Paradox Interactive Forums - Crusader Kings II

Paradox Interactive Forums - Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/ en Wed, 22 May 2013 13:57:05 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/images/misc/rss.png Paradox Interactive Forums - Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/ The Udonen Empire - How One Family Changed Europe http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689468-The-Udonen-Empire-How-One-Family-Changed-Europe&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 00:48:26 GMT

The Udonen Empire - How One Family Changed Europe

"The 11th century would be an important one; Harald Hardrade and William the Bastard meet Harold Godwinson on the field of battle for control over the Kingdom of England. In the Holy Roman Empire, however, things are quieter. Kaiser Heinreich IV rules, and under him are a handful of German and Italian dukes and duchesses. One of them is Lothar-Udo II Udonen, Duke of Brandenburg. The man was unassuming, a hardworking and charitable man, and from these humble beginnings, his family would go on to rule Europe as the Kaisers of the Holy Roman Empire.

It all began with Lothar-Udo's great-grandfather, Heinreich Udonen. He was an ambitious man who worked all his life, and gave his children an important gift: a story of the great Udonens, greater than the Capetians and the Caesars, the sole heirs to the Holy Roman Empire. His grandson, Lothar-Udo I, became very close friends with Kaiser Heinreich III, after having met at a banquet in Nassau.The Kaiser granted Lothar-Udo a county, and eventually, made him the Duke of Brandenburg. Lothar-Udo died in 1058, leaving the duchy to his son, Lothar-Udo II.

The legacy of Udonen begins with the great actions of Lothar-Udo II, Duke of Brandenburg"

-Medieval German Duchies for Dummies

In this AAR, I will try to usurp the Holy Roman Empire from the Salians, and centralize it under the Udonen dynasty with primogeniture succession law, and then hold the throne for 20 years. I have no idea whether I'll be able to do it, but I'll try my level best.

Comments and criticism welcome, and I'm open to suggestion as to how I go about this! ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) RedInsignia http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689468-The-Udonen-Empire-How-One-Family-Changed-Europe The Lost Accounts of House Piast - The Lost Polish Royal Journal, Rediscovered! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689378-The-Lost-Accounts-of-House-Piast-The-Lost-Polish-Royal-Journal-Rediscovered!&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 13:49:15 GMT Hello and welcome!

This is my first AAR on the Paradox Forums, and I hope I can properly entertain all who wish to be entertained. I've decided to try a style slightly different from most AARs I've seen; my story of House Piast will be told in journal entries, addresses to the peasants, secret letters between members of the court, and many other means. Thought to be destroyed, or lost, the journal started by King Boleslaw the Bold of Poland has finally been unearthed, as well as several official documents, secret correspondences, and addresses.

Finally, we can tell the story of the Piast dynasty as told by those who lived it.

Niech Pan będzie z nami, a nasze duchy.

-The Colonel

Attachment 80953

Attached Images

konstyt_orzel.jpg‎ (75.1 KB)

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) colonelwright http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689378-The-Lost-Accounts-of-House-Piast-The-Lost-Polish-Royal-Journal-Rediscovered! <![CDATA[Black Fire and Bitter Steel [AGOT]]]> http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689324-Black-Fire-and-Bitter-Steel-AGOT&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 04:49:58 GMT This'll be my second AAR, and I actually intend to finish this one ;). Unfortunately my Tyrell playthrough got cut short because of work, and by the time I came back to it in earnest the new version of the mod had come out, and the save was incompatible. But the new version did come with the Blackfyre Rebellion bookmark. The Blackfyres are one of my personal favorite stories, with a cool name, a cool sigil, a cool sword, and cool characters. Plus, while most AGOT AARs seem to take place around Robert's Rebellion or a Clash of Kings, this looks like fresh territory.

So here we go, and I hope you enjoy.

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

Chapter I: DAEMON

For years I, Daemon Blackfyre, served a man I thought to be my elder and trueborn brother. Daeron II Targaryen claimed to be the son of my father Aegon IV, but in reality he was the bastard of Aegon’s queen and my uncle Aemon the Dragonknight. That meant that the only sons Aegon the Unworthy had were the Targaryen Great Bastards: myself, Aegor “Bittersteel”, Brynden “Bloodraven”, and Shiera “Seastar”.

As the nephew of Aegon IV, Daeron might’ve been in the line of succession anyway, except that the king legitimized each of us Great Bastards, removing the taint from us and making us trueborn in the eyes of the gods. He held a special place for me, since my mother was also a Targaryen – Daena the Defiant, the sister-wife of Baelor the Blessed. The blood of Old Valyria runs as strong in me as it did in any Targaryen, and I have the silver hair and purple eyes of my forefathers.

When I was 14, my father gave me Blackfyre, the sword wielded by every Targaryen king since Aegon the Conqueror landed almost two hundred years earlier. When he died and legitimized me and my siblings, I took the sword’s name for my own and founded House Blackfyre. I at first resisted the calls of my friends, Bittersteel chief among these, to take the throne.

But I had wealth and status a-plenty, and my superior martial ability assured me a place of honor leading King Daeron’s armies. My life as a subject of Daeron the Good was good and comfortable for years, and I would have been content with the Lordship of Blackheart.

Only after Daeron sold my beloved sister off to the Prince of Dorne did I start to pay attention to the rumors of his illegitimacy. He knew I desired Daenerys, but my desires were nothing compared to those of a Dornishman he regarded as more his family than his own “brother”.

That’s when I accepted the truth: Daeron was the true bastard, not I. He was not the son of the king. The gods’ justice demanded that I take the Iron Throne.

Lords across Westeros rally to my call, drawn by my famous martial skill and possession of Blackfyre. Houses Tyrell, Lannister, Martell, Tully, and Arryn all oppose me, however. As does my own brother Bloodraven. He and Bittersteel are fierce enemies since both lust over our sister Shiera. With Bittersteel rallying support to me, I should’ve expected Bloodraven to throw in his lot with Daeron.
But several houses refused their overlords and have sided with the true king. Among these are the Lords of Castamere, Harrenhall, and Oldtown. Each of these allies brings with them thousands of soldiers.

The war begins in the Reach, as my army marches from Blackheart. Before Lord Tyrell can muster all of his armies, I and the lords loyal to me scatter his levies. Leo “Longhorn” Tyrell retreats to Highgarden. Lord Hightower recommends we besiege and capture the city. Highgarden is one of the richest cities in the Seven Kingdoms, and its capture could finance several sellsword companies.

But the siege would take months at least, during which time Daeron could gather his armies and smash us. My strategy demands speed above all else. I take loans from the Iron Bank of Braavos, and with those funds hire some mercenaries. Several of my lords voice their disagreement. “The Iron Bank always gets its due”, and all that. But let the Braavosi keep thinking they’re taking advantage of me. If I win this war I’ll have the whole Kingdom’s finances with which to make good on my loans. If I lose, I’ll be dead on a battlefield or executed for treason, and they can wipe their asses with their paper dragons.

We take the Roseroad and make for King’s Landing. Armies from the Westerlands arrive in the Crownlands first. Lord Reyne, who had declared for me, was harried east by the Lannisters, but meets up with me and Bittersteel near Byford.

At Alagon the Lannisters think to finish off the Reyne army, but instead find themselves up against both the Reynes and thousands of Blackfyre reinforcements. The battle that follows kills more men than the Field of Fire, and the vast majority of those casualties are Lannister men. A glorious victory.

But all is not well in the Blackfyre camp. Bittersteel, who had been constantly sending ravens to Shiera begging her to join him, finally got a reply. But as the old wives say: “Dark wings, dark words”. Our sister has ended up choosing Bloodraven.

Bittersteel reacts in a perfectly rational manner.

He tells me a life of celibacy is preferable to a life with a woman other than Shiera. I tell him he’s being an idiot. He’s one of my best generals, and I need him here. Without him, my head might be on a spike above the Red Keep.

He sulks, but comes to see reason.

The war goes well. With Lord Reyne, I tear a bloodly swathe through the Loyalist forces in the Crownlands. The high lords of Harrenhall and Oldtown also arrived on the scene, and soon the Blackfyre armies are at the gates of King’s Landing.

While Lord Hightower lays siege to the capital, myself and Bittersteel fan out and search the countryside for the remnants of Daeron’s army. Eventually we discover the Loyalist forces commanded by Daeron, his son Baelor Breakspear, and Bloodraven gathering strength at Duskendale. But even as I swoop in to finish off Daeron, news arrives from Storm’s End.

The war goes well. With Lord Reyne, I tear a bloodly swathe through the Loyalist forces in the Crownlands. The high lords of Harrenhall and Oldtown also arrived on the scene, and soon the Blackfyre armies are at the gates of King’s Landing.

While Lord Hightower lays siege to the capital, myself and Bittersteel fan out and search the countryside for the remnants of Daeron’s army. Eventually we discover the Loyalist forces commanded by Daeron, his son Baelor Breakspear, and Bloodraven gathering strength at Duskendale. But even as I swoop in to finish off Daeron, news arrives from Storm’s End.

Orys Baratheon has stayed neutral until this point, ignoring my summons as well as Daeron’s pleas for assistance. The Baratheons, along with the Starks and Greyjoys, are determined not to end up on the losing side. Now, Orys knows that the end of Daeron the Pretender’s reign is at hand, and throws his lot in with me, becoming the first and only Lord Paramount to support the Blackfyre cause. With the fresh might of the Stormlands on my side, I move to finish off the Loyalists.

At Duskendale we annihilate the enemy armies, removing the last armed resistance in the Crownlands. The Lannisters and Arryns both have armies raised, but they’re hundreds of miles away. Maddeningly, all three of the my most valued prisoners – King Daeron, Baelor, and Bloodraven – all manage to escape my dragnet. Daeron makes for King’s Landing, where he dons a disguise, slips through Lord Hightower’s lines, and holes up in the Red Keep. Baelor Breakspear meanwhile sails to Dorne, where his mother and Daeron’s wife, the Princess, raises another army (the old Prince who started this whole thing having died). But with the Stormlands having declared for me, there was no way to get the army to the capital in time. Daeron's allies make a few abortive attempts to break through the Hightower and Harrenhall lines, but all of them fail. King’s Landing falls in a few months, and Daeron is captured.

The Pretender is handed over to me, and I force him to admit his ill birth and renounce all claims to the Iron Throne. The Loyalist lords see their cause is lost and disband their levies.

I am king. I allow myself to bask in my victory for only a moment, because I know that victory is not yet complete, despite what the smallfolk with no view of the larger picture think. Bloodraven and Baelor Breakspear remain on the loose, and are almost certainly rallying Targaryen loyalists as I write. I also need to pay off the Braavosi lest they aid the Young Pretender. Finally, and perhaps most dangerous of all, there are the Lords Paramount. From Aegon’s Conquest until now, the ruling family of Westeros had never been toppled. But now? I know what they whisper to each other: “Blackfyre could do it, why can’t I?”

No, this is not the end of the Targaryens. Only the end of the beginning. Dragons are not so easy to put down. ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) paulc http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689324-Black-Fire-and-Bitter-Steel-AGOT <![CDATA[The Old Gods Let's Play]]> http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689153-The-Old-Gods-Let-s-Play&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 00:49:52 GMT Hello! I will be doing a Let's Play of the Old Gods upon it's release. At the moment I am allowing people to vote on which character/nation I should play as in the new DLC.

You can vote/give ideas here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1VWs...ature=youtu.be ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) jaxx2009 http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689153-The-Old-Gods-Let-s-Play <![CDATA["Growing Strong" A House Tyrell AAR]]> http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689120-quot-Growing-Strong-quot-A-House-Tyrell-AAR&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 20:45:44 GMT

"Growing Strong"

A House Tyrell AAR (A Clash of Kings)

by DieMuecke

Chapter I. "The Rose of Highgarden"

- Mace Tyrell sits in his tent, outside the army of the Reach. Mace talking to himself

"I am Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, and Warden of the South. My Father Luthor was Lord of Highgarden and his Father Denys was Lord before him, we are the Tyrells of Highgarden. We rule the Reach since the days of Aegon Targaryen. Back then Aegon's dragon slew the last Reachking and extinguished his dynasty and granted my ancestor Harlen Tyrell the Lord Paramouncy of the Reach. Everytime I think about that I feel that my house owes the Targaryens a lot. We would be stewards and advisors of the Reachkings, but now we rule over this great and wonderful land that we call our home. I don't even know if there's a living Targaryen somewhere. Probably not, King Robert did a great job on killing helpless babies in their sleep. . .
No, I didn't betray the Targaryens. No, no, I fought for Aerys, second of his name, rightful King of the Iron Throne, but now this black haired drunkard sits in the Red Keep and calls himself king. King! I am going to . . !"

- Willas Tyrell enters the tent

"Father. The armies of the Arbor have arrived, our armies are combined now. We should march against Dragon Stone and fight Stannis . ."

"Willas, my son, I am leading the Reachmen army and not you! I know that we have to stop this "lightbringing" maniac called Stannis, but at first I have to talk to you."

"Father?"

"You are my rightful heir, Willas. You have Reachmen's blood. Remember this isn't our war. Renly is going to be king, not you, not Garlan and not Loras. Margaery is going to be queen, that's right, but their children will be Baratheons. So I won't waste my men fighting a war, that I haven't started! And you, Willas, do you think Renly's cause is just?"

"I think .."

"No. His brother just conquered this throne from the Targaryens! There was no right of succesion! So I think we should also take what is ours."

"What do you mean?"

"The . . ."

- Garlan Tyrell, the second son, also enter the tent.

"Father, King Renly is . . ."

"Garlan! What's wrong with our king ?"

"He's dead."

"And Maergary and Loras? Are they hurt?"

"They are fine, they ride back to Highgarden and I think we should do the same."

"Yes, my son, everyone is going to ride home except Willas and Margaery. They will head to Sunspear. Willas, first lesson, never let them surprise you."

- Mace, his son and his men arrive in Highgarden. Loras already waiting for him.

"Father."

"The prodigal son returns, I guess."

"I can't believe it. You really sent Margaery to Dorne! And married her to Quentyn Martell, you have to be kidding! She wanted to become a queen!"

"Son. I'm not going to talk with you about diplomacy. The Martells are going to be good allies, I know that. And I also feel that we need allies in times like this. Not someone like the Lannisters or some other noble house, who would kill you in your sleep without batting an eye."

"We have the biggest army, we don't need allies!"

"But if our enemies have, Loras? The Reach army is not invincable even if it's the biggest of them all."

"Our enemies? Father?"

"Yes, Loras. Our enemies. I am going to claim the Crown of the Reach. And the Martells will bend their knee like all the other lords. I will claim Dorne and the Stormlands and to do that I need allies"

"They have to be quite powerful don't you think?"

"Oh, yes and I already found them. They will be powerful, breathing fire on their enemies . . ."

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) DieMuecke http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689120-quot-Growing-Strong-quot-A-House-Tyrell-AAR A Bloody Conquest - AAR from Jorvik http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689086-A-Bloody-Conquest-AAR-from-Jorvik&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 16:43:41 GMT

Introduction

This is an AAR that came to my mind randomly. I started a campaign with the Prima lingua mod just because I got curios if it changes the name of the title of the kingdom just like it does when the normans take England. So I started it, and had an Idea for this alternate history AAR, so I carried on with conquering every single county. Unfourtunetly the count of Kernow rose up in rebellion and I missed that county, but I think it adds just a little more flavor.

Alternate Historical Background

In 1066 September the Norweigen armies landed in northren england. Harold King of England was assured by the two main titleholders of these lands, that they could repel any attack in this region, and there was no need of him to interfere. And they seemed to be proven right, they easily defeated the army consisting of three thousand men. But in October, the ships caught in the storm on the North Sea, finaly reached their destination, though many were lost in the storm, Harald and his viking army of eight thousand ran ashore in Northumbria. There they waited for the reinforcements of Tostig Godwinson, a two thousand of bloodthirsty scottish soldiers. The battle that ensued was rather a masacre rather then a battle, the anglo-saxon armies broke in a mere hour.

Harold realising his mistake, has amassed his armies only to find himself stuck in a picher, when the armies of William de Normadie reached the shores in the south. He was faced with a decision, either to try and protect the North or the South; he marched his armies to the landing closer to reach, Hastings. The battle ended with the bretons and normans winning, but Harold managed to escape the claws of death, for a while longer.

After these events, the fate of Brittannia was decided. William made several attempts to hold off the armies of Harald, but it was for naught. The last great battle was fought near Thetford in 1069 June 21st, where the norman armies met the advancing viking army in an attempt to bring a halt to what seemed an unstoppable force. Here five thousand of norweigens met the four and a half tousand norman army. The battle seemed a victory for the now King William, but a young commander of the house Bolt proved him wrong. They met in the midst of the battle both bloody and tired, but William was already bleeding from a deep wound from his thigh. The yet unknown soldier faced the dying man and slain him on the field. From there the battle was decided, he died in 1072 November 7th.

And all this while Harald fought the Breton resistance, wich proved more resilient than thought before. They managed to kill Tostig and his marshal in battle, and the andvancement of his army stopped in Sommerset. He sent for the danish, who were happy to join this last great viking. This decision was later proven to be a very severe mistake, when the Danish turned on their allies at Land's End and thus starting another bloody war, one wich was played more in the shadows then on the battlefield. And this is where our tale starts. ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Krilk33 http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?689086-A-Bloody-Conquest-AAR-from-Jorvik House Wulfharth, Sons of Ysmir, Dragons of the North, And High Kings of Skyrim http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688967-House-Wulfharth-Sons-of-Ysmir-Dragons-of-the-North-And-High-Kings-of-Skyrim&goto=newpost Sat, 18 May 2013 19:00:20 GMT "Skyrim, also known as the Old Kingdom or the Fatherland, was the first region of Tamriel settled by humans: the hardy, brave, warlike Nords, whose descendants still occupy this rugged land, and, although perhaps somewhat reduced from the legendary renown of their forebears of old, the Nords of the pure blood still unquestionably surpass the mixed races in all the manly virtues." - First Pocket Guide to the Empire

..The House of Wulfharth has fallen low, The High Kingdom of Skyrim has been split into several Kingdoms, the Reachmen and their Old Gods threaten invasion, and the Dunmer have recovered from the Four-Score War while Skyrim lays in tatters after the fall of the Reman Empire and the Potentate. It is a time of Chaos. A time for war. It is the time for House Wulfharth to rise again!

Prologue

"...As the Empire fell around us, The Nords, the Redguards, the Dunmer - Everyone, all we could do was think of one thin...What will happen now?" - King Ysmir II of House Wulfharth, Last High King of Skyrim.

After the Assassination of Reman III, just after the Four-Score War, Skyrim was the most affected by this. For 80 years, the Nedic People of the North had fought tooth and nail into driving into Morrowind's territory - determined to reverse the events that took place when the Nords were first pushed out of Morrowind by the Dwemer-Chimer alliance of Resdayn. Many thousands died in the battle of Ustunpass - the only access way from Skyrim into Morrowind. ..And then the news came, after successfully driving the Dunmer out at a counter-offensive of Ustunpass. Reman the Third of his Name, of House Reman, was dead. As was his son and heir - the Emperors of Al-Cyrod were extinguished. What remained of their House were petty lords who had no ties to the Emperors directly. Sons of the Brothers, and mostly caught up in Cyrodill-politics following the Crisis. The potenate took over, rather quickly, and tried to dispell the end of the Empire. The High King of Skyrim (Hale Wulfharth) was openly talking of secession after the Emperors death. He would not be a servant to some Akaviri, the same enemies that Reman the first of his name fought, of Ald-Cyrod, and defeated to secure the Second Empire of Tamriel.

The rumors were dispelled..very quickly. And the Kingdom of Skyrim, as that time went on with Potentate after Potentate, degraded. The King of Solitude, Hjornskar the first of House Bearclaw, had nearly brought the Kingdom into civil war over his dishonorable acts. The crisis, known in the Kingdom, was the "Islands Crisis", and it was successfully averted by the Last Wulfharth King of Skyrim - Ysmir the Second. Much like the man he was named after - he held a charismatic disposition and a fiery temper towards his allies, vassals, and enemies alike. It was also during Ysmir's reign that the last Potentate was assassinated by the Dark Brotherhood - officially ending the Empire. And this, rather than help the Nords, made things worse. As Skyrim was apart of the Empire...should Skyrim also fade out of existence?

The Rift and Solitude, sore after Ysmir's territorial demands to them and forcing them to not go to war with other vassals, thought so. And when Ysmir died in 2E 415 (3365), they staged a coup in their respective territories. While Hjornskar was dead, his son (Anskar) was very much alive. To bring pride back to Bearclaw, he declared the High Kingdom of Skyrim dead. Using his soliders to set up his own Kingdom (The Kingdom of Solitude) and reject Ragnar Wulfharth's claim to the Jaggered Crown and Throne of Skyrim. Byrondorf, King of Riften, did the same. Declaring himself a King unto his own lands...The Pale, Shearpoint, Whiterun, and the territories under the Silverblood family all did the same. Though a bit reluctantly..as, in this time, Ragnar Wulfharth had used what loyal levies remaining to take control of the territories of Eastmarch before they declared their independence, and (in a sad fit of irony) declared himself King of Winterhold. Though, now, he was simply another King in a divided land of Kingdoms. The Pale and Shearpoint, however, had vassals that talked of joining him as loyal vassals. Dispelled by the rulers, as he was not strong enough to hold the Throne of his Father.

Several years later, Ragnar (after having an affair with one of his courtiers) is in the lowest point in the whole history of the House of Wulfharth. He has an illegitimate bastard, his step-brother (also son to the former High King) will be next-in-line to the Throne of Winterhold, and it seems Skyrim will be either overrun by the Reachmen, as they have not been kept in check..or be overrun by the Dunmer, as the Rift and Whiterun settle disputes that will make Skyrim an easy target for the Expansionistic Empire of the Elves. What is worse, is that the Colovians are militarily occupyin Falkreath, making sure that they would not declare independence, and used as political leverage to 'pay respects' to the House of Tor. As if they were the inheritors of the Empire of Reman!

..But now? Now it is the Time for the new Dragon of the North to take the reins of Skyrim. ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Byzan http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688967-House-Wulfharth-Sons-of-Ysmir-Dragons-of-the-North-And-High-Kings-of-Skyrim Æthelan: Paths of Exile http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688851-Æthelan-Paths-of-Exile&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 20:30:13 GMT

Coming Soon, following the release of The Old Gods.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue: The Wooded Dun of Æsc
Chapter 1: A Funeral Bier

***

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) AlexanderPrimus http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688851-Æthelan-Paths-of-Exile Sea Kings: The House af IvAAR http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688679-Sea-Kings-The-House-af-IvAAR&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 18:29:56 GMT

Sea Kings
The House af Ivar

I discovered the original Crusader Kings about three months before Crusader Kings II was released, and I used to think that I would get Crusader Kings II just in time for the release of Crusader Kings III. Last Christmas I got a new computer, and shortly thereafter Valve released a native Linux version of Steam. I've owned Crusader Kings II for about a week, though I think I've been thinking about this particular idea for at least a year.
My goal is that this will be a narrative-style AAR, since (with one abortive exception) I've never really tried to write an AAR in that style.

Mod used: CK2+

Table of Contents

Prologue: A History of the House of Ivar and its descendants (917-1066)

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Alex Borhild http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688679-Sea-Kings-The-House-af-IvAAR The Young Dragon; A Game of Thrones mod AAR http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688460-The-Young-Dragon-A-Game-of-Thrones-mod-AAR&goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 01:57:19 GMT

The Young Dragon

PROLOGUE

The last Targaryen dragon died 151 years after Aegon the Conqueror's landing.

I was only eight years old.

I remember her. A poor sickly little thing, near the size of a dog. By the end of it, she could barely fly. Her mate had died when I was a babe, but not before mating and producing a few eggs.
My father had cared more for that pitiful thing than even me, his own heir. They say that he was afraid of dragons, after watching my grandmother fed to by my granduncle's dragon, but I remember him only having eyes for this sickly little beast. He had affectionately named her Synraex similarly after his mother Rhaenyra's dragon Syrax. He had never ridden dragons but he tried everything to keep Snynraex alive. Many Archmaesters and Maesters provided remedies to save that damned thing but it only became more sickly as time went on before dying in a coil, wrapped around her remaining dragon eggs. They said my father wept for 40 nights after her death, fearing the end of the Targaryen dragons that helped conquer the kingdoms we ruled. My father wasted no time attempting to hatch these eggs using nine mages from across Essos in a last ditch effort to hatch them. This only broke the remaining eggs and the smallfolk began affectionately calling my him "Dragonsbane".

After destroying the last cache of eggs, my father spiraled into a deep depression and rarely even left Maegor's Holdfast. We rarely even had contact, at this point in time my uncle Viserys was ruling the kingdom in regency for him whilst shaping me for eventual rule. The last time we spoke, my father quietly told me, "My rule is over. I'll return to my mother soon enough. You will rule, my son. Rule firm and hard or our line will soon be extinguished. We don't have the dragons to help us anymore."

King Aegon III Targaryen died 157 years after Aegon the Conqueror's Landing. He was succeeded by me, Daeron Targaryen, the first of his name. Lord of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.

The smallfolk and nobles in court were already mockingly already started calling me "The Boy King".
It was true.
I was the youngest of my line to ever ascend The Iron Throne at such a young age but I wasn't about to allow that to become my legacy for all time. History would remember my father as the Dragonsbane, the killer of dragons, but in truth he held the realm after the Dance of the Dragons ravaged the countryside. I wouldn't allow history to remember me as anything less than a great ruler. As I ascended the Iron Throne, I had already begun making plans for the realm and intended on making a speech. My uncle Viserys, Hand of the King, had advised against it. I made some big promises that perhaps I couldn't keep, he kept telling me. In the end, I told him I wouldn't make the speech. I lied.

"For far too long, we've allowed a rogue independent Dornish Kingdom to coexist with our own. My ancestors made a grave mistake in this. I intend to end this folly with my reign. With or without dragons, the Dornish Kingdom will kneel before the Iron Throne and make the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros whole."

My speech wasn't a declaration of war, but it was the closest to war our Kingdom had come to with Dorne in years. All diplomatic ties and relations were cut and trading routes were shut off on both ends. Both kingdoms would suffer for my speech. Sure, the talk of war was in the air but until troops started mobilizing it would just be talk. Soon after my coronation, I left King's Landing for my House's ancestral seat of Dragonstone. My regency wouldn't end for two years, until my 16th nameday. I used my time at Dragonstone to train and study upon Dorne for my soon-to-be conquest of the region. In my wake, regency was left to my mother, Queen Daena and my uncle Hand of the King, Viserys.

Soon, Dorne would be mine. I would show the world the might of House Targaryen. I would show them we didn't need dragons to win wars. ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) mutantwave http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688460-The-Young-Dragon-A-Game-of-Thrones-mod-AAR A New Beginning! - A year 50 AAR http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688100-A-New-Beginning!-A-year-50-AAR&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 20:05:46 GMT Hey there and welcome to my little AAR project!
This AAR aims to simulate a completely new History beginning in the year 50 AD.
For this project I randomly created characters for the whole world (just Europe of course :D ),
so that even I dont know who is ruling where. You can say that this is a completely blind AAR.
Furthermore I'd like to say that I dont PLAY this Game, but observe it via the "observe" command
for not beeing a factor in the worlds history.
This AAR will be published in 50 year episodes, so there will be an episode for the year 100, 150, 200, and so on.

The year 50:

The year 100:

The year 150:

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) RWexler http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688100-A-New-Beginning!-A-year-50-AAR Successful Story - A Succession AAR http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688058-Successful-Story-A-Succession-AAR&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 15:35:28 GMT Hello there!

There is one thing this subforum is IMHO at the moment lacking - a succession game AAR. Hence this thread.

What is a succession game? Every participant plays the game till his protagonist dies and then passes the savegame file to the next player and writes a report in this thread. We will be playing vanilla with classic settings, the newest patch (1.092) and only graphical DLCs. No reloading, save editing or cheating (except for CTDs and such).

Everyone is free to play as he wills though roleplaying the ruler traits and sensible decisions are highly recommended (but if you happen to have a crazy ruler...well, have fun). Everyone will be playing as himself so no planning in advance - just think of yourselves as independent rulers. We will play as long as possible though not necessarily till the end of the timeframe.

Everyone will have a week to finish his part - if he does not make it, he should just post where he got and let another one finish it. Also, when it's your turn to play please post a confirmation so that the rest of us know you're on it, otherwise you will be skipped.

I will create a specific thread in the OT forum to serve as a storage of the links to the saves.

You are free to apply as many times as you wish, though every time you will be placed at the end of the list. You can also state that you wish to auto-apply every time your ruler dies. At the moment there are no restrictions in applying but that might be subject to change.

The game will begin after we decide the nation to play and the voting will take a week after all interested players are in.

The choices will be:

- County of York, The Alexiad
- Kingdom of Navarra, Third Crusade
- Latin Empire, The Latin Empire
- Duchy of Estonia, The Mongols

So...COME AND PLAY! ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Athalcor http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?688058-Successful-Story-A-Succession-AAR The Necronomicon in Byzantium – Horrible Tale of The House Angelos http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687713-The-Necronomicon-in-Byzantium-–-Horrible-Tale-of-The-House-Angelos&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 09:32:47 GMT

The Necronomicon in Byzantium
-
Horrible Tale of The House Angelos

That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons, even death may die.

CONTENTS
Chapter 1 (1102-1108)
Chapter 2 (1108-1116)
Chapter 3 (1116-1121)
Chapter 4 (1121)
Chapter 5 (1122)

I am happy to bring this what should be done a long time ago – an AAR based on Cthulhu mythos! The story starts in 1001 Anno Domini in Byzantium, I'll play as the (in)famous House Angelos and try to become the Emperor of Romans using blasphemous and forbidden dark knowledge.

Some home rules and basic info:

1) Version 1.92, mod CK2+ 1.33.25 and almost all of the DLCs but nothing else.
2) Console will be used to provide flavor for the story (mostly for generating the „bad” traits).
3) Console will be used to provide some benefits like gold although the price will be high (fhtagn!).
4) No quickloads or any loads except when starting the game – consequences will be accepted always although → next point
5) If I will have to choose between some random thing and the total collapse of the story I will choose the story.
6) The goal is to provide interesting and dark story. The goal in game is to become the Emperor of Romans, although I leave the possibility of continuing the story after achieving that point.
7) In every chapter they will be three special elements:
*„Chronology of events” - timeline for the story;
*„Dramatis personae” - list of all important characters;
*„The Black List” - list of all the victims of power hungry Angeloi on their way to the Imperial Throne.
8) Oh and I'm not a native speaker, so my apologies for mistakes.
9) I reserve the right to change the rules during the story.

That's all folks! Let's get this started.

PROLOGUE
1101-1102

Today everyone celebrates. Twenty long years have passed since Alexios seized the throne and saved us all from the hordes of infidels. The Empire is now much stronger that during those black days but one doesn't need wise eyes to see the dangers surrounding the state like the vultures surround the ill and weak but still pride lion. But today everyone celebrates, songs are played, wine is spilled and smiles fill the air. Everyone but me. I can't find any happiness in my life since I lost her. Oh my dear Anna, how much I miss you! Would you ever forgive me? This is my last hope because I know that I can't count on His forgiveness. I will burn for what I did to you, my love. Soon I will this miserable world and the judgment will be passed upon me. If we met on the other side… no, no! I can't think about this, not now. I did this for our children, Anna, I did it for them. Or I thought so, because today I know that this cursed day will bring us only misery. But you wanted this, didn't you? You told me to read this damned book, you were always saying that as quick as I rise I can fall. And I did, my dove, I did.

After the Alp Arslan filled the valley with the blood of Romans and humiliated our Emperor I knew that our darkest nightmares has become real. In the next years full of despair and chaos thanks to my stupidity which was then mistaken for courage and my lack of vision which enabled me to continue my service in a fading army I gained the honor of commanding the droungos of Chios. I, simple lowborn from Smyrna, was elevated to the ranks of aristoi! Today I can say that this says more about the condition of our aristokratia than my doubtful valor.

Everything seemed to be so good. I was a landed noble, I found the most beautiful women of all on the agora of Smyrna in the sunny day, we married in silent monastery of St. Dionysius. Even the everpresent shadow of war couldn't erase our happiness during those days. But then I found this book. Years have passed and I still don't have any idea what was his name. Tall, pride, dark-skinned and always smiling warrior from a distant land with those weirdly intensive orange eyes. When we were on a campaign against the barbarians in the first years of Alexios reign I saved his life. „This is the most precious thing I have. You have to take it Manuel, this is the only way for me to pay this debt.” He disappeared few days later, probably died during the battle with feral Pechenegs. I've never saw him again.

I forgot about this book completely – we were in the middle of a war after all. Only years later, when the infidel invasion swallowed our eastern lands like a black tide and we have to sail to Theodosiopolis to save ourselves I found it. Forgotten, lost on the bottom of small coffer, one of the few we didn't leave in the castle while escaping from the sword of the enemy. Oh my Anna, why did you tell me to use this damned book!? I should have toss in into the deep where it belongs. But it was too late – the mysteries were to fascinating to foret about them. Soon I knew the history of the book, the tragic tale of Mad Arab Abdullah al-Ḥaẓrad, an exile from Sanaa in Arabian Peninsula.

When I realized that this was indeed the Necronomicon, banned by the patriarch Michael before I was born, then I failed. I failed you and our unborn sons, I failed him and I lost my mind to this vile manuscript.

But it worked. It worked just as al-Hazrad promised in his madness. Soon I was a doux and I wasn't a mere servant anymore. With themata of Samos and rich lands under my rule I gained power and wealth but I lost this what is the most precious of all: my only love and my soul. I tried to get rid of it, I really did – but it always come back. Always. This unholy ritual somehow binded my blood with the magic of the book, thus connecting my whole family to this insult of God's laws, this abomination of unholy verses. And that's why I'm frightened, why I can't smile – I deserved my fate but my sons? Did I bring doom on all of them innocent boys?

I have no other option. Andronikos is not a child anymore, but he's still young, too young to survive in this harsh times without guidance. I spent a lot of gold to hire the best eunuchs in the Queen of Cities to teach him the world. He's talented much more than I am, but I'm full of doubt whether he will survive long without allies. I must find him a good wife and do it quickly. I also have to teach him the dark secrets of the book – maybe he will be able to find a way to break this curse and bring peace to our family.

I'm old and tired, my days are numbered. But I will find the strength to carry on this burden for a few more years – I have to do it for my sons. Then, when my time comes, maybe we will meet again, even if just for a one sweet and sad moment.

Maybe then I will finally take a rest. Today nobody will go sleep early but all my night are vigile. I can't find peace while lying alone on my bed in the darkness. I can hear only my weak heartbeat and the distant sound of waves braking on the rocky shore. And I don't find any consolace in the light of the day - I read the book and I know that truly the night is dark and full of terrors.

Mother forgive me.

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) CzokletMuss http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687713-The-Necronomicon-in-Byzantium-–-Horrible-Tale-of-The-House-Angelos The Forest Seeps Frozen Blood http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687634-The-Forest-Seeps-Frozen-Blood&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 23:08:14 GMT Another black metal concert, another inspiration.

This time, in the setting of the world of Westeros, focusing on Bran Stark, John Stark, and maybe Rickon, Jojen, and Val.

Disclaimer: While I consider GRRM to be a good world-builder, I consider him an average at best writer in terms of things like focus and plot. Therefore, I will ignore and modify a whole lot of stuff. Yeah, this is basically fanfiction, and GRRM hates it, but he can get bent over by an editor.

Style, focus, etc: My usual occult/esoteric/magical stuff. I have, in my head, sketched out the whole story, so I intend to end it in 10-20 updates at most. I will try not to get bogged down and keep the focus small in terms of characters, if not in terms of story, since me going overboard with stuff is why my aars die. First and foremost, this is a story, gameplay elements may be included if my fancy strikes me particularly hard. Story takes precedence, though, so preapre yourself for text. I will try to limit myself to less than 1000-1500 words per update, but I have a bad habit of writing a lot. I will try to keep the language authentic, with no modern expressions. Due to the cathartic nature of what inspires me, I will try to give each chapter a sufficiently strong ending, but that may turn into cliffhangers.

I will also post the first drafts of the chapters directly, as me re-reading what I write usually results in "select all"+"delete".

Most, if not all, chapters will have some kind of musical inspiration behind them, usually atmoshperic black metal or the like. I will post links to appropriate songs at the end of the chapters. While you dont have to listen to them, it is encouraged.

Dramatis personae:

Bran Stark - crippled, greenseer, warg, current heir of the House Stark, Lordship of Winterfell, and Lord Paramountcy of the North
Jon Snow - bastard of the House, currently Lord Commander of the Nights Watch
Rickon Stark - younger brother on Bran Stark
Osha - Wildling woman, currently warden of the Stark boys
Jojen Reed - of house Reed, greenseer
Meera Reed - of House Reed. Skilled huntress and pathfinder. Sister of Jojen.
Summer - direwolf of Bran Stark
The Child-Raven - dream-messenger of the Children Of The Forest
Coldhands - undead messenger of the White Walkers

Index:

Run

(note: since I am writing this an hour after the end of the concert, expect some typos and such. Will correct once I wake up) ]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Herbert West http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687634-The-Forest-Seeps-Frozen-Blood AARlander edition 8 is out! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687407-AARlander-edition-8-is-out!&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 18:44:18 GMT

It has taken us some time to make it, but we can now proudly present you a completely revised, good-looking AARlander issue. Click on the banner to read stunning interviews, a great article about Interactive AARs, and two articles of a, for us, completely new genre: The AAR review.

We hope you'll enjoy reading this; and make sure to leave a comment in the feedback thread!

Thread approved by Avindian

]]> Crusader Kings II - After Action Reports (AAR) Avindian http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?687407-AARlander-edition-8-is-out!