the walls of Caerwent!”
“But, my former Lord Mayor, that space is already occupied by those who opposed us there”.
August, in the years of Arthueu’s youth
The walls of the old fortress had been dilapidated by three centuries of abandonment, their former masters having long fled to far off lands. They had conquered this land with sword, shield and legion but had been driven out by the people of this great island. The Britons, Bretons as they might now be known, had a glorious legacy, ruling the land since time immemorial and surviving intact when the Romans had left. But, without the legions of Rome, the island of Prydain was vulnerable to be preyed upon by the envious hordes of Germany.
The Saxons were almost defeated by a great Breton king, yet he had been betrayed and slain by one of his own blood, ending the last chance for Britain, allowing the Saxons to conquer and drive out the Britons for their own ends. The Bretons had fled to Meryasek, Kernow and Cymru, but even these last bastions had come under threat. The kingdom of Kernow was shattered by infighting, Cymru was divided as it had always been, and Meryasek had fallen under the heel of the Franks. To the young Arthueu, this fortress was a way for him to imagine greater times for his people. A time when all Britons were kings, free and powerful. A time when Britain was untarnished by invaders. A time…
The sunlight was captured by the sharp edge of the blade, blinding Arthueu’s sight. The engraved, golden hilt was somehow unblemished by dust despite being untouched by human hand in eons. The blade, however, was most noticeable for its position, thrust into an anvil atop a great stone. On this anvil was inscribed three crowns in a party triangle, all of them glimmering with polished gold. Whilst he marvelled at this apparition, Arthueu’s feet, as if controlled by a greater force, began to propel him towards it. Without intelligent thought, the young boy scaled the stone and wrapped his hands around the hilt. Even though the sword should had been near impossible for a child so young to pick up, even if it were not locked immovably in metal and stone, it slid with ease in the boy’s hands. The majesty of such a blade blinded him with awe until he realised he was no longer alone, but joined by a strange, beautiful woman.
“Hail, young hero. I am Nimue, Chief lady of the lake and guardian of Arthur in his long sleep. I awake from my long slumber too, for the time comes soon for the king to awake. But the evil that lies over this land cannot allow him to rise from his slumber until it is expelled. You must be his vanguard, his steward, his knight! You shall go to Tintagel to raise an army in the Sleeping King’s name. From there you must go to Camelot and establish it as a bastion. You must rally the Britons and, with them, free this island for the invaders. Awake, young knight, and fulfil your destiny!”
…The sunlight had long since fled from the sky. Father would wonder where Arthueu had gone to – he hadn’t revealed his favourite hideaway to anyone. A beating would undoubtedly be in store for him for dodging his day on the farm. Looking around, Arthueu was disappointed to see the rusted stone anvil atop the cracked rock, its crowns long since chiselled off. With no sword in sight, he propped up his elbow to push himself up before wincing in pain at the hard metal he pressed his arm on. Amazed, he turned about to find the sword of his dream, lying underneath a tabard too large for him. The three crowns in a party triangle atop the blue background called out to him as if from a distant memory, raising in him a sense of grief for the-
“ARTHUEU!”
His father’s voice snapped him out of his trance. Quickly wrapping the sword in the tabard and hiding it under a fallen branch, he ran off to face his father’s wrath.
23rd December 792
“Friends, Countrymen, Britons! All of you here, each and every one of you, will be honoured in our tales to come. Valiant heroes all, we have been selected to prepare the way for the coming king! To save this land so that he may safeguard it from all who would undo us. From here, Tintagel, his land of birth, we shall march forth and reunite Cornwall from its quarrelling kings. And then, onto Camelot!”
The band of farmers, peasants, veterans and bandits all had suffered from the disunity of Cornwall since it was split asunder. They had lost sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers and wives in the violence and conflict. They all longed for unity, although none of them envisioned the same unity of their leader, a union of Britain was beyond their dreams or comprehension. Even Camelot was a vague idea to them, but, as those made desperate by suffering do, they had found a leader and believed he would deliver them to greener pastures. Their leader, wearing his strange tabard and wielding a fine steel sword, had given them hope with his utter conviction and determination.
23rd January 792
The war, or at least the path to Camelot, had been won. Arthueu, having taken the surname du Bedwyr after Arthur’s loyal servant, had began with a stroke of surprise, uniting the petty kingdom of Cornwall through the capture of its two leaders and forcing their surrender. The warband, reinforced by new volunteers and castle-forged weaponry, marched through Somerset before setting off north towards Gwent towards the fabled Camelot that Arthueu spoke of. They struck first at Caerwent, with many dying to take the walls before the castle and its valuable stocks of weapons and gold fell into the bands’ hands. After this victory, they reassembled the fleet before sailing west again and sailing up the River Usk to Caerleon. But, halted by the river guard at Newport, they stormed the city and added it to their realm, even slaying the mayor when he defied their authority. With no other opposition, the sun of the 23rd dawned on a new west country. The new country, the Republic of Cornwall, vowed to restore the rule of the Britons and to drive out all invaders. Undoubtedly, it would be unpopular with its neighbours, not only the Saxons for its goal, but all of them for its peculiar government and the low origins of its Mayor. The new nation was destined to upset the balance of Britain and to, perhaps, create a new chance for the Britons.
Hi everyone, I’m Sancronis, a new player to sign up for No Crowns. Although I read Song, I never took part as I caught onto it quite late, but I’m rather excited for joining the new megacampaign. I’ve played a lot of paradox multiplayer but haven’t taken part in a megacampaign before, although am certainly excited for it. I'm playing a merchant republic in western Britain with the goal of pushing out the Saxons and restoring Celtic rule as well as bringing prosperity to the island. As a late-joining player, there's been no gameplay, but to give an explanation for a new nation popping up, I've decided to write Arthueu a background post. In terms of my goal for this, they’d be as follows:
CK2:
Liberate Prydain from Saxon oppression and return it to the celts (No non-Celts in Britain at the end of the game).
End the game with either maximum ruler or maximum council power.
Dominate trade in at least two seas (Baltic, North or Med).
Keep non-celts off of Britain.
EU4:
Get the most income in the world.
Have a highly developed Britain.
Either go full absolutism or no absolutism and all the constitutional government reforms.
Keep non-celts off of Britain.
Vicky:
Income.
Industry.
No non-celts
HOI4
Defend my Ideology
Non non-celts allowed on Britain
Stellaris:
Will have to be decided at the time. But most likely something to do with no non-celts.
Naturally will be adapted as things happen, but nonetheless look forward to this campaign and seeing what comes out of it.
So... I guess we know what kind of king you're going to be.
Welcome. Nice narrative intro there. Obviously drawing on Arthur, but also some more generally Welsh mythology - Annwn, Arawn? Or is that just picking some historical-ish names?
So... I guess we know what kind of king you're going to be.
Welcome. Nice narrative intro there. Obviously drawing on Arthur, but also some more generally Welsh mythology - Annwn, Arawn? Or is that just picking some historical-ish names?
Actually, I kind of just used the original names of the mayor/count of newport/gwent who I was usurping for Aneurin and Arthrwys whereas Arthueu was randomly selected in ck2 (I went through a lot of random names until getting on that sounded like Arthur). The surname is a combination of du Lac and Bedwyr (Welsh for Bedivere) and decided to use Welsh names for places rather than English. . Yes, yes, I was influenced by Arawn and the tide of blood that Arthueu would spill to grant him that name.
In truth, I based the whole lot off of Arthurian mythology for the Bretonic republic, although might try to have a look at Welsh mythology and whatnot now as that sounds like it would be cool to incorporate. Thank you for your feedback though, it's appreciated .
So remember how I said that I would try and not get utterly destroyed this campaign like I did last time? Well about that...
(Mama Mia this is a bad)
Turns out having a super-aggressive neighbor with a craving for all things pasta can lead to some bad things, like getting destroyed in wars. Not to mention the fact that I have only two males in my entire family and my son cant seem to pump out a boy. My current ruler is also fat, so I wish him the best when courting the ladies.
But enough about how I suck at Crusader Kings, lets look at the positives! Alliances were secured with my Italiano brothers in the south with pledges of protection and land assistance. Venetia's markets expanded all the way to Antioch and Constantinople, collecting in sweet-sweet silk monies. However, if you have too much of a good thing, other people start getting jealous, and when they realize that they have way more troops then you cause they got lucky and were granted a ton of land by the AI... well the swords and axes come out...
Fimconte your ruler looks like he could chop off a few limbs and heads without showing any expression on his face and has done this several times in the past. But I digress. The Occitan pricks merchants have been ruthlessly expanding their trade networks into the middle east, hurting sweet little Tuscany and Venice in the process! We have done nothing wrong except maybe shipped some bad pasta but we hanged the man who made it bad so its all good!
Also in an insane twist of fate, Charlemagne got a little too zealous and charged right into Germanic lines thinking God would protect him! Turns out the "God Protects" doesn't apply to Germanic swords, and our dear Emperor died in random combat! As such, his son who was naught but a day old upon inheritance, would end up being the first Holy Roman Emperor, and he rewarded Venice for its financial support in the wars by making them Imperial Electors! That means we can now get tons of bribe money to help influence Imperial Elections! VIVA LA ITALIA!
Except the Occitans are also electors... oh boy...
So its all fun times ahead for Venice! Will my son have a son? Will my ruler get off his fat rear and pump out another boy? Will the Occitans be the doom of Venice? Will Naxhi get strangled for his commentary in his AAR? Find out next time in the week 3 update!
Well, this session was a huge tease. A really really huge tease. The session actually went quite well though, I took over the eastern dutchies of the Swiss mountains without too much issue. I didn't quite actually realize that the border war CB counts as an 'unjust war' (tells you how long its been since I played a Christian nation) so I was three wars in (and -30) to my vassal relations before I realized what was going on and promptly stopped doing that. Still, that was enough to get me one full dutchy and half of the other (it is rather annoying that they are two province dutchies just to keep you from pushing dejure claims on them.)
That was when I learned about the other miraculous new ability of Catholics at least, you can buy claims through good relations with the pope. What fresh insanity is this? Still to say the least this proved to be very very useful as most of the counts in my area were either children, or women. Thanks to the pope I managed to get another four claims, which let me finish off the eastern dutchies, and grab most of Savoy. Which then more or less turned my game into a waiting game for treaties to cool down with the super duke of Burgundy, and the HRE to actually get formed. Which did happen within the last hour of the session (delayed due to the multiple deaths of Charlie.)
Which then caused the 'tease.' Namely, I ended up needing 500 gold and 3000 prestige. Which I neaaaaaaaaaarly got. By the end of the session my coffers and prestige looked like this
2991 Prestige, 9 off from forming the Kingdom of Switzerland when the time ended last session. This is more or less the equivalent of a month and a few days of prestige. So if we had been on speed 2 for even a minute or so longer, I'd have made it. Still as you can see from the direct rule mapmode. I'm looking pretty good, I actually have pretty nice borders and the like. Though I have a few more planned conquests next session that might mess up the look.
According to Dragoon, we're likely to be looking at the 'ask for claim' option to the pope getting nerfed sometime soon. If it has been nerfed that'll slow me down a bit. I really wish I was better at the general claims game, because I really can't seem to get anything useful out of my Chancellor, even if he's got a 20% chance or so of getting a claim yearly it just doesn't seem to happen.
Also, meet the (hopeful) protagonist of a hopefully long and fruitful series of polandballs going into the future. OVIB Swissball
First session started out terribly, I didn't get any bonus land from karloman handing out vassals/ducal titles, and he rejected my ask for land after I got him to 100 opinion. Afterwards the 'hand of history’ Dragoon took over as Charlie I really got to play around.
Before the session we were given a roadmap of what the hand of history would do, one of those things (besides form the HRE) was to distribute lands to anyone but the players to avoid favoritism. What this meant in practical terms was the creation of several AI super dukes. Most players were annoyed at this development, but they only held one ducal title.
I was prepared for this situation, and had previously built my character to be the best brown noser to the pope I could. I also got the assistance of players nearby to help murder the mega Milan until I could get the pope to agree to a claim to his infant son.
During this war Charlie was attacking the Saxons and made the proclamation that the people who assist Charlie in uniting the HRE would be given consideration when electors are handed out. I was in the middle of my own war, so troops were out of the question, so I sent 500 gold his way. Saxons lose, Milan loses. Italians increasingly concerned with how fast I'm spreading into Italy.
Then Charlie dies fighting widukind, splitting his kingdom in three. I murder one king so he inherits back Burgundy, and I'm finally at peace long enough to send troops to help him fight the Merovingian that somehow became king of Austrasia. Dragoon is now has all the lands he needs, but is a kid, so we have to wait for him to grow up I continue my expansion into Italy, taking Genoa and iveria from ai. Friuli from an increasingly concerned Venice.
HRE forms, Pepin dies of cancer three years later and we are officially unleashed. I form the kingdoms of Italy and Germany. There is also a whole bunch of confusion about electors and how that will work we have an AI Emperor and then an accidental player Emperor (which does not count for score purposes) that's basically where I end up at the end of the session. A special election during the week was held on discord to let the actual electors choose who should be the first real emperor and I have been elected as the first legally ordained Holy Roman Emperor to try and hold it all together.
Already there's been a spat of player wars besides my couple run ins with Venice. The Saxons have devoured one of their own and the second is abandoning his slot for greener pastures. Normandy has gameovered the Brittany player. Holland and Köln have been trading land back and forth. Finally the four Mediterranean merchant republics have been having trade wars over the most valuable trade posts in the middle East. Tensions are high basically all over the Empire, We'll see how that works out.
The First Session of the Game has Finished and already the sounds of laughter from hungry gods echo across the heavens. Four Players have Been Eliminated, We have had our first Emperor and now new Powers seek to Rise in Spain and Britain respectively.
Golle Attempted to Form the Kingdom of Brittany was Struck down in his Prime by duke of Tazzo in Normandy, Defeated but undeterred he Will be returning for the Spanish Reconquest.
Tazzo consolidated the Duchies of Anjoi and Normandy, Carving out a Small and respectable demense in Northwestern Franica. Because of this, Peppin the Hunchback saw fit to name him Elector of the French.
Historydude spent the majority of the session reunifying the duchy of Flanders before the sudden death of peppin the Hunchback thrust the Reichskrone onto his head. Though ultimately the emperorship would amount to little as the Electors conspired to steal it away to give to their own number and name him false.
King of Men found both success and failure this session, Success in the unification of Brabant and Holland, two powerful duchies along the Rhine, though failure came when a war with the Duchy of Trier turned long as the Dutch militias of Holland ran out of steam and a stalemate in Austrasia set in.
Mikesc found himself attacked by King of Men for much of his territory, but through a tactical alliance with Peppin of Franche-comte found the reinforcements to send the dutch back north into thier swamps and out of German territory.
Mark discovered the secret of time travel, through killing Charlemagne in his bedroom in a dishonorable duel a paradox was formed and the timeline was set back as if nothing had happened. Only for Charlie to then die in battle against Hagbard. Thus the Thread of the Prophecy has been severed and the weave of fate cannot be healed. Now we must persist in the doomed world he has created. Though Mark would not live to see the darkness, as shortly after killing Hadogei he found his own death at the Hands of Hagbard.
Hagbard, comrade in arms with Mark and Rival at the same time consolidated much of Saxony after Charlemagnes Conquest. Despite killing Charlemagne in single combat the Franks would not be deterred and Saxony was subdued under the Holy Roman Empire. Still the Saxons survive and Thrive, unifying under Hagbard's heavy hand as the Corpses of Mark and Hadogei grow cold.
Hadogei, having the misfortune to land in the far corner of Saxony and surrounded by enemies found death at the combined hands of Mark and Hagbard. Though hope yet remains for an exile has escaped to Ireland where hopefully the Goldschilds can find thier second chance.
The Professor Found himself unable to expand and subdued under the growing Swabian Electorate, Though Loyalty to a master sometimes has its own rewards, Uplifted from the brink by the Swabian turned King of Germany, KhanXLT, The Duchy of Francia is alive and controls the Northern Rhineland up to saxony.
Khanxlt having proven himself a Friend to the Pope used the protection of the Holy Roman Empire to expand at unprecedented rate amongst his peers. So much so that he was able to reform the Kingdoms of both Germany and italy and Later using his immense influence and, large, tracks of land to become the first Elected Holy Roman Emperor. Pay no mind about that Flanders character, No No, Germany is Clearly the Emperor.
Limah, the duke of Aquitaine is a Dragon, Not much else to say. Though since the arrival of the strange dragon duke of Aquitaine, random women throughout europe have been laying eggs...
Fimcomte spent much of his time fighting other merchant republics for glory and profit, and expanding in Southern France. Though how the Republic of Toulouse makes money is quite a bit of a mystery as is all the eldrict whispering coming from provence.
Ursul the Italian Prince spent much of his session at peace, obtaining the counties of verona and mantua and not amounting to much else. Considering the violence that has dominated the Italian peninsula of late, A boring session ultimately may be a good thing.
Ranger, far from world affairs up in his mountains is consolidating the Western Alps under his dynasty. Not grand by any means but sensible and powerful up in the mountains.
The Medici of Florence under Control of Sauron have done decently for themselves, with control over central italy and the profiting beginning to come in they are by no means the most powerful merchant republic, but they have become one of note. Of course No true republic is complete without a King Title to match.
In Venice the Traders of Nahxi and Yami have had a bad run of things, attacked by Feudals and Merchant Republics alike the endless streams of profit have seemed to be slowed. However the Serene Republic retains control of her island fortress and in that lies safety, at least for the moment.
James similarly found bad luck In the Duchy of Latium as the Holy Father had decided it best not to allow a duke under his personal dominion and saw to it that his lands were diced and served with a side of Roman Vintage. James however has survived the death of Latium and has gone to pursue the strengthening of the Catholic Faith, From Aragon in Spain.
Clonefusion arrived late to the Merchant Republic Party and as a result didnt do much as Sardinia besides unifying his Island. Though he didn't completly unify the Island as Toulouse Stole a County from him to try and unlock the mysteries of Italian Culture. Sadly the Mysteries of Italian culture are not so easily obtained and perhaps the County will be returned to its rightful Owner,.
And last, Dragoon9105 Channeled the Might of the Hand of History to Guide Charlemagne in his historical conquests and consolidation of Greater Francia, Except that didn't actually happen becuase Charlemagne Died, Twice. It would be his son, Peppy the Hunchback to Form the Holy Roman Empire after dealing with a brief merovingian uprising in Austrasia. Peppy himself would die and with Pepin died the House of Karling, lost to History. Though the Legacy of Pepin the Hunchback Lives on in his Empire, The United and Powerful, Holy, Roman, Empire.
