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On 30 April, the messenger from High Chief Pentti was finally admitted. The late convert to Germanicism (through an earlier Russian Holy War) was offering moral support for the current conflict. The only problem was that he was fighting off an invading horde and by 3 May it was obvious he could not actually spare any troops at present. Typical half-hearted Finns! Still, at least it is an adherent, Eilif observed – albeit sourly.
Of the seven co-conspirators, four would almost certainly withdraw if asked, but three may not. These others included his own sister Aleta, his veteran commander Velmayka (who had long disliked Eilif) and young Jarl Refil II of Vladimir. Others were minor chiefs or courtiers. Letters went out to each demanding they leave the plot.
Chap 121 Q1: Plot Stopping.OK, only noticed the thing with Velmayka agreeing to end a different plot as I was writing up the chapter. I should have picked it up when I looked at the updated plot strength, but there was a lot happening at the time and I missed it. I’ll have to go back and try again. Is there any way to specify which plot (if there’s more than one) that they stop on the relevant screen? Or do you just have to keep asking until they stop the one you want them to?
But most crucially, an unwell but still defiant Emperor Eilif II wondered whether the Francians would continue their advance on Luki, where a battle was due to begin on 23 January 957 AD. The outcome would almost certainly mark a critical, if not decisive, point in the Franco-Russian Holy War that had started in March that year. Not quite ten months and so much had happened in the frenetic and increasingly demented reign of the ‘Evil Emperor’ of Russia.
Ahhh another cliffhanger I'm keeping my hopes high though! About the war effort, how much piety do we have? Is it earmarked for anything else? We can just call the Jomsvikings and not pay any upkeep since this is a defensive war.
Things may look bleak, but now that the West Francians are moving through Russian heartlands, they have given the Russians the advantage in terms of what seems to be their strongest army. Hiring mercenaries with a not exactly well-filled treasury isn't a wise decision either. Eilif's disruption strategy may have found an unexpected ally in Ogier's decisions.
The goal now is clear - destroy the invading army, then free Brabant of occupation with a completely assembled force. Hiring the Jomsvikings as soon as possible is a good idea, for they come maintenance free while defending against heathens.
In other news, the AI's priority for seizing capitals is very high and makes some wars far easier to win than they seem. Especially for those with an island capital. As long as the enemy has ships, you can be certain that they'll charge the capital, so just have a force smaller than your opponent, and he'll make what seems like a suicidal charge.
If you are playing on a frozen island in the north, then attrition will do them in as well. For the Russians, that just means that any attacker who doesn't border them directly is likely to go for the capital.
Chap 121 Q1: Plot Stopping.OK, only noticed the thing with Velmayka agreeing to end a different plot as I was writing up the chapter. I should have picked it up when I looked at the updated plot strength, but there was a lot happening at the time and I missed it. I’ll have to go back and try again. Is there any way to specify which plot (if there’s more than one) that they stop on the relevant screen? Or do you just have to keep asking until they stop the one you want them to?
The goal now is clear - destroy the invading army, then free Brabant of occupation with a completely assembled force. Hiring the Jomsvikings as soon as possible is a good idea, for they come maintenance free while defending against heathens.
If he hires the Jomsvikings and when this war ends pauses and declares a GHW somewhere, will they stay and still be free of charge? As far as I know religious orders are upkeep free during GHWs as well, but they won't leave between 2 wars when one is declared the moment the other is finished?
If he hires the Jomsvikings and when this war ends pauses and declares a GHW somewhere, will they stay and still be free of charge? As far as I know religious orders are upkeep free during GHWs as well, but they won't leave between 2 wars when one is declared the moment the other is finished?
My understanding is that you keep asking. But when dealing with Barrister Dewey Cheatum, the law books are written by Brother Murphy and not by Judge Blackstone.
This reads like Abbott & Costello: A Russian Viking Emperor is defending the Lowlands and someone named 'the Devil' in a holy war from the French King by invading Britain. So long as the euros continue to flow through the 'chunnel', the French King would prefer that his British subjects reside in graveyards. The proper ending to this farce:
1. 'The Devil' dies.2. His successor calls Dewey Cheatum and claims to be Catholic.3. You revoke title and install a proper Odin/Hel worshipper.
Rather like the Hundred Years War or Crimea in OTL. Eilif is determined to do this one the hard way. And teach those pushy Christians a lesson (I hasten to add his is all in character!!)
You now have arrest warrants against anyone who refuses to abandon the plot. Is not Chief Vladislav, the leader of two factions? Some time on the rack improving his posture and a 'slop' diet, would probably improve his temperament. Can a person start more than one faction or must at least one be 'inherited' from someone else?
Ahhh another cliffhanger I'm keeping my hopes high though! About the war effort, how much piety do we have? Is it earmarked for anything else? We can just call the Jomsvikings and not pay any upkeep since this is a defensive war.
Things may look bleak, but now that the West Francians are moving through Russian heartlands, they have given the Russians the advantage in terms of what seems to be their strongest army. Hiring mercenaries with a not exactly well-filled treasury isn't a wise decision either. Eilif's disruption strategy may have found an unexpected ally in Ogier's decisions.
The goal now is clear - destroy the invading army, then free Brabant of occupation with a completely assembled force. Hiring the Jomsvikings as soon as possible is a good idea, for they come maintenance free while defending against heathens.
Indeed, that's the strategy. Alas, this early in his reign, Eilif's piety remains well below what is required to hire them. Until then, its take them down whenever the opportunity presents itself. Such as (hopefully) in Luki. Though these things can be risky.
In other news, the AI's priority for seizing capitals is very high and makes some wars far easier to win than they seem. Especially for those with an island capital. As long as the enemy has ships, you can be certain that they'll charge the capital, so just have a force smaller than your opponent, and he'll make what seems like a suicidal charge.
If you are playing on a frozen island in the north, then attrition will do them in as well. For the Russians, that just means that any attacker who doesn't border them directly is likely to go for the capital.
If he hires the Jomsvikings and when this war ends pauses and declares a GHW somewhere, will they stay and still be free of charge? As far as I know religious orders are upkeep free during GHWs as well, but they won't leave between 2 wars when one is declared the moment the other is finished?
Chapter 122: Fire and Sword (1 January to 30 October 957)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … The eventful year of 956 ended with Russia preparing to meet an invading Francian army in a big showdown in Luki, while an even larger Francian army continued to wear down Jarl Bertil II’s holdings in Brabant. Bertil was taking on the Teutonic Order in the war to conquer Holstein that had triggered this whole conflagration. The Holy War for Brabant was the main, but not the only thing that occupied Emperor Eilif II’s attention: factional politics, murder plots and of course the secret business of his progress in the Fellowship of Hel also simmered along.
A righteous upholder of the Germanic Faith in public as Fylkir and leading the defence in a holy war in Odin’s name, Eilif was simultaneously advancing within Hel’s coven and leading a double life of evil depravity in private. Could he continue to balance the two, without bringing the realm or himself to ruin?
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January 957
As Jarl Gorm’s army waited in Luki for Count Herbert’s West Francian army to attack across the Lovai River, the new year brought some good news on the diplomatic front: Bjarmia had pledged to join the holy war. And Chief Sirtya, despite being a cowardly seducer who liked to impale people, could actually bring a couple of decent sized companies to the conflict. He was requested to attach his troops to Jedvard’s army - the smaller of the two in Russia but containing the Imperial Guard, which was then north-east of Holmgarðr.
In the west, with no reasonable targets to hand and needing to rebuild numbers, the small fleet in the English Channel headed back to friendly – and relatively safe – territory north of Brabant, where the main Francian army was currently located.
In Brabant, Leuven fell to King Ogier’s forces on 23 January. The war continued to veer in West Francia’s favour.
That same day, the Battle of Luki began. The Emperor’s uncle Jarl Gorm had a slight numerical advantage and Count Herbert’s men had to cross a major river obstacle. But the West Francians had more than double the archers and had the better of the opening exchanges – until the Russian right flank commander Hakon led a berserker charge and closed with the enemy’s left on 5 February. Although the Francians tried to counter-charge and the Russians also took heavier casualties, the effect was immediate and devastating.
As he waited for word on the outcome of this pivotal battle, Eilif was able to survey the capital’s newly expanded castle town, funded by the last great raid in Italy. Even as war proceeded nearby, the future wealth of the realm remained in the Emperor’s mind as Holmgarðr prospered commercially and as a regional centre of learning.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
February 957
By 11 February, Hakon had broken the Francian left, which now fled the battlefield after having taken terrible losses. Hakon switched to attack the flank of the enemy’s centre, as part of a general melee – where the Russians' numerical superiority in heavy infantry also began to assert itself. The Francian centre broke after just a day of this treatment, leaving their right battle to fight on by itself as they were in turn flanked. By 16 February, the whole Francian army was retreating in disorder.
As this phase of the battle was progressing to a clear Russian victory, on 12 February Jedvard’s army (about 2,800 men in Belo Ozero) was ordered to march to Holmgarðr, to see what use might be made of them in the aftermath of the apparent victory in Luki.
In the west, on 19 February Velmayka took command of the troops that had just landed back in Westfriesland – their strength had now recovered to around 1,150. They would wait there for further orders, given Ogier still had over 7,000 men in Brabant.
When the pursuit of the West Francian army from the Battle of Luki was finished, a great victory had been won and the balance of the war swung significantly back towards Eilif’s favour. This had been vital to offset Francian success in Brabant itself. Herbert fled south-west in panic to Pallteskja, with Gorm following behind at a more deliberate pace, now with a considerable numerical advantage.
With that front safely in hand, Jedvard was ordered to pass through Holmgarðr and then head to Ingria, to rid it of its Francian occupation.
In Brabant, Ogier still maintained the upper hand on the ground and a larger overall army than Eilif – with who knew how many other Francian vassal levies or Christian allies who might come to his aid. As mentioned before, the small Russian army in the west had returned to the continent on 19 February. The Francian siege in Brabant continued unhindered. To the north, Brabantian and Teutonic forces chased each other around – where Jarl Bertil had the clear advantage in numbers and had occupied a good number of Teutonic holdings.
By 25 February, the allied Bjarmian army numbered 691 men and was in Pomorye, still with orders to eventually link up with Jedvard in Ingria. In his capital, Eilif pondered his new powers as a Visendamaðr – and considered how he might use them to visit grief on Ogier. As an active foe, a tainted touch could be used, but Eilif would need more Dark Power to be capable of that. More conventional means would have to be employed – for now.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
March 957
As March began the Francian army was being shadowed in Russia and Jedvard made for Ingria. Then yet another of Bertil’s holdings fell in Brabant. Once more, Ogier was asserting the advantage in the Holy War where it really mattered. Something would have to be done about this, but Eilif’s attention was divided by the need to see off the threat in Russia first.
By mid-March, it was clear Herbert was fleeing west, continuing into Poland after he arrived in Pallteskja. But Gorm would need to keep an eye on him for a while longer, in case they returned after their panicked retreat ended. He arrived in Pallteskja himself on 20 March and stayed put, awaiting developments and reports from his scouts.
On 19 March came interesting and somewhat surprising news: Eilif’s brother King Sigurðr had released the leader of the Fellowship, Jarl Rikulfr Ironside, from his dungeon. It was not clear whether a sum of gold had changed hands or whether it was simply an act of mercy.
As March drew to a close, Eilif once more checked to see if he could secure the support of the Jomsvikings. However, his reputation for piety was still not sufficient [at 171.523, with 192.5 needed]. It seemed that Count Herbert was continuing west, heading to the Baltic coast at Zemgale as he made it to Latgale on 30 March with his 2,258 remaining troops.
In political news from his brother’s court in Sweden, it seemed Sigurðr was now trying to curry favour with his Hellish senior jarl through the exercise of mercy and giving a new court appointment. A definite turn-around from being imprisoned for demon-worshipping!
Rikulfr’s known ambition to become King of Sviþjod surely couldn’t be helping relations, though his farcical façade of maintaining a “religious life of contemplation, prayer and meditation” while being a stark raving mad, drunken and possessed chief of the Fellowship of Hel was at least a bold and amusing ploy. Clearly, the four blood rivals he had accumulated within the Fellowship could also be a threat to his well-being.
The next improvement to Eilif’s core demesne came on 31 March, with the expansion of the barracks at Yamsky Gorodok in Torzhok.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
April 957
On 18 April, Jedvard arrived in Ingria. With the siege likely to only take around a month and a half, he settled in to that rather than wasting good men of the Guard assaulting the town walls. Gorm was still keeping watch on the Francians as they retreated through Latgale, just over the Russian border with Poland.
In Brabant, yet another holding fell the next day.
That same day, news came that Jorvik (with the help of Noregr) had succeeded in winning the Christian English Holy War for Ulaidh. There was hope this might free them up to support Eilif in his struggle against mighty West Francia.
With no major West Francian force visible in southern England and wanting to do something to wrest back a little initiative, on 23 April Gunnarr (the siege specialist) was given command of the small army in Westfriesland, taking ship head for a raid on Ogier’s holdings in Essex.
The following day, news came of Bodil’s final defeat in her 2nd Lithuanian Conquest of Zemgale. Even with Helgi’s assistance, Poland and its powerful allies were simply too strong for her.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May 957
On 3 May, Gunnarr arrived off Essex and began unloading his small army.
The latest new castle town improvement at Starya Russa in Toropets was completed on 8 May, another addition to Russia’s growing prosperity.
But this was entirely overshadowed by a seismic change in the war announced on the same day: Eilif received probably the most welcome letter from a foreign leader in the entire history of the realm, since its founding by Rurik ninety years before in 867 AD.
Warchief Palnatoke – one of the outstanding generals of his age – was bringing his own levies and the army of the Order to help Germanicism defeat the Christian assault on Brabant. All without any need for Eilif to expend any piety or treasure on either their hire or upkeep. This changed everything, of course. Gunnarr immediately stopped his landing in Essex (which he had not yet completed) and headed straight back – this time to Zeeland, a little closer to the action. Palnatoke was requested to join him there. Gunnarr was back on the continent by 20 March as the Jomsvikings began their march over from their castle in Werle.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
June 957
More good (though less momentous) news came on 2 June when Ingria was reclaimed with no losses. By then, Gorm's army was in Pskov and making for Narva: Herbert had disappeared further west – presumably back onto the ships that had brought him over. The main Russian fleet of 58 ships would eventually take as many troops as possible back to Brabant, to assist with taking on Ogier’s army and reclaiming the lost holdings that would hopefully be begun with the help of the Jomsvikings.
Jarl Falki’s simmering murder plot against Eilif (his cousin) came to the latter's attention again in mid-June, with some new plotters having joined (including one of his new concubines, Gytha the Shieldmaiden) [it had risen to 75.1% strength again]. Another wave of demands to cease and desist was sent out to the plotters for whom there was any chance of agreement.
As June was drawing to a close, Velmayka took the ‘core’ western army on the road to Breda as the advance guard of the Jomsvikings was approaching Gelre via Osnabrück and the Francians were still occupied in Brabant. Gorm and Hakon were brought over to serve as the flank commanders.
In Russia, there was a delay as the army in Ingria needed to be split into two contingents, where most of the Guard (all but one company) was able to fit into the space remaining on the boats waiting for them in the Gulf of Finland. Gorm’s former army had already boarded. Tryggve's force was embarking by 28 June.
All the replies to the latest murder plot demands were received by 29 June. Two (Jarl Refill and Chief Roman) still refused to desist, but the rest (including Velmayka - at last - and Eilif’s concubine Gytha) were no longer backing Falki.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
July 957
On 6 July the main Russian army was all aboard and began the long voyage back to Brabant. A smaller force would remain in Ingria, to put out any ‘bushfires’ that may erupt.
By 14 July, Velmayka was waiting in Breda for the Jomsvikings. And then reports were received of a large new mustering of troops by the Duke of Flanders – over 2,000 men in total.
A week later, it was noticed with some amusement that 1,000 of the Flanders troops had tangled with around 450 raiders from Helsingland in Rouen – all good distraction. And on 25 July, Rikulfr was back in prison again, once again accused of demon-worshipping.
By the end of the month, the Jomsvikings advance guard (775 men) had joined up with Velmayka in Breda. Their main body was in Gelre. Meanwhile, the Bjarmian army (691 men) had crossed over to Uppsala, so was ordered to join Velmayka as well – they would have a long march through Denmark.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
August 957
By 1 August, Falki’s murder plot was growing again [back to 53%], with Eilif’s sister Princess Aleta rejoining. Eilif may have thought it was understandable people would be trying to kill him – after all, he was not averse to it himself – but it was so irritating, especially when family became involved. Once more some cease and desist notices were issued. But not to Aleta yet: it seemed she had joined the plot so recently it was not yet feasible for her to be called out of it.
But when the two responses were received, at least Jarl Refil was finally dissuaded, even if Chief Roman remained implacable.
“’May my humours rot in my living body’, eh?” Eilif mused to himself with grim amusement. “He may find that happening to him, if he doesn’t watch out.”
Except it probably wouldn’t be worth so much Dark Power to use a tainted touch on such an inconsequential nobody, when an arrest warrant and armed guard would probably be cheaper and quicker. All in good time.
On 8 August, a Francian fleet appeared in the Waddenzee and started disembarking troops, possibly to Gent. It looked like it might be Count Herbert, returning from his defeat in Russia. Four days later, the whole Jomsviking army had made it to Breda. With a fairly large temporary advantage in numbers, especially the heavy infantry of the Holy Viking Warriors, it was decided to march on Brabant without delay, before other Francian contingents in the neighbourhood concentrated there.
By 18 August it was confirmed – Herbert’s army had landed in Gent, and initially began to besiege it. But the very same day, the main Russian fleet arrived in the Waddenzee with an extra 5,700 men and started disembarking in Breda. But Velmayka and Palnatoke did not halt to wait for them to land and then gain condition after their voyage: they continued to advance and the Vladislav and Tryggve could catch up when they were ready.
On 22 August 957, the greatest battle yet to be fought by the Rurikid dynasty began at Aarschot [how appropriate ] in Brabant. Warchief Palnatoke took command of the centre, with Jarl Gorm on the (attacking Russians') right and Hakon on the left. The Francians had no commander on their left, opposite Gorm, as the battle started. The opening exchanges continued until 29 August when Herbert’s army joined the battle, his fresh troops almost evening up the numbers. By 30 August the fighting remained fairly even on the Russian left and right, while Palnatoke had gained a distinct advantage in the centre, and was now up against Herbert, who had assumed command opposite.
As the battle in Aarschot continued, good news came, with Eilif’s fellow Hel adherent King Steinn casting his lot in the Holy War to defend Germanicism in Brabant.
And on 30 August, the reinforcing Russian army (the 5,700 men now under Chief Vladislav’s sole command) landed in Breda and made straight for Brabant without waiting to regain full condition. It was felt their presence on the battlefield was more urgent. They should arrive in Aarshot some time towards the end of the second week of September. Whether the battle would still be going then was another matter.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
September 957
In the first week of September, the character of the battle changed quite suddenly: while skirmishing on the Russian right and centre continued fairly evenly and Palnatoke maintained his significant advantage, the melee on Hakon’s left flank that began on 31 August went quite heavily in favour of the Francian division. Just two days later, the Russian left broke and Palnatoke was outflanked. By 6 September, the situation in the centre had been completely reversed: the Jomsviking Warchief was powerless to prevent the centre breaking, suffering horrendous casualties. Gorm was now on his own, badly outflanked, fighting all three enemy divisions and the battle seemingly lost.
But Gorm managed to hold on until a triple horn blast behind him signalled the arrival of Vladislav’s still somewhat seasick relief column on 12 September. Palnatoke rallied in the centre and was back in the fight: the hairs on the back of Gorm’s head raised, as if the Gods themselves were behind him. The effect on the enemy’s weakened centre, whose warriors had found themselves on the edge of victory and were now in despair, was immediate. They fled south and Palnatoke now returned the earlier favour on the Francian right flank with his own outflanking move, while things remained evenly poised on Gorm's right flank.
A week later, Gorm had finally prevailed in a tough fight and joined the others to attack the enemy’s heroically beset right division, which would continue to resist the entire Russian host until they too finally broke on 21 September.
All that was left now was the pursuit of the narrowly defeated Francian army, which together with the final phase of the battle made up for the heavy Russian casualties earlier on. What would surely stand as the critical battle of the whole war was over by 28 September in a glorious but hard-fought victory for the forces of Germanicism. By 1 October, the Russian forces were still not ready to assault the prodigious walls of Leuven, should they wish to do so.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
October 957
Just as events were decided in Brabant, a report came to Eilif on 1 October that the erstwhile solid and longstanding alliance between Bodil and Helgi had ‘broken down’. Eilif wondered whether it was because of the recent failure of their war against Poland. Questions were asked. And the answer was soon clear. The stress of life had proved too much for the High Chieftess of Lithuania, Marshal of Russia, deputy of the Fellowship of Hel – and close friend of the Emperor.
A great figure in Rurikid history of this period had passed onto … somewhere, but probably not Valhalla. Another female Holming – High Chieftess Ingrid – took over the Jarldom of Lithuania.
With the rush of events in Brabant, Eilif did not get around to filling the vacant Marshal’s position until 12 October, opting for an existing subject and ‘safe pair of hands’, Mayor Gnupa of Spångsholmr. He looked like he would be a loyal and competent administrative head of the army – even if he was a coward by reputation. Russian Marshals normally commanded logistics rather than armies anyway – and Gnupa would be no exception. The Council was still divided in its leanings and none were seen as devoted loyalists of the Emperor’s Party.
Back in Brabant, by 2 October the Russians were ready to assault. Wanting to get things resolved as quickly as possible and with the numbers provided by the Jomsvikings, Velmayka launched three assaults in a row against the still-small Francian garrisons in Brabant. The whole province had been freed of the Ogier’s yoke by 12 October as Velmayka and Palnatoke took their men south to Hainaut. The casualties had been very light and by then, the balance of the war had finally swung in Russia’s favour.
With Bodil’s death, a man known as Knut became the new deputy of the Fellowship. And the recently-promoted Eilif was the only other ranked Visendamaðr left. This put him third in the current hierarchy, with Rikulfr in prison again but still maintaining his position as Trollmaðr.
The Russians arrived in Hainaut on 24 October and found Ath’s high walls heavily enough garrisoned (550 men) that an assault was not conducted. They settled into a siege.
By that time, the now ageing (and devoted) Jarl Bertil’s war against the Teutonic Order to conquer Holstein was also progressing well.
King Steinn’s levy had been mustered and was asked to generally seek enemy counties to besiege – perhaps they would attack Ogier’s holdings in southern England?
October ended with Russia and its allies now firmly ahead in the Holy War for Brabant, but the fighting was far from over.
At home, the factions were of minimal concern – with Refil II opting out in August, only bit players remained, with Chief Kalle of Ingria reviving the faction to establish elective succession in the Kingdom of Garðariki at the end of August, while other minor players came and went.
Warchief Palnatoke – one of the outstanding generals of his age – was bringing his own levies and the army of the Order to help Germanicism defeat the Christian assault on Brabant. All without any need for Eilif to expend any piety or treasure on either their hire or upkeep. This changed everything, of course. Gunnarr immediately stopped his landing in Essex (which he had not yet completed) and headed straight back – this time to Zeeland, a little closer to the action. Palnatoke was requested to join him there. Gunnarr was back on the continent by 20 March as the Jomsvikings began their march over from their castle in Werle.
With a fairly large temporary advantage in numbers, especially the heavy infantry of the Holy Viking Warriors, it was decided to march on Brabant without delay,
With the majority of the Jomsvikings probably being heavy infantry, they can even successfully take on larger forces then themselves. The numbers that swell via archers and light infantry are not to be trusted. Crazed huiscarls numbering thousands berserking on the enemy are something very few things can stop.
In the first week of September, the character of the battle changed quite suddenly: while skirmishing on the Russian right and centre continued fairly evenly and Palnatoke maintained his significant advantage, the melee on Hakon’s left flank that began on 31 August went quite heavily in favour of the Francian division. Just two days later, the Russiamn left broke and Palnatoke was outflanked. By 6 September, the situation in the centre had been completely reversed: the Jomsviking Warchief was powerless to prevent the centre breaking, suffering horrendous casualties. Gorm was now on his own, badly outflanked and fighting all three enemy divisions and the battle seemingly lost.
Quite surprising! The flanking did the center, but what did the flank? Lack of Heavy Cavalry against the enemy knights? RNG doing its thing? I'm not sure.
A week later, Gorm had finally prevailed in a tough fight and joined the others to attack the enemy’s heroically beset right division, which would continue to resist the entire Russian host until they too finally broke on 21 September.
Yes, have done it a few times so far with prisoners who couldn't be ransomed. But there are limits and the power granted is not huge. Missions and rampages are the best, it seems.
With the majority of the Jomsvikings probably being heavy infantry, they can even successfully take on larger forces then themselves. The numbers that swell via archers and light infantry are not to be trusted. Crazed huiscarls numbering thousands berserking on the enemy are something very few things can stop.
Quite surprising! The flanking did the center, but what did the flank? Lack of Heavy Cavalry against the enemy knights? RNG doing its thing? I'm not sure.
It was an exciting a closely timed thing - given the Russian rescue force had to sail all the way from Ingria and then force-march to the battle, to get there just in the nick of time!
Chapter 123: The Cross and the Rune (1 November 957 to 25 August 958)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … West Francia’s Holy War for Brabant had turned decisively in Russia’s favour, first with an important win at the Battle of Luki in early 957, followed by the entry of the Jomsvikings on Emperor Eilif’s side in May. At the climactic Battle of Aarschot (22 August – 1 October 957), a massive and hard-fought contest that swung first one way and then the other, Germanicism won a decisive victory over the Christian forces of King Ogier of West Francia.
The fighting went on, with the rest of October being largely devoted to re-taking Brabantian holdings that remained under Francian occupation. Jarl Bertil’s own war of conquest against the Teutonic Order – which had sparked the wider war – was also progressing well. King Steinn (who Eilif had recently inducted into the Fellowship of Hel) joined the defence of Brabant against the Christians on 29 October.
At home, Eilif had now moved to number three in the Fellowship of Hel's heirarchy after the stress-related death of High Chieftess Bodil Holming, Marshal of Russia, on 1 October. The factions in Russia had sunk to negligible power and the long-running plot against Eilif’s life by his cousin Jarl Falki of Tver had been ameliorated but not extinguished. Jarl Rikulfr ‘Ironside’, head of the Fellowship, had been re-arrested by Eilif’s brother King Sigurðr of Sviþjod for demon-worshipping.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
November 957
Jarl Rikulfr of Bergslagen (not Ironside) died an accidental death on 2 November: for once, there were no suspicious circumstances. His infant son Þorsteinn became Jarl, but though he seemed destined for a brilliant career, it would be a very long regency, with his uncle as heir to the jarldom. His regent had better work hard to keep him away from ‘accidentally’ drowning in barrels of malmsey wine!
On 22 November, Ogier’s main army under Count Guilhem had rallied and was spotted in Amiens, heading east for Vermandois. The main Russian army remained at siege in Hainaut, ignoring them. A band of raiders appeared in Brabant on 25 November but did not stay, heading west for Gent. Then on 30 November, the Duke of Flanders once again raised his levies – to what purpose was as yet unknown. Not all the vassals of King Ogier who had mobilised their levies had done so to help him: many seemed more intent on settling internal squabbles than helping their king fight for Brabant.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
December 957
By 3 December, Eilif noted Falki’s murder plot against him had again gained adherents and strength (Falki and four co-conspirators, including Eilif’s sister Princess Aleta [at 72% strength]). Yet another round of demands to stop was issued.
On 5 December, Guilhem’s army was in Vermandois and heading around the Russians in Hainaut to Liege. It looked like they would attempt to circle right around to Brabant. Velmayka kept up the siege in Hainaut and would react to the Francian move if necessary, but preferably not to either break his siege nor split up his strength. On 6 December, the raiders were in Gent, but did not have the strength to besiege the holdings – just scour the countryside. They too were ignored. The Flemish levies seemed to be heading south-west – away from Hainaut.
On 7 December, Chief Kalle of Ingria disbanded the faction trying to bring elective succession to the Rurikid-controlled Kingdom of Garðariki.
21 December brought Guilhem to Liege and he was indeed headed for Brabant, which he would reach a week later. At that time, the Russian siege of Ath in Hainaut had an estimated 24 days to go. More allied Germanic contingents were arriving by sea (from Jorvik) and overland (from far Bjarmia). The pieces were being set for the next phase of the conflict.
King Steinn’s army, commanded by a Mayor Björn, made landfall in Gent on 27 December, ignoring the raiders there. Given they were now on the continent, Björn's orders were changed to join with Velmayka’s main force in Hainaut.
As the year drew to a close, four out of the five murder plotters, including Falki himself, had responded with undertakings to cease and desist. Only the recalcitrant Chief Roman refused to withdraw from a plot that by then even Falki himself had abandoned. Roman’s time will come, Eilif mused to himself, a nasty grin forming on his lips. For now, the Emperor bided his time – like a patient spider sitting in the middle of a web.
Meanwhile, the arrival of Count Guilhem in Brabant sparked a series of assaults that would continue into early January, designed to wrest the initiative back in West Francia’s favour.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January 958
Three of Bertil’s holdings in Brabant, where the garrisons had found little time to rebuild, fell in quick succession to West Francian assaults that began on 28 December 957 and finished on 3 January 958.
More irritating news came on 8 January, with Bodil’s heir High Chieftess Ingrid of Lithuania reviving the ‘Elective Succession in Garðariki’ faction on 8 January. It was a far cry from the days when Eilif's good friend Bodil had ruled the roost there.
Two days later, the Jorvik contingent had joined the main army in Hainaut, which was still waiting to finish the siege of Ath. And finished it was on 12 January: it had been quite an expensive one, with over 800 men lost. Velmayka pondered whether an assault first up might have actually cost fewer men, as well as taking a fraction of the time.
In any case, he immediately set off with the whole army to attack Guilhem in Brabant, ignoring a number of smaller West Francian armies and raiders milling around in Flanders. He wanted to strike a mortal blow to crush Ogier’s main force as brutally and decisively as possible.
While this was playing out, far away in the lands of the Bulgarian Empire Jarl Sumarliði of Sarkel finally won his conquest war for Olvia on 15 January, bringing the city of Cetatia Alba and the Temple of Ophusia with it.
The next major battle of the Brabantian Holy War began at Leuven in Brabant on 19 January. This time, the Russians and their allies outnumbered Guilhem by more than two-to-one. The outcome was never in doubt: Warchief Palnatoke assumed tactical battlefield command and by 30 January had broken the enemy centre while fighting was still in the skirmishing stage. He turned on the enemy’s right flank and the next day a general melee broke out, the Francians suffering crippling casualties. Both enemy flanks broke by 2 February, precipitating a rout and pursuit.
While this battle was still in its early stages, Noregr and Karelia both joined the Germanic side in the Holy War.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
February-March 958
The pursuit at Leuven ended on 10 February, with another crushing win recorded for the forces of Germanicism, with a large part of the West Francian army destroyed.
While Velmayka prepared his army for a series of assaults to win back the enemy-held locations in Brabant, a scandal broke out within Eilif’s own household. This time it was his concubine Aslaug playing up – with some count from Radstofa. The Emperor was more worried about appearances than any emotional impact. Though this Count Chichayka would go into his black book and any bastard that might emerge from the illicit affair would have poor prospects.
The small garrisons Guilhem had left in Brabant took only four days to overcome in three assaults that caused minimal Russian casualties.
With the war now leaning heavily in Eilif’s favour, the army headed back to Hainaut on 16 February to finish the job there.
The auspicious news continued for Eilif, one of whose concubines finally seemed to have ‘produced the goods’: the Emperor would have another child – this time he hoped for a son and heir.
In Hainaut, on 27 February the siege of Cambrai began – and unlike that of the castle of Ath, this should take far less time. The West Francian army was fleeing south in disarray, while the Flemish army had concentrated in Artois: to besiege it, it was believed!
And King Ogier was now known as ‘the Tormentor’: he must have been taking out his frustrations on his subjects, now that his once-great army was in tatters.
Eilif’s half-sister Princess Vigdis turned twelve on 3 March and Eilif had to choose an educational focus for her. She would learn philosophy and religion, under the tutelage of Empress Björg (who also served as Court Tutor). Eilif thought the time may come soon that he may wish to cement some alliances by dynastic marriage with fellow Norse realms, given the Christian challenge that might continue to grow in the clash between the two religions in Europe.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
April 958
As the Holy War continued in a quieter siege phase, Eilif sought to build relations with the new High Chieftess of Lithuania, making Ingrid Lawspeaker of Russia on 2 April. Five days later, the remains of the West Francian main army, now under the command of Count Herbert and numbering a little under 4,200 after gaining some reinforcements, was spotted in Reims, heading north to Vermandois. It seemed they were game enough to try their hand again. Recent reinforcements and the joining of allied contingents now saw the Russian army to over 13,400 in strength. The latest West Francian move was of little concern to them.
In Flanders, the Duke had broken his siege of Artois to advance west to Boulogne with 1,700 men, where Count Robin of Artois (with about 900 men) was about to defeat a smaller Flemish company of 340-odd men. It was deduced that the Duke was fighting a revocation war against his count. Good clean fun to keep them out of the Holy War.
Cambrai fell to Velmayka on 12 April [warscore 58%], for no Russian troop loss. The siege of Valenciennes was next and should also be fairly quick [31.6% every 12 days]. Five days later, the fight in Boulogne had intensified. Agents reported that Duke Lothaire II of Flanders' War to revoke Artois was edging slightly in Count Robin’s favour [5%], but this would likely change after the current battle was over, where the main Flemish army now outnumbered them by more than two-to-one after reinforcing the battle in Boulogne. Herbert was in Vermandois and once again treading the path to Liege, presumably then to Brabant.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
May 958
This time, Velmayka had no qualms about splitting his army to deal with the latest incursion. He kept the bulk of the Russian Imperial Guard and levies with him to continue the sieges in Hainaut.
Vladislav would take a number of small vassal levies, with the Jomsvikings and all the other allied contingents ordered to attach and accompany him to Brabant to see off the latest West Francian advance.
Vladislav set off straight away, but was advised the allied contingents were not ready to move and would be a few of days behind him. But by then, the enemy were back in Brabant and he did not want to delay the attack, lest they retake holdings in the meantime yet again. He hoped the allies would not be too far behind, or his small advance guard would be slaughtered.
As it happened, the Battle of Mechelen began in Brabant on 17 May and the Russian centre division was immediately routed. But the two flanks hung on and the allies were just two days behind, arriving on 19 May. This time it was the West Francian centre that folded straight away, as Palnatoke took over the battle and went straight into a melee across the whole field, while causing horrendous casualties to the enemy centre (over 1,200 of their 1,600-odd men killed in the first clash, though not without some sharp initial Germanic losses too). Three days later, the whole enemy army was shattered and in rout. Victory was completed on 30 May and Count Herbert himself taken prisoner on the field after losing three quarters of his army.
The next day, Vladislav took the victorious army back to Hainaut.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
June-July 958
With the Holy War almost won (Valenciennes had been taken by siege in the interim), Velmayka wasted no time in taking on the small West Francian garrison left in Avesnes, assaulting it from 4-6 June. All Brabantian land was now free of occupation and the war overwhelmingly Eilif’s favour – but Ogier was obstinate and refused to concede. Rather than wait for the holding of Brabant to gradually bring Ogier to the bargaining table, the Russians struck out for West Francian territory. They would force Ogier to concede by taking some of his own land. Artois was the first target: it may well be weakened from recent internal strife.
Velmayka arrived in Artois on 15 June and found a large garrison (1,149 soldiers) in a formidable castle [4.5 fortification level], now directly ruled by Duke Lothaire II of Flanders. It would be a siege, then. A week later Vladislav arrived in Hainaut and was sent south with the allies to Vermandois.
Back in Russia, on 29 June a host of 980 raiders from Ääninen was seen heading south for Ladoga, where they were due to arrive on 1 August. The troops left in Ingria began crossing the Lovat River and would make it to Ladoga the day before, on 31 July. It proved enough to discourage the raiders, who left for other easier targets. Eilif was happy so long as they were not raiding his personal demesne lands.
The despised Chief Roman of Vyazma’s next irritating ploy was to found a puny independence faction on 7 July. A second mark against him in the Emperor’s black book. The man must have a death-wish. On the same day back in the West, Jarl Hroðgar had arrived in Beda with a contingent of 1,017 men from Noregr to boost the Germanic cause. He was given orders to join Velmayka in Artois, to help even up the numbers of the two Russian forces then operating in northern Francia.
On 9 July, Ingrid of Lithuania responded to the favour shown her recently by disbanding her short-lived (and poorly supported) faction to bring elective succession to Garðariki.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
August 958
Jarl Hroðgar duly reinforced Velmayka in Artois on 6 August: Velmayka now had 6,689 men there, while Vladislav and Palnatoke had 7,470 in Vermandois. Both the sieges continued routinely, with no large West Francian army of any type in sight.
With things in the war moving quietly to a satisfactory solution, in mid-August Eilif decided it was time for a little more Hellish fun. He took up with another member of the coven – Valdava of Azov – for a short escapade in the local countryside. Chronicles of the time recount the horrors perpetrated (unknown to them, by the very Fylkir who was supposed to protect them and keep them in Odin’s light), while Eilif’s secret journal noted the benefits he accrued from this latest foul episode.
Once more, taking the extreme path provided Eilif with a greater reward. In the process, it cemented his cruel streak, while liberating him from the stress such doings had caused him to that point, also boosting his Dark Power. And he gained big boost to tax intakes and a new friend within the Fellowship. Even though the local people would be most unhappy – for which he cared little, in his manifest arrogance and callousness.
When he returned from this debauched trip, Eilif learned that Rikulfr Ironside had once again been released from his brother’s dungeon, on 19 August. Eilif was torn between the morale boost this gave the Fellowship and his desire to see Rikulfr handily despatched, so he might advance his own position at the top of the coven.
As the Emperor contemplated his current personal standing, word filtered in from the ‘ignorant scum’ of his own holding of Holmgarðr, where his latest atrocity had been perpetrated. And the Evil Emperor continued to care not a whit. Just let them rebel and see what transpires, he noted grimly in his private journal on 24 August.
And the reason for his confidence was soon apparent: the very next day, the Holy War for Brabant was won! The fall of Bethune in Artois was enough to convince Ogier that his war was lost. For his share of the spoils (a little more than half, with Warchief Palnoke of the Jomsvikings getting most of the rest, and King Steinn a small share), Eilif received a massive reparation payment and a boost to his prestige. The moral authority of Catholicism would suffer for the next 20 years and that of Germanicism boosted commensurately (enough to make up for the effect of Fylkir’s Hellish indulgences).
Whether a coincidence or to help celebrate the victory, Trollmaðr Rikulfr issued a new mission to Eilif, which he accepted. Another temple desecration, the timing of which he would decide in due course.
Eilif was currently around half way to his goal of the next promotion to Seiðmaðr [506/1,000 Dark Power]. He must also serve three years in his current rank before he would be eligible for promotion.
Only two factions remained in operation within Russia – neither of them a threat.
But Eilif was faced with a decision: what next? At previous Þings, advisers had counselled retaining the services of the Jomsvikings by rolling straight into another war that would see them transfer the contract. But their strength had been significantly eroded in the fierce fighting for Brabant. And Eilif had plans for something far closer to home – expanding his holdings in Finland so a new kingdom could be founded to govern it under the Imperial crown.
So on the day the treaty with Ogier was signed, Eilif allowed the Jomsvikings to return to their castle in Werle to recover from their just exertions in the Germanic cause. The levies would return to Hainaut for disbandment and the Guard (Retinue) eventually for ships back to Father Russia. Bertil seemed to have his own war against the Teutonic Order well in hand by then and was currently winning a large pitched battle up in Westfriesland, where his army had finally brought Hochmeister Wojuta’s main force to bay.
Eilif would now decide on his next adventures, both for the expansion of his realm and his bloodthirty and depraved pursuit of advancement in the Fellowship of Hel. And perhaps a few vendettas might be settled at home, too …
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
Endnote. So the AAR is all caught up with gameplay again. Once more, I have not posed any specific questions, but comments and advice and suggestions (both technical and strategic) are, as always, welcome.
but Ogier was obstinate and refused to concede. Rather than wait for the holding of Brabant to gradually bring Ogier to the bargaining table, the Russians struck out for West Francian territory.
well, of course winning the actual war brought much more
The episode with baby fat was horrible, Eilif is irredeemably lost in the black pit of this cult, his soul cursed for eternity. I hope it won't taint his innocent offspring.
For the future, the provinces of the Duchy of Estonia would be ideal for a vassal merchant republic, and would also enable us to declare the Kingdom of Finland, which in turn would enable us to peacefully vassalize any Germanic chiefs in that de jure kingdom. This shouldn't take too long, the chiefs there are weak compared to us but their piety must be considered as they can summon warbands.
After this, I say a GHW on Poland so we cut off the other pagans from Catholic influence.
Looks like the episodes without specific questions tend to get fewer comments - either that or the active readership is thinning out a little. Or even Eilif’s evil ways are putting people off!
Anyway, my hearty thanks to the dedicated commenters on this last instalment, which had some more big events in it, after the climactic battles of the first part of the Brabant Holy War.
The episode with baby fat was horrible, Eilif is irredeemably lost in the black pit of this cult, his soul cursed for eternity. I hope it won't taint his innocent offspring.
I know, which is why the chronicler has definitely turned against Eilif’s private pursuits, while treating the public part straight up and down. This reflects the fact that to date, anyway, the Hel stuff is all hidden and done in secret, even if some of the character manifestations (cruelty, possession etc) are out in the open. But such traits are far from uncommon in the game universe.
Let‘s hope any heirs and successors can indeed rise above it!
For the future, the provinces of the Duchy of Estonia would be ideal for a vassal merchant republic, and would also enable us to declare the Kingdom of Finland, which in turn would enable us to peacefully vassalize any Germanic chiefs in that de jure kingdom. This shouldn't take too long, the chiefs there are weak compared to us but their piety must be considered as they can summon warbands.
After this, I say a GHW on Poland so we cut off the other pagans from Catholic influence.
This is the immediate plan, as I want to get a Scandinavian ‘bastion’ built by the time the Mongols and Aztecs arrive, in case the Russian heartland gets overrun. And then a big GHW at some point for some big gains sounds like a good mid-late reign goal (if Eilif’s double life lasts that long).
Arrest - or worse! With the latest big war gloriously over, now will be the time for some border work and housekeeping - including some purging of irreconcilable plotters.
And he has been doing his duty with wife and concubines, with a second child on the way - perhaps a son and heir? If not, King Sigurdr of Svipjod might prove an admirable alternative - and would reunite the kingdoms of the Empire.
To All: as mentioned in my other AARs, I’ve been travelling the last week, producing a short delay in production after the frenzy of four updates in a week before I headed off. It will be a few days yet before I return to Rurikid Russia, so any further observations or suggestions stemming from the last few chapters and conclusion of the Brabantian War are always welcome.
The forum alerts have dried up, but looks like I thankfully didn't miss the chapters of the holy war after all.
Looks like the victory came only thanks to Palnatoke's boys. Well, luckily they don't know about Eilif's... truly favoured deity. Or he might turn his men against the false Fylkir himself.
Either way, Ogier provided a nice war chest for that future endeavour in Finland. Hopefully, that's not as costly as many previous Finnish campaigns. But Russia should be strong enough not to be pushed to the brink this time.
Then, with an heir ready, Eilif can lead his men into a GHW. My priority would remain England. Tribal Poland is not really worth the investment in manpower and money, while also being both deceptively strong and easily accessible by the other Catholics.
My priority would remain England. Tribal Poland is not really worth the investment in manpower and money, while also being both deceptively strong and easily accessible by the other Catholics.
you are a much better player with more knowledge of game mechanics than me, so at this point I'll defer to you with regards to GHW target Poland vs England. My only reason for Poland was to put a barrier between the non germanic pagans and catholics so they'll get the religion from us, but maybe that can be done with other means or is not as important.
I know, I’ve found the same myself lately. I’ve fallen behind temporarily on a few AARs for this reason. They were always a bit unreliable, but now even more so!
Looks like the victory came only thanks to Palnatoke's boys. Well, luckily they don't know about Eilif's... truly favoured deity. Or he might turn his men against the false Fylkir himself.
Yes, otherwise we’d still be going, trying to ambush parts of Ogier’s army until we could win a major battle, or build the piety to hire the Jomsvikings or money for mercenaries. And if he knew Eilif was a servant of Hel ... though at least this time it was against an enemy of all Germanicism.
Either way, Ogier provided a nice war chest for that future endeavour in Finland. Hopefully, that's not as costly as many previous Finnish campaigns. But Russia should be strong enough not to be pushed to the brink this time.
Then, with an heir ready, Eilif can lead his men into a GHW. My priority would remain England. Tribal Poland is not really worth the investment in manpower and money, while also being both deceptively strong and easily accessible by the other Catholics.
Eilif has had a vision from Hel warning of the possibility of both Mongol and Aztec invasions in coming years. Would England be in the potential firing line of the latter?
My only reason for Poland was to put a barrier between the non germanic pagans and catholics so they'll get the religion from us, but maybe that can be done with other means or is not as important.
Chapter 124: The Finnish Wars (26 August 958 to 31 December 960)
Previously, on Blut und Schlacht … After the victory over West Francia, Emperor Eilif II of Russia looked to a short period of peace and reorganisation, before the next target for expansion was struck. And those plans were for Finland – taking sufficient counties to declare a Kingdom.
Eilif still sat at number three in the Fellowship of Hel. The Trollmaðr, Jarl Rikulfr ‘Ironside’ II of Austergautland, had been in and out of his liege King Sigurðr’s dungeon for some time now, but was currently free. The latest research on the secret papers held in the Rurikid Scroll Trove makes clear the dichotomy between Eilif as successful Emperor and Fylkir of the Reformed Germanic Faith on the one hand, then his dark side as a sadistic and evil Hel worshipper in private. This inner conflict continued to become starker as time went on and he sank further into rapacious depravity while meeting with more public success and accolades.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
August-October 958
Jarl Tryggve ‘the Unready’ of Ryazan launched another war of conquest on 28 August, this time for Galaz against King Antal of Bulgaria.
The Russian political factions were stirring a little after the end of the Brabantian Holy War (and the ‘defender of the faith’ effect it had conferred on Eilif), with Helgi founding a faction for himself to be King of Garðariki on 4 September, while other minor players also came and went from different groups – none worth worrying about.
The love-hate relationship between King Sigurðr and Jarl Rikulfr was on show again in September, with the influential Jarl appointed to his king’s council and made a commander in Sviþjod. Eilif himself did not like his Trollmaðr at all, but fortunately Rikulfr seemed to quite like him.
It took until 12 September for the armies to return to Brabant from West Francia, at which point the levies were dismissed while the Imperial Guard marched for the ships that would take them home for their next task. That same day, Jarl Bertil won a decisive battle against the Teutonic Knights in Westfriesland, capturing Hochmeister Wojuta in the process. Bertil would have his prize after a week of peace talks. It provided a neat footnote to the larger Holy War Bertil’s original attack had sparked.
On 23 September Eilif’s second child was born – but it was another daughter, to his concubine Gloð. A son and heir still eluded him for now, but he did keep performing his duty – no matter how uninterested he was in its physical aspects.
At this point, Eilif decided Russia would once again begin to dabble in dynastic alliance building with his Germanic brethren, starting on 9 October with a proposed betrothal of his 16 year old sister Princess Ulfhildr to Borkvard Hvitserk, second son of King Steinn of Jorvik (who Eilif had personally recruited into the Fellowship). The arrangement would bring with it a non-aggression pact.
Steinn agreed soon after, which Eilif followed up immediately with an alliance proposal, which was also accepted promptly.
A similar proposal made to King Rögnvaldr of Noregr for one of his daughters to become betrothed to a Rurikid boy was deemed not acceptable due to ‘political concerns’. Denmark was currently in the midst of a fierce civil war, so Eilif would wait to see how that finished before proposing anything to them.
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
November-December 958
A build-up of factionalism in late October to early November prompted Eilif to do a bit of ‘opinion management’, when Helgi’s Garðariki faction began to gain momentum (to 62.5% strength). ‘Gifts’ were sent to Jarls Helgi and Gorm on 8 November. And by 2 December Helgi had quit his own faction, halving its strength. Other minor troublemakers lurked in their own little plots, but were largely ignored. Though names were being taken.
The Imperial Guard was sitting off shore from Narva by 11 November. They began disembarking, while the other Guard company that had been up in Pomorye helping to deal with a small raid also began to head to Narva to join them. The next expansion target would be in that vicinity.
The next piece of political management came from an opportunity in early December, when the untimely death of the Steward, Godi Åke, saw a rare political appointment made to the main Council: Gorm would be better suited as Marshal (and may one day take it up), but he was competent enough as an administrator to be selected for the vacancy. Eilif really wanted to work on his powerful and aggressive uncle to see if he could win him over.
Falki of Hlymrek (learning 17) filled the Court Physician appointment Åke had held
Ch124 Q1: Physician. So do people think it’s worth searching for a specialist on the ‘open market’, or should Falki do? NB: this isn’t the same Falki who so insistently plotted to kill Eilif!
The opinion barometer returned to low between Rikulfr and Sigurðr on 10 December, when the Trollmaðr was once more imprisoned on charges of demon worshipping.
At that time, Eilif decided to start purging his remaining disaffected vassals, especially the traitors and trouble makers. The first was Chief Roman of Vyazma, a recidivist plotter and known traitor. No-one – vassals, the Council even Roman himself – complained when his title was revoked. Eilif soon began the process of converting it into the ‘right’ (ie feudal) type of holding by upgrading the hill fort to the next level.
An incident that occurred on 18 December illustrates the difference between Eilif's public persona as Fylkir and private life as a senior Hel-worshipper. It may have been cynical, but in a way being a zealous Germanicist was not incompatible: he just preferred one God over another, was how Eilif justified it to himself in his private writings.
On the ‘dark side’, Eilif kicked off his latest desecration mission for the Fellowship on 18 December – it would be against the Temple of Raivola. Between 25 December 958 and 12 January 959, the staff attending the temple were killed on the way through and the relics burned (for +10 Dark Power, money not being a problem at that time). The whole nasty enterprise boosted Eilif’s advancement (+200 Dark Power) and lowered Germanic moral authority for 30 years (-1%). A satisfactory result for the Dark Fylkir.
While that mission was being conducted, Vladislav of Roslavl became the next malcontent to be purged. His chiefdom was revoked and no-one objected to that either (Vladislav being a tribal barbarian and a Slavic Russian to boot). The upgrade of the fort there would have to wait, as Vladislav had conveniently purchased a weaponsmith that was still being built.
Eilif’s half-brother, the 15 year old Prince Ingólfr of Sarpa, was another unhappy vassal (-15 opinion), but there was not ‘due cause’ for a revocation of his title. The Council would approve it, but all Eilif's vassals would be unhappy at the arbitrariness (-15 opinion).
ᚔ ᚱᚢᚱᛁᚲᛁᛞ ᚔ
January-April 959
With a commander’s slot to fill, early in the new year Eilif cast about for the best Norse Germanic warrior available in any realm. Top of the list was one Botulfr Alfrsson Stenbock, currently a commander in Smáland. Eilif had another reason for inviting Botulfr he did not disclose more widely. He had a wife, but at the job interview Eilif picked up … something else he found attractive in the young man.
On the factional front, Gorm left Helgi's faction on 8 January and its last member – Chief Kalle of Ingria (another tetchy vassal) left on 31 January, at which point it disbanded. Eilif was well pleased with the results of his recent political efforts. No important factions were left.
Prince Ingólfr came of age on 12 January and in less than two weeks was agitating as a pretender to the Imperial throne. Which seemed very unlikely, given he had no troops of his own and no other members in his faction (ie zero strength). But it did establish him as a long term ‘issue’ to be managed.
On 20 February, news arrived from Eilif’s brother in Sviþjod: the powerful and well-supported Jarl Totil had gone from factional posturing to outright revolt against his King. This fight would prove to be an extended one.
Only eight days later, Jarl Oddr the Young declared a West Geatish Claim on Austergautland against Jarl Rikulfr Ironside. Sweden was a hotbed of agitation these days, but Eilif would let them all fight it out without getting involved. Unless he felt his own interests were threatened.
Totil was nothing if not ambitious: in mid-March he proposed a betrothal between his son (also called Totil) and Eilif’s sister Princess Gyrið. This was declined: it might not be good for family relations with Sigurðr. Of course, if Totil were to win, then maybe …
Between mid-April to early June, Eilif’s diligence in ‘plowing the fields’ certainly produced a bountiful crop, when two of his concubines and Empress Björg all became pregnant!
Eilif celebrated the news of the first pregnancy that night – with a bit of torture and cruelty for one of his dungeon’s inmates. He would return to the same theme later in the year. [Game note: A bit of role-playing here, no gameplay reason for doing it, other than the off-chance it might cause some nasty trait that would be handy in the Fellowship.]
One of the younger commanders, Hakon, was improved by Mayor Gnupa the Marshal on 21 April (from 18 to 20 martial), making him one of the leading Russian generals, behind the ageing Velmayka.
On 22 April, King Steinn of Jorvik launch a claim war on Briezh – where King Pascueten had significant holdings in Wales. It wouldn’t be long before the consequences of the Jorvik-Russian alliance were made clear. Eilif did not want to suffer the dishonour of being known as an alliance breaker and was happy enough to make the declaration. Though for now, he had no intention of sending any troops: he had is own plans and hoped that Steinn could look after his own interests.
As April ended, Sigurðr’s war against the Swedish Revolt was still in its early days (0% warscore). He had an existing campaign against King Simon the Fat of East Francia to conquer Pfalz in Germany to distract him, which , Sigurðr was currently winning (+58% warscore).
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May-December 959
Seer Hysing had good news about the flowering of Norse culture in Holmgarðr – if Eilif was willing to pay. Which he was: he may be an evil Hel-worshipper, but in public he was a keen patron of the arts and learning.
Two days later, the full Imperial Guard had joined up in Reval, under Velmayka’s command. This was the signal for a war of conquest to be declared. Chief Ihavald of Saaremaa was the target. A holy war could have targeted both of his counties (Läänemaa and Saaremaa), but past ‘convenient conversions’ by Finnish chiefs had put Eilif off this approach. The vote was a close one in the Council (the glory hounds were not keen) but Eilif’s vote in favour broke a 4-4 tie.
The Guard was soon marching south and Eilif’s main personal demesne levies were mustered. Vassal levies were not, to keep down costs, avoid alienating touchy lords and to hog all the glory from what was expected to be an easy campaign.
On 18 May, the same day the Guard arrived to besiege Läänemaa, Vihavald called in Chief Kaleva of Kemi to join him, who duly accepted. Vihavald could only muster 400 men in Saaremaa, who never directly challenged any of the Russian armies, each of which far outnumbered him. And Kemi only mustered a company of 375 men, who started marching south but were similarly ineffective and scared off without a battle when they finally neared Russian territory.
At home, the prickly Jarl Sumarliði of Sarkel founded an independence faction on 31 May, but by himself he only posed a low threat (14.9%). The other three extant factions were even weaker. 1 July brought news of an alliance between Jarl Refil II of Vladimir (another inveterate factional plotter) and Sumarliði. Eilif would keep an eye on this, but again was not really worried.
Chancellor Arnbjörn had good news in mid-July when he advised relations had been improved with Jarl Gorm. Together with the earlier ‘gift’ and the appointment as Advisor, he was now a strong supporter of the Emperor, despite the other baggage that remained between them.
Having had some fun earlier with Count Herbert, he was ransomed in July on his own recognisance for a hefty 70 gold. He returned home to Verdun in East Francia on 23 July, only somewhat scarred by his experience. Though calling Eilif a ‘narrow-minded infidel’ was a bold comment as he left the dungeon.
On 30 July, the first group of levies arrived in Läänemaa and were sent straight on to Saaremaa, from which Vihavald’s small army had (perhaps wisely) fled south some time before.
The siege of Läänemaa was won on 16 August (94 Russians, 915 enemy killed) as this ‘quiet war’ continued uneventfully.
On 11 September, a minor member of the Fellowship was burned by one of the provincial seers. Eilif simply shrugged his shoulders: there were more minions being recruited than lost to burnings and others causes.
The siege of Muhu in Saaremaa was won on 27 October (no Russian, 362 enemy casualties). The Temple of Hiiumaa was next.
On 9 November came the news Eilif – and the Empire – had been waiting for: his concubine Aslaug had given birth to a son and heir! Young Styrbjörn would be drilled in duty and encouraged to be diligent. Once he was out of nappies, anyway.
In early December, the reinforced hillfort (level 3) was completed in Vyazma and, with a healthy 920 gold in the treasury, another 144 gold was invested in a stone hillfort.
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January-March 960
Two more sons for Eilif were born in the first half of January 960 – the previous lack of male heirs had suddenly become a surfeit!
Then on 21 January, the siege of Hiiumaa was completed without any Russian losses (1,082 garrison troops killed). With that, Chief Vihavald’s lands were fully occupied and the war was over.
The infrastructure in Läänemaa was too primitive to allow the hillfort there to be expanded to the next level, even if Eilif wished to (which was doubtful). But he hung onto this county for now.
All the levies that could be disbanded on home territory were, while the 2,040 men in Saaremaa had to march back to Läänemaa first, or be disbanded with heavy losses. And as soon as the peace was concluded, the threat perception of Eilif increased and defensive pacts – both Pagan and Christian – started forming against him.
The Guard started marching to Kexholm for the next planned Finnish War on 25 January when Livonia joined the Pact, removing it from the ‘low hanging fruit’ basket.
The next day, Rikulfr was once more released unharmed from Sigurðr’s dungeon. He was made a commander again on 3 February.
In the meantime more Finnish realms (among others) piled into the Pagan Pact in quick succession: Karelia (27 January), Liivimaa and Satakunta (both on 2 February). With time running out for easy Finnish targets, war was hastily declared on Lappi on 7 February, before the Guard was even close to being in position. Again, Eilif's demesne levies only were mustered.
But in his haste, Eilif had made a mistake he would later rue.
Helgi came to the Emperor in mid-February with a simple – and relatively inexpensive – plan to improve security. Once more, Eilif made an outlay and the improved measure would eventually be introduced on 1 July.
A bit later that month, word came that Jarl Sumarliði’s independence faction had disbanded. It turned out that was because he had died ‘under suspicious circumstances’! One of his enemies must finally have caught up with the active and combative Jarl. His son Refr faced a long regency. If he could survive it.
By 27 February, the Lappi army (around 1,800 strong) had largely assembled in Satakunta – and started heading for the Russian-owned county of Finland. But it transpired they were not planning to besiege it, but were running all the way to Sweden.
The Russian regiments made their slow way to the front for the next month. In late March, a stray report made mention of West Francia – and a new King there. Eilif asked for more detail about what may have happened to his previous opponent, King Ogier.
It transpired Ogier was not dead, but had been deposed a few months after his humiliating defeat in the Brabantian Holy War. He was now just the Duke of Valois, owing fealty to King Raimbaut – another member of the Karling dynasty.
On 31 March, the weaponsmith was completed in Roslavl and the Emperor shelled out 147 of his remaining treasury of 766 gold to make the hillfort there a stone one. It would take almost another year to build.
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April-July 960
One of the Lappi regiments left Satakunta a bit late, and on 2 April blundered into a regiment of Belo Ozerian soldiers on their way to different fight: 348 Lappi were up against 543 Belo Ozerians. The Belo Ozerians had won by 23 April (105 Lappish and just 27 Belo Ozerians killed): a very handy outcome for Eilif.
Eilif was now keen to see some legislative reforms finally pushed through. First was the adoption of (Level III) legalism (which had been available for some time). It was pushed through on 12 April (costing 297.6/486.1 culture tech points). It unlocked laws for high centralisation, late feudal administration and regulated inheritance.
Eilif wanted to push through late feudal administration, to enable primogeniture inheritance. But all seven current council members were opposed. They would have all supported a change to high centralisation, but Eilif was not satisfied with that. He would have to bide his time and work on the Council – and satisfy the other criteria for that major change.
On 21 April, King Sigurðr signed an alliance with Jarl Tryggve: whether this may provide any material help for his wars was unknown.
Next came news that yet another Catholic crusading order had been founded. It is like a plague of cockroaches, noted Eilif to himself.
On 14 May, the main Lappi army of 1,448 men ran into 906 troops of the Swedish Revolt in northern Sweden. Excellent news: two birds, one stone remarked Eilif succinctly in his official journal. The final result wasn’t known, but by 1 July 1,410 Lappi warriors were besieging Angermanland to its north, just across from their own border.
It wasn’t until 24 May that the first Russian contingent – the Imperial Guard (1,919 men) reached Satakunta, where they found and massacred a small platoon of Lappi troops (22 men) for no loss. The siege began on 26 May. At this time King Steinn’s war against Briezh was going in his favour (+14%).
With the siege of Satakunta well progressed and Eilif’s levies beginning to draw close, on 21 June two vassal fleets totalling 56 ships were mobilised from Sweden. They were ordered to make to the Gulf of Bothnia, ready for ferrying duties to the Lappi heartland.
Victory in the siege of the tribal holding of Satakunta came on 1 July (94 Russian, 247 Lappi killed). Two weeks later, two armies were ready to embark from there as the siege work on Ulvila in Satakunta continued. The garrison was minimal so it would be quick, with an assault deemed unnecessary.
Ulvila fell just two weeks later with no Russian no casualties(warscore to +51%).
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August-December 960
The rebellious Jarl Totil made another betrothal proposal in early August, which was again rejected. By 11 August, two Russian armies had landed in Länsipohja: about 1,900 men stayed to besiege it, while 1,550 men headed to Lappi, where a small enemy force had been camping.
A battle was fought in Lappi from 5-26 September which the Russians won, losing just ten men, the Lappi losing 102 of their 271 troops.
October was marked by celebrations for the marriage of Princess Ulfhildr to young Borkvard of Jorvik, who had just come of age, cementing ties between the two Norse dynasties.
The siege of Länsipohja tribe was completed on 8 October, with 47 Russians and the whole 1,153 man garrison killed (warscore 72%).
All this good news led Eilif to celebrate as he liked best – in private, among his Fellowship members. This took the form of a Grand Summoning – a most unwholesome exercise, if his private diary recording the ritual is to be believed. Eilif’s Dark Power was further advanced – a good thing for him, as his rival and heir to the leadership of the Fellowship Knut had since progressed to the next level – as well as having superior intrigue and personal characteristics for doing evil.
There were more dark doings in late October to 20 November. A new and interesting mission was accepted by Eilif, who was always keen to advance his position. And his increasingly deceitful ways would help. Though it also came at a cost, with a recurrence of magical corruption striking him, which would last for another three years.
The siege of Bygdeå in Länsipohja on 2 November 960 (again, no Russian casualties, 220 garrison killed) brought the Second Finnish War to a successful conclusion. However, the pleasure of this small and easy victory turned to ashes in Eilif’s mouth when he realised the mistake that had been made at the start of the war.
That’s right, I’d clicked the conquer Lappi box rather than Satakunta itself (not really paying attention there), confusing the realm’s title with the province I was actually after. Of course, Lappland (as it is now known) is not within the de jure Kingdom of Finland. Duh!
The time, effort and attraction of additional threat perception had been sacrificed for a county of some marginal longer term value for the creation of a ‘Norse Fortress’ in Scandinavia. But it was of no use to the gathering of Finnish land that was the short term goal of Russian expansion policy. In any case, the usual post-war levy stand-downs and troop repatriations were commenced.
A consolation was the conversion of Vyazma to a fully feudal (and there the 'right' kind of holding) after the completion of a stone hillfort there on 17 November.
The city was granted to a new baron, but the new temple was allocated to Jarl Refil, part of the political campaign to get all the principal vassals lined up as supporters of the Emperor.
By early December 960, the two pacts formed to resist Eilif’s expansionism were strong. Of immediate concern was the Pagan Pact, which now included all the Finnish realms Eilif might want to claim. This would give him some pause for thought.
While he pondered next steps, two more building projects were commenced, bringing the treasury down to a still-comfortable buffer of 358 gold.
Steinn’s war had been going well enough in net terms to this point, but it looked like he might be in for a bit of trouble, with a very large enemy army now mustered in Wales and Jorvik itself partly conquered and under siege.
As the year drew to a close, Eilif’s diligent application to his ‘Imperial duty’ saw his concubine Gloð pregnant again on 23 December. Factional influence was minimal (only three left, none higher than 10% strength).
Feeling a celebration was in order and seeking some distraction from the ‘Finnish Impasse’, Eilif sought his entertainment in the by-now traditional way. He would begin his mission to possess Queen Elin, as assigned to him by Rikulfr. It would cost him some Dark Power, but he was sure a success would more than repay the investment. And by now, the Dark Fylkir was beyond worrying about the fate of his soul: that was already sealed, no doubt.
The year ended with that ('pre-paid') practice range being completed in Lappland. No more investment would be made there at that time.
While all these events had been happening over the last few years, a small but steady stream of counties had converted to Reformed Germanicism: Perm (20 November 958), Kolomna (13 December 958), Pinsk (6 August 959) and Ashli (31 October 960).
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End Note. This chapter reports the first half of the long session I just played through. While next steps have been taken, speculation on what has transpired or suggestions for what should have been done are always welcome. And the various suggestions for Great Holy Wars made previously have been filed away for the mid-term and will be returned to. Just the one simple question below, but any advice on matters arising is of course also very welcome.
Question
Ch124 Q1: Physician.So do people think it’s worth searching for a specialist on the ‘open market’, or should Falki do? NB: this isn’t the same Falki who so insistently plotted to kill Eilif!
Another moral of the story: Never act in haste, for you will not get what you want .
Well, Finland may prove elusive, but if Eilif still wants to go for the kingdom, he can ignore the pact as long as he goes for one-county-rulers (there are a few available). As soon as their lands are occupied, which shouldn't take too long against tribal holdings with the guard, he can seize these lands (100% warscore).
Then again, now there's another priority: assist Jorvik! He can't just let his ally lose - for his own interests as well.
Ch124 Q1: Physician.So do people think it’s worth searching for a specialist on the ‘open market’, or should Falki do? NB: this isn’t the same Falki who so insistently plotted to kill Eilif!
Invited physicians are usually better at first... but then again, it's not a pressing matter, and people with good learning will eventually become just as good - with the added advantage of being free, so Falki should do.
Also, the physician's opinion of the patient has an effect on the odds of success. Always good to know.
