The Great Pillar: Deeds of the Saxon

[Nikolai]

Oops. Perhaps best to convert.

 

[Bullfilter]

Here comes the rain again ...

You can check out the kind of tribe you are on your info screen, and among the list of characteristics and options it should say which, if any, of the tribal armies you can raise and under what conditions. Basically, as Germanic pagan, you need lots of prestige (500 per army) and you have to use or lose them. As others have mentioned, defensive pagans can use piety for raising defensive hosts.

So, if considering a tribal target, you have (after working out which type they are) to check prestige and/or piety as well as gold (for mercenaries) to see what they might muster against you after you declare war. And allies, of course.

For your own purposes, it should be in the intrigue decisions, but may be greyed out if you don’t have the prestige for an ‘offensive’ horde, or other conditions aren’t satisfied.

 

[coz1]

Fb-fb:

Oops. Perhaps best to convert.

We shall see...read on.

Here comes the rain again ...

You can check out the kind of tribe you are on your info screen, and among the list of characteristics and options it should say which, if any, of the tribal armies you can raise and under what conditions. Basically, as Germanic pagan, you need lots of prestige (500 per army) and you have to use or lose them. As others have mentioned, defensive pagans can use piety for raising defensive hosts.

So, if considering a tribal target, you have (after working out which type they are) to check prestige and/or piety as well as gold (for mercenaries) to see what they might muster against you after you declare war. And allies, of course.

For your own purposes, it should be in the intrigue decisions, but may be greyed out if you don’t have the prestige for an ‘offensive’ horde, or other conditions aren’t satisfied.

I will look again. I'm still not seeing it but it may be as said...I don't have too much prestige it being so early in game. Certainly something I need to discover, but that said - read on as I make it work (at least for now) and hope remains.


To all - I figured to go ahead and follow up after the tease in my last fb-fb post. The Franks finally arrive and it is...interesting. Do I survive? I still don't know but it was different than how I thought it might be.

I wrote it a little differently because so much happened. I could not work out a good narrative framework for it and it remains in the middle, so I hope it works. With 1400 years of history, I am certain to do it again.

 

[coz1]

​

December 776​

When it came, it came quickly. The Seer Theodoric saw it already and warned High Chief Lothar and so when word arrived that the King in the south, Karl of the Franks, had declared against the Saxons, Lothar was ready. The tribe was gathered and moved to Hastfala to consult with the Grand Chief. Nearly twelve hundred brave warriors then moved north to Ostfriesland to lay siege on the most recent Frankish acquisition. It would take until the season warmed to finally witness the enemy as they gathered but once they did, over three thousand moved into Saxony and the moment seemed dire.

Every chief rallied to the cause and Grand Chief Theoderic himself gathered just as many men to his side before moving to Gelre. It was a war of avoiding the enemy which might seem dishonorable for such proud warriors, but every man of the tribe knew that the only way to win against such a larger foe was to hold out long enough and take what you could without losing the host. By June of 772, this was proving successful. At least until a new figure entered the scene.

Brennaburg…

​

High Chief Milyduch of the Brennaburg tribe took his chance and attacked in an attempt to subjugate the Saxons while they were defending against King Karl and suddenly the situation changed. Crossing the Elbe river, the Brennaburg soon opened another front of the war and now there were another two thousand enemy warriors to fight. Yet the Gods did smile on Lothar. Norden in Ostfriesland fell to him in July of 772 even as the armies of Karl took land to the south.

There was cause for concern, however. Sigbert suggested again that the Grand Chief did not have the true warrior spirit and it was true that Theoderic did not appear to have a full plan for victory. Yet the Saxons gathered around him still and Lothar himself sent on the girl Suanhilde to be his concubine. It pleased his wife Margarete and it clearly pleased the Gods. This was seen when Lothar found victory for the first time against the Franks. When smaller bands of the enemy began to harass the Lara tribe, the High Chief moved south once more and defeated a small army of King Karl. It was only a hundred men, but it was pleasing nonetheless. Lothar would find injury in the battle, but his ferocity and bravery proved to his men that he was a warrior and they found pride.

Nijmegen would fall to Grand Chief Theoderic in August as Lothar moved north again, but then message came from Amelung of the Petherga. Attempts to sway the son of Billung had been less than fruitful, but in this at least, the two chiefs were in agreement. To defeat the two enemies, the tribes of Saxony must hold together and this they did. Moving east, Lothar tracked the river Elbe as the Grand Chief moved from Hastfala and in November of 772, battle was finally met with the Brennaburg.

​

The entirety of the Saxon tribes came together and when it was done, over six hundred of the Brennaburg were killed and the rest ran from the field of battle in defeat. There was no time to celebrate, however. The Dreini tribe had been fully subjugated by the armies of Karl and another thousand Franks were harassing the lands north of them. Lothar wished to take their combined force and meet the Franks head on, but Theoderic said no. The Franks were losing as much to attrition as they might from battle and whether it was craven or smart, it was decided to continue avoiding the enemy.

Lothar’s tribesmen followed the Grand Chief as they moved to the Dreini and by April of 773, it was back in Saxon hands even as the Leriga began to fall to the Franks. Worse still, the Brennaburg had returned. A moot held by the chiefs turned sour when Lothar became angered by Theoderic. Franks moved without enemy throughout Saxony and the Brennaburg had moved to the seat of Saxony itself. High Chief Lothar decided that he would fight his own war if Theoderic would not and so moved north once again to Ostfriesland.

There he spent the autumn at siege. News was not promising. The tribe was discouraged and the spoils of war were not forthcoming. Worse still, word came from the south that this King Karl had taken his brother’s land in Middle Francia. The moment seemed dire and after a year of war already, few real gains had been made.

​

But then things changed. Aurich would fall to Lothar in September and Grand Chief Theoderic found his courage and would defeat the Brennaburg in October of 773. The war in the north over Slesvig finally came to an end and High Chief Hesso of the Albingia was finally able to devote his full energies to the struggle against the Franks. Even as lands fell to King Karl, they were as reluctant to face the Saxons as Theoderic was to face them. In fact, as the snows fell the Franks retreated to Francia and the tribes used that time to retake their lands. Back and forth it had gone and after nearly two years, there seemed little changed but the war torn countryside.

And even though peace was finally forced to the Brennaburg in 774 after Lothar’s daring raid on Lenzen, a new actor joined the scene. As one pagan tribe left the field of battle, another entered in the form of Pommeranians. Theoderic would deal them a quick defeat but it was yet another enemy to contend with. The year was filled with many highs and many lows. Borkun in Ostfriesland would fall to Lothar and then he would hear that his wife was ill.

​

Lothar did not have the chance to return home to her and she would die in 775 having said her farewell over two years prior. Even with wins as the siege at Groningen found success and King Karl dealt with peasant revolts, this latest turn was harsh. There was no great love in the marriage, but the High Chief began to wonder if yet again the Gods did not smile upon him. The Franks controlled no land within Saxony by this date and the Saxons had taken ground in Gelre and Ostfriesland but all knew that this war was not nearly over.

When in March of 775, Stavoren fell to Lothar, Grand Chief Theoderic officially named him as a commander of the tribe but it was no solace. Even as the Pommeranians found another defeat, there remained the Franks back to take the Dreini once again and his wife was dead. Who cared for his son? When would this war end? How could the Gods smile upon him without victory? Worse still, the Grand Chief finally took battle to the Franks in Essen and lost...badly.

More terrible was when Lothar moved to meet the Pommeranians at Weligrad and he too lost. It was a shameful defeat and made worse when soon after, peace was made with them. A useless battle and too much harm to his tribe. Since the start of the war against King Karl of Francia, this was Lothar’s lowest moment. He returned home and disbanded his warriors to go back to their families and find rest.

​

For two months he sat and stewed. Even as Grand Chief Theoderic kept at the fight and took more ground from the Franks, Lothar did not move. Finally, as the year 776 began, he finally raised his tribe once more. Could he be blessed by the Gods? Could the Saxons? The Franks had returned to the Dreini and were now harassing Amelung and the Patherga tribe but as Lothar moved north to siege at Dokkum, Grand Chief Theoderic found his courage once more and finally took the battle to the Franks. Whether it was because it was so close to the sacred Irminsul or that he had seen enough, a great victory was found. First to Patherga and then in Essen, the Franks were suddenly on the run. Dokkum would fall to Lothar and then Zutphen in November of 776.

After four years of war, much had changed but the struggle remained. Franks continued to harass but they were greatly weakened. A large area along the sea to the north was controlled by the Saxon tribes. Grand Chief Theoderic had moved as far as the Rhine river and Lothar was not far behind. Was it possible that the Gods smiled and would allow them to win this war? Could it be that his tribe would find victory against the greater arms of Francia? As the snows fell, Lothar began to feel strong knowing well that the war was far from over. Four years and two foes already defeated. Was it possible that another might see the same? Saxony remained proud and their fierce warriors even more so. There was no fear but there was still not too much confidence. It could change at a moment’s notice but for now...they were the champions.

​

* * *​

Author's Notes:

After four years of war with Karl, I am rather proud of surviving. Will it last? I am a little surprised that he has not come right after me instead preferring siege warfare. I took note of that and have tried to do the same. Some battles have been won but by and large, my force is still not strong enough to go face to face. I figured if I could just survive, I might have a chance. So far, so good.

Attrition is my friend.

 

[stnylan]

Well, the Saxons are certainly giving a good account for themselves in these challenging times. I wonder if various revolts and stuff have depleted Frankish levies.

 

[Specialist290]

A bittersweet chapter. The Saxons are certainly holding their own now, and much of that is due to Lothar's own hard work -- but the war has cost much, both for the Saxons generally and Lothar personally.

 

[Idhrendur]

This kind of warfare is the way to do it. I think. I've not dared to try as the Saxons.

 

[Nikolai]

Holding out this long is an accomplishment in itself.

 

[Bullfilter]

Guerilla warfare sounds the wisest course. Apart from overall numbers, I’m thinking the Franks will also be better armed.

 

[coz1]

Fb-fb:

Well, the Saxons are certainly giving a good account for themselves in these challenging times. I wonder if various revolts and stuff have depleted Frankish levies.

Truth be told, I was a little surprised at the lack of numbers heading up from Francia, especially after Karl took Karlomen's lands. Don't know what happened there but the situation looked even more dire for a minute.

A bittersweet chapter. The Saxons are certainly holding their own now, and much of that is due to Lothar's own hard work -- but the war has cost much, both for the Saxons generally and Lothar personally.

As satisfying as it has been to hold out, there was indeed much frustration. The death of Lothar's wife, to be sure, but also the constant siege warfare. It works in my favor but even there, I cannot get Theoderic to stay with me. For long stretches, I just kept following him along as he aimlessly moved from place to place. It worked against Brennaburg but eventually I said screw it and went back to my own thing up north.

This kind of warfare is the way to do it. I think. I've not dared to try as the Saxons.

At first, I used avoidance as a tactic to not get killed outright. If they were not going to come right after me, then keep at it. And then attrition starting taking its toll on the Franks. Half their numbers were gone in a few years and I have none of it. Alone, I could not face Karl's armies (and he is not even leading them) so I had to come up with something else.

Holding out this long is an accomplishment in itself.

I agree! I doubt it will be the last time, but this has been more than satisfying not being destroyed within the first 10 years of the game.

Guerilla warfare sounds the wisest course. Apart from overall numbers, I’m thinking the Franks will also be better armed.

That's probably true as well. Numbers wise (if all together) we have been able to show the same strength but surely they are better equipped. Avoiding battle has allowed me to keep my numbers and apparently Theoderic thinks the same even if I can't keep him close.


To all - I don't mind saying that the other pagans jumping on me during this was annoying. Don't they realize that if Karl wins, he's coming after them next? The AI. There is a paraphrase of an H.L. Mencken quote in there somewhere...or perhaps P.T. Barnum.

I did finish the war and will get that out soon. I will not be moving that fast with this AAR but this war was a rather large event and I feel the need to make it complete. Thanks for reading and giving comment. Still cannot find "the host" mentioned but seems like I did not need it this go round. I am certain that I will.

 

[coz1]

​

January 778​

Over five years of struggle. Was it true? Countless good warriors had found their glory and these so called followers of Christ could not win. The old tales told of fights against the ancient Romans and this seemed as important than that. Great tribes standing against the powers of the world and holding their own...making their name...proving their worth to the Gods. It did not come without sacrifice. Lothar had lost his wife. Even a small part of himself at the Battle of Dreini. Bravery and pride made him do it, but as he recalled the empty faces of the men he slayed...it stayed with him. It would gain him good entry in the afterlife but in the now...it was only harsh reality.

Worse still was that Theoderic wished to lay claim to the victory and said to all how he bested the enemy at personal duel. Lothar was there when it happened. The Grand Chief had done poorly and it was Lothar that rescued him. Such was the way of the tribe and he accepted it with begrudging irritation. It was a small thing compared to the other. The greatest Kingdom known to man since the days of Rome had come to call and went away with nothing.

​

Long hours and many days had come and gone. Small victories and some large...losses that still stung. As High Chief Lothar moved back to his tribe, he was greeted with great cheers and hailed as a hero. He was not alone. Grand Chief Theoderic was given great honor as he returned to his home, whether he deserved it or no. Amelung of the Patherga was called by many as ‘the Wall’ such was his proven prowess on the field of battle. Many gifts had come to Lothar as Chief in thanks for his bravery and strength. Five long years and it felt good.

Yet the Gods did take their toll. Margarete dead. The mother of Lothar’s son never had chance to spy Lothar’s face when she died. More to that, other Chiefs found their glory and did not return to their families. Unwan of the Westphalia was struck down in battle in 775. He left a young son Bernard to lead. Only eight summers and more than wet behind the ear...this did not bode well for their future. And Lothar himself still nursed a wound from early in the war. But this was no time for consideration of loss. They had gain and they did celebrate.

Celebrate they did for nearly two moons. Each night the fires were lit and the long hall filled with proud warriors and their women. Mead was plentiful and this night it flowed freely. The girl seemed scared as did her brother beside her, but the rest paid it no mind. Their High Chief would see a new bride and Lothar stood forward and grabbed her arm as if a trophy.

“Unwan would not see it for he rests with the Gods!” Lothar shouted for all to hear and held to the young girl’s arm, “And he was dishonorable! He should not have tried to take what was not his. Now...I take what is mine! Bernard of the Westphalia...you bring your sister here. Do you give her to me freely?”

Her name was Gisela and she was already pretty at seven summers. Bernard was only her senior by a year but the hulking forms of the High Chief’s hirdman stood around him and he could do no thing but nod.

Lothar smiled, “Then we shall take her on and call her bride! She will grow here with us and she will bear me more children!”

​

The High Chief’s own son was still too young to join the party, but his men cheered. Sigbert stood close and Wlencing clapped a heavy hand to the young Chief of the Westphalia tribe. The Seer Theodoric stayed aloof in the corner but Wecta smiled with the rest. Just five years before, they thought their entire lives would be torn asunder. Now, the Chief lived and would marry again. The Gods smiled on them all.

Then Luder of the Lara tribe entered the long hall and shouted for all to hear, “Lothar of Angria...I come with good news!”

“You took your time, Luder!” Lothar let go of the girl and stepped to him in good cheer, “Frightened of the great battle?”

Luder smiled, “Your exploits follow you, great chief! I have been to Lenzen since your daring raid and come to tell you that you have your claim! The Brennaburg were dishonorable and all do know it! Take your seax to them if you wish for they are yours if you want it!”

More shouts filled the long hall and caused Lothar to hold up his hands, “The Gods give us great fortune! Yet we have been to battle for so long. I wish to wed the girl...see more children. We are not yet done with these men of the south...these Franks. I will take battle to the Brennaburg for they deserve it. Yet for now...I will rest and find your company. We did not do this alone, yet we did defeat the enemy larger than any we have yet faced. You all have showed to the Gods honor...you have showed your pride and bravery. Let them come for us and we shall show them again!!”

* * *​

Author's Notes:

I split up these last two scenes because I thought the war would take longer. Turns out...not so much. I kept taking sieges as did the Grand Chief and eventually we got to 100% war score. Marburg was the last thing to fall to me in November of 777 and then it was over. I beat Charlemagne!

Some other few bits - gained the claim on Lenzen and am thinking of using it. Still a bit leery of the war dynamic, however. Pros and cons?

And I had a bit of trouble finding a suitable new wife. Gisela was the best I could come up with. Ones I wanted were not available in the interface and though I will have to wait as she is 7, I still have the son.

EDIT - An added question: I am assuming that peace treaties don't work the same way between Christians and Pagans. So how soon should I expect Karl to come again?

 

[stnylan]

Well that is a fine victory, even if Theodoric naturally steals the credit. A trial any vassal or lower chief must learn to bear, and a grudge to be remembered should the opportunity ever present itself to amend the comparative social ranks

 

[Nikolai]

That's....a young wife .

 

[Bullfilter]

Had you thought of seeking a concubine in the meantime from another suitable Germanic realm? Nine years is a long time to be waiting.

 

[Idhrendur]

I was also going to suggest concubines.

And you know of the truce icons, right? If you click on any of Karl's directly owned counties, in the province view there will be a series of icons. Look for your shield and hover over it. A tooltip should detail the treaty.

 

[coz1]

Fb-fb:

Well that is a fine victory, even if Theodoric naturally steals the credit. A trial any vassal or lower chief must learn to bear, and a grudge to be remembered should the opportunity ever present itself to amend the comparative social ranks

To an extent, the Grand Chief deserves the credit as it was really his war and not mine but I doubt that it is won without Lothar's help. I am "gilding the lily" a bit in how I portray it with Lothar but it sounds more realistic.

That's....a young wife .

Indeed she is, though perhaps not entirely out of the question for the time. Frankly, being pagan, I am surprised that I have to wait until she is 16.

Had you thought of seeking a concubine in the meantime from another suitable Germanic realm? Nine years is a long time to be waiting.

I did not think of it though it did come to me in the next play session. At least someone to keep the Chief's bed warm.

I was also going to suggest concubines.

And you know of the truce icons, right? If you click on any of Karl's directly owned counties, in the province view there will be a series of icons. Look for your shield and hover over it. A tooltip should detail the treaty.

I discovered that soon after, yes. Looks like peace until 787 or so. At least with Karl. A little surprised at that as well given our different customs (not that I am complaining - I will take the respite.)


To all - Was able to get a bit more play time in after this update with more interesting results. I hope to get that written up soon. I want to go slower with this AAR and only posted so quickly with the above because it was rather monumental. Thanks for the comments and reading along, and especially for the helpful hints. It remains very new to me, this version of the game, and I certainly need it.

 

[guillec87]

Saxons surviving should reclaim all of the Germanic lands!

 

[coz1]

Saxons surviving should reclaim all of the Germanic lands!

I will try but surviving is the name of the game. Must do one before the other.

 

[coz1]

​

January 782​

“I curse you, Theoderic. You should not be known as the Lame for you are worse. You should be named Traitor!”

The words fell on deaf ears for there was no one there to hear him. Except maybe the cat. That damned cat. Freedom to come and go as it pleased while Lothar was forced to this rotted dungeon. At least the feline was a ratter. Small blessing in what was utter defeat. How had it come to this? A short few cycles of the seasons after winning against the fabled Karl of Francia to this? The blame must be put to Grand Chief Theoderic.

Lothar brought his hand up to scratch at the scar along the right side of his face. A reminder of those heady days when all seemed well. With Saxon pride at an all time high, many other tribes came to pay tribute and give thanks for what they had accomplished. Even the High Chief of Bohemia traveled the distance and while both were to a great feast in the long hall of Theoderic, Lothar and this Bohemian pledged the marriage of their children...Lother’s son Udo to the chief’s daughter named Viola. Udo was now a boy of eleven summers and she a girl of eight. It was a testament to how revered the Saxon name had become.

A grand hunt in the autumn followed and though it saw a great wounding, it was still glorious. Lothar had seen a hart with at least ten points and told all that he would see it for himself. He might have too if his mount had not stumbled and thrown the High Chief far. The beast found a broken leg and Lothar a nasty wound to his face that would linger for many months. It was a fine horse too. Shame that he had to put it out of its misery. And the wound...it would never leave him even when healed. Now it left this scar to his face. Yet it was a reminder of his bravery and told all that he was not fearful. It was a sign of pride.

And boldness too. The peace with Karl of Francia called for a treaty until seven years hence yet what was a treaty for a man that served the Gods? This King Karl served but one...Lothar served many. If he could not fight one to one, then let it be fought some other way. And so High Chief Lothar called up his hirdmen and took a raiding party to the north and put the town of Norden to siege.

​

Norden was small and defenseless and so Lothar’s men looted all across the countryside and found great fortune. Plentiful meat and some ripe women as well were had and after six moons had passed, the people of Norden too were ready to submit. It was cold...nearly as cold as it was now...but it was grand. A prince, so-called, of Frisia kept his sons there. Three of them. As his hirdmen raided the village and then the hall of the lord, they found the children huddled together. Afraid and young.

“Take them as spoils of conquest!” Lothar shouted to his men and that is what they did. The three boys were hurried away and taken back south to the tribe at Derve. Then word was sent to this prince. Would he wish one boy back? Would he wish all three? An offer for the eldest was given and finally this Prince Aldgisl of Frisia said yes. Four times the coin from their looting came as ransom in return. If one could fetch this price, then what could another? And Lothar still had two.

​

The boy Radboud was next and once more, Lothar found his coin swell. Raiding had been good to his tribe and more, good for the chief. All looked to him in awe and he could do no wrong. While he waited for his young bride to reach age enough for true marriage before the Gods, another came to him. Hildegard...she was seventeen summers and beautiful. Strong and fair at once. He would take her to bed many times and enjoyed his bounty.

And then the Gods punished him.

The cat mewed in the corner with no more rats to kill. Licking itself, it then turned with expectation on its face. Lothar tried to smile, “I’ve no cow...do you see? I’ve no milk for you.”

With a slight turn of the head as if in question, the cat went back to licking its feet. Lothar felt wetness to his right and saw a puddle of water. Cupping his hand, he pooled some small amount and held it out. The cat looked on with curiosity at first, but finally inched forward and began to lap it up.

“Easy for you,” Lothar found another smile, “Not for me, little one. I was at my fullest before I found you. Had taken my tribe and made them whole. The Derve...the Lara...they surrounded me and found their champion. They approved of my tribal organization...each time...and we were strong. One whole. And then the lame Theoderic goes for his play.”

He should have known. Fresh from victory and his new found coin, Lothar moved his hirdmen to the east planning to raid in Lenzen. That was when word came. Grand Chief Theoderic planned to subjugate the Sjælland to the north. Yet Lothar was bold and could find no harm. When Theoderic asked for the High Chief to join, Lothar was certain. Of course he would honor his position. No thing had gone wrong for him. One more tumble with Hildegard had seen her with child. And another man from the east came to pledge his loyalty and seax. Sadsrung was an odd man but strong. Strange eyes but full of the Gods warrior spirit.

Then Wecta died. Always the voice of reason. When others were too bold, Wecta was the one to question. Too wise a mind and Lothar wanted it...needed it. And then the man was gone. That should have proved an omen but Lothar was feeling too strong. He raised his warriors once more and off they went to the north to join with the Grand Chief. And it was glorious...at first. Meeting the enemy in Slesvig saw victory and the tribe moved east. Taking longboats to the Fyn tribe, the Saxon army was sure to find glory.

​

“And that they did my little feline friend,” Lothar looked down to the cat that had curled at his feet. A massive host of over four thousand Saxons met with another ruled by this King of Sjælland near Svendborg. Great battle was had and when it was done, over a thousand of the enemy lay dead. Saxon loss was seen as nearly six hundred had found their glory with the Gods, but they had defeated this King and his force.

Grand Chief Theoderic was boastful about the victory, and why not? Having already defeated the Franks in the south, who were these northerners? Two battles already and twice now, they were on the run. Lothar felt it too. A change of the seasons was all that was needed to see this as one more victory...one more bit of pride for their great tribe. How could they lose?

​

When word came to him that Hildegard had born him another son, Lothar felt even more unbeatable. Surely the Gods smiled upon him. He was named Arnd and was said to be healthy and strong. Lothar smiled to his men and claimed that it was the Gods favor that allowed it. He would acknowledge the boy for what choice did he have? If the Gods saw fit to reward him, how could he say no?

​

The Latins called it hubris and perhaps it was. Fresh from their victory at Svendborg, Lothar took his warriors back to Slesvig so they may loot and siege at their pleasure. That they did. As the summer months came on, the villages surrounding the keep were in great peril. The Saxon horde did what they did best and by June of 781, that land was held by the Grand Chief and made true by Lothar of the Angria. It should have been simple. Move as one. Let them all move south once more and find their provisions. That is what Lothar did. That is what he understood that Theoderic would do. And then he did not.

Wlencing and Sigbert had already moved south when Theoderic made claim that Lothar should remain with him. As a commander of the great Saxon army, he could not refuse. It would turn out to be a great mistake. Lothar’s hirdmen took his warriors to meet with the Albingians and then found a great northern host descend upon them. Without the strength of the full Saxon might, his men were cut down and Wlencing himself was caught as prisoner. It was the worst defeat in Lothar’s mind and made worse that he was not there to join them.

Yet Theoderic was not interested in dwelling in his lack of sight. The larger Saxon host moved back to Slesvig and there they would see battle. It would prove to be a rout. With less than three thousand men, Theoderic made claim once more to Slesvig but the northerners had more. Over four thousand found them and put them to battle and Lothar was caused to fight what he knew would be a losing effort.

In the midst of it, he thought he saw one of his own nearly cut down. Rushing to relieve the poor boy, Lothar was too late. A northern blade cut through the boy’s neck and left Lothar standing in silence as the din of noise surrounded him. He would never forget it. The look in the boy’s eye. The sweetness of his face...and then he was gone.

​

All for the glory of Theoderic.

As a brave warrior, Lothar took his charge and rushed into the melee. There was no time to think of loss. Only victory even if it was not to be had. Theoderic was lame and could not fight this enemy so who was left? Only Lothar. With fury, he caught one foe and then another until finally he was surrounded. He was ready to die at that moment and find his glory in the beyond. Holding his seax forward to take on any comer...that is when he heard it. The horn blew and suddenly the great Saxon host moved on leaving Lothar to himself. They were defeated and the enemy kept to this high chief with blades to his neck. They would not fight him. They did not need to. It was the ultimate shame. He was now their prisoner.

​

And so that is where he sat. Petting a cat that was his only friend and starving himself for he would not be treated well. Gisele’s tribe would surely see their betrothal as no thing and surely Sigbert would take up as chief. There was no thought of rescue...only release and that surely would not come. Somewhere, Wlencing was suffering this same fate and Lothar wished that his friend was by his side. Instead...all he had was the cat.

The high chief tried to find his smile as he looked down to the resting feline, “Theoderic the Traitor surely finds his way home by the now. Have you any way to catch him as you catch these rats?”

The cat merely looked up with a curious eye before curling into a ball once more. Lothar wished to do the same. From great victory to great defeat. The Gods had cursed him and none more so than his chief. It was Theoderic’s fault for he was a traitor and the Gods do not smile on those that have no glory. And right now, the only glory Lothar could find was in a sleeping cat at his feet. It was shameful.

​

* * *​

Author's Notes:

I've actually played a few years past this point and can say that Lothar survives but is "touched" by his encounter with fate. I call Theoderic traitor here because I think he was. He could have moved south with me (as I thought we were doing) but then he changed and left me to die on my own. I was not a happy man.

Earlier events were more pleasant -

- Was nice to figure out the raiding feature and that could not have worked out better. My treasury went from around 20/30 to over 100 after that!

- As mentioned by some, I did find a concubine and already that seems to paying some dividends. I've mentioned that the bastard was acknowledged, but he will not be given true place vs. Udo.

- Speaking of Udo, I thought that a pretty good marriage tie with Bohemia. We might need that.

- Alluded to above, but to make clear - I also got medium tribal organization out of this session. The imprisonment does not help that.

And then some bad -

- Alluded to at the end here, but the imprisonment of Lothar does not go well. My betrothal with Gisele is now off and Sigbert is named Regent. He can do whatever he wants and I am helpless to stop it. Do you think Theoderic comes to my aid? Don't bet on it. And I don't have enough $ to ransom myself and cannot loot to gain it while already at war. Hrmph, I says!

Finally...there is a reason for the cat.

 

[Specialist290]

Fortune's wheels turn ever and ever onward. Sometimes they let you rise high, and sometimes they drop you into the mud and run you over.

Let's just hope that Lothar's captor isn't the sort to get... creative with his prisoners.