So its between Vogelius secular power and a more strict, religious side, witht the reality being slightly more on the Vogelius side?
The Legacy of the Vogelius Dynasty - The Rising Raven
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Very good AAR.. It has inspired me to write my own and give it a try !. Love the updates and the events Everything really. Keep it up !
Also it very cool to see a Dev make AAr. Never seen that before until now !. So yeah keep up the great work !
Also it very cool to see a Dev make AAr. Never seen that before until now !. So yeah keep up the great work !
In accordance to the will of the Allthing, Gnupa cedes the land of Uppland. It is declared land of the Fylkariate belonging to the gods and shall serve as a common and free place for all freemen who adhere to the true faith. Chief Milzas is declared Dýrlingur for his great deeds in securing the future of the Norse faith and paving the way for the establishment of the Fylkariate. Soon enough you could see small boys wearing bronze charms in shape of Wolfs, their parents hoping that their boys one day shall grow up to become the next Milzas, a great warrior and leader that shall command the armies of the gods for the sake of the future of all.
Shortly afterwards the first son of Gnupa gets his own first child, a boy he and his wife names Hemming.
Henrik of Helsingland converts to the one true faith shortly after the establishment of the Fylkariate. Being of the quite large Horn family he is given one of the more prestigious seats in the Allthing in hopes of him eventually persuading more of his family to follow suit.
His Holiness, Fylkir Gnupa however is becoming an old man and the long war to reclaim Uppsala from the Catholics and the many bloodbaths he has seen have left their deep mark on him and his temper and senses are not what they used to be. It causes some problems with courtiers trying to attend to his needs.
Of course the Swedish nobles refuse to stay under such a unpredictable ruler and heathen who might as well hang them on a whim. The Fylkariate's decree that the ones who worship the god-on-the-cross would be allowed free practice and protection of their rights is fallen on deaf ears and seen as empty promises. After all the Fylkariate is ruled by the very man they want to split away from.
It doesn't help that Gnupa's advance age is taking its toll and he hardly even remember the face of his children. Is this how the man who brought back the true faith ascend? In his bed not even remembering who he is or what he has accomplished? His soul betrayed by his aging mind. However it sparks a discussion among the clergy of the Fylkariate. Does one really need to die in battle in order to ascend to Valhalla? Or does the gods mean 'battle' in a more figurative sense? Because surely a man like Fylkir Gnupa would be invited to dine with the Gods for all his accomplishments no matter how he dies wouldn't he? Its a question that will take centuries to discuss.
Soon enough however the realm implodes in civil war....
The Scanian reserves of troops are scarce and exhausted from the war and they are without any strong leader. The lords that make up the Fylkariate's Allthing takes charge in defense of the Realm and Faith. They decode that the best course of action is to take the revolters by surprise and before they can assemble their troops.
Another child is born to Jørgen, a healthy daughter he names Signe.
The enemy tries to retaliate on the army that ran interference in the heartland of the revolt. However they run straight into the trap laid out. The small army holds the line making sure reinforcements can't proceed south where the main army of Skåne is giving them the perfect oppertunity to squash the larger armies of the Swedes one by one. First army to be annihlated is the Ølander army hiding on their island. The leader of the revolt utterly crushed.
Good news come from the north, the army used to delay the enemy have managed to defeat the middle flank giving them the upper hand and control of the battle. They manages to drag the enemy to a position where they hold a bottleneck only letting a few of their soldiers reach the front line. Their leader Ulf is a lowborn courtier leading these brave men against all odds. However he is not as talented as The Wolf and as Swedish reinforcements arrive they are overwhelmed and route. As they are fleeing from the approaching army of an additional 1500 men a stray arrow finds the neck of Ulf and he dies instantly.
The men left behind to guard the beach and ensure safe return to the mainland are attacked by the Swedes. They are leaderless but not for long, reinforcements are already detached from the siege force on Øland and are heading to give them aid. The moment they land the Viking troops fallback and reorganize themselves within the ranks of the joining army before they push ahead with a crushing charge, completely devastating the unprepared attacking army.
Most of the armies of the revolters are destroyed and it seems to be their end. However south of Skåne, on the other side of The Sound the Duke of Obotritia hears the pleas of his brothers and declares war on Skåne.
The Scanians are now fighting on two fronts, even though neither side has an impressive amount of men but the Jarldom of Skåne itself doesn't have enough men to fight on two fronts. It doesn't get better either as his most holiness mind continue to betray him and he becomes forced to spend the remainder of his days in the fortress of Trelleborg. Luckily the Aesir have mercy upon him and ends his suffering just a few days later.
The Fylkir is dead! Long live the Fylkja!
Why am I not surprised with the Catholics' behavior 
poor Gnupa, I'm sure he would have prefered dying with an axe in the hand instead of lying in his bed ... But does he go to Valhalla ?
poor Gnupa, I'm sure he would have prefered dying with an axe in the hand instead of lying in his bed ... But does he go to Valhalla ?
Why am I not surprised with the Catholics' behavior
poor Gnupa, I'm sure he would have prefered dying with an axe in the hand instead of lying in his bed ... But does he go to Valhalla ?
That's for scholars to decide upon in the 1400-1500
See?
Thats what you get by showing mercy to these catholic dogs. Strip them from their titles and put proper Norse nobles in their stead!
Thats what you get by showing mercy to these catholic dogs. Strip them from their titles and put proper Norse nobles in their stead!
The Fylkariate elects Bodil Vogelius of Bornholm to become the new Fylkja and to protect all followers of the Aesir faith. Being an extremely talented diplomat she manages to persuade the Duke of Obotritia to lay down his arms. The primary successor of Gnupa is his first son, Jørgen. With the Pommeranian's not out for blood the situation looks much better for victory against the Swedes even though they've managed to field more troops.
Jørgen has no interest of war and let his trusted marshal handle the details of the war against the revolt while he himself devote himself into earning money trough working with the businesses in Trelleborg.
While the last parts of the rebellion are dealt with, Jørgen takes a look on the rest of the world, listening his councilors tell him about news from afar. The Holy Roman Empire is seeing an massive revolt lead by an Italian noble but even supported by the Bohemian King against the Franconian rule of the German land.The Polish land are revolting against the Danish rule in Halland and the English are fighting among themselves as usual. So Skåne is not the only realm that struggle with internal affairs in Europe at the moment.
Being the son of Fylkir Gnupa, Jørgen of course is privileged with an estemed position of Thingeman. He even manages to convince his fellow lords that he is "His father's son" and as such he should be the next Fylkir.
In the Jarldom of Skåne it couldn't even be noticed that they were at war with the Swedish nobles. The trade was flowing as usual to Trelleborg and the people not in the armies fighting in the north were happy and safe. Jørgen does his first thing to try and improve the wealth of his land by investing in a workshop.
News arrive of the rebels capital being taken but it doesn't interest him at all.
Hemming, the son of our Jarl turns 3 winters old, he has quickly learned to speak and shows prowess and intelligence beyond normal boys. The realm expects great things of this little child. However recently he has become sick with camp fever and his fate hang in the balance. Another sister joins him and she is given the name Ellinor.
Luckily soon enough Hemming recovers from his horrible illness.
Jørgen's investment into the workshop bears fruit and the money earned is put into improving the wealth of Trelleborg even more.
The years pass with not much of note happening. The rebels tries to sign a white peace but its refused saying unconditional surrender is the only option now that the nobles have betrayed the Fylkariate. Eventually the Steward Gao who has been in service to the realm for a longer time than Jørgen have lived comes with a proposal to bring exotic goods to the realm for profit.
Jørgen happily agrees. He expenses the wealth needed to buy a whole merchant ship for the journey. Some religious men hear of the trip and want to join on the journey and are gladly accepted by Gao and Jørgen
The expedition arrive at the docks of Pisa, the great and independent merchant republic of the Italian peninsula. A lavish gift is offered to the Serene Doge Giovanni, a dozen of the toughest warriors that Skåne has to offer. Unfourtenly there is some cultural clashes between the two nobles. Even more trouble brews as one of the accompanying Godis are arguing with a local noble, luckily Jørgen's charm manages to calm down the situation.
An agreement is signed and the economy booms in Skåne for several years to come. Of course Gao is rewarded for his services.
The Years pas and with the wealthy and prosperous rule with Jørgen the peasants of the land starts to convert to the old faith of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the one true faith, and eventually even the revolters have to surrender. They are put infront of the gallows but given a choice. Attone for their wrongs by taking up the one true faith and serve the Fylkariate and Skåne for all future or be hanged and rot in Hel. Of course they chose the only right option, unifying the entire realm under one faith. But it would have horrible consquences...
The Pope hearing of this reformed pagan faith in the north and its victories decides to act just like Grandmaster Idwal said. The armies of Europe are coming.....
With the armies of Christendom amassing and their commanders eyes set on Skåne, Jørgen quickly proceeds with forcing his prisoners from the civil war to recognize the Aesir as superior to God and the only ones worthy of their worship. His silver tongue manages to trick all but the most zealous Catholics that the Pope on purpose left them to their faith and hoped that these "barbarians" would just kill them all of.
The amount of Lords that join the crusade in the name of the Holy father are numerous, the faithful of Skåne pray for help, begging the Fylkja to do anything to gain the gods favors. But no matter what anyone could do the situation was dire. Our Jarl did not know much of war fare, it had never particularly interested him but he did know how to talk to his people, how to calm the lords and make every able bodied man pick up his sword and amass under the Scanian banner. He said openly that the gods would not save them, not because the gods wanted to punish them but because the gods expected it of them.
"How can we be worthy of the Aesir in Valhalla if we do not stand up on our own legs? If the dogs of the cross are marching upon us, then they shall face the wrath of the worshipers, not the gods!"
Excluding the Fylkariate troops, he manages to rally 13 000 men from the realm to fight the horde of crusaders marching upon them. It was not nearly enough but Skåne would never be able to win with numbers alone.
The first troops arrive in late October 1210, the Papal states land a few levies to scout in the northern shores of Sweden. The Army of Uppsala is dispatched to take care of them before they get the opportunity to flee. Luckily the Danish King can't join the Crusade as he is too occupied defending some of the old Estrid demesne in England.
With the scouting force dealt with, Jørgen knew the troops wouldn't try to come from the sea but would try and walk across the Belt instead. He with his commanders decides that there is where they will hold off the crusaders or force them take another route. Even if they would defend from Fyn, it would be too many to hold off but the hope was that it would look enough threatening to make them go through the Lithuanian and Finn land.
Another army make landfall on Øland, hoping to capture it before the Scanians can react. However the mercenary bands hired by Skåne are nearby and quickly takes care of them. Half a year later the first forces start to show up in the Finnish Pagan lands, having taken heavy attrition before even getting close to the civilized land of Skåne. The mercenary bands have already reallocated to Uppland and they charge over to Åland and engage the weakened enemy trying to siege it.
They manages to hold out to just until reinforcements arrive on the island, 2800 more men to be slaughtered. However even more crusaders eventually show up, this army much larger and stronger than the mercenary army even though it has gone through miles of harsh terrain.
Unfourtenly the army is caught by the Venetian troops soon to be followed by more mercenaries hired by the pope.
In the meantime the Kaiser of the German empire sets up his own brother as pope and imprison the pope in Rome dealing a heavy blow to the crusade. But it doesn't save the Scottish mercenaries who just about defeats the Venice troops before the Pope's army arrives.
It ends in defeat and the gates into Skåne are now wide open and devout crusaders swarm into Uppland and Sødermanland.
Some good news at least are that the population of Skåne has started converting to the Norse faith. Also the Scanian troops managed to isolate a minor army and completely devastates it on Åland where its soldiers have no where to run.
The main force of the crusade are quick to pick up pursuit and are heading to engage the Vikings on Åland. In hopes to counter the larger and much heavier army, Jørgen have bought modern Italian weaponry for his housecarls from Trelleborg in hopes it will turn the tide in his favor.
Well, it looks like the warriors still have the traditional Viking spirit despite reforming.
Splitting your troops in face of a superior enemy was risky, hopefully the loss of the mercenaries does not doom your war efforts...
The battle ensues and it is quite even however the Scanian much lighter army can deal a heaveier blow as they skirmish the enemy as they land on Åland. Eventually the Knights charge at the right flank, but the flank focuses on forcing them back and holding them at bay letting the pikemen and archers to deal their damage to the riders giving a devastating damage to the Catholics while the Norse housecarls holds out against the heavy charge.
The tactic is largely successful and in desperation the left flank as well tries a charge but the Vikings are quick to form a shield-wall and hold the Knights at bay.
Its a enormous victory and the news of it spreads quickly through the land turning into even more of the population switching side to the worship of Aesir. The King of Mumu had also joined the Crusade and sieged down the county of Desmond in Ireland. But before the crusades end he dies of old age and his son refuses to continue to partake in the current failed state the Crusade was in.
A daughter is born to our Jarl which he and his wife names Ida. The pope tries to save the campaign by taking in another member, the rich families of Pisa, he promises forgiveness of their ursury in exchange for their help. The troops land in northern Sweden but the defenders are quickly there and swiftly defeats them.
More people turn to the faith of the man who is defending them from the foreign invaders and the fervor of the Viking warriors grow ever stronger. The pope dies in the dungeons of Kaiser Heinrich the year 1213 and pope Gregory IX is elected to lead the catholic world. This man partook in the fighting of the Crusades and having seen the determination of his enemies he decides to wait until he can gather more support before doing another push on the realm of Skåne.
As such the crusade become silent and not much happens, the housecarls however stands vigilant at the borders waiting for the crusaders to return. But the interest of the campaign declines and other news takes over such as the Monophysite belief takes over the Miaphysite position as the more dominant view on Christ. In the year of 1215 rumors from the far east reach the Jarl about the Khan of Khans, a great ruler and warrior who have conquered an entire continent and he has now set his eyes on Europe.
A lowly count thinks he can succeed where entire armies have failed and tries an invasion of Sjælland but his army is quickly dealt with by the Fylkariate. However that is the last battle to be fought and the Crusade is declared a failure as more and more lords of Europe start pulling out of this grand campaign.
A great blót is called for the entire realm to partake in, from the highest noble to the lowest freeman. The crusaders who was captured are offered to the gods. The feast commence but with such a large crowd and with the unbelievable victory still in mind some goes too far with enjoying the feast.
With the terror of the Church behind Jørgen he decides to change the inheritance laws of Skåne, believing that in order for the realm to continue to existing it can no longer be split among brothers but must be united under one man instead. The one to inherit the responsibility of protecting the people of the Peninsula will always now fall to the first born son of the current Jarl.
However peace does not last for long unfortunately...
Political Map
Religious Map
Let me know if you want more different map modes at the end of chapters.
Perhaps, once the Mongols arrive, a cultural map mode, every 25-50 years, since culture doesn't change that often.
Why is there still a king of sweden arround? Does he even have any land in ... Sweden?
Nope, he is just holding on to the crown of Sweden and Norway.
Update a bit delayed, my mod caused crash I have to fix.
After you have saved the Fylkir then you have to crush him utterly ! The Vogelius shall unite Scandinavia under the Ases' faith and let no pretender to their power alive !
Jørgen, won't allow the Fylkariate to stand alone against the Danish invaders and declares war on the Danish King demanding the county of Halland is integrated into the Jarldom of Skåne. The usual deployment takes place, the Scanian troops rush to Själland and dig in waiting for the Polish reinforcements to come. Soon enough they come to reinforce the Danish troops sieging down Bornholm, Jørgen engages them outside the city of København. Its not a devestating defeat for the Polish however they are pushed back isolating the Danish.
This spurs the Fylkariate troops to move in on Bornholm and fight the encircled Danish troops. The Scanian troops are right behind the Fylkariates to reinforce. The Fylkariate troops has managed to get outflanked by the defending Danes but are saved in the nick of time by the Scanian troops.
However even if it is war, the politics of the court can not be neglected and the Vogelius family marry in to the Stenkiling family, the royal house of Sweden and Norway by forming a union between Rikissa of Sødermanland and Hemming of Skåne. She is married on her 16th birthday to the heir of Skåne which is just a few days after the arrangements has been made,
The Hungarian troops have been active in fighting the Fylkariate troops dealing devastating defeat to them. However one day in September they just up and leave the Scandinavian peninsula. News soon enough reaches the Jarl that a revolt is taking place in the Hungarian lands and the Queen has to call back her troops to fight it, giving the Fylkariate some breathing room.
A vassal of the Khan of Khan's arrives in a region beyond Baghdad, further away than any Viking has ever been. But it is a news that shake Europe and the Popes eyes shift towards the east instead of the north, hoping to convert the Mongols to get an ally against the Arabs.
As generations pass, great deeds quickly becomes faded memories and even though the realm needs to stay stable to ensure the survival of the Norse faith, the personal ambitions of people seem too take their priorities.
Catholic peasants, spurred by the Estrid family to take arms against their masters even though their rights and privileges are guaranteed by the Fylkariate. Shortly after, Her Holiness Bodil the Wise before the end of the year 1217 dies of old age and passes on. The Faith leaderless and in a war to protect the Fylkariate from losing its capital seat, the election of a new Fylkir is held on the battlefield where the lords decides that Jørgen will be named Fylkir to defend the Scandinavian man against the Christian invaders.
The Danish-Polish troops getting a morale boost from the news that the leader of their enemy had died they move forward and captures the Scanian army in the deep woods of Småland. In the midst of the battle screams from Jørgen's personal retinue captain "The Fylkir is hurt! Form a ring on me! Do not let any of these swine come close to him! The leg of Jørgen had been chopped clean off by a Danish swordsman. The defensive battle turned quickly into a route trying to preserve as many soldiers as possible.
A year has passed since the start of this war and it does not look well for the Scanians, alone and outnumbered. Funds are set aside to fortify Håtuna, the fortress that protects the holy land from the infidels. New reinforcements from the north comes to the south and finds the remaining danish troops in Småland and destroys them, taking revenge for the devastating defeat from previous battle.
Knowing that there aren't enough Scanian men to fight the Christian alliance, Jørgen starts a plot to kill the old Danish King, the main contributor to the plot is his Jewish Spymaster wanting revenge for the expulsions the Estrid's has done against his people.
To ensure loyalty with the far away chieftain of Desmond, a betrothal is decided between the Jarl's daughter and the chieftain's son. Despite the war, the realm is not that bad off and the trade is still flowing in Skåne.
Despite the betrothal the Cheiftain of Desmond, descendant of Milzas, is a rebellious type. Plotting with other lords to gain Independence from Skåne or take the throne for himself, even going so far to denounce the Fylkariate and claiming no Fylkir should rule over the Norse people. That the idea of modernizing the faith was an upfront to the gods.
The Danish old King dies of age before any plans can come to fruition but not alone, his wife the Queen of Hungary dies of depression as her husband departs the world. The Nobles of Hungary are set with a dilemma, Queen Viola is the last of the great house Árpád. Her sole inheritor is the son of the now late King Stefan of Denmark. They try to decide among themselves who are to inherit but the son, Prince Ernst, is Hungarian and see himself as a hungarian and forces the Tanács to elect him as the only lawful inheritor of Hungary. Thus the Estrid Empire is born, the United Kingdoms of Denmark-Poland-Hungary.
The Estrids with renewed forces tries to take the army attacking the old capital of Halland. But it ends in a defeat for them. But Jørgen eventually succumbs to his horrible wounds and dies, Hemming inheriting the titles of his father.
He may be young, but he is a quick young boy with excellent skill when it comes to organizing his army however there is an issue with him being a craven who do not enjoy being in the midst of battle making him lose the respect of his fellow Norse. He is zealous to the cause and good in the ways to express himself and believes that one does not need to die in battle to travel to Valhalla, the means of war has changed too much since those scriptures were written. He do however enjoy the aspects of war and the strategies behind victory and he believes this still makes him worthy in the eyes of the Aesir.
However the death of the previous Fylkir and the quick and unfair vote to continue to pass the Fylkariate to Hemming has caused a lot of instability in the realm. In hopes to make Chief Ulitis change his mind, almost the entire council is sent to persuade him.
Some string of luck comes as the the Byzantine emperor dies and the alliance between the Estrid's and Murzuphlos is severed. But it doesn't matter much, the Estrid's has many new troops coming from Hungary on ships who lands and engage the Scanian's in Halland. Commander Pridbjørn manages to trick the enemy into a beneficial position for him, forcing them to fight at a lower number.
But it still ends in defeat. With that defeat and numbers weak in Skåne, the despicable swine of Desmond decides to press his claim on the Jarldom of Skåne. Luckily he has no one to support him. Hemming not wanting to prolong the loosing war against the Estrid's agrees to pay war reparations.
But it does not end there, sensing weakness in the new Fylkir the Swedish King declares a holy war to retake some of his old land. He's joined by some peasant rabble who sympathies with him in Åland.
Rikissa finally bears a child! Hemming prays to the gods for a strong and healthy baby boy. But soon enough he has to take to the field again to fight in Ireland but his main force focuses first on the Catholic peasants. Being mostly made up of light infantry they are easily dispersed of. A small retinue in Ireland led by Hemming himself takes care of the Desmond rebellion.
Soon enough the farmers and borgare of Åland gives up and hand over their leader. News arrive that a large force of Irish troops has been spotted in Skåne, apparently Ulitis had dispatched all his troops to Skåne to try and take the fortress of Trelleborg. It suits Hemming perfectly as most of his soldiers are just close-by. In Trelleborg under siege the first son of Hemming is born named after the late father of the Jarl.
The Scanian army arrives in Skåne and lifts the siege, leaving near no traitor alive in the ensuing battle. The traitor is forced to surrender with no troops left and no one to support him. He's confident that he will simply be forced to confess his loyalty to the Fylkariate and he would be returned to Ireland without further punishment. However Hemming is not his not as compassionate to traitors as his Father or Grandfather. In chains infront of Hemming he smiles waiting for the demand but his face turns white as he hears his judgement.
"Filth like you do not deserve the mercy of the Gods, into the pit of snakes with this swine!"
However the von Marienburg family has to close of a tie with the Vogelius house and as such he does not relinquish their titles but he does take Guaridanship of Ulitis heir, swearing he will not see this taint happen again upon the blood of Dýrlingur Milzas.
Political Map
Religious Map
