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All these prologues are reminding me just how epic the first book was and they're a great history-book style review to set the stage for Bastions. Hopefully the prologues help the story pick up a few more well deserved fans and helps them jump into the second book. Sounds great as always!
 
Bastions
Prologue One: The Saxons
Part 12


próŝjes rasán ár wisletán brát, med, ziemæn, un jurás in. románjes rasán ár pártisipá, váns, dienvidán, un pilsæs in.
Prussians are raised on little bread, mead, cold, and seas. Romans are raised on plenty, wine, sun, and palaces.​

By August of 1137 Poland had been defeated in the fields outside of Cracow. Only a small amount of land was taken, but with the city of Pinsk recovered, Prussia had met its goals. At home, though, Imela and her son Gunvald were meeting resistance from the Saxon nobility. In 1137 the Prussian nobility still had the right to reject the King’s choice of heir for any reason. The strongest amount of support went to Æthelwulf. Eadbert was not happy that his authority was being undermined, but agreed with the nobles to pacify them. Æthelwulf joined Imela in voicing his displeasure with the decision. Eadbert initially reacted violently, he told the nobles that he only considered their objections as a sign of respect, but deep down the King was uncertain of his fate and was only accepting their pleas to maintain his own grip on the throne. Eadbert was dealing with ghosts both real and imagined in his efforts to rule the nation. They left him tired and confused and the King chose to flee.

In 1138 King Eadbert joined a monastery. He never resigned as King so continued overseeing the running of the Kingdom. In a small study he worked on the tasks of a normal monk as well as ensuring the Kingdom managed to survive in a day-by-day basis. He was also visited by Æthelwulf and Gunvald, though Imela only spoke to him when retrieving Gunvald or through her son and step-son. For Eadbert, life as a monk was not enough to pay for his sins. He confessed this feeling to his wife and Imela suggested an epic task: catalogue the Anglo-Prussian language for all to use in the Kingdom. Eadbert agreed to this task and began by developing the alphabet which would survive until the early XX Century. It was based mostly on the Greek alphabet with a few exceptions and was quickly enforced around the Kingdom.

Even though the King was now in a monastery, Prussia was not in a suspended state of animation. When word of Eadbert’s decision reached the Cumani tribes in the south, they increased their raids against the Kingdom, hoping to get away with anything. But Æthelwulf soon had the Prussian army up and ready to fight off any threat. The fight was a two fronted one, but the Marshal had things under control, making gains both east into Ukraine and south into Moldau. Meanwhile, Eadbert worked with his son Gunvald on the Anglo-Prussian language. Gunvald was unique in that he and his mother were allowed to speak a language other than Saxon in the castles. To Imela the Saxons represented the previous generation, a generation of foreigners. To truly be accepted by the locals, a ruler needed to speak the same language as them, and Gunvald was the sign of times to come. Many Saxons and Baltic peoples had intermarried, producing a group of half-breeds: part Saxon and part Baltic.

Prince Gunvald was enduring a different kind of pressure than his father. The Prince was constantly fighting the hatred of the nobles, fighting for their approval. But approval would come not from within, but from outside. Emperor David, reigning Emperor of Rome (brother to Gunvald’s brother-in-law) chose Gunvald to wed his eldest daughter. In 1143, Gunvald was sixteen, the age of manhood according to Saxon traditions, and he was becoming a well educated and shrewd diplomat. The young Prince was convinced that Prussia was a bastion, as bastion for all of Christendom. So when he travelled to Constantinople to retrieve his bride-to-be, he flaunted his ego even to the Emperor himself. But instead of being offended, Emperor David was glad to see his son-in-law was growing to be a strong man and soon to be a strong leader. It was now that Eadbert chose to share with his son his plans to conquer Poland, a task that would eventually be left to Gunvald.

Many were claiming Gunvald to be the prodigal son of Prussia, the savior of their people and their nation. Still, many resisted this title. Gunvald was the second youngest of seven sons. Six of the seven coveted the throne, the exception being Æthelwulf. It was not uncommon for a man to raise multiple sons and then split the inheritance. But there was no splitting up the Kingdom, so Princes often began rivals and would often find themselves on the field of honor, fighting for their right to rule. Gunvald was forced to kill his brother, Leofric, on such a field. In doing so he removed the last obstacle between him and the title “Prince of Prussia”.
 
You are AWESOME mr capiatlist, not only do you do conlang, which I love with all my heart, you also write well and have made a fantastic universe, I normally hate americans(as far as I understood your american) But your fuckin' fantastic and I could marry you outright.


Happy fucking new year, you deserve all good for inspiring me own kreative sides with your wonderful story, please continue this wonderful tale! <3

Also, will their be a napoleonic style war?

Edit: YES I'm really drunk. <3
 
The Prussians will get what's coming to them. They'll be occupied under a foreign power and be opressed.

And then I will be the one laughing!
All in good time. I honestly meant no offense to Poland or the Polish people... Americans are rather uneducated on history so we never hear of Poland-Lithuania and the Empire that Prussia was based off of.

All these prologues are reminding me just how epic the first book was and they're a great history-book style review to set the stage for Bastions. Hopefully the prologues help the story pick up a few more well deserved fans and helps them jump into the second book. Sounds great as always!
Thank you. You might be surprised, but I am enjoying them a lot too. It is interesting to go reread something two years after you originally wrote it, plus it is a great refresher for the future. I am almost back to Sviendorog, who was my favourite King of all, so I am excited.

You are AWESOME mr capiatlist, not only do you do conlang, which I love with all my heart, you also write well and have made a fantastic universe, I normally hate americans(as far as I understood your american) But your fuckin' fantastic and I could marry you outright.


Happy fucking new year, you deserve all good for inspiring me own kreative sides with your wonderful story, please continue this wonderful tale! <3

Also, will their be a napoleonic style war?

Edit: YES I'm really drunk. <3
Enjoy the drink, if I was not with my folks I'd probably be drinking more too. There will definitely by Napoleonic warfare, however it is rather far off in Book Four. There will also be something similar to the American Revolution, both World Wars and the Cold War. There is plenty more to come. ;)

I am American, but my girlfriend and I are planning to move to Europe. We are looking at the United Kingdom and Germany at the moment.

:rofl:.

Also, man that battle with Leofric was epic.
I enjopyed writing it, that was for sure.

Keanon said:
Don't throw glass if you in stonehouse live *nods*
With that I am going to wish everyone a happy New Year and encourage everyone to stay tuned: the AARland Choice Awards will start tomorrow!
 
It is time for the 4th and final round of the 2010 AARland Choice AwAARds! You can check it out here. Make sure to make your voice heard and vote for all of your favourite AARs! And if you do decide to vote for Homelands/Bastions please do so by casting you vote for Homelands in CK - Narrative. Since I have two AARs up and running and one is a sequal to another and hasn't even really started, I want votes to focus on Homelands (especially since this is Homelands' last chance to win anything).

Regardless of who you vote for, make sure to vote and vote before February 1st, 2011. Any AAR updated in 2010 and started before January 1st, 2011 is good to go! So please take a bit of time and vote, it means a lot to us authors! Thanks.
 
All in good time. I honestly meant no offense to Poland or the Polish people... Americans are rather uneducated on history so we never hear of Poland-Lithuania and the Empire that Prussia was based off of.

No offense was taken. ;)

It's just that in almost all AARs, you might see a powerful Prussia, Austria and Russia. Why? Because they are the nations of victors, whether I like it or not, and they are the ones in history books. I've accepted it a long time ago, I can't change history now can I?

My grumbling and threats are purely comical, as I just voice my fake anger at the whole world. :p
 
Bastions
Prologue One: The Saxons
Part 13


se próŝjes sie ien brótæn násjá; liemen domásáj æs næ tas wir ár hiem in ilgs pædoju.
The Prussians are a brutish people; luckily I don’t think we will have to deal with them for long.​
- King Lázár of Poland, circa 1136​

In 1145 King Eadbert ventured out of the small monastery outside of Memelgrád and headed to Denmark. There he planned to meet with King Philippe, King of the French. King Philippe had fled a civil war and planned to lie low in Denmark until the war was over. The French suffered a major defeat against the Muslims and lost much of Aquitania and were punished by having the title Defender of the Faith revoked and their King excommunicated. Philippe was only a young man at the time, his father was the one excommunicated. Eadbert hoped that he could convince Philippe to leave Catholicism and join Orthodoxy. With France as an ally, he believed that Prussia could finish off Poland and then, along with Rome, help the French defeat the Moors. Gunvald saw the plan as folly. He knew Philippe’s conversion would lose him the crown faster than any failed battle or lost siege. The Prince urged his father not to go along with the plan, but failed. But once in Copenhagen, Eadbert found Philippe unwilling to give up- his religion, even for a moment of relief.

Throughout Western Europe rebellion had become the normal. France, Italy, and Germany had all descended into chaotic civil wars. Their greed and stupidity led to their downfalls. Even with the Moors on the doorsteps they would rather fight each other than unite against the common enemy. The Pope was powerless to help. Picking sides only worsened things. Eadbert and Gunvald saw a chance to strike. With Germany busy, Prussia was free to strike out at Poland. Gunvald wanted to crush the Republic to show to his rivals at home the weakness of electing a monarch. He wanted to show that power of character was enough to hold together the Prussian people and lead the nation to its place in the sun. But Eadbert, grey with age, was wavering. He feared the disintegration of the Kingdom. Gunvald assured him that the Kingdom would remain strong, but still Eadbert hesitated.

In the East a second power was rising. By 1150 the Turkish conquest of Persia was ancient history. But the Turks were still expanding. The Crusader states had weakened their Arab rivals, and the Kingdoms of Georgia and Armenia were proving good targets. The Armenians quickly converted to Islam and were granted dominion over the Province of Iberia, containing the two states. So the Georgians trekked northward into the lands of the pagan Cumans and Jewish Khazars. There they were allowed to continue their religious practices, but the King of the Georgians was a vassal, forced to pay tribute to continue living in the Cumani lands. They were allowed to settle near the Sea of Azov, close to the border with Prussia. But when the King died, the Cumans wanted more tribute and fealty from the new Prince. The Georgians trekked farther West, to the border with Prussia, and demanded entry. Gunvald and Æthelwulf were there to meet them and reject their pleas.

Instead of turning to Poland, when Eadbert finally agreed with Gunvald to fight a war, he turned to Russia. The Russians were a broken collection of tiny Principalities, each ruled by a transient despot, often overthrown before their first anniversary as Prince. The main target was Smolensk, but the surrounding lands were also up for grabs. But while Æthelwulf was away leading the armies, Eadbert talked with Gunvald. The old King told his heir of a vision he had. He said that it was one he inherited from his father, which was given to him by his father through the mouth of Saint Stephen (Æthelstan): overthrow the de Normandies in England. Eadbert told his son that he didn’t have to be King for any longer than a day, but that he would rule England long enough to remove the Normans from the island.
 
Was it really the Romans that proposed?
The AI do something proactive? Never...

No offense was taken. ;)

It's just that in almost all AARs, you might see a powerful Prussia, Austria and Russia. Why? Because they are the nations of victors, whether I like it or not, and they are the ones in history books. I've accepted it a long time ago, I can't change history now can I?

My grumbling and threats are purely comical, as I just voice my fake anger at the whole world. :p
That is good to hear. I find Eastern European history to be very entertaining. Poland-Lithuania is definitely an awesome thing. Originally, when I started I was thinking of going the whole Ducal Prussia within Poland, but it seemed so much more fun to be a state of my own. Would have been interesting.

And so begun the downfall of the British isles...
Give it a bit, we still need to introduce Sviendorog.

When I began reading this AAR back in homelands i thought they would overthrow the de Normandies and reclaim their land.

Glad I was wrong :D
I worked hard to avoid a WC, so yes... it was a good thing.

I think the prologue is great, but it takes soooo long! We need Bastions quick! Oh, and btw, the culture updates are a wonderful addition.
I agree, that's why in 30 seconds there shall be another update!
 
Bastions
Prologue One: The Saxons
Part 14


edbært wors se liestæ ænglæn sinik, bæt wors he næ se liestæ próŝjæn sinik.
Eadbert was the last Saxon King, but he was not the last Prussian King.​

It was not long after capturing Smolensk that Eadbert turned his attention back to Poland. Poland was alone, isolated from potential allies by distance and circumstance. The Germans were busy with their civil wars, the French busy fighting the Muslims, the Italians and Croats continued their wars in the Holy Lands, Hungary supported the Romans against the Turks, and England was enjoying a peaceful isolation. Once the war started, it was Gunvald's job to keep the Swedes and Danes out of the war. His silver tongue kept them calm, unwary of Prussia's plans. Within a summer Poland had been defeated and a large portion of her lands were attached to Prussia. This included Polish Pomerania, leaving Poland landlocked and dependant on its neighbors for food and supply. Eadbert's plan was working. He planned to isolate Poland and slowly and steadily take more and more away. Quick wars followed by political pressure would eventually lead Poland to the breaking point. And once the country had broken, all of Poland would be part of Prussia.

But Sweden was not content at just watching Poland disappear from the map. She objected to Prussia's expansion, trying to call attention to what was happening in Europe's backyard. Eadbert sought to silence this enemy, and in a powerful stroke he defeated Sweden as well. The prize was the island of Öland, putting Prussia even closer to Sweden. When the Swedes attempted to regain the island through diplomacy they were told off. Eadbert scolded them and their King for daring mettle in the affairs of greater powers. Prussia was rising to be the sole power of the Baltic Sea, and the title was fitting them well. With the Russian states in decline, the whole of Central Europe seemed poised to fall into Prussia's grasp. Though the conquest of Russia would have been easy, far easier than defeating Poland, Eadbert kept his focus of Poland, waiting for a period following famine and more strife in Western Europe.

Soon after the Second Polish War and the Öland incident the Third Polish War began. Once again Eadbert had very specific goals in mind. He was looking to remove the core of Poland, depleting his enemy of manpower and food. The war should have been easy and over quickly, but the Polish mustered everything they could to fight against the Prussians. No cost had been spared so even as the farmers went without, the soldiers marched on full stomachs. The war soon ground to a halt, forcing the two sides to sit out the winter. Prussia, however, had one more card up its sleeve. Eadbert had Æthelwulf call up more troops, soon more troops were headed into Poland from Estonia and the northern reaches of the Kingdom. Nothing would be spared, Eadbert demanded the Polish be defeated. So outside of Krakow, after many months of war, the Polish were defeated and Eadbert achieved one last victory.

After the war, Eadbert was taken to Mariengrád by his two sons. It was customary for Kings to travel to Mariengrád in their final days. There they would be interred forever in the catacombs that snaked under the city. Eadbert had caught an illness while in Poland, so in one way or another he was a casualty of war. It was in the old castle that Eadbert presented Gunvald with his book on the Prussian language and it was there that he finally confirmed that Gunvald would be his heir. But the King had one last thing to ask of his son and heir, Eadbert requested that Gunvald try to have Ælle's body returned to Prussia and buried alongside him. And with those passing words Eadbert drifted off to sleep, a sleep that he did not wake from. He left Gunvald with plenty of unfinished business, not the least of which was Poland.

King Gunvald's first course of business was having the body of Ælle returned. It took two years, but in 1162 the Emir of Toledo, now the Caliph of Toledo, consented and had the body shipped to Prussia. The Caliph was sad to see Ælle go, as he was a hero to many in Iberia, but agreed that a father's dying wish supersedes any moral wish. Gunvald had Ælle entombed next to their father with the title King of Pamplona. Any attempt to find Ælle's descendents turned up nothing. They had simply faded out. Technically the claim to the title "King of Pamplona" would fall to them. But it seemed to Gunvald that reviving the title was far from possible. Islam took a firm hold over Iberia and now looked to France and Italy.
 
Bastions
Prologue Two: The Prussians
Part 15


ŝis pleg winnát ist næ ápkárt hwic gábalæs tu hammás... ænlik hwic ienæs tu næmájo.
Winning this game isn’t about which pieces you have left… only which ones you have taken.​

Chess arrived in Prussia before the Polish Wars, introduced by Byzantine merchants and nobles who played the game themselves. One of the first Prussians to popularize chess inside the Kingdom was Prince Sviendorog, eldest son of King Gunvald. The Prince, born in 1144, was known as a rather dull person. His attitudes were often grey at best, bored and unattached to the world around him, Sviendorog was a thinker and a tactician. By the age of twelve he was one of the best chess players in Europe. By the age of fourteen he had surpassed all of his teachers in understanding and quit school. Between the ages of 14 and 22 he traveled around the Eastern World, visiting cities such as Constantinople, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Edessa, Alexandria and Cairo. He returned far more learned then he left, but even more bored with the grey Prussian cities he was forced to live in. His father made him a military commander, but Sviendorog was far more than just a general. In the coming years he'd become a noted administrator, a powerful leader, and an inspirational figure within Prussian history. In 1166 he was still unwed, and so even as he helped planned the invasion of England, he was wed to Ela de Normandie, Princess of England.

Gunvald was eager to oust the Normans from England, a land that starting to feel the tide of rebellion that was leaving so many other Kingdoms in ruin. In the north and west, England suffered rebellions from the Saxons and the Welsh. Fighting these rebellions left her weak and open to attack. Gunvald decided that the time for war was now, so in 1168 the Prussians boarded a fleet specifically made to carry them to conquest in England. Leading the armies was the frail Æthelwulf and the young Sviendorog. The plan was to strike in a pincer motion. Æthelwulf would land in the Norfolk region and would headed toward London. Meanwhile Sviendorog would land in York and try to gain the allegiance of the Saxon rebels. There is some confusion why Sviendorog was sent to York and not Æthelwulf, but it is often settled that neither was particularly Saxon, both spoke the Saxon tongue, and King Gunvald considered it rude for a man to attack his father-in-law.

By winter Æthelwulf had taken London and Sviendorog had taken much of Northern and Western England by means of diplomacy. Despite these massive gains, the war was far from over. The Normans relied on Normandy to support their war efforts, calling up many Normans and leaving the Duchy undefended. By 1170 it had been too much. The Caliph was attacking from France, the Prussians and their allies held all of England, so King William II surrendered the island, retreating to Normandy. But with the island taken, the next question was what to do with it. Gunvald's plan was to leave England under an incapable leader, rubbing salt into the wounds of William. The man chosen was Pukuveras Bryachislavich, a drunkard and a john. Once the Prussians left, many did not know what to do with their new King, but in an act of irony, the Britons united under their new King. They saw it as only fair that the King not be Saxon, Welsh, nor Norman. But it was of little worry to King Gunvald, who was happy just to be done with the war and still have a little of his treasury left.

Sviendorog returned to Prussia to find that his father was dealing with some issues of his own. The nobles of Prussia wanted their own feudal contract, like those in England. It was up to the Prince to forge a compromise, this compromise would become known as the Æthelsræchtæs, or Nobles' Rights. This document would guide Prussia for almost two hundred years, the single most powerful law in all of the lands. But under King Vishly it would quickly be chipped away, a piece of a past long behind Prussia. As the world changed, it was right to get rid of the old document, for it stood between the Kings of Prussia and a centralized state.