Shadow of the Bear - a Novgorod AAR

The old man took a last bite of his waffle, as Dor gazed at some floating point.
"About ten years later, as you do know," The man continued, "Nevsky became grand prince. His son, Daniil, succeeded him as grand prince, and declared Moscow his capital. But Novgorod never forgot Nevsky's legacy. A secret order was formed, and as Nevsky passed away, it strove for control of the republic."
The cashier gave the badge a sceptical look. "Tell me, did you have one too many vodka?"
The old man didn't seem offended. He just gave another faint smile. "And so it came to pass that on the end of 1418 by the european calendar, the order managed to complete its taking over, and began navigating The Novgorodian ship from a shadow by the tiller..."

January 15, 1419 City of Novgorod

The Veche meets in Yaroslav's Court, by St. Nicholas cathedral

"...Thus i believe that our republic should look landward, and concentrate more about our land army, less about the fleet and naval business..."
The speaker gave a nervous look around. The merchant class delegates moved restlessly in their places at the Veche(state assembly) court. The speaker stepped hesitantly down the stage.
The Posdanik(elected official) stepped up.
"We all thank Dmitri Petrovich for his speech about the decision to concentrate more in land-oriented doctrines. Now i shall update you about news from the world. The Duchy of Masovia joined Poland, Moldavia and Lithuania in an alliance two weeks ago. Messages arrived from Constantinopole about regional wars between the turkish ammirates. Castile is trying to crush Granada once and for all. And more important: Principality of Muscowy has declared war upon Ryazan, and Vladimir-Suzdal has declared war on us!"
Worried murmures came from the audience.
"Archibishop Samson announced war taxes to be..."
His voice was swallowed by the rising noise.
"...And everyone will surely understand that this is for the good of all! The Novgorodian Guard will march to Olonets!"

"At the end of january the army has arrived in Olonets, and waited. at
the north, the approaching army of Suzdal has taken control of Arkhangelsk,
and was moving to Olonets..."


The Novgorodians take the field at the gates of Kargopor, Olonets

"The armies clashed in march. After two weeks of battles and maneuverings, Novgorod had been victorious, and chased the fleeing army to Arkhangelsk, and later to Vladimir. Meanwhile in the south, the armies of Ryazan had managed to siege moscow, but peace was signed in july, with Muscowy paying nice indemnities. Anyway, one year and ten days after the declaration of war, with the walls of Vladimir were breached, Suzdal, once the leading principality of Russia, became a part of the Republic of Great Novgorod."

August 1, Veche Court
"The incorporation of Vladimir into the republic continues. Two fellow orthodox nations far in the south, Georgia and Trebizond, are involved in some Asia Minor power struggles. At the beginning of July, Muscowy threw off the shackles of the tatar yoke, and is no longer their vassal. No one can tell where this will go from here. The war in the west between the Polish-Lithuanian alliance and the Teutonic Order goes on, and the Scandinavian Union is busy with Prussia, so all quiet at the western front. For us."

"The next years passed peacefuly. Novgorod concentrated on improving its infrastructure and establishint a taxation system. Relations were tied with the principality of Tver, and on July 1422 they joined the Novgorod-Pskov alliance. However Novgorod has always kept an eye on the south, worrying about Constantinopole and its emperor. The Bear watched with renewed hope as an alliance had been forged, led by Byzantine-Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus and the Duchy of Morea. The Veche was glad to hear that the turkish Karaman joined that alliance in september, however, some were suspicious...
On October that year, the Ottomans, supported by Wallacia and Albania, declared war upon Karaman. The Emperor honored the alliance. Cyprus and Morea, did not."

Well to avoid that i'll have to know how well you're doing, so go ahead and update

September 1st, 1423 St. Nicholas Cathedral bell tower, Novgorod

The Council of Ten held its first emergency meeting at a candle litten space. Outside, stars were shining above Yaroslav Court.
"The thing is," began one of them, "We always trusted the orthodox block of the south to stand united, more or less, against the muslim onslaught.."
"Well don't we have enough muslims to block here at the north..."
"That's not the point. We are talking about the cradle of our belief, about the beacon of the one true faith. We are talking of Byzantine having to face the turks, the venetians and worst of all, Georgia and Trebizond at the same time. We're talking about receiving six days ago the news of the fall of Constantinopole to the hands of the unholy Ottomans, the end of Rome!"
"Well i'm talking about Novgorod having to fear Sweden, Lithuania and Muscowy. If we don't focus our efforts here, it would be OUR doom!"
"Have you learned nothing from the last months? The orthodox world is divided, no wonder it cannot stand the onslaught! No wonder Russia is burried under the hooves of Tatars, and Byzantine is lost!"
"What are you suggesting then? A war against the sultan? Should i draw you a map?"
"I'm only suggesting this: Trebizond is still standing. Delegates of House Kommenos told me their nation can rebuild the empire, can claim that area for the true faith again. Think about that! We'll have to fear no mongols when their empire will be on our side! Huh! No catholics either! I say we give them the aid they seek. We have the funds, and no war on the horizon. We MUST help them!"
The other members remained silent for a minute, and then one of them spoke.
"As much as i admire your..how should i say it, religious zeal, Brother Gregory, Novgorod is in great danger. Don't let the last war against Suzdal confuse you. In the upcoming conflicts, we'll need every peace of gold, any soldier we can lay our hands on. Novgorod will defend Novgorod for now, my friend. No one else will. We should vote on this now. Against aiding Trebizon?"
Nine hands rose.
"The council of the Bear has spoken. This meeting is closed. Smerts Ke Varvaram."

"And so Novgorod kept minding its own business, and stuck its neck out for nobody.
Toward the end of that year, the sultan had announced he will allow the patriarchate to exist, which somewhat calmed the orthodox nations. However, Novgorod's great conflict was approaching, and after a year of gathering resources and raising troops, Novgorod declared war on Muscowy on march 1st, 1425.
Pskov joined in. The Tver delegate has furiously announced that his country would abandon the alliance with Novgorod at once, and refused the Archibishop personal request to back from his decision.
"The casus belli for the war was Novgorodian claims on Vologda. Vologda had been founded by Novgorod in 1147 as a trading post, and was "stolen" by Vasily I in the end of 14th century. However valid this claim might have or have not been, it was accepted by the whole nation. Troops were sent to siege Nizhgorod. Novgorod's first great attempt, for glory or for grief, was about to begin."

Thanks for the comments everyone.
btw Languish, i see you switched your avater to VInland's, i hope it means you're going to return working on it, cause i enjoyed this scenario immensly.

Anyway, i'm being quite busy these days, selling ice cream to old novgorodians, but i do hope i'll be able to make a post a day soon... on with the story!



At the gates of Novgorod


From the logs of Jalmari Korpela, commander of the Novgorodian Guard:

March 15
After a few days of marching toward Moscow, messages arrived of their main army, led by the feared Yuri Patrikeev, marching toward Novgorod with more than 20,000 men.
I decided that our best bet would be to hold our ground, so their
army will have to cross the Volga to meet us. We will face their army on our side of the river. The soldiers maintain high morale. I hope not to fail them.
Forces from Vladimir are known to be marching on Nizhgorod, and then to Moscow. Our allies from Pskov show no sign of taking an active part in this war. I wouldn't be surprised if they're paralyzed by the very thought of questioning Muscovite hegemony of Russia.

May 18
We met Patrikeev at the beginning of this month. We were beaten. Patrikeev is a ferocious foe, and his soldiers have managed to defeat me and my soldiers. We are now fleeing to Olonets, Patrikeev is now sieging Novgorod.

May 29
We arrived at Olonets today, and will march to Vladimir from here.

Logs of Ivan Danilov, an officer of the Vladimir regiment:

November 4, 1425
The siege of Moscow is going well. This morning we held our ground against the enemy, who tried to break the siege for the second time. Winter is gathering around, and sometimes i'm not sure if Moscow is sieged by us as much as we are by the frost. Reports from home say the Patrikeev is ravaging our land. Let's hope we know what we're doing.


Jalmari Kolpera's log:

April 5, 1426
For months i couldn't update my diary, for we were too busy retreating.
After breaking the siege of Novgorod in november and chasing them to Olonets, we were beaten in Olonets, Arkhangelsk, and Vladimir, in that order, fleeing from one defeat to another. The enemy chased us during the harsh cold, and i'm sure Captain Winter took his toll from Patrikeev.
We're arriving at Moscow now, to help the Vladimir Regiment with the siege.

April 30
Patrikeev has struck again. In what seemed as a stupid move, he marched straight to Moscow, into our siege ring. The battle was fierce and quick, with Patrikeev defeating us and slaying the general of Vladimir Regiment.
I took command on both Vladimir regiment and Novgorodian Guard and we are now fleeing to Vladimir. Patrikeev, may you roast in hell. I'd be the devil on whose stick you'll be slowly grilled.

July 20
We are now marching on Moscow, again. Some other regiment of us as meanwhile captured the city in Vologda, and Pskov are finally convinced to get their lazy asses into the war, and are marching in coordination with us to Moscow.


September 24
Twice has Patrikeev broken our new siege, this month, and twice have we pushed him back.
As far as i can tell from my position, his depleted army looks weary and desperate. He will try again, simply because he's got no choice. With Vologda taken and both Nizhgorod and Moscow under siege, Patrikeev and his small army are the last hope for Muscowy independence.
News from home tell us of some vague demands presented by Lithuania, and our refusal. Details of the report were thin, and so was our interest. We stand on the verge of changing the regional balance of power drastically, and have no interest in Lithuanian whimsies.



A commander, possibly Korpela, commanding the famous siege on Moscow

November 11
News from accross the river told us the Patrikeev, aided by Suzdalian nobles had been victorious on our army there, and the province is now held by the nobles. However this doesn't bother us much.

January 5, 1427
I'm writing ten minutes after the battle. Yuri Patrikeev had had his last march. With what was left of his army, he attacked our siege ring in a suicidal attempt to save the day.
We annihilated his army and slayed him. Is head is now staring at me from a long sharp stick erected five meters from where i sit. Many soldiers resent that treatment for a man who had intentionally sacrificed his life for his country. Me? I just a keep a little secret smile.

"Dear fellow Novgorodians!" The voice of the Veche President was swallowed by the cheers from the crowd.
"Today delegates from Moscow accepted our generous offer! The provinces of Nizhgorod and Vologda are now of Novgorod's, and the prince of Moscow is subjugated to our republic!"
The crowd burst. Yaroslav Court became a rolling drum. The speaker had tried to continue about the details of the treaty, but gave up since no one could have heard him anyway. He just smiled at the audience and stepped down.

"Look at him."
Brother Jalmari was watching from the St Nicholas bell tower.
"I've heard that he would be announcing seven days of festival. Seven days! Trying to pave his way to another term as the president, probably."
Brother Gregory giggled. "Let them rejoice for our great victory. Don't worry about the puppet. I'm worried about the prince of Moscow. He and his government hate our guts, i don't see them incorporated soon..."
"Worry not. they'll probably be eaten by some other nation before we know it. Tver, Lithuania, The Horde. Moscow is hot spot. Then we'll just snatch it from the taker."
"Well, let's hope you're right. Let us now go down and fill our guts with the best vodka we can find. It's party time."


June 27,1428
Novgorod Kremlin

"Didn't you decline our trade agreement four months ago?" asked the Archbishop.
"Well, we did, but.." Tried the Muscovite delegate.
"And didn't you refuse to join our alliance just one month ago? One month?"
"Ok we did but let me.."
"Well then! And now you'd like us to save you from Tver! Well i'm deeply, deeply sorry, but you're on your own now. Both us and Pskov have decided not to join our ally against you, but that's all we are willing to do for you."
"A fine choice my prince has made, to leave a mongol senior for a novgorodian one.."
"You watch your tongue! And it wasn't your prince's choice, may i remind you. Your prince wouldn't have become our vassal to save his own mother. Now be gone, Muscowy Delegate, and carry our message to your prince. A cold shoulder you've given us, you'll find that Novgorod's shoulder can be even colder."

"For the next couple of years, Novgorod has done nothing but fighting off rebels, from Nizhgorod, and watching as The huge Tverian army smashed Muscowy's and laid a siege. At the beginning of 1430, Moscow surrended. Two months later, Novgorod and Pskov declared war against Tver, for 'Aggressively annexing a fellow orthodox nation'.
"Well look at the time!"
The old man looked at some invisible watch on his wrist.
"Hey you're going nowhere till you finish the story! And how it has to do with your badge?"
The man smiled.
"You just be here tomorrow, same time, lad."
He turned on his heels, and left.

The day after, the cashier stood at his position, tapping nervously on the counter and gazing around.
At last, the old man appeared again. When he saw the cashier, he smiled. "Morning my good lad! What a lovely day for an ice cream!"
A quick look around, a cone spiraling under the machine, and the old man got his little bribe.
The cashier leaned forward and just gazed.
"Ok ok, on with our story. Where was i?"
"Tver. War."
"Ah yes. The war with tver... Well, this war raged for several years, with Novgorod alternately winning and losing battles, sieging Moscow and Tver and getting pushed back. Meanwhile, far to the south, the rock named the Orthodox Block got another push down the slope..."

June 29 1431, St Nicholas bell tower
Brother Gregory was nervously tapping his fingers on the round table.
"So let me sum it all up," opened brother Ivan. "Georgia has lost Sochi to the Ottomans, and is now their vassal. The Ottomans made Constantinopole their capital, and are now building great mosques there. They have also opened up a new center of trade there. Trebizond has announced that it will become the new Roman Empire even if that was the last thing they'd do. Now, i've been reported with detail about the meeting with their delegates. They have initiated a war with the Ottomans. They are willing to forget our actions, or lack of them, in the past, if we only aid them with the money they need to survive this campaign. That was the essence of their message."
Their was a minute of silence, as each member of the council of ten was considering the offer.
"Well you all know what i think," said Gregory. "I thought the same eight years ago. Now we have our second chance, probably the last one. If Trebizon loses the war, the Ottoman won't settle for anything less then annexation."
"Well you know what most of us still think. Instead of looking at the map, just look out your window. We are at war, man. We are going to fight many more. Nothing is more important than Novgorod. This order was formed to defend the orthodox population of russia in general and Novgorod in particular. Do keep it in mind."
"Fine. Let us vote now. For aiding Trebizond?"
Three hands rose.
"Again i failed to redeem Novgorod from its separatism. I see no other choice but to resign from my duty as a member of the supreme shadow council of Great Novgorod. I will leave to Asia Minor tomorrow, to aid with my sword as you wouldn't aid with our money. I shall lie at the field next to Ioannes The Fourth, or sit by his feet at the court of Constantinopole. Farewell."
Brother Gregory rose from his chair, removed a ring from his finger, presented it on the table and turned to the ramp leading down to the cathedral.
"Wait!" called Brother Ivan. He rose to his feet. "We might have our differences, but the ring of ten is not to be so easily broken. Remember we are bonded by the sacred oath of Nevsky. Depart to Trebizond, but keep carrying this." He picked up the ring from the table and handed it to Gregory.
"I suggest that Brother Gregory will function as our agent to the balkans. Fight for Ioannes, yet keep doing for Novgorod. And keep reporting directly to us. As long as we know you are alive, we shall keep this seat by the table empty, until you return, or perish. Who's for keeping Brother Gregory?"
Nine hands rose.
"I shall be your emissary, brothers, and my loyalty will be first to Novgorod, then the world. Farewell, and may god bring us together again."
Gregory turned, and walked down the ramp, while outside, dawn was breaking through.

thanks for your comment, jwolf. I"m supposed to become Russia somewhere around 1520, maybe this will take care of their benevolence problem?
Although a Novgorod-Russia is supposed to be different from Muscowy-Russia. Well we shall see...