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Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Nice logo, but what will this LP entail?
It will be a mega campaign of the Paradox games Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis IV, Victoria 2 and Hearts of Iron 4 when it is released. The start will be the Stanford bridge bookmark which sets us in medieval Europe year 1066 where most of the world is either Catholic or Muslim. The "fun" part will be that I will be playing as a norse character known as Henrik Hansen in Skåne.

There will be modifications to the game as the LP progresses and as the world takes shape. I want this alternative history to come naturally and seem natural. For instance if I form the Fylkariate I will mod it to use the HRE mechanics in EU4 or something other suitable depending on how the story goes. I will consider audience participation as the world starts to take place but I will give you no promises.

The Legacy of the what dynasty?
Alright so you've probably not heard of the super awesome Vogelius dynasty that ruled the seas, crushed their enemies and feasted to the lamentation of their women. Of course you haven't because they did no such thing. Vogelius is my dynasty that I come from and isn't founded until the... 1800 or something I believe? However Henrik of Vogelius is available during the 1066 start date as a courtier in Skåne so I will be modding him in to be count and play as him.

Oh right I probably forgot to mention, I'm the Programmer for Crusader Kings II and you might or might not know, every developer at Paradox is in Crusader Kings II as a hidden easter egg character. So I will essentially be... playin' with myself.

Throughout the LP the dynasty will be in focus and the progression of the dynasty. If the dynasty is wiped out then that is game over. For instance if my dynasty dies out in Scandinavia but is present in France I will move the game there instead, however much I hate eating snails.

Other stuff I need to say
The first five chapters were posted on the Paradoxplaza forum where there is a limit of 20 images per update, so the first five updates here will be quite short to what you are probably used to but after that I'll start with much bigger updates.

Enjoy!


Crusader Kings II, The Rising Raven 1066 - 1444
The Rising Raven Prologue
The Rising Raven Chapter I - Playing with Myself
The Rising Raven Chapter II - What goes around comes around
The Rising Raven Chapter III - I might as well just have rotten in the dungeons
The Rising Raven Chapter IV - They're back
The Rising Raven Chapter V - The Grief and the Love
The Rising Raven Chapter VI - You can only rule me trough the use of iron!
The Rising Raven Chapter VII - The Vanguard of Christianity
The Rising Raven Chapter IIX - Grim's Ragnarök
The Rising Raven Chapter IX - Never trust the Catholics
The Rising Raven Chapter X - The Laws of Succession
The Rising Raven Chapter XI - Gnupa's Reign
The Rising Raven Chapter XII - Start of Something Really Good
The Rising Raven Chapter XIII - Throne of Odin
The Rising Raven Fylkir Allthing 1201
The Rising Raven Chapter XIV - The Catholics are sour losers
The Rising Raven Chapter XV - WE SHALL NOT FALTER!
The Rising Raven Chapter XVI - The Estrid Empire
The Rising Raven Chapter XVII - Kingdom of Skåne
The Rising Raven Chapter XVIII - Holy war after holy war
The Rising Raven Chapter XIX - A head for an eye
The Rising Raven Fylkir Allthing 1242
The Rising Raven Chapter XX - Whose Gods are the strongest
The Rising Raven Chapter XXI - The Skrælings
The Rising Raven Bonus - The Accounts on the Skræling Invasion by Thorbrand af Athlone
The Rising Raven Chapter XXII - The Great Men that are forgoten
The Rising Raven Chapter XXIII - The Legacy of Milzas
The Rising Raven Chapter XXIV - Sins of our Fathers
The Rising Raven Chapter XXV - The Weak Kings Crusade
The Rising Raven Chapter XXVI - The End of the Salian Levant
The Rising Raven Fylkir Allthing 1400
The Rising Raven Chapter XXVII - Start of the new age
The Rising Raven Chapter XXIIX - Jórsalheim
The Rising Raven Chapter XXIX - The Future
The Rising Raven Epilogue

Europa Universalis IV, Forge of Empires 1444 - 1820

Workshop Mod: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=503682223
Forge of Empires Prologue
Forge of Empires Chapter I - Tribulations of the Skots
Forge of Empires Högting Assembly of 1456
Forge of Empires Chapter II - The Pomeranian Wars
Forge of Empires Högting Assembly of 1470
Forge of Empires Chapter III - The Romuvan Revival
Forge of Empires Chapter IV - Restoration of Glory Lost
Forge of Empires Högting Assembly of 1500
Forge of Empires Bonus - The Frontier Army Chronicles
Forge of Empires Chapter V - The Warrior King
Forge of Empires Chapter VI - Maarten Speirdyke
Forge of Empires Chapter VII - Start Of The Reformation
Forge of Empires Högting Assembly of 1538
Forge of Empires Chapter VIII - Power and Ducats
Forge of Empires Chapter IX - The Scanian Clergy Crusade
Forge of Empires Chapter X - The Meatgrinder of Finland
Forge of Empires Chapter XI - The Battlefield of the Butcher
Forge of Empires Chapter XII - The Defeat of the Righteous
Forge of Empires Chapter XIII - A Government Not a Crown
Forge of Empires Högting Assembly of 1575

Groogy fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Sep 24, 2016

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Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


It is the year of 1066 and the Christianization of Scandinavia is in full-spring with most of the powerful rulers already having converted to this religion of the god on the cross. Only a few remnants remained of the old faith adhering to the Aesir and Vanir gods. Our story will follow a family that goes trough these dark times trying to preserve their old customs, the Vogelius Dynasty. A young dynasty formed as Henrik Hansen of Trelleborg took the county. Being zealous in nature he claimed that Torgils Haraldsen were not fit to rule and that the dynasty Hilditönn lost their right to the land when Haraldr of Skåne converted to Catholicism.



The fact that he was alone believing this as he forced Torgils to seek sanctuary at the count of Bornholm's court of course didn't matter to Henrik. Being a cruel drunkard that doesn't care about those around him didn't make a good impression to anyone he came in contact with. His relationship with his fellow counts were strained and he wasn't very well liked at the King's court thanks to his demeanour when it came to finding the end of a wine bottle. However the Danish King Knud IV tolerated him and his heathen beliefs as he enjoyed the old heroic sagas of Denmark's pasts.



Blekinge and Halland was part of the King's personal demense while Bornholm was a proud count that had been a vassal under the king in Själland since time inmemorial like Skåne has been. Looking outwards doesn't make the Vogelius dynasty's future look much brighter. The only strong ruler of the old faith is Jarl Erik "The Heathen" af Munsö, the true king of Sweden in the eyes of Henrik. However being currently a vassal under the cross-worshipper King Stenkil of Sweden makes it much harder to find any possible support to survive the Dark ages.



May Odin give you knowledge on your path,
May Thor grant you strength and courage on your way,
And may Loki give you laughter as you go.

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011
You might wanna ask a mod to change the thread tag, 'cause this looks fairly good and might be interesting. Norse from 1066 is something I ain't done yet, does everyone now start of the different national cultures or are there still some plain "norse" ? And why pick the county of Skán?

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Deceitful Penguin posted:

You might wanna ask a mod to change the thread tag, 'cause this looks fairly good and might be interesting. Norse from 1066 is something I ain't done yet, does everyone now start of the different national cultures or are there still some plain "norse" ? And why pick the county of Skán?

Yeah, Wiz told me to contact a mod. hosed up from start.

I'm in Skåne because that is where the easter egg character is placed, you know because that is where I lived before Paradox.
Nah I'm danish, but Norse religion. The hopes is to get the Norse faith to fight in WWII.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


Henrik had to choose a council but he suffered from a problem that no one really liked him and he didn't know why. sure at feasts and hunts they were all smiling and pretending but he knew they didn't enjoy his company. Though it didn't bother him as long as he could keep drinking his wine. The collection of courtiers available to him wasn't that impressive, except for a chancellor that were actually quite competent and were well accustomed to the Christian lord thoughts.

Chief Henrik immediately sent his council out on their missions, specifically his well educated spymaster Jens of Uppåkra and chancellor Lennart of Helsingborg to Ringsted in Sjælland.



The demesne of Henrik isn't a very impressive one, he is the self-proclaimed chieftain of the old county known as Skåne that used to belong to the Hildetönn, He was quite quick to replace the various leaders of the cities and castles with people of his faith however King Knud IV demanded that Lund remained untouched and that the bishop remained. The King claimed that Henrik as a heathen lived at his mercy. Of course this angered Henrik as the laws of the realm clearly stated that the county was his and his alone to govern and this was clearly breaching the chieftains rights, pagan or not.

Trough the many feasts at the castle of Ringsted in Sjælland Henrik had acquainted Duke Harald of Jylland, Prince of Denmark. He knew how upset he was that his own father preferred his landless brother Svend over him for the crown of Denmark.



The King dares to claim elective succession law while he controlled majority of the land in his realm, making him and his sons the only possible electors with him having the majority weight of votes. Too add salt to the injury, a royal courier enters his chambers as he is clunking down his cheap wine. As he reads, angers overtake him and he throws the bottle at the courtier.

- "GET OUT" He roars at the poor boy that had travelled across the sound.

With the courier was a royal decree to revoke Skåne's rights to autonomy, giving more centralized control to the king and making Henrik owe his liege levy and tax.



Obviously Henrik's loyalty to his liege was tested when he couldn't even be guaranteed his old rights. At least he gets some good news when he receives a letter from his steward Gotfred accompanied with a bag of gold. Its the tithe of the peasants in the city of Dalby that they had been refusing to pay.



It goes a couple of months and in early winter a message arrive to Henrik's court carrying a scroll with the royal seal. The chieftain sighs, rolls his eyes and reluctantly accepts the message. The news from the capital is that his liege have put Jens of Uppåkra in the dungeons while he was trying to learn how to improve the Scanian troops by observing the Danish royal army. The Danish king keep taking liberties at Henrik's expense and this time he has had enough and answers the King by claiming he is the offspring of cattle and should be hung from a tree and beaten.

Now instead he has to replace his trusted Spymaster with his catholic wife who is the only one that shows anything that could resemble promise of intrigue. However now our dear chieftain had to keep a wake eye at night when he went to bed with his wife.



Apparently the King didn't care about Henrik's threat and demands as he later started a war with the independent Count of Lübeck that had been refusing the Danish King of what he saw was Danish by ancient rights. Obviously this war would be a short one as there were no powerful lord backing the small but rich count of Lübeck. While the coward that held the Danish crown called on his in-laws, the Norwegian and Swedish king. However this served as a warning of caution to our Henrik to keep a calm head for now.



Shortly after the war of Lübeck the Norwegian Invasion of the British Isles starts, of course backed by the Danish king. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth as he has to send his men of to fight for the Norwegian king in England. However he started to sense an opportunity was brewing....



...and joined a faction that had been formed by the Count of Fyn who apparently also was displeased with his lord....

The time passes on slowly in Skåne and the county has a longer period of peace and as the King is off fighting in the Isles it makes lifes so much easier for Henrik and his subjects. However at next Autumn his wife falls gravely ill having caught the Great Pox. Luckily for Henrik he doesn't care much for his wife and already starts inviting débutantes to his court to replace her when she is gone. However while happily having a feast and flirting with the girls, the maiden taking care of his sick wife comes and whispers to his ear.

- "Her belly has grown and she has stopped bleeding"

The next day he immediately visits the Temple at Uppåkra and sacrifices a goat in Eir's honour begging her for mercy and help to his wife and his unborn child, his first child and future heir.



His prayers are answered and after several stressful months his wife deliver a healthy baby boy which Henrik names Ubbe. Unfortunately his stubborn wife lives trough the whole thing...

The armies of Norway and Denmark are still fighting in the English fields, taking its sweet time. Henrik also gets some ideas of conquest of his own in the Isles. He looks to the small county of Ulster with no allies or relatives that can aid him. The Only thing he needs is the means to get there. His coffers were full, even with his expensive drinking habits, so he orders and pays for a shipyard at the coast of his castle Trelleborg in order to house the ships needed to invade the Irish lands.



However Skjalm, the Count of Fyn. visits our chieftain and tells him that the Danish king had to pull his entire army to support Norway in England as the Anglo-Saxon king put up a valiant resistance which was giving them the opportunity they had waited for...



- "To war it is then my friend..."

Preid
May 22, 2014
It will be quite interesting to see these games from a Programmers perspective, good luck surviving till the end.

Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
Good luck. It's a hard road you've set for yourself, but I also think it'd be rad to see the Norse in WW2.

Luhood
Nov 13, 2012
Oh I love me these Mega-LPs, they're such a blast to read! And by an official Paradox developer nonetheless, glorious! Godspeed May Sleipnir lead your way, you glorious Skåning you!

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR




In silence the boats left from Trelleborg's newly built Harbour, carrying the housecarls with them and Henrik Hansen leading them. They were 800 men strong, while the Army led by the leader Skjalm and Duke Harald of Jylland, the son of the King, rounded up to 4 000 men. They had agreed that their armies would converge at Ringested in Själland to lay siege.



The entirety of the Danish Royal army is stuck in the Isles besieging the Anglo-Saxons for King Harald Hårdråde. Essentially the only thing the revolters have to worry about is the Swedish king joining in to defend his ally. While at the besieging camp, Henrik gets joyous news that is wife is pregnant yet again, proving the chieftains virility! The Vogelius dynasty is growing for each year that passes and the heir Ubbe has turned 4 by now and soon ready to be educated into a proper norse man.



Its now April 1072 and the revolt has been going on for about a year. Ringested finally falls to the troops of Henrik, the Danish bastard prince Niels Estrid is dragged out from the castle and taken captive. A 8 year old boy with not much of note, however its a disgrace to the Danish king that he would let his own kin be captured. Of course Harald of Jylland looking after his relative and knowing the cruel nature of Henrik he forces him to promise not to hurt the boy.

Some damned loyalists appear in Skåne, 50 peasant rubble that is all. They prove to be no match for the Scanian army as they face each others on the plains outside of Uppåkra.



At the end of July news reaches Henrik that a second boy has been born to him, his wife gives him the name Grim. The father of the two children is gone for a further year besieging the capital island of the Danish Kingdom. However 1073 would make the war turn for the more interesting. Norway has succeeded in their invasion of the British Isles and the English king has been subdued! Now the Danish king starts to return with his army, and with that the Swedish king preparing for the return starts moving his army in against the troublemakers. Being worn down from the sieges the rebel forces only surmount to about 3 500 troops now.



The Scanian chieftain moves his army to engage the Swedes in Dalby before they can consolidate with the Danish armies that has just recently landed on Fyn. His allies join in and they utterly crush the Swedes and forces them back.



However the war is starting to look bleak for the worn down rebels as the war-proven Danish troops are starting to return from England, and in greater numbers than what Henrik expected. However without fear Henrik engages the remaining forces of Sweden and vanquishes them. Among them were one of the cross-worshipper king's sons, another prince to the collection in the dungeons of Trelleborg. However knowing the Danish army is growing and coming closer, Henrik retreats back to Trelleborg in Skåne to do a last stand against the superior force of King Knud IV.

Its a courageous but futile attempt to hold the Danes back, and with it ends any hope for the rebellion.



Knowing his time is nigh and the guards of the King will come for his head any moment he visits his wife one last time, resulting in another pregnancy. Makes sure his heir is well taken care of by the Thane of Helsingborg. Then he goes into hiding...




While in hiding his wife takes over in Trelleborg, being Catholic the soldiers and the commanders of the armies are more kind to the populace and the court of Skåne. A third child is born to the Vogelius dynasty, this one Cecilie names Karl. The family tree of Vogelius is growing, only consisting of one person before but now with three possible heirs it might survive these dark ages even if something bad would happen to Henrik.



The date is 17 of August, the year of 1076 when Henrik Hansen of Vogelius is finally found and captured. Dragged in shameful display trough Ringsted and then thrown into the dungeons....



...and thus ends the rebellion...

Groogy fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Jun 13, 2014

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


When Cecilie hear of her husbands faith she arranges the release of the hidden away Prince Niels in hope the king has mercy on her husband. In all honesty she hated him and would love to see his lifeless body dangling from a noose. However he was still the father of her children which she loved above all else and she wouldn't want to see them without a father, however horrible he may be he was still caring for his children.

The gods seemed quite upset with him as his luck just kept getting worse. While in the filthy dungeons under Ringsted he contracts one of the many diseases running around.



Bed-ridden and scared to be hung he started having feverish dreams of the glory of Valhalla and the feasts he would partake in and the plenty cups of mead he would consume. He snapped out of it as someone loosened his chains, a guard, dragged him up out of the dungeons.

- "This is it, I'll finally die..." he thought to himself

The floor beneath him stopped moving, no wait it was the guards that had stopped. He looked up and in front of him was King Knud in all his glory. Henrik was about to spit on the floor but the guards dropped him and his face hit the stone floor.

- "Being only a minor accomplice to this revolt I shall spare you with only the punishment of paying a fine of 70 gold coins, Chieftan Henrik." a large grin started to grow on the king "You'll return to Trelleborg and take your place as vassal under the new Duke of Skåne, the former count of Bornholm."



The moment he gets to return to his home he starts to feel better and recovers from his sickness, but the bad taste of his defeat and new lord would never dissipate. However he did feel comfort of finally being home again. The economy of Skåne is quite badly at it from the war, barely being able to scrape together wealth for their new liege.

The political landscape had changed a lot however even though it was at peace for the moment. The King of Denmark took the opportunity to claim more land by banning the Count of Fyn and seizing his land and even stealing land from his son the Duke of Jylland. The once mighty duke was still in prison rotting. Having lost his favourite son in the war against the English he has now chosen one of his younger bastard childs to be he his heir.



In order to bring the county to other thoughts than the loss of Henrik at the hand of King Knud he ordered that a great winter blot was to commence! Invitation was sent out to all his friends and vassals to join. Of course the stubborn Bishop Egino of Lund refused to partake but knowing the cruelty of Henrik and not wanting to anger him more he pays a measly sum to avoid offending him.



Outside the temple of Uppåkra, they stood as the Gydja slit the throat of a boar and splashed the blood on the statues of Odin, Thor and Frey. Asking for good harvest, good fortunes and the usual. The body of the boar was taken away and prepared for the feast later. Soon enough a bunch of guards come up to the tree next to the temple, escorting the important sacrifice for the day, Prince Inge of Sweden...

Henrik smiles pleased as he sees the lifeless body of Inge dangle and the Gydja praising their lords.



The feast started, the boar was delicious and the fine wine even more so. All the problems seemed to vanish as the night went on and the future seemed a bit more prosperous for Skåne. It becomes known that Erik 'The Heathen' af Munsö has converted to Catholicism, that traitorous bastard.

A few months later Chieftess Cecilie dies of the Great Pox she has been struggling for so long, she haven't had an easy life living with Henrik but she did love her boys with all hear heart. And luckily they've been taking after her instead of Henrik. However she hasn't been able to give them a proper Christian education, but they have learned the Christian values making them kinder and will most probably not drink as much wine as their father do.

The first born son, Ubbe, was growing up to be quite ambitious and zealous to the norse faith. He often have the court play out against each other to get stuff his way. He has also shown that he is quite good with the stick when playing with his friends and for a kid shows actual martial prowess.



Chieftain Henrik haven't forgoten his ambitions to invade Ireland. Earl Cü Uladh of Ulster were growing old, weak and ripe for the taking of the Scanian armies. Now 3 years after the war the levies of Trelleborg are back to what they were before. However now he owed more troops to his liege ruling in Bornholm giving him only about 600 men to command. But he deemed it would be enough. However while planning his invasion of Ireland great news come from the island of Fyn.



For once Henrik didn't feel so alone, realizing he had brothers in the north Henrik immediately sends a courier to Norrland and asks for a betrothal between Ubbe and the Chieftan's daughter. Which he of course accepts.



Meanwhile outside the coast of Scotland...

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011
It begins! :black101:

Is it still as magic to burn down the greens for some golds in the 1066 start as it is in the Old Gods one? Or do the forts stop too much?

Also I'm curious where you're gonna expand. The Baltics?

Luhood
Nov 13, 2012

Deceitful Penguin posted:

It begins! :black101:

Is it still as magic to burn down the greens for some golds in the 1066 start as it is in the Old Gods one? Or do the forts stop too much?

Also I'm curious where you're gonna expand. The Baltics?

Ireland obviously! Then he's gonna expand into the Americas, and bring some Celti-Norse awesomeness to the New World! :black101:

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR
It's definitely a lot harder raiding in 1066, better prepared victims and as long as I have a non-norse liege I'm not allowed to raid.

I have no idea where to base my expansion right now. I'll grab an opportunity when it comes, in this case as you'll see when I post the latest chapters later today, Ireland was weak and needed to be purged :D
The problem I have is that damned Catholic king keeps raising the crown authority so I can't attack my neighbours inside him.

Groogy fucked around with this message at 08:33 on Jun 16, 2014

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

Groogy posted:

It's definitely a lot harder raiding in 1066, better prepared victims and as long as I have a non-norse liege I'm not allowed to raid.
Whaaaaaaa. :stare:

That's awful. No wonder people rather pick the independent up north, this sounds p-drat harsh.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


Henrik is finally going to embark on his Journey to the Isles in the West for conquest and glory. His romanticized image of the "good old days" when his ancestors terrorized the population of Europe imprinted in his mind. However before he heads out he has to handle the future of his son Grim. He finds a nice girl in his loyal subjects family, the little girl of Kirsten of Helsingborg. She has been showing promise and even outwitting her guardian. Henrik decided she will make a fitting match and Lennart, the Thegn of Helsingborg, gladly agreed.



As Henrik travel over the North Sea to get to Ireland some interesting things happen in Sweden. The county of Södermanland had managed to become independent of the Swedish King trough a peasant revolt the previous year. So now when the Swedish army is depleted, unable to defend the crown the Duke of Uppland declares war on his liege for revenge from their previous encounters. The duke is Erik previously known as 'The Heathen' for sticking to the Norse faith but were after a grand defeat forced to give up his beliefs.

However King Knud is quick to answer the call of Sweden and starts assembling the Danish troops who are more than plenty to deal with Erik.



As Henrik reaches the land of Ireland he finds that the Count of Desmond and the Duke of Munster has been fighting and both have exhausted their troops. The Scanian troops promptly prepares themselves for the invasion. Of course Henrik insists on leading the charge, putting his more experienced commander, the spymaster Christoffer, in his weaker flank to delay the enemy while he breaks the main forces of the Irish himself.



The battle commences outside the city of Cork, however Henrik gets worried as he sees to his surprise that the Irish has focused their forces on the weak left flank of the Danes. But he sees that his trust in Christoffer was not misplaced, as he holds the Enemy at bay with clever harassment and delay tactics exploiting that he has the majority of Archers and Light Cavalry. As the middle flank breaks at the Irish, Christoffer takes a tactical retreat back and Henrik can push hard into the side of the left flank, punishing them for not keeping a proper formation. The right flank are still doing its best to keep the enemy flank at bay while the main forces of the Vikings concentrate on the bigger threat.

- "Forward, forward! The god on the cross has abandoned them! Odin smiles upon us today! The glory is ours!" Henrik screams to his housecarls as they advance forward at the terrified Irish.



Henrik quickly gathers his army and consolidate outside of the castle Dunasead to lay siege. The siege starts the 8th of February 1080. In march of the same year is the month that the rebellion of Erik is stopped by the Danish soldiers yet again. And as his father is in Ireland, Karl becomes old enough to receive his education. Since Henrik isn't there to manage it, Lennart who has become a good friend with the Cheiftan takes it upon himself to teach the child while his father is gone.



The Irish is however stubborn, resisting the siege for a full year before the siege falls. Even then afterwards Henrik is forced to leave the Irish island to gather more reinforcements at home as the city of Cork is better prepared to defend itself, rallying most of the population to fight the invaders. He won't return until a year later with more warriors. In the mean time the Danish king is busy maintaining his relationship with the various dukes and kings around him, marrying off his kin to ensure alliances.

But what is much more interesting is the two Danish princes who start a race to take the English crown for themselves. Olaf and Björn as brothers invade the English realm with little opposition as the English is already busy fighting the French. Olaf gets support from the Danish King Knud and a massive army is formed that the English has no chance to beat.



So Henrik return to Desmond with enough troops to siege down the City of Cork and it is looking grim for the Irish count. But during the successes of the Nordic rulers, the English, Celtic and even French has had a long string of problems. France by the time of May 31, 1082 was in a massive upheaval with revolts upon revolts. The English land was indeed falling apart. At the same time the Anglo-Saxon king of England has to fight William the Bastard and two Danish Princes taking to try his crown.



As Desmond falls, Henrik decides to reward his commanders that gave him this Victory. Granting them baronies in Ireland.



The time passes, the new King of England becomes William the Bastard, however he has to face the huge Danish army of 20 000 men. The fight is futile and eventually the crown goes to a Dane, Olaf of Estrid. The Scanian economy has recovered, the Chieftan Henrik becoming quite rich from the taxes of both Desmond and Skåne. He decided that he needs to expand his levy and orders the construction of a Militia Training Ground in Trelleborg.



The Years pass as the outlook of the Vogelius dynasty starts turning for the better rather than the horrible fate of a quick end that was looming over this Dynasty in the start. Even the offspring of Henrik is starting to take fruit and their traits have taken form and you can clearly see what great men they will be in the future.

Ubbe was growing up to become a zealous and ambitious little kid who does not fear to deceive people to get what he wants. Of all he likes to listen to stories about Loki from the chamber maiden. Grim is as deceitful as his brother, however he is much more cynical to the concept of the Aesir and blot. Being raised in the castle he has become quite arbitary and simply doesn't care about matters a little lord should, however having a silver tounge and being quite humble to others still makes him well liked in the court.



...And finally after so many years, the Duke of Jylland is released from the Dungeons of Knud Estrid....

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


The years have passed, little Ubbe has grown up to become a Grey Eminence. A genius at diplomacy and interest of the intrigue at the court and the stories of scholars. However to his fathers disgust he has grown to become a coward not fit for the battle as a norse man should be. In the same year one of the many French revolts end up in the independence of the Kingdom of Aquitaine.



Inga of Norrland finally comes of age a year later, she has been trained to be a shield-maiden throughout her life, to lead the armies of Norrland to defend against their Catholic neighbours. A good counterweight to the craven Ubbe who refuses to participate on the battlefield. Obviously Henrik forces trough the marriage in hopes that Inga will give Ubbe some backbone.

Shortly after getting married Ubbe does his best to get a job of intrigue to put himself out of harms way. Since Christoffer, the previous Spymaster, had proven himself so well on the battlefield he had become Henrik's most trusted commander instead and his replacement had not been able to live up to Christoffer's standards so Henrik reluctantly accepts Ubbe as his new Spymaster.



An uneventful couple of years pass by, the Duke of Skåne dies and his son Egil takes over instead, just as despicable of a man as his father. Inga Frille apparently wants her dear husband to be chieftan a bit earlier and confides in her husband that she might hurry up death of his father in the near future. Of course Ubbe appalled by the very notion and as his fathers Spymaster he reports this minor plot but asks Henrik to not hurt his daughter-in-law.

Of course she stops any such nonsense when confronted about it.



However Inga's stay at the castle would still become a short one. A few months later Ubbe dies to a fever! Henrik's firstborn and heir now dead the heritage of the Vogelius dynasty now rests on Grim Henriksen. Ubbe didn't even have time to produce a child with Inga. In order if any more mishaps in the family happens, Henrik makes sure that a betrothal is made between his third child Karl and Ulvhilde of Åland.



Henrik is out of his normal self because of grief knowing that his son is forever condemned to the realm of Hel. The King sends out messengers notifying his subjects that he will hold a grand tournament for the entire realm to participate! Henrik prays to any of the gods that would be willing to listen, to save his child's soul from the clutches of Hel's cold fingers and he shall throw his life at the best warriors that Denmark has to offer. However as he fights the finest of Denmark that are trying to to gain the prestigious praise of the King, and the reward money of course, it comes as a surprise that the victor of the tournament is Henrik of Skåne. Most confused is Henrik who ponders on what the gods wants with him for letting him continue to live trough fights against the most skilled warriors of northern Europe.

While off in the capital, Grim becomes of legal age, showing promise in stewardship and the affairs of state. He is immediately married to the genius daughter Kirsten Lennartsdatter af Helsingborg.



In rest of the world some more interesting things happen than the boring internal celebrations and jousting of Denmark. News from the far east reaches the courts of Denmark telling of the Assassin order known as the Hashshashin formed in the mountains of Persia by a zealous man known as Hassan. The eternal civil war of the French kingdoms continues, more provinces have ceded to Aquitaine but it is now itself in its own civil war over who should rule this reborn Kingdom.

The economy of Skåne has flourished, being an important province in the Kingdom of Denmark. However thanks to the increased revenue from its crops more men can be called to fight in case of war. Even allowing Henrik to field his own personal retinue to command and not rely to heavily on the peasantry who he rather would have working the fields.



However the castle of Trelleborg gets filled with gossip as there is talks about the Chieftain visiting Kirsten's chambers at night, supposedly have fallen in love with her charm and intelligence. Not long, she is with child but not without complications as there is an outbreak of measles in Trelleborg which she contracts.

Olaf of England dies and the Anglo-saxon dukes and counts of England chooses one of themselves to take the crown. With Eadwin of Hwicce the English crown is yet again back to Anglo-saxon hands.



The affair with his sons wife result in twins... You could claim that Henrik by himself has secured the line of succession of the Vogelius family... However horrible it would be if Grim found out.



The French region starts to stabilize, The French Kingdom is starting to recover, a dutch nobleman has taken the crown and managed to quell the French revolts and form something from the ashes that has been burning in France for the last decade. The Aquatain capital seat has been set to Orléans next to Paris. However Aquatain is still stuck in a feud about who to rule this much larger nation.



Also since now the Scanian chieftain has become one of the richer and more military powerful subjects of Denmark, Henrik refuses to answer to his lowly liege ruling from the poor island of Bornholm any longer...




--------------

There we go, finally caught up with the chapters, time to write new ones!

Groogy fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Jun 16, 2014

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011
You really can take on the king now? Woulda thought finishing up at least the duchy in Ireland woulda been needed, is Skánn really that good?

And I was wondering if you could add some insight to what is happening in the game as a programmer? Like, why the AI mighta picked this and that option, how stuff works behinds the scenes, that sorta stuff.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Deceitful Penguin posted:

You really can take on the king now? Woulda thought finishing up at least the duchy in Ireland woulda been needed, is Skánn really that good?

And I was wondering if you could add some insight to what is happening in the game as a programmer? Like, why the AI mighta picked this and that option, how stuff works behinds the scenes, that sorta stuff.

Its my duke I'm going at, he sits in Bornholm "ruling" over me however I'm richer and stronger than him. As a true norse he will have to show his true mettle on the battlefield to see if he is worthy of ruling me.

I guess I could, not in the actual LP text but I could do it after in posts like this if something special or interesting happens.

McGavin
Sep 18, 2012

Groogy posted:

I'm the Programmer for Crusader Kings II

So you're the guy I yell at to FIX THE GODDAMN TOURNAMENTS? :ssj:

I just want my character to have a chance of winning a tournament, instead of winning being a statistical impossibility like it is now. :qq:

Also, if you could stop Ethiopia from leaking outside the map border too, that would be rad.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

McGavin posted:

So you're the guy I yell at to FIX THE GODDAMN TOURNAMENTS? :ssj:

I just want my character to have a chance of winning a tournament, instead of winning being a statistical impossibility like it is now. :qq:

Also, if you could stop Ethiopia from leaking outside the map border too, that would be rad.

Yes, but if you gonna annoy me about it on Somethingawful I'm gonna do this magical trick.



Also new chapter should get up today, I went on vacation thinking "Aaaaw yiiiz now I can write all week" and forget to bring all the stuff I needed to actually write on the AAR.

Preid
May 22, 2014
So at what point in this AAR should we expect you to merge the Catholic and Norse faith under the playable Fylkirate-Pope?

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Preid posted:

So at what point in this AAR should we expect you to merge the Catholic and Norse faith under the playable Fylkirate-Pope?

Obviously never, the Abrahamic religions has to be purged from the face of Earth, only the Norse is the true faith. All hail the Fylkir! (By Odin, My Norse Propaganda Posters in HOI4 is gonna be awesome.... I love making propaganda)

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


The Scanian Duke had several allies in the Danish Kingdom, he quickly rallied the Count of Lybæk and the Duke of Jylland to his defence. Henrik cursed at the name of Harald, obviously having quickly forgotten how Henrik and his housecarls bled for the Duke of Jylland's failed uprising against the Danish king. However no matter how many Duke Egil of Skåne rallies to him it would be of no concern for our Chieftan. Henrik has grown to strong being able to fight of all of the Kingdom but the King himself at the same time.

Henrik's former liege stands no chance. The massive army amassed by Henrik has earned their experience fighting in Ireland and only a few troops are lost to the enemy skirmish.



The war was clearly already over, Jylland together with Lybæk had no way to defend the island of Bornholm from the Scanian soldiers, the only ones allowed to call themselves to be Scanian's. Jylland not wanting to lose his levy sends it off to siege Dunasead in Ireland instead of facing off in glorious battle!

Western Europe has actually become stable, the Kingdoms of Aquitaine and France were after several years of infighting at peace. However the Scandinavians are plenty busy meddling in the British isles. The Iberian Kingdoms partaking in the Reconquista has been quite successful without any help from the French, it will be interesting to see how that develop.

As predicted, as Bornholm falls a year after the war starts, so does the Duke of Skåne, and Henrik earns his position to yet again be a vassal under the tyrannical king of Denmark....



The King of Denmark knowing the threat that Henrik is starting to pose immediately gives him the position Master of the Horse in hopes it would pacify his bloodlust somewhat. However it doesn't matter Henrik who still starts his Faction to lower the crown authority of Denmark. As it is right now with these laws Henrik can't claim what rightfully belongs to Skåneland and thus Henrik, Blekinge, Halland and Bornholm.

But the constant wars and the many years has taken a toll of our Chieftan and in the end of September, 1092 he passes away to the afterlife. Even if it wasn't a warriors death, his sons are sure that Odins welcomes this great warrior to Valhalla none the less.

The title of Desmond goes to Karl, the third son of Henrik. The primary inheritor that takes over Skåne is his second son Grim.





The two brothers ruling together their fathers old demesne together. The transition went quite peaceful and Karl was quite happy with his seat in Desmond.
However Karl he doesn't get to keep his county for long because of a greedy tyrant for King and has to flee for refuge at his brothers keep.



Grim was furious, to take away what was rightfully their fathers and that he and his closest and worked hard to build up. Now ripped away from his children as if it was nothing, it was despicable. The greedy king Knud "The Great" of course couldn't wait to also get ahold of the perl of Henrik's demesne, Skåne. Grim and Karl went together to their men to lead them. They were looking forward to facing the foolish Danish king at battle, each hoping to cleave his skull with an axe.

- "Tonight, Copenhagen shall burn to the ground my brother" Karl said to his worried brother Grim preparing to defend his fathers land. "Father will welcome us in Valhalla after we've struck down Knud like the pig he is."



About 2000 men who were loyal to Henrik swear to Grim and Karl to fight for them and take revenge upon the name of their father.They begin their assault on the island of Själland, raping, pillaging and destroying it for what its worth, punishing the very heart of the Danish king.

The fortress of Ringested is sacked and the Princess of Poland, Wisna of the Piast family is dragged out and presented in-front of Karl and Grim. She's brave and big mouthed and in broken Danish proclaims how her father, the king of Poland, and her husband who is one of the many princes of Knud will kick them down and burn his home to the ground. A fitting woman to take as concubine and a humiliating defeat to the Estrid family and their allies.

However Grim receives message from home that his newborn child named after his father Henrik has died as a sickly infant.



However he has no time to grief, the Danish army is starting to move and King Knud is emptying out his treasury to fund his already drained armies. 4 000 Royalists are advancing on Själland, 3 000 is about to land from ships in the sound. Grim quickly spends a big chunk of his wealth to hire the Bulgarian Band to defend Själland. The battle ensues and the tired soldiers in the middle flank immediately falls making the core of the Danish army, the 2 000 soldiers on the right flank exposed and they start loosing troops by the hundred.

With that initial loss the Danes are broken and the rest of the army is quickly swept up by the Scanian troops with minimal losses. With that one battle the Danes have nothing left to defend themselves. Knud has no money left, no troops and his subjects tired of his constant warmongering, he is forced to accept the demands.

All hail the new bastard king of Denmark, King Eric of Denmark.



He soon shows his worth being as horrible as his predecessor. After the war against the Tyranny of Knud Estrid, the law of autonomous vassals was once enacted again as their father wanted. But Erik's first order of business is to yet again remove this right they deem to be theirs. At least some good news come as the chamber maiden tell Grim that he is father of a baby boy named Inge.

However with a whole Kingdom still tired from endless battles King Erik follows in the footsteps as expected of King Knud.

- "HOW DARE THESE ESTRIDS DEMAND THIS YET AGAIN" Grim screams to his warriors, "I know you are tired, I am tired but these christians believe they can do whatever they want against us Norse. But I tell you, the Vogelius house shall be the true faiths last defence! We shall never falter in our never ending task of protecting you and your families."



Its to war again, both sides weary of the last one so its quite quick. After the Scanians make short work of the remnants of the Kings Army, Erik quickly agrees to a white peace. However the wound is already too deep and both Grim and Karl now view the whole of the Estrid family as their mortal enemies.

The Vogelius family from here on out sat in motion everything they can to hurt their new enemies in whatever way they could. Being the second most powerful family, being far behind Estrid's, it wouldn't be an easy task. But it had to be done in honour of Henrik's memory.



As the focus for the two brothers switched to plotting instead, the years ahead was quite quiet and peaceful as they prepared for their revenge and waited for their opportunity.

Looking outwards in the year of 1096, the world remains the same, however the HRE has inherited a big chunk of the Kingdom of Aquitaine, namely the duchy of Bourbon and Aquitaine. A small revolt for some law change but nothing major. The fighting in Iberia is still going on, neither the Muslims or the Christians can get a decisive win so far.



First and foremost the Vogelius brothers are going to need a power base to fight the Danish king from. Yes the two brothers were the only one next to the king in power, however it wasn't enough because they had to also potentially fight the allies of the king, Sweden, Norway and Poland. Though Poland was no longer an ally of Denmark since the previous Danish King failed to protect his daughter, it was still something that could possibly be mended by the new King.

Anyway the first step they took is to start trying to get a hold of the title 'Duchy of Skåne', feeling no one else should be allowed to be calling themselves rulers of Skåne. It would also give them legal claims to Halland and Blekinge, both which conveniently belonged to the Crown.

Also while Grim is on the Hunt with his brother a strange bearded elder approaches their camp. Grim and all his companions are sure of it that it was Odin the Wanderer and he immediately abandons his hunt and seeks of the tales that this mysterious figure told of. However no great treasure is found, however they come home instead happy with a new kind of joy as the one found when children, perhaps that was the treasure he spoke of?

At his gates his wife stands waiting for him with yet another child in her arms, she tells him she named her Grethe. Over-joyous he orders a feast in the castle!




The years pass, in midsummer of 1099 news reach Grim of the Hashshashin Order of Assassins spreading their tentacles to Syria trying to exert control over the Holy lands. The despicable King Erik's reign wasn't for long, 6 years after his acquisition of the throne he dies and Denmark is now ruled by Queen Helena. May she not be as despicable scum as her predecessor.

Also another child is born to Grim, this one named Emilie. The gods certainly seem to be smiling upon the Vogelius family at this time, after all their struggle they've gone trough it is certainly a nice change of wind.



The new Queen is not an idiot, by far she is the most competent of the regents of Denmark in a long time. The first thing she does is recognize the threat the Vogelius family is, but instead of actively going after them she makes them vassals of the Duke of Skåne, preventing them from immediately attacking the crown again. The duke afraid of what they can do tries to please them and throws a feast to the two brothers which they happily attend to.



However later that year the Duke of Skåne is imprisoned by the Queen for plotting against the crown. Grim thanks Loki and uses this opportunity to hire a professional killer to take care of the Duke.



More time passes, several more children to Karl and Grim are born, however what is interesting is that the Queen of Denmark dies under "suspicious circumstances" and shortly after the Ynglings of Horway start a war to try and put their own on the throne, an old lady that won't live for long. However the Norwegian King is supported by both Sweden and the Holy Roman Empire so the Danish army doesn't last for long.

It ends as quickly as it was started, close after this event the Pope declares a new era of the Crusades.



The old Norwegian hag dies of age quick enough and is replaced by a new Estrid family member elected by the dukes. However, Själland is inherited by a Swedish duke, Grim and Erik sense that the opportunity to gain their power base to fight the Danish king has at long last come upon them...



A boar that fought valiantly is sacrificed in the gods honour for this.

Groogy fucked around with this message at 13:10 on Jul 4, 2014

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

Groogy posted:

Yes, but if you gonna annoy me about it on Somethingawful I'm gonna do this magical trick.



Also new chapter should get up today, I went on vacation thinking "Aaaaw yiiiz now I can write all week" and forget to bring all the stuff I needed to actually write on the AAR.
Man that is hosed up.

Monologue isn't spelled that way. :bahgawd:

Rubix Squid
Apr 17, 2014
Good god there are so many images on a single page.

I do hope you manage to reform the Norse faith, I don't think we've had a MegaLP with that.

McGavin
Sep 18, 2012

Groogy posted:

Yes, but if you gonna annoy me about it on Somethingawful I'm gonna do this magical trick.



Also new chapter should get up today, I went on vacation thinking "Aaaaw yiiiz now I can write all week" and forget to bring all the stuff I needed to actually write on the AAR.

I just needed someone to post in the bug report thread acknowledging that it was an actual issue and that I'm not suffering from an extreme case of confirmation bias.

Thanks! Now I can stop making GBS threads up your excellent thread! :hfive:

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Man that is hosed up.

Monologue isn't spelled that way. :bahgawd:

It will when I achieve world domination

Also I had less pictures and playtime than I remembered, so need to play some more.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR
Alright finally done, updated the "accidental" post with the proper chapter 6 :D

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3642949&pagenumber=1&perpage=40#post431585925

Groogy fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Jul 3, 2014

Luhood
Nov 13, 2012

Groogy posted:

Alright finally done, updated the "accidental" post with the proper chapter 6 :D

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3642949&pagenumber=1&perpage=40#post431585925

I think something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Why won't they leave Skåne alone? :scania:

Also, we need obviously need a crying snapphane for Skåne. Or a rullebör.

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011
Dang, but this is getting interesting. If we do manage to usurp the Danish Crown it will be interesting to see what we can do from there surrounded by such strong powers.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Luhood posted:

I think something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Why won't they leave Skåne alone? :scania:

Also, we need obviously need a crying snapphane for Skåne. Or a rullebör.

Yes something is definitely rotten in the cross worshipping state of Denmark.... :C

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Dang, but this is getting interesting. If we do manage to usurp the Danish Crown it will be interesting to see what we can do from there surrounded by such strong powers.

Yeah some of the Norse special mechanics are locked because I have a Christian overlord, however I can do conquest on external counties. So the thing is if I stay as a vassal under a Christian king, my neighbours can't holy war me. So what I am planning to do is become a "nation of my own" under the Danish king and when I feel strong enough I'll declare independence as "Skåneland"

Empress Theonora
Feb 19, 2001

She was a sword glinting in the depths of night, a lance of light piercing the darkness. There would be no mistakes this time.
Norse in 1066 is a really tough start, so I'm excited to see how this turns out!

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

Groogy posted:

Yeah some of the Norse special mechanics are locked because I have a Christian overlord, however I can do conquest on external counties. So the thing is if I stay as a vassal under a Christian king, my neighbours can't holy war me. So what I am planning to do is become a "nation of my own" under the Danish king and when I feel strong enough I'll declare independence as "Skåneland"
I shudder in horror imagining what Danish might be like with Scanian as the dominant dialect.

Luhood
Nov 13, 2012

Deceitful Penguin posted:

I shudder in horror imagining what Danish might be like with Scanian as the dominant dialect.

Actually understandable by Swedes?

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Luhood posted:

Actually understandable by Swedes?

I've lived in Stockholm for a year now, they understand me neither when I speak Danish or when I speak "Swedish".
So no sir that is wrong :P

Also beginning writing next chapter now, will be up latest tomorrow.

Edit: Ow yeah Deceitful Penguin asked me to describe things from my perspective as a programmer, just go ahead and ask, for me everything is quite obvious so I have no idea what people actually would want to know more about.
I can start with like most stuff is very odd however, for instance the battle system in Crusader Kings is quite... indirect so to speak. When I added War Elephants and their tactics I basically rewrote the entire thing in order to support Elephants. If you look trough the chapters you'll see that I've basically only managed to win fights because I make sure my troops flank the enemy troops. If you manage to flank them trough the middle flank that is basically instant victory because it means the army formation has broken apart.

Groogy fucked around with this message at 14:00 on Jul 13, 2014

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR


Our chapters begin with the vile Duke of Skåne imprisoning our dear Grim for some easy money to his coffers. Grim of course pays the symbolic tribute to not get his head chopped of. This was however the Duke's gravest mistake as Grim immediately upon arrival calls upon his Housecarls to grab their weapons and head for Bornholm to yet again declare their superiority over their liege. Of course the Armies of Bornholm are but a joke in comparison to Grim's army and they fall easily. The Duke even shows being incompetent at leading his small army.

[

Grim without fear or hesitation charges in leading his army against the Bornholm Army, his men beside him inspired by his courage. After the defeat of the Bornholm armies, Grim doesn't settle only with that, but he forces also upon the af Bornholm family that the new Duke Jens shall be promised to be married with Emilie Grimsdatter and put under guardianship of Grim. These measures were to try and force the Bornholm's to stop abusing the rights the Vogelius family has been claiming for so long.



With peace to the county now, and Grim sure that Jens won't dare to go against him. Grim goes forward with marrying his heir Sivard to Gunhald, the daughter of the Åland Chieftan, one of the last holdouts for Norse believers in Sweden. Grim eventually hear his Christian subjects chatter about that their religious leader down in Italy has declared some sort of holy war against some other religion.

Unfortunately Ulvhilde of Frille dies of an illness she caught while travelling down to Skåne and dies young without bearing any children. But Sivard proposes to his father a courtier that he had been courting for a while as a possible bride, Grim reluctantly accepts but realizes the family legacy is more important than prestige.



With all the problems out of mind and the county of Skåne stable and strong, Grim and his brother Karl decides to head out for glory and to seize the golden opportunity the gods have given them. The Vogelius family is now at war with the King of Sweden and all her subjects to take back Sjælland for Denmark.

They are fully aware that this war will be different, they are now facing a big strong King capable of fighting them and crushing them. Grim being of a more deceitful nature has been making sure to be well informed of the courts of Scandinavia, and the King Henrik of Sweden has been fighting all of his neighbours, having no allies to call upon in case war at this moment happens, added to that the wars he has been waging has left Sweden bankrupt, having a deficit of 400.

As war is declared the Scanian army crosses the sound and rages over Sjælland yet again however this time to claim the land for themselves.



Grim has been laying siege for the last 3 years now without any resistance of the Swedish Duke owning Sjælland or even the Swedish King. The only news he hears of that is of any interest is that the holy war of the Cross worshippers has failed and their Pope's ambitions of conquering distant land remains dead.



But finally, as all of Sjælland falls under the control of Grim, the Swede's show up with just about a thousand men to fight the Scanian's, believing that a lowly chieftain and heathen would be of no threat to the army of a King. Seeing it as a joke, Grim decides to command his army himself as he faces the Swede's. Not before long the Swede's are forced to route by the tactics employed by Grim and a little less than 300 men manages to survive the onslaught as the Scanian cavalry pursues the fleeing soldiers.



The remnants of the Swedish Army comes back to their king telling how the Norse showed no fear fighting them and fighting beyond what they expected, not being just mere peasantry adhering to a false religion. Henrik of Sweden having lost face, is furious and mounts his entire army even if he can't afford it, even going so far to call in the King of Norway in the conflict, refusing to lose to a chieftain. However Grim is prepared, knowing he can't win facing both the fury of the Swedish King but also the famous Norwegian army that has been giving victories to the Yngling King constantly in the British Isles since 1066.

Grim is deceitful, and does not cower from using unorthodox tactics and does not face the enormous army head on. Instead he orders his men to board the longboats and head out to sea and wait for their opportunity. The Swedish army standing foolishly in the looted land of Sjælland, starving and unable to maintain a proper siege, the Swedish soldiers die every day.

Grim hear of ill news, the Chieftan of Åland has been executed by the Swedish King and now Henrik rules there instead, having killed of all of the Norse population living there. Our Chieftan decided to steer his 27 longboats and army there and lay siege to the undefended land of Sweden. The Nobles of Sweden getting unruly over Henrik's lack of success and his inability to defend their land starts pressuring him to just give up Sjælland. A year later he finally agrees and Sjælland now belongs to the Chieftain of Skåne, Grim Vogelius.



As the war ends, Grim comes home to see his son Sivard and his wife Gunhild with a child, Sivard hearing of the victories of his father had decided to name him after him in hopes that young Grim shall become as good of a man as his grandfather. Sivard's twin sister has also been making progress, her husband has inherited the crown of Lithuania, however she has yet to bear any children for him.



The King decides to raise his crown authority yet again. Then finally, the news Grim has been waiting for so long finally arrives, Karl comes home to his brothers saying he has managed to acquire a claim to take Bornholm for the Vogelius family. They immediately use it, however now that the "crusades" and the new age of the cross's holy orders has come to fruition, the Bornholm troops does not stand alone. The Knights Hospatilier is recruited by the Bornholm to defend them against their Norse subject trying to take their land. This war is not going to be an easy one.



The Knights Hospatilier starts the war by traveling over to Skåne, Grim decides to engage them outside of Uppåkra. Starting with numerical superiority and never having faced a holy order before, Grim expects this to become an easy battle for him to win. The battle goes as a stalemate on the left flank, the middle flank manages to overwhelm the holy order's grandmaster but Grim's right flank takes heavy casualties and is being heavily outnumbered by the Knights. The right flank gets outmanoeuvred by the enemy heavy cavalry, these Knights proved to be formidable on the battlefield, the middle flank engages the right flank and Grim's troops was forced to fall back to not loose too many soldiers.



Taking huge losses, the victory seems narrow so the troops are instead ordered to fall-back to the fortress of Ringsted and regroup instead of losing more men to the Knights. For some reason the Knights Hospatilier gets drunk on their heavy victory and chases after the Scanian's over the Sound, this became the mistake that won Grim the war. The enemy was heavily reliant on Knights to charge and crush any heathen army that stood to confront of them. However now they were forced to ship over to the shores of Sjælland and unable to organize a proper charge into the ranks of The Norse troops that stood prepared on the beaches, the ensuing battle was a slaughter of cross worshippers and the war was won as the remnants of the Holy Order was cut down by Grim's axe-wielding Housecarls.



As no opposition remains, Grim marches to Bornholm and lays siege. His concubine, the Princess of Poland, tells him that she is with child and nine months later the baby boy of Yngvar is born. Shortly after that, Jens offers his surrender to the Vogelius family.



With the crushing defeat of what is supposed to be the Cross-worshippers Vanguard against the heathen, Grim and Karl goes to the Bishopric of Lund and stands in-front of the God on the Cross.
"Is this the best you got? Is this everything you have to offer? The Scanian's shall pillage your people, we shall slay your children and we shall rebuild the temples of Odin, Thor and Frey! We shall make all of them pay for what you did to us by a thousand."
And then the whole church was sacrificed by fire in honour of their war god, Odin. Tales of how both Odin and Thor rode alongside Grim and Karl fighting their enemies and putting their housecarls in an unstoppable frenzy spread all over North Europe.

Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR
And a little map to give an overview of the current state of Denmark.

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011
Is there a reason you only have one commander at the battle of Ringstead? I always fill mine up, what happens if you have armies sans leaders?

ulmont
Sep 15, 2010

IF I EVER MISS VOTING IN AN ELECTION (EVEN AMERICAN IDOL) ,OR HAVE UNPAID PARKING TICKETS, PLEASE TAKE AWAY MY FRANCHISE

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Is there a reason you only have one commander at the battle of Ringstead? I always fill mine up, what happens if you have armies sans leaders?

IIRC, no leader is basically the same as having a guy with martial 6 there, except that no leader isn't going to roll the horrible craven tactics or similar.

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Groogy
Jun 12, 2014

Tanks are kinda wasted on invading the USSR

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Is there a reason you only have one commander at the battle of Ringstead? I always fill mine up, what happens if you have armies sans leaders?

I roleplay a lot, and like I say in the text, I took it as a joke that he only sent about a thousand men to fight me so I removed the other leaders. No real mechanical reason for it since I have a lot of average to good leaders to use.

Also to hint about the next chapter, I've named it to "Grim's Ragnarök"

Groogy fucked around with this message at 07:10 on Jul 14, 2014

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