Homelands: Tales of the Anglo-Prussians

[IrishKaiser]

my God...I just finished reading up till now and I really REALLY want CK now

also fantastic AAR, this is right up there with Reneslaerr's

but yeah It would be interesting to hear a hindu-timurid storyteller spread legends of Prussia's fame

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Oh God, why cannot it all be just pronounced as it is written?
Finnish is so simple, pronounce just like it is written.
That's why Latin is easy for Finns. Too bad I dropped it a year ago.

Well, any creole language is going to have some funky rules and pronunciations.

Take this! קיין איין לייקס פּרוססיאַנס!

I'll leave that up to gis or I can give it to my buddy who's volunteering in Israel when he gets back.

my God...I just finished reading up till now and I really REALLY want CK now

also fantastic AAR, this is right up there with Reneslaerr's

but yeah It would be interesting to hear a hindu-timurid storyteller spread legends of Prussia's fame

Thank you very much. Being compared to Reneslaerr is always a big compliment.

I would seriously get CK and DV, those games are definitely my two favourites.

[IrishKaiser]

yeah I've just heard of paradox recently thru playing diplomacy online with my friends at phpdip. I saw paradox made a disc based version of dip and got into hearts of iron 3 (which plays turtle speed on my computer right now) but because of this I'll probably get CK and I've read some AARs on EUIII which I'm also interested in

but stop listening to me and write the next chapter

[Mr. Capiatlist]

yeah I've just heard of paradox recently thru playing diplomacy online with my friends at phpdip. I saw paradox made a disc based version of dip and got into hearts of iron 3 (which plays turtle speed on my computer right now) but because of this I'll probably get CK and I've read some AARs on EUIII which I'm also interested in

but stop listening to me and write the next chapter

Can do, let us see if I can do another 45 update. Time: 13:15.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Homelands
Chapter Twenty Nine: March of the Prussians
Part 5

Prelude:
Christianity got a major victory in 1291. Ailu of Wolgast, King of the Mordvins, converted to Christianity and brought with him many of the Mordvin elite. The sudden willingness to give up the old fait threw off many Mordvins and revolts were common. But Mordvia had gained a new ally, Prussia. For the first time Prussian troops fought alongside Mordvin troops, not against them. Historians disagree with why Mordvia suddenly converted. Many point to pressure from Prussia, others point east where the massive Yuan (Prussian: ján) Empire was steadily conquering all that stood in its way. By 1293 all of India will have submitted to the Yuan Emperor and then the Empire would turn west. It is unlikely, however, that Ailu even knew of this threat. Instead, a more likely theory, suggests that constant raids on Mordvia's eastern border by Turks probably cemented the need to get Prussian assistance. But the conversion defines a historic line between "old" Mordvia and "new" Mordvia. It is because a war with Prussia was avoided that would eventually allow Mordvia to grow in the coming centuries. A lesser remembered victory in 1291 was the return of Vilhæms Jánissun (Breton: Gwilherm ab Yann) from the Far East where he had traveled as a merchant and trader in the name of Prussia.

Mordvia in 1291

June 5th, 1291

Trumpets blazed as a single man followed by a line of carts filled with goods entered the royal palace in Memelgrád. Vishly watched in wonder from a balcony above the entrance. Oleksander was crouched beside him edging for position. The young Prince had overheard his father talking about the return of some merchant that had left many years ago. "I can't see anything!" Vishly exclaimed out of annoyance. He stood up and started running to a new spot. Oleksander tried to protest but eventually just gave up and followed. Vishly settled at the top of the stairs, watching the merchant make his appearance before the King and Court. They were greeting a second man, much shorter with black hair and a strange skin tone. Vishly had always been amused by the marshal’s accent; it was the most foreign sounding of all the foreign nobles. But when the tiny man began to speak in broken Prussian, there was a new holder of that award. The two boys laughed out loud, suddenly becoming the center of attention.

“What is the meaning of this?” the merchant asked. His face was locked dead-on Vishly. His accent was also strong and Vishly continued to laugh. “Who are those boys?!”

“They,” Kiten began, rather seriously, “are my sons: Vishly and Oleksander. Come down boys, I believe that Lord Chen has a very interesting tail you might want to hear!” Vishly and Oleksander shared a small victory salute between themselves and then headed downstairs. “Lord Chen,” Kiten began, “These are my sons: Oleksander, Prince of Courland and Vishly, Prince of Prussia and my heir.”

“How do you do?” Lord Chen asked, bowing. “I was just about to tell the King the way we Yuan see the lands were the sun sets. Would you be interested in the story as well?” Vishly and Oleksander nodded, taking a seat at their father’s feet.

Chen took a step back and started over from the beginning, using his flowing robes to set the stage and blow away the visions of real life. “We Yuan control a majestic and powerful land known to you as Asia, we call it China. Even as I tell this story our nation grows all the more powerful as we continue the conquest of the neighboring Thai and Indian Kingdoms. Many ages ago we had our first contacts with the lands of Europe through the mighty Kingdom of Persia, now lost forever to the tide of Islam.” Chen took a breath and then regaining himself began anew, “In the ages before the Yuan, under the Song, word came of a new nation far to the west, a nation that the Muslims called ‘Prusya’.”

The Yuan Empire in 1291.

“Word came long before Prussia was as big and powerful as it is today, but the Muslims saw Prussia as Christian expansion northward and eastward and only told us out of passing interest in a new state. It wasn’t until much later that the significance of Prussia became clear to the Muslims. We got word that one of the major European trading powers had been crushed, removed from business. We asked who and why, and they told us that a nation called Poland had been invaded and cut off from the sea by this younger state, Prusya. Soon all the news from that region was Prussia this and Prussia that and Prussia grew and grew and grew. And suddenly, out of nowhere, ships began to carry goods barring a marking, black and scarlet with a white cross. We asked from where these markings came from and we were told it was from this mystical land named Prussia ruled by a wise general named Sviendorog.”

“Sviendorog reminded many in China of generals in the past, generals who became Kings and Princes. One man inspired by this mystical pale man of the west was Yuan He, a warlord in the very northern provinces of our lands. He led a tribe of people known as the Mongols. And from their homes they road over all of China and overthrew the Song. And once he had China he turned to India and the other southern lands. We still fight those wars, keeping us from trading and from doing much business outside of our own lands. But our realm is so large that there is very little we cannot find at home, so it is rare that an ambassador is ever sent out, especially as far as I have been sent out. But we hear great things of Prussia and her rulers and like us, you seem to get bigger each day.”

Chen’s story wound down and Kiten spoke, “If you would like, I could take you to the tomb of Sviendorog, the man you spoke of. He is my ancestor, my grandfather’s grandfather. He was one of our greatest Kings to ever live.”

“I would like that very much, your majesty. It will be a great story to tell my kin upon my return home. People in China enjoy seeing tales from far-off lands proven true. The Khan especially will enjoy hearing that there really was once a King General Sviendorog who ruled over the west.”

The party began to move, Vishly followed the few people that joined Kiten and Chen and headed through the city to the great cathedral that towered over all the houses and shops around it. And descending the marble staircase they entered a massive vault, better lit than it had been in the past. Around them were the sleeping statues of Kings come and gone, Emperors also lied in the vault, the birthright of any of the House of Leofwine who held the title King or higher. Chen found his way quickly to the statue of Sviendorog, the tall general with the pointy goatee. His glass eyes looked out from slumber eternal. Chen nodded in amazement, here before him was the final resting place of a great hero to his people. Few even knew he actually existed, but stories of the wise ruler had spread across the world and had changed the course of history elsewhere.

“You must, my lord, tell me more stories. I would very much like to hear all of them.” Chen paced around and stopped at one tomb that was strangely juxtaposed out of order. The name was obscured, but Kiten knew his lore well enough.

“That, Lord Chen, is King Aelle, who left Prussia to join a war against evil and died fighting the monsters of men. He is the only King whose body is in this tomb, the others were cremated as per our custom.”

“Tell me then, my lord, the tale of Sir Aelle.”


End Chapter Twenty Nine

[Enewald]

One day Prysija shall be enough big, not to need ambassadors, but everyone has to send a ambassador to the city of the kings.

Northern Silk Road opening?

Btw, you know about the extend of the 10th century Khazar trading network?

[IrishKaiser]

i Suggest taking more germany, more denmark and the netherlands
It's just not Prussia without more german culture in the empire
Also invade mongolia through an expensive operation through the Urals...We need a prusso-saxon-asian corp of horsemen-nobles and through the Urals because that sounds painful, perfect for Vishly

[Keanon]

This is AWESOME, MORE. ^^

[IrishKaiser]

new reader? just guessing since you've only got 4 posts, compared to my mighty 13!!!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

One day Prysija shall be enough big, not to need ambassadors, but everyone has to send a ambassador to the city of the kings.

Northern Silk Road opening?

Btw, you know about the extend of the 10th century Khazar trading network?

I know of the Khazar trading a bit. I also know that Muslims had some trade with China. The Silk road will remain mostly through Persia for most of the history, as you will find out in Book 2. Those silly Timurids enjoyed the monopoly, and spurred European expansion in Asia in the 1700's.

Which reminds me, that map is the first of many that will be made with gigau's beautiful MEIOU map.

i Suggest taking more germany, more denmark and the netherlands
It's just not Prussia without more german culture in the empire
Also invade mongolia through an expensive operation through the Urals...We need a prusso-saxon-asian corp of horsemen-nobles and through the Urals because that sounds painful, perfect for Vishly

Easier said than done at the time. As we are about to find out in future chapters. I want to get a few more done before the end of the weekend, but I am stuck at home right now with limited internet and no photoshop and images are important.

This is AWESOME, MORE. ^^

Thank you very much.

new reader? just guessing since you've only got 4 posts, compared to my mighty 13!!!

Ah yes, I remember those days... six years ago.

[Vesimir]

I approve.

Now Prussia shall ally with Yuan and conquer the muslim world!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

I approve.

Now Prussia shall ally with Yuan and conquer the muslim world!

Ah! Time will tell.



I am back home in Indiana, I hope to get at least one update out tomorrow if not two. I'll also update the statistics. I brought my notes to write while I was in Cleveland, but alas... relaxing was all too much fun... that and watching Law and Order: SVU.

[IrishKaiser]

relax, enjoy yourself

so long as there is an update every 18 hours

[Lord Strange]

Hmmm, I predict a long relationship with the Khan, culminating in the conquest of India from him other a trade dispiute. Of course, by that time, Paris and Rome will be under Prussian control. Or the Prussians get slaughtered by the plague...

[Hannibal X]

Or the Prussians get slaughtered by the plague...

There is no plague in Book 1.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

relax, enjoy yourself

so long as there is an update every 18 hours

You'll make a great college professor some day, I bet.

Hmmm, I predict a long relationship with the Khan, culminating in the conquest of India from him other a trade dispiute. Of course, by that time, Paris and Rome will be under Prussian control. Or the Prussians get slaughtered by the plague...

There is no plague in Book 1.

Ah the speculation begins.

[Hannibal X]

Not speculation; in a previous post, when a reader asked about plague, you said that plague had been shut off for an MP game and that the modification applied to Prussia game. Then, you stated that there would be plague between CK and EU3.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Not speculation; in a previous post, when a reader asked about plague, you said that plague had been shut off for an MP game and that the modification applied to Prussia game. Then, you stated that there would be plague between CK and EU3.

Yeah, but in a post after that I was not sure of what to do. Because the plague happened in the 1350's not the 1250's. I never played through the 1350's, stopping in 1326. I then wondered if instead of a plague, the lowered population of a post-infinite war Europe faired better.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Homelands
Chapter Thirty: God and Country
Part 1

Prelude:
However major the victory over paganism, Christianity suffered a major crippling defeat in 1291. In summer of 1291 the Priest-King of Germany converted to Islam. Many of the Zähringers willingly converted in order to protect their lands or even be granted new lands to rule. Those who refused to convert fled to Sweden and Norway; fewer into Bohemia, Hungary and Wallachia. King Kiten was begged by his nobles to give up plans with Croatia and Mordvia and organize a reconquest of Western Europe. Kiten rejected this idea. He didn't have the power to do it alone and he was short of allies. The Britons were busy fighting, the Scandinavians were distrustful, the Romans hate filled and besieged. Kiten was quoted in a reply to one of these demands, "hwæt, bæt kur ist se pulis nó?" (Lo, but where is the flock now?). For Christianity it meant learning to love your neighbor, or at least put up a façade of friendliness until he had been cut down to size. Where once east versus west meant Orthodoxy versus Catholicism, it was now more drastic, Islam versus Christianity. Even in the waning years of the XIII Century, wise men pointed out the cracks appearing in progress. These warnings, however, were generally met harshly or ignored all together.

The Caliphate in 1291: Dark Green shows Germany outside of the Zähringer lands, Medium Green is the Zähringer lands, all greens are the Caliphate.

August 1st, 1291

Vishly walked past the library. He only stopped because the room was dark. Usually it was bright with the light of the sun pouring through the many tall windows. Now everything was dark and all the curtains drawn together. In a corner a small sphere of pale orange light highlighted the silhouette of a man. The small boy recognized it as his father, fleeing again from the pressing matters of state. After pausing briefly, Vishly continued off again. Today he was going to hunt for bugs to squish. He had been caught with a noble's pet pheasant and now was under constant watch from the maids. Oleksander didn't have the stomach to follow him, all the better, Vishly thought.

In the throne room more gloomy people sat around his mother, who had become sickly after a long bought of pneumonia. The boy dodged quickly to not be asked to sit with the skeletal figure. He shook images of his mother out of his head and continued on his adventure. Further on he was passed by a maid, she blocked off his path and asked what he was doing and if his parents knew. "How should I know?" Vishly responded, making a break for it.

She grabbed him and kept him from running, "Your parents are very worried about your behavior, have you nothing to say about that poor bird you hurt?"

"It was an ugly bird, I did it a favor. Now, if you would let me go I would be greatly obliged." Vishly struggled a bit and the maid finally sighed and let him go. Back on his way, he did his best to avoid all other distractions. The guards only shrugged as he headed out into the sealed courtyard. All around him stood twenty-foot walls as well as plants and fountains. Vishly ducked into the bushes as a maid came out, obviously searching for him. His mother must have seen him sneaking out. As he sat there silently a beetle sat and watched him from a leaf. The boy snickered and hoisting a rock above his head he swung downward and smashed the small thing with a crack.

The maid turned and saw him in the bushes. His eyes opened wide and he made a dash away from her. He knew she couldn't run in her fancy dress, instead she stuck to the path trying to keep him in her sight. She couldn't. Soon, Vishly was free from her attempts to find him and hiding in the branches of his favorite tree he watched her walk off. The tree was much older than the palace and in its wide branches Vishly found a small spot to find rest. A cool breeze blew through the leaves and comforted the small boy. "Heh," he scoffed aloud, "Vishly the Great escapes the clutches of the Queen again!" He stood up and broke off a small branch and after cleaning it of offshoots and leaves swung it like a sword. His careful footwork meant he was safe from falling, but the he still gasped when he almost tripped. He pretended it was a clever counter, dodged it and stabbed his opponent. Soon a larger nose from the palace, he looked over and the guards at the door were joining a larger party. The King!

Vishly climbed a bit higher and in the thicker cover watched his father and strained to hear his conversation. "You saw him come out here?" the King asked.

"Yes, your majesty, he headed into those bushes but a maid chased him into the far end," one of the door guards said. "We thought you had let him come out here."

"I am not the one who is angry, but Blazena likes seeing more of the boys. She is certain the end is nigh." Kiten looked back and forth in the bushes for any sign of his son. Vishly chuckled, he was an expert at hiding. The group started heading along the path, which passed underneath one of the longer branches of his tree. He climbed slowly out onto that branch armed with a few acorns. He was silent as the King passed under him, and remained still as the knights passed too. Once they were about ten feet away he threw one of the nuts at the head of one of the guards. It struck him with a loud metallic "thunk" and the group turned toward the tree.

"Do you think he is up there?" Kiten asked, walking toward the tree. The guards followed him closely. Vishly debated his options, he was not going to be concealed long. He could break and make his escape in the confusion, he could play along, or he could make a stand here. He went with the first option, shouting out a blood curdling shriek he leapt off the branch onto the first guard and then once on the ground sprinted for the bushes before anyone knew what had happened.

Kiten stood dazed and confused as he watched his son run and then leap into the bushes along the wall. Unknown to the King the bushes along the wall concealed a small leafy tunnel large enough for a young boy to move unobstructed around the wall. Vishly was already making his way back to the castle leaving the King and the guards to look like fools.

Back inside and changed, Vishly ran into his mother and Oleksander sitting in the throne room. "O, there you are," Blazena said quietly, "Have you seen your father? He is looking for you."

"Nope," Vishly lied, taking his place next to her. He stood perfectly still as a court painter worked on their outlines for a family portrait.

"He said that you had made it outside! It is so dirty outside in the courtyard. You'd ruin all your good clothes."

"Nope, I was in my room reading."

"Good boy, I knew your father was getting mad with age and those maids and guards are nothing but cruel enough to play along with him for kicks and giggles." The Queen shook her head in disgrace.

Kiten entered the room breathing heavily and leveled a finger at Vishly and then bending it back toward his body demanded the boy exit to the hallway. The guards were with him, one still defended by the ringing of his helmet. "You are not allowed outside anymore without someone to watch you! Enough is enough, find something constructive to do in your room!"

Vishly looked down at the ground and then back up at his father, "Yes, father."

[czam2007]

Vishly you l'il rascal you