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So my first though, that the image of the Virgin was a flag, was right after all! But then I had to doubt myself, of course... 
Austria it is. That should offer you a lot of material for writing. I always have a bit of a soft spot for the old Habsburg Empire - particularly considering the 70 or so years of assorted miseries that followed in the territories that used to be KuK, after the First World War.
Anyway, enough blathering about that. I'm enjoying the battle scenes and look forward to see how this plays out.
On a related note, will this story be as personal as the last one (meaning that it focuses intimately on a few individuals), or will there be more grand scale history involved?
Austria it is. That should offer you a lot of material for writing. I always have a bit of a soft spot for the old Habsburg Empire - particularly considering the 70 or so years of assorted miseries that followed in the territories that used to be KuK, after the First World War.
Anyway, enough blathering about that. I'm enjoying the battle scenes and look forward to see how this plays out.
On a related note, will this story be as personal as the last one (meaning that it focuses intimately on a few individuals), or will there be more grand scale history involved?
Kampf_Machen: Agreed. A very fine book though.
Stuyvesant: Never doubt yourself! Your powers of perception are rather remarkable. As to the style: It will be somewhat of a mix between the two. The cast of characters is going to be bigger than the last one and will range from "little guys" like Artur to the more powerful men at the top of the Empire. This of course will mean that some historical figures will be represented. The events in the AAR itself will take place over a small span of time- my thinking being that no one wants to read a narrative AAR that covers decades of game time. The AAR will cover a particular series of events in Austria's in game history.
To all: I'm sorry that I haven't gotten anything else up since the first two posts. I have been working loads of overtime and I simply have been either too busy or too tired to do anything with the AAR. I wanted to note that the first two posts should be considered a prologue of sorts and that the AAR will "begin" with the next chapter which will actually take place before the events in the prologue. I hope to get it posted very soon.
Stuyvesant: Never doubt yourself! Your powers of perception are rather remarkable.
As to the style: It will be somewhat of a mix between the two. The cast of characters is going to be bigger than the last one and will range from "little guys" like Artur to the more powerful men at the top of the Empire. This of course will mean that some historical figures will be represented. The events in the AAR itself will take place over a small span of time- my thinking being that no one wants to read a narrative AAR that covers decades of game time. The AAR will cover a particular series of events in Austria's in game history.To all: I'm sorry that I haven't gotten anything else up since the first two posts. I have been working loads of overtime and I simply have been either too busy or too tired to do anything with the AAR. I wanted to note that the first two posts should be considered a prologue of sorts and that the AAR will "begin" with the next chapter which will actually take place before the events in the prologue. I hope to get it posted very soon.
I shall be waiting then Herr Oberst!
Thanks, such enthusiasm is always appreciated.
The update will post in a few minutes.
Chapter I
In the front of the church and from behind the altar, the priest finished his sermon and made the sign of the cross over the congregation before saying, “Go in peace.”
Johann Bauer, along with his family, got to their feet and faced the center aisle to await their turn to file out of the church. It was going to be a long wait. Liezen was not a particularly large town, but this was it’s only church and it was completely packed with townspeople and families like his own who had come in from the surrounding farms. He and his family had arrived late and had thus been obliged to sit in the last row. As custom dictated that those in the front file out first, it would be awhile before they could depart.
After several minutes of watching parishioners pass by, Johann spotted his friend Artur Lange moving up the aisle. Artur was the son of the town’s only innkeeper and Johann’s best friend. Johann nodded to him, which caused Artur to smile back and jerk his head toward the exit to indicate that he would see him outside. Johann indicated that he understood and then Artur was lost from sight.
Finally, it was their turn to exit and Johann filed out of the pew preceded by his parents and his younger sister, Alise. Once outside, Johann’s parents began speaking to acquaintances of theirs while he looked around for Artur. Johann spotted him standing apart from the crowd gathered outside the church and moved in his direction, Alise following closely as was usual.
When they approached Artur shook Johann’s hand before offering Alise a slight bow and saying, “Hello, Alise. You are looking very pretty today.”
Alise blushed and looked down at the ground as she replied, “Thank you, Artur, so do you. I mean… you’re not pretty, but handsome.”
Artur favored her with another smile and turned to face Johann. Once standing in close proximity to one another, the two friends were a study in opposites. Artur was thin and of average height with sandy blond hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. Johann, by contrast, was tall with the kind of powerful build that came from spending most of his eighteen years helping his father on the farm. Where Artur was fair, Johann was dark. His eyes and hair were of a deep brown and his skin was tanned from his time spent working in the fields. The only thing that he and Artur really had in common was that they were the same age. Despite these superficial differences and the fact that they did not often see one another due to Johann not living in town, the two had been best friends for almost as long as they could remember, having met when they both began attending Liezen’s simple little school.
Johann looked up to the sky and said, “A good day for fishing. Lovely really.” The two usually spent their Sunday afternoons fishing if the weather permitted.
Artur made an affirmative noise and then looked around Johann as if something else had caught his attention. A smile began to form on his face and he said, “Speaking of lovely…”
Johann turned to follow Artur’s line of sight and saw Elsa Huber speaking with some of the town’s other young ladies. Johann had to admit that she was an attractive young woman, though he didn’t necessarily share his friend’s near obsession with her. Artur talked of her constantly and what bits of gossip from town that reached him on the farm said that the two were spending a lot of time in each other’s company. From beside him, his sister made a disapproving noise and asked, “Just what about her do you find so lovely, Artur? Her father’s money perhaps?”
Artur and Johann rounded on her with matching looks of shock on their faces. Elsa’s father was the richest farmer in the area and Johann had often wondered himself whether that was part of his friend’s attraction to her, but it was not in his sister’s character to make such an unkind statement. Johann locked eyes with her and raised an eyebrow. Alise’s face flushed and she looked away quickly before muttering something that sounded like an apology and dashing off toward their parents. He watched her go, still somewhat surprised and confused by her outburst.
Artur, however, had apparently already forgotten about the whole thing as he reached up to put an arm around his shoulders and said, “Come on. Let’s get down to the river before it gets too late. I want to get a few hours in before supper.”
Johann let himself be led away, but looked back over his shoulder to where his sister was standing with their parents. She was standing with her arms at her side and her hands clenched into fists and gripping the sides of her dress while casting furtive glances at their retreating forms. He looked over at Artur and back to her. A suspicion began to form, but he pushed it aside and followed Artur down to the river.
Bauer, very original.
May I request some knowledge about the time frame?
19th century probably.
May I request some knowledge about the time frame?
19th century probably.
Ah, young romance... <Sounds of sweeping strings> Although perhaps 'infatuation' is a better descriptor.
So, Artur dotes on Elsa, Alise pines for Artur... And somewhere, in an as-yet undetermined future, Artur will be dodging bullets and cannon on the battlefield. Methinks we still have some filling in to do before we get to the prologue scenes.
Nice contrast between the peaceful idyll of small-town country life and the violence of the battlefield. It helps set up that Artur is wholly unprepared for the war that he will find himself embroiled in.
So, Artur dotes on Elsa, Alise pines for Artur... And somewhere, in an as-yet undetermined future, Artur will be dodging bullets and cannon on the battlefield. Methinks we still have some filling in to do before we get to the prologue scenes.
Nice contrast between the peaceful idyll of small-town country life and the violence of the battlefield. It helps set up that Artur is wholly unprepared for the war that he will find himself embroiled in.
Amazing, just amazing. So far, this has everything in it: War, Love, Promise, Adventure, and of course all of us wanting just a little more every time we finish reading your updates.
Let's hope that Johann and Artur won't have any conflicting interests though...
Let's hope that Johann and Artur won't have any conflicting interests though...
Enewald: I know to what you're referring, but I've never actually seen that show. The character actually gets his last name from a friend of mine. Yes, it is the 19th century. 1841 to be exact.
Stuyvesant: Yeah, definitely some filling in to be done. I just hope that everyone is willing to go along for the ride until we get back to combat scenes.
volksmarschall: Thanks, glad you're enjoying it thus far.
Stuyvesant: Yeah, definitely some filling in to be done. I just hope that everyone is willing to go along for the ride until we get back to combat scenes.
volksmarschall: Thanks, glad you're enjoying it thus far.
No, I am meaning 'Bauer' as the German word for farmer.
:rofl:
It is? I hadn't realized. Well, now it does seem a rather unoriginal choice.
Enewald: No, I am meaning 'Bauer' as the German word for farmer.
Hardraade: It is? I hadn't realized. Well, now it does seem a rather unoriginal choice.
it seems to me that it is a very fortuitous choice ! !
awesome updates ! !
. caught up ! !
Hardraade: It is? I hadn't realized. Well, now it does seem a rather unoriginal choice.
it seems to me that it is a very fortuitous choice ! !
awesome updates ! !
. caught up ! !
Took me a while to get round to reading this. So a few little lovers going along at the moment. Stuyvesant summed it up well. There can only be one way to settle it; Bitch fight!
Robou, that's a bad way for women to settle things. There has to be mud in there somewhere.
Don't worry Hardraade, the fact that you picker Bauer is actually quite lucky. Imagine the confusion if he was 'Johann Metzger' if he was only in town on Sunday's. Metzger being 'butcher'.
Don't worry Hardraade, the fact that you picker Bauer is actually quite lucky. Imagine the confusion if he was 'Johann Metzger' if he was only in town on Sunday's. Metzger being 'butcher'.
wow lets hope love doesn't cause anything rash. i wonder if johannn dies and also wonderful writing huge fan is there anything you can't write
GhostWriter: Thanks. Good to have you on board for this one.
robou: Now, now. I would never condone full on girl on girl wresting. Wait.... yes I would!
Kampf_Machen: I've decided to alter my memory so that I named him that on purpose.
longlee: Already wondering who lives and who dies, huh? I appreciate the compliment and I'm glad that you're enjoying it thus far.
robou: Now, now. I would never condone full on girl on girl wresting. Wait.... yes I would!
Kampf_Machen: I've decided to alter my memory so that I named him that on purpose.
longlee: Already wondering who lives and who dies, huh?
I appreciate the compliment and I'm glad that you're enjoying it thus far.