Chapter 52: Soldiers of Fortune (5 July – 5 November 887)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … The raiders look to continue their pillaging in the Mediterranean to find fortune there; King Dyre’s realm remains a patchwork of opportunistic occupations; the Mari-Pecheneg war is off to a slow start; and Rurik’s second son Eilif settles into married life while his father contemplates some ‘character building’ work for him – with fortune-seeking of another kind in mind.
July 887
July 5 of the year 887 CE saw simultaneous meetings of the raid commanders in the Mediterranean and of the twenty-first full Þing of Rurik’s reign. In the capital of Nygarðr, Rurik took note of the useful advice he had received and decided to assemble a mercenary company in Prince Eilif’s name. This group would be known as the Novgorodian Band (Novgorod being the Slavic rendering of Nygarðr, which various courtiers thought would be more recognisable around the region in which it hoped to drum up business).
Rurik noted the various options he had with regard to the Band now it had been set up. The two most applicable ones at present related to improving its equipment and expanding its numbers. He would wait on these for now, to see how the band might grow in its own time through ordinary word-of-mouth recruiting and while he awaited the raiders to return with another influx of gold. Rurik had a few misgivings about Eilif’s abilities to lead, but knew he had to let him run things himself. [Comment: I hadn’t realised this would set Eilif up in the style of an independent ruler and found the next little period quite interesting, so I have noted that process down and tracked the growth of the Band for learning purposes.]
Chief Hrolfr, in charge of the Mediterranean raiding party, had simultaneously taken the advice of his subordinate commanders and resolved to stick to the original plan of raiding the small independent realms of southern Italia, steering clear of the Byzantine hornet’s nest they had stirred up in Rhegion. They headed towards Capua – checking to make sure there were no troublesome alliances - but not heeding reports at the time of some kind of illness in that part of Italia. []
A couple of days after the Þing, Rurik received word that yet another of Dyre’s counties in the south of Konugarðr had succumbed to foreign occupation. What horrible border gore, he thought to himself as he was presented by Gumarich der Schreiber with a map showing Dyre’s latest loss marked. Though Dyre’s vassals seemed intent on trying to fix some of that in the north-east, with Gradimir’s army still in full retreat.
And then Grimr did his loyal Norse Germanic duty by marrying Ingrid, Steward Alfgeir’s daughter. An somewhat unwanted distraction for Grimr; a loss of a Court Dwarf for Rurik. A fair swap.
Dyre’s vassals began besieging Mozhaysk in mid-July. It shouldn’t take them too long to reduce the small Tverian garrison left to defend it.
The raiding fleet arrived off Capua on 15 July and went through its usual landing process.
Eilif meantime was gradually assembling his own small court as leader of the new Novgorodian Band. At the same time, he informed his father he had decided to embark on a religious focus, immersing himself in the mysteries of the Germanic faith.
Comment: interesting that he looks to assemble a whole council here, like a little realm without land. Not sure how much effect they have on its doings.
As the raiders made landfall and looked more closely at their surroundings, they soon realised they had made a terrible mistake. Capua and much of the surrounding land was in the grip of a smallpox epidemic! They quickly turned around and fled back to the ships, quarantining the men as best they could and hoping they could get away before becoming infected themselves.
“Ring-a-ring o' roses; A pocket full of posies; A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.”
They seemed to escape unscathed and by early August were heading around to the eastern side of the peninsula, which for now seemed to have avoided (or was now over) the epidemic.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
August 887
Around this time, Prince-Marshal Helgi made another update report to his father on the Novgorodian Band. They had grown somewhat (46 recruits) in the past month. Band Steward Alfr had been appointed as a commander – a good move, as he was easily the most talented warrior to so far join Eilif’s small court. He had also enacted a law to enable him to revoke titles! [Comment: not sure how much use that will be to him, but another interesting little aspect.]
Helgi also brought sad news of the death of Þorsteinn’s wife Sif from the flu. Rurik did not want his commander to be lonely on his return, so arranged a new match for him. Wanting to look within the realm first, he was alerted to a courtier of Grimr’s who, despite being Russian and of somewhat difficult character, was at least of the Germanic faith and about the right age. The match was proposed.
Grimr soon accepted and the arrangement was made. Þorsteinn would be informed once he returned from the raid.
As August wore on, the voyage around the ‘boot’ of Italia was completed with the arrival of the raiding fleet in the Adriatic Sea. With a careful check to ensure the smallpox epidemic had not spread, the raiders began to push ashore on unsuspecting Foggia, where young Duke Astorre of Apulia reigned under a regency.
Closer to home, the end of August saw the rout of Gradimir’s Tverian army finally halted in Belo Ozero, where they began heading south again. Mozhaysk had been reoccupied by Dyre’s vassals, now shifting the balance of the war very slightly in the Könugarðians' favour. His vassals next set out for Bryansk, to erase the last of Gradimir’s conquests there, no doubt.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
September-October 887
In Foggia, the usual routine of raiding recommenced. Duke Astorre’s own main personal levy was effectively blockaded in Foggia itself, but his two chief vassals could, if they wished, summon reasonably sizeable levies in Apulia and Bari. Whether they would was another matter. Although the raiders would outnumber them, the locals’ greater proportion of heavier troops and a smattering of mounted regiments was always something to make the raiders wary.
As the raid progressed, Hrolfr was told of others in the region doing similar work – specifically, a group of Danes to the north of them. It was not certain, but it looked like they were hitting the Croatian county of Senj at present.
Eilif made two more council appointments late in September. One of them – Egill, who had been made Spymaster – was a rival with Ferverdyn for the title of Village Idiot! Though he did seem to have a little martial ability, despite this. By early October, the Band had grown to 367 in size. Rurik hoped that the lack of talent (and of personal loyalty) in Eilif's advisers would not impact too badly on the success of the venture.
Some days later, Helgi brought Rurik a comprehensive update on Dyre’s border wars. It was assessed Chief Bronislav of Peremyshl was very nearly in a position to dictate terms for his claim on Vladimir Volynsky. Chief Narvait of Latgale was also in a strong position, though still (despite the four counties he held now) had much work to do. Surprisingly, Chief Spera of Vilnius seemed to have made no real progress, despite his conquests. Helgi mused that this may be because Narvait had already occupied Minsk (which Spera was trying to claim himself) for some time, while it was unknown what battles had transpired between Spera and Dyre to affect their relative standings. Gradimir’s position was deteriorating slowly and it seemed he would never be able to muster the troops he needed to contend with Dyre’s vassals – if they stayed in the area.
Once the countryside of Foggia had been thoroughly looted – Astorre’s vassals had failed to muster their own levies during this time – the raiders decided to head across country to the independent one-county realm of Benevento, after first having conducted alliance and epidemic checks!
They arrived on 30 October – taking the risk that the epidemic would not spread further while they scoured the countryside for treasure. The plan, other circumstances remaining favourable, was to then head further west to Amalfi, which was also currently smallpox-free.
November 887
Helgi and Hrörekr briefed Rurik in early November on Saksa the Monster’s war to subjugate the Pechenegs. Not many details were available, but after a slow start, word had been received that Saksa had taken Yazi’s main stronghold of Sary Su in Lower Volga. It seemed unlikely the Pechenegs would be able to hold out for too long, unfortunately.
Eilif’s Band had now grown to 412 men and he had recently appointed two more of his mediocre councillors as commanders.
No other specific questions at this point, though I would of course welcome any observations or additional advice on matters raised at home or on raid in this shorter (for me, heh) chapter. A formal Þing won’t be convened this time, but general informal comment and discussion would be nice.
Eilif hopes he can one day rival the Varangian Guard as a mercenary outfit. This could be an unrealistic ambition, but for a budding young Norse princeling and would-be Paragon of Virtue, Rurik believes his dreams should be encouraged!
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … The raiders look to continue their pillaging in the Mediterranean to find fortune there; King Dyre’s realm remains a patchwork of opportunistic occupations; the Mari-Pecheneg war is off to a slow start; and Rurik’s second son Eilif settles into married life while his father contemplates some ‘character building’ work for him – with fortune-seeking of another kind in mind.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
July 887
July 5 of the year 887 CE saw simultaneous meetings of the raid commanders in the Mediterranean and of the twenty-first full Þing of Rurik’s reign. In the capital of Nygarðr, Rurik took note of the useful advice he had received and decided to assemble a mercenary company in Prince Eilif’s name. This group would be known as the Novgorodian Band (Novgorod being the Slavic rendering of Nygarðr, which various courtiers thought would be more recognisable around the region in which it hoped to drum up business).
“Helgi, I would like you to track the progress of your half-brother’s venture. In the future it will be up to you to manage its growth and employment. First, let us have a look at its starting strength and how it compares to the other bands already working in the region.”
“Here it is, father, ranked against all the other mercenary bands we have information on. You can see there are a couple of other small ‘start-up’ bands of a similar nature, the rest being more established forces. Eilif starts with 230 men, mainly light infantry, some archers and a few heavy infantry.”
“Here it is, father, ranked against all the other mercenary bands we have information on. You can see there are a couple of other small ‘start-up’ bands of a similar nature, the rest being more established forces. Eilif starts with 230 men, mainly light infantry, some archers and a few heavy infantry.”
“I approve of this Eilif: maintaining and propagating our faith is important in this hostile heathen land. And the additional learning will do you good. I wish you all luck with your pursuit of it.”
“Thank you, father. In that vein, I have also decided to try to become a paragon of Germanic virtue, for the glory of the faith!”
“Again, highly commendable, Eilif. May the Gods travel with you always.”
“I have also begun to recruit advisors in my new role. They are common men – and for some reason do not seem that well disposed towards me, despite agreeing to join my venture. But I can only take what is on offer.”
“I’m sure it will all work out fine, Eilif. Though I must say your Marshal isn’t very, well, martial! Your Chancellor would make a very good commander, though.”
“I’ll see what I can do, father.”
“Thank you, father. In that vein, I have also decided to try to become a paragon of Germanic virtue, for the glory of the faith!”
“Again, highly commendable, Eilif. May the Gods travel with you always.”
“I have also begun to recruit advisors in my new role. They are common men – and for some reason do not seem that well disposed towards me, despite agreeing to join my venture. But I can only take what is on offer.”
“I’m sure it will all work out fine, Eilif. Though I must say your Marshal isn’t very, well, martial! Your Chancellor would make a very good commander, though.”
“I’ll see what I can do, father.”
Comment: interesting that he looks to assemble a whole council here, like a little realm without land. Not sure how much effect they have on its doings.
As the raiders made landfall and looked more closely at their surroundings, they soon realised they had made a terrible mistake. Capua and much of the surrounding land was in the grip of a smallpox epidemic! They quickly turned around and fled back to the ships, quarantining the men as best they could and hoping they could get away before becoming infected themselves.
“Ring-a-ring o' roses; A pocket full of posies; A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.”
They seemed to escape unscathed and by early August were heading around to the eastern side of the peninsula, which for now seemed to have avoided (or was now over) the epidemic.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
August 887
Around this time, Prince-Marshal Helgi made another update report to his father on the Novgorodian Band. They had grown somewhat (46 recruits) in the past month. Band Steward Alfr had been appointed as a commander – a good move, as he was easily the most talented warrior to so far join Eilif’s small court. He had also enacted a law to enable him to revoke titles! [Comment: not sure how much use that will be to him, but another interesting little aspect.]
Helgi also brought sad news of the death of Þorsteinn’s wife Sif from the flu. Rurik did not want his commander to be lonely on his return, so arranged a new match for him. Wanting to look within the realm first, he was alerted to a courtier of Grimr’s who, despite being Russian and of somewhat difficult character, was at least of the Germanic faith and about the right age. The match was proposed.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
September-October 887
In Foggia, the usual routine of raiding recommenced. Duke Astorre’s own main personal levy was effectively blockaded in Foggia itself, but his two chief vassals could, if they wished, summon reasonably sizeable levies in Apulia and Bari. Whether they would was another matter. Although the raiders would outnumber them, the locals’ greater proportion of heavier troops and a smattering of mounted regiments was always something to make the raiders wary.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
November 887
Helgi and Hrörekr briefed Rurik in early November on Saksa the Monster’s war to subjugate the Pechenegs. Not many details were available, but after a slow start, word had been received that Saksa had taken Yazi’s main stronghold of Sary Su in Lower Volga. It seemed unlikely the Pechenegs would be able to hold out for too long, unfortunately.
Ch52 Q1: Eilif’s Band – Hiring Cost. I haven’t wanted to click on anything yet (given I’m in Ironman mode and don’t want to do anything that can’t be recovered) but was wondering regarding the designated hiring fee of 151.3 gold. If I was to hire them later, do I pay all of that? Or (as hinted at previously) either free or for a reduced fee? Similarly with the monthly fee: presume I’d get a proportion of both of these if someone else hires them, but was wondering how much of the maintenance fee we’d pay if Rurik (or later Helgi) hired them.
No other specific questions at this point, though I would of course welcome any observations or additional advice on matters raised at home or on raid in this shorter (for me, heh) chapter. A formal Þing won’t be convened this time, but general informal comment and discussion would be nice.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
Eilif hopes he can one day rival the Varangian Guard as a mercenary outfit. This could be an unrealistic ambition, but for a budding young Norse princeling and would-be Paragon of Virtue, Rurik believes his dreams should be encouraged!
- 1