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Haha finally an update :D Fantastic interlude, very interested to see where this is going!
 
Haha finally an update :D Fantastic interlude, very interested to see where this is going!

Thanks :D . Was a good one for me to write .

Kingdoms, kingdoms, kingdoms... everyone wants to be a king, don't they? :p

And of course the answers only raise more questions... that's what good answers do, after all. ;)

I was taught that in life you either want one of two things: love or power . You can't have both .

Nasty name calling. And where have the good ole days gone where one can ascend to a kingdom peacefully? :D

Haha , good ole days like before the fall ? XD XD
 
I was taught that in life you either want one of two things: love or power . You can't have both .

Interestingly, I'm listening to the end of Das Rheingold right when I read this. Wagner's theme in that opera was almost exactly that - Alberich had to give up love in order to forge the ring and gain its power, plus Wotan tries to throw a goddess under the bus (so to speak) in order to have Walhall built... one of those moments that at least my mind doesn't like to mark as coincidence. ;)
 
Interestingly, I'm listening to the end of Das Rheingold right when I read this. Wagner's theme in that opera was almost exactly that - Alberich had to give up love in order to forge the ring and gain its power, plus Wotan tries to throw a goddess under the bus (so to speak) in order to have Walhall built... one of those moments that at least my mind doesn't like to mark as coincidence. ;)

As Catholics we also know that there are no such things as coincidences XD I wonder what the Holy Spirit was trying to tell you this time around :D
 
Interestingly, I'm listening to the end of Das Rheingold right when I read this. Wagner's theme in that opera was almost exactly that - Alberich had to give up love in order to forge the ring and gain its power, plus Wotan tries to throw a goddess under the bus (so to speak) in order to have Walhall built... one of those moments that at least my mind doesn't like to mark as coincidence. ;)

I love Der Ring Des Nibelungen :D
 
Excellent update! Some nice revelations there which I hope are further worked in future updates. As EP said, good interlude as well, one of my favorites so far of the season!
 
I love Der Ring Des Nibelungen :D

elidio and I tried to watch it together the other year . didn't work out haha .

Excellent update! Some nice revelations there which I hope are further worked in future updates. As EP said, good interlude as well, one of my favorites so far of the season!

Thank you :D I'm very pumped for the next few updates :D

Now for an interview , but do keep the comments coming please !
 
canonizedlordvalentine.png


You've Been Canonized!: Lord Valentine​

Good evening and welcome once again to You've Been Canonized! Our ongoing interview segment where we take an AARlander and get to know more about them as well as their projects or AARs! If you're new to the programme, I'm your host canonized author of Timelines: What if Spain Failed to Control the World? and today's guest is Lord Valentine, the author of The High Kings of Alba - A Scots MegaCampaign and I Doukas - Tales of Passion, Power and Death.

Part I: Happy Saint Valentine's Day
Lord Valentine tells us a little bit about himself !

canonized - Well first thank you so much for being on the programme ! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself for our audience ?

Lord Valentine - Of course! I'm what I like to call an "Anglo-German". My father was from Liverpool, England, while my mother is German and I've spent all my life in Germany. I've just turned 21 this year and finished my social service and will soon begin working on my B.A. in History and Politics. Which is thrilling since I've always been a history nut.^^

canonized - What would you say brought you to the paradox fora and specifically to AARland ?

Lord Valentine - Well I came across the Paradox fora through two other boards. The first was the official (I think) German HoI board where I was quite active before moving onto the "international scene" and the other was a board for the "Total Realism"-Mod of "Rome - Total War" on which a member named Slasher posted a CK AAR. I decided I wanted more of that and began lurking into AARland and pretty soon joined up myself. I had been writing "Total War" AARs before and was pretty keen to try out some Paradox-games AARs.

canonized- So which of the game time periods appeals to you the most would you say as both a player and a history buff ?

Lord Valentine - Difficult to say. When I was younger I had definite favorite periods like the Greco-Roman antiquity and the era of the World Wars, but my interests have steadily expanded to also include very much everything of (at least European) history from 2.000 BC to today. Gamewise I'd probably say I generally lean towards CK or HoI titles. But that's more due to the games themselves then the history period they are set in.

canonized - And what might you perhaps like to say about CK as your preferred game ?

Lord Valentine - CK has taken a lot of (and in many cases deserved) criticism. It is not as complex as the other Paradox titles and has numerous weaknesses or features I miss. But the game has a unique atmosphere. There is simply no other game that simulates the medieval world in that detail. I absolutely love the dynastic system, the great amounts of character traits, that over endless opportunities for roleplaying. This is also what makes it such a wonderful game for AARs. The game itself gives you so many interesting character aspects to build upon that even a fairly uncreative writer like myself get's good ideas how to make a dynamic and interesting storyline.

Needles to say, I am longing for CK 2.^^

canonized - Have you had any outside training or studies that have helped you in your AAR career ?

Lord Valentine - Well as I said I had previously written Rome -Total War AARs so I wasn't a complete novice when it came to writing. Other than that my main inspirations where some fabulous history books I have read over the years. The kind of history books that have (to steal someone else's line) "spoiled fiction for me forever." Books like John Gillinghams "War of the Roses", C.V. Wedgwoods "30 Year War" or the German writer Sebastian Haffners works all combined high intellectual standards with wit, charm and were a delight to read. That is what I in parts have tried to emulate. To write informative but not to heavy and hopefully always enjoyable.

canonized - You certainly bring that to bear in your historical writing style ! Speaking of your particular 'style' , I'm sure our audience is a little curious , as was I , about your choice of forum name . Do you think you could let them in on why you are our "Lord Valentine" ? XD

Lord Valentine - Oh yes! It's just the pompous streak of my personality. My real name is Robert Valentine and since I quite like my name I have always used is a username and varied it according to the nature of the board I joined. On the "Rome-Total Realism"-board I was "Imperator Valentine", on the German HoI Board I was Fieldmarshall Valentine. And on the Paradox-boards I tried to find something that would not be totally out of place in any of the games timelines and therefore opted for Lord Valentine.

Part II: From the CK Perspective
Lord Valentine tells us his thoughts on Timelines

canonized - So after a few chapters now of Timelines , what are your first impressions ?

Lord Valentine - It is work that really grows and grows and grows... I had tried to work myself into it at least twice before but always only got up to chapter 4 or so where there wasn't really that much action yet and just a fair amount of confusion on my part. But in the past week as I have read as far as chapter 14 I was simply astounded at the complexity and steadily developing maturity of the story. The deep intrigue, the mysteries, the action, the characters. Everything has just taken on such a great scale that it is a work that is hard to put down. I would compare it my introduction to Tolkien's works where I personally also found the beginnings a bit slow and confusing for a saga of such renown, but boy once it does start it does not let you go again!

canonized - Haha yes , sometimes people don't expect it once they get into the upper chapters XD . Did you have any favourite characters so far ?

Lord Valentine - I must say I really liked the archeologist Renault. The idea of having a Indiana Jones-style character in the 16th century is very cool, I have to say.

canonized - He's definitely one of the favourites and you'll see a lot more of him in season I . As you know one of Timelines' most unique features is how it switches between a story occurring in the past and one occurring in the present time . What might you have to say about that ?

Lord Valentine - It is a very unusual concept and I am astounded how you get it to work so well every time. In every chapter the storylines of the past and the present always correspond to each other in an intriguing fashion. It's like a giant puzzle and I find myself trying to piece together the hints out of each timeline and try to bring them together into something coherent. Not that I've managed so far, but after all that would be taking the suspense away.^^

canonized - There aren't that many narratives in the EUIII section nowadays and especially coming from someone who is most comfortable in the CK Section which has plenty of narratives , how has the narrative style been for you so far ?

Lord Valentine - I really enjoy it, although I have a kind of love-hate relationship with it in general. A good narrative can be sooo fascinating, since it let's you as a reader penetrate not only the action, but also the emotions and the drama of a story like no other style. On the other hand I have to say I am not a big fan of endless descriptions. I have quite a lively fantasy and usually have a visual picture of a scene in my head after only a few words. Therefore I usually find long descriptions of landscapes, persons, clothes etc. a bit tiresome. But with really gripping narratives I am more than willing to forget my personal preferences.

canonized - As you mentioned earlier , mystery is a large portion of the Timelines experience . Would you say this has been your favourite aspect of the story so far or might it have been the adventure sections , or the romance sections ?

Lord Valentine - No it's definitely been the mystery for me. I always loved stories that mixed "real history" with aspects of mythology, be it the Holy Grail, or other supposedly supernatural relics. Thus the more hints I get at what the "Timepiece" might be or in what context it might stand the deeper my personal suspense gets. The adventure and romance of course make a broader and more colorful overall picture, but the mystery let's your work really stand out big time for me.

canonized - So , then , what are your current theories on the Timepiece ? XD

Lord Valentine - At first I opted for the obvious: That it was some kind of device to manipulate history itself. But now that the story seems to imply a possible more sinister, even Armageddon like scenario I am more prone to believe it is some kind of powerful relict which might keep the balance in our world or unleash total chaos if used wrongly. Anyway I am very keen to find out.^^


Part III: High Kings and Emperors
Lord Valentine showcases his current projects!

canonized - So right now you have two CK AARs about two very different dynasties ! Perhaps you could give us a short introduction on each one ?

Lord Valentine - With pleasure! The older bigger work is "The High Kings of Alba". I is a Scottish-Mega campaign that is still in it's CK-Phase and will probably remain there for a while. It follows the exploits of the Atholl dynasties in a history book style, as they aim for royalty, glory and exspansion. The other one is called "I Doukas" and is my first serious attempt at a narrative AAR. It follows the machinations of Andronikos Doukas, a nephew of the emperor, to win the purple. But this being Byzantium this won't be possible without some intriguing and backstabbing...

canonized - As dynasties is perhaps one of the biggest draws of CK , what made you choose a Scottish and a Greek one to do for AARs ?

Lord Valentine - Well one of the two was obvious the other one less so. As anyone who has seen me hanging around the CK-AAR section will have noticed: I am a 100% Byzantinophile. I absolutely admire this intriguing continuation of the Roman Empire. Whenever I think about doing an AAR the Byzantines are almost always the first faction I consider. Also when I decided to do a narrative AAR I could not think of a better setting than the Byzantine Empire that is after all to this day infamous for it's complex and bloody intrigues.Where the Scottish one is concerned I was primary concerned with two things: I wanted to play a faction that hadn't featured in too many CK AARs yet and I wanted a faction that was kind of a underdog and had little chance of doing a world conquest before I even finish the CK-Phase of the game. Furthermore I somewhat have to have a emotional connection, call it sympathy, towards the factions I play, otherwise I usually get bored with the game very fast. Since I am half-British I had no problem with identifying myself with a Scottish game and the Byzantines, well as I said earlier: I'm simply nuts about them.

canonized - As far as your updates are , they're a nice combination of historical exposition and images . Do you prepare these beforehand , write ahead , or what other method do you use in your writing ?

Lord Valentine - Well usually I play a lot faster than I write. In history book AARs this is to some degree simply necessary since you can't really pretend to be looking back onto the past If you haven't even the faintest idea in what direction the game will develop in the next few years. Where the images are concerned, their kind of improvisations. In the beginning I looked for images to fit a certain game event. Later I simply searched the internet for several hours and saved anything that I thought I might be able to use at some point and now I have a nice reservoir to take from. I always try to find the right balance where images are concerned. I try to avoid going completely without them since this usually makes the updates look dull and boring and hard to read. But I also try to make them to image heavy after all it's supposed to be a history-book\narrative story and not a comic book. ^^

canonized - Of course XD So recently there's a lot of adventure in your AARs especially in your Alba one with the Iberian crusade . Do you think these are your favourite points to write about ?

Lord Valentine - Of course it is wonderful when the game gives you such epic events to write about. I mean its a lot better than having to spice up a twenty year period of peace and prosperity without it becoming boring to the reader. On the other hand I have to say it is also quite a challenge and can be quite trying. I have virtually spent hours thinking about how to translate some of the fairly abstract game events into a truly epic and fun read. Especially battle descriptions are a though nut every time. You always have to make them unique and kind of realistic at the same time. And with a great warrior like my current king Ranald I, who has quite a few epic battles to fight this was (and is) quite a challenge.

canonized - Although your Doukas AAR is only beginning , what might a potential reader look forward to as you progress in it ?

Lord Valentine - I could make it short and say "more of everything and bigger". But seriously I am still setting up the story. But what is definitely to come: Is a more complex and bigger world. Get ready for some Byzantine "Geopolitics" paired with murderous power struggles at its centre's, many new characters as the world expands and a lot of passion, power and death of course.^^

canonized - And how about future AAR plans ? Anything planned for the future ?

Lord Valentine - Haha that's a question you should not ask me. I am always tempted to try out something new and have take all my self-control to stick to what I'm currently working on. But the obvious next step would be of course to move into EUIII with my Scottish AAR once it's finished. Apart from that be ashured I never run out ideas that tempt me...

canonized - Haha wonderful ! Is there anything you would like to say to our readers at this time ?

Lord Valentine - Well first of all I would like to thank you for having me. Also another big thanks goes out to all my readers who have been more patient with me than I deserve. Cheers to you all! Also I would like to invite anyone who might be out to join the fun we have here in AARland. Whether your a total newcomer or not you'll always find supportive people and kind commentators to help you along as you develop your style.

canonized - Excellent ! Thank you again for being on the programme, it was a real pleasure.

Lord Valentine - As we say in Germany: The pleasure is on my side entirely.^^

canonized - Thank you again to our guest and a special shout out to English Patriot who helped to edit this interview . Come back next time when we'll be interviewing another one of AARland's luminaries . For now , good fight , good night !
 
I was taught that in life you either want one of two things: love or power . You can't have both .

Should I reconsider my education in Nuclear Engineering/Nuclear Physics..

NAH!

I mean, I get power AND glow in the dark! :p
 
Good interview! Why people want CK2 instead of Dip 2 will forever be a mystery.

Oh and the interview picture looks familiar...or maybe I am mistaken. It seems that Magna characters seem to look like each other :D
 
Good interview! Why people want CK2 instead of Dip 2 will forever be a mystery.

Oh and the interview picture looks familiar...or maybe I am mistaken. It seems that Magna characters seem to look like each other :D

CK2 will be like the second coming!

Magna characters? That's Vincent Valentine from FFVII
 
CK2 is the new Vicky 2 in the "hell freezing over" sayings.
 
elidio and I tried to watch it together the other year . didn't work out haha .

We couldn't find one with english subtitles and someone was too much of a wuss to watch it in plain german :p
 
Should I reconsider my education in Nuclear Engineering/Nuclear Physics..

NAH!

I mean, I get power AND glow in the dark! :p

Oh pish posh , you know you want love deep down inside XD

Good interview! Why people want CK2 instead of Dip 2 will forever be a mystery.

Oh and the interview picture looks familiar...or maybe I am mistaken. It seems that Magna characters seem to look like each other :D

I think it's just because we unfortunately cannot expand much on diplomacy , I think .

CK2 will be like the second coming!

Magna characters? That's Vincent Valentine from FFVII

Correct XD

CK2 is the new Vicky 2 in the "hell freezing over" sayings.

haha , but I'd still love it

Ah sorry, the most culture I get here is visiting other county's farm fairs :p

Much less a remember a character from a video game I have neither seen or heard :D

You should play FFVII sometime I highly recommend it :D

We couldn't find one with english subtitles and someone was too much of a wuss to watch it in plain german :p

Haha , I want to understand what's happening too !
 
Haha , I want to understand what's happening too !

We still need to try it. I mean, it can't be that difficult to understand what's going on... We can read a summary of it beforehand or something, haha
 
Weird update, if I may say so. El Sid was constantly a pretty nice guy, and now he's dealing with Lilith? :wacko:

As to Tom, he's still crazy :D
 
Weird update, if I may say so. El Sid was constantly a pretty nice guy, and now he's dealing with Lilith? :wacko:

As to Tom, he's still crazy :D

Captain Dias should be made Emperor of the Spanish Empire. No doubt about it.
He's such a visionary. :D