Hansa: The Quest For All The Gold

[BigDork]

Greetings all! Unfortunately due to lack of time and then the subsequent loss of my save my last AAR was left unfinished. However I've decided to have another go at AARing. Please feel free to comment, suggest, and join in.

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Greetings and salutations. I am Gottschalk, Lord Mayor of Hansa. What? Why are you looking at me like that? Gottschalk is a perfectly acceptable name. Oooooh... Hansa... right. You've never heard of Hansa. The Hanseatic League just formed today after Lubeck and Hamburg entered into an agreement. I'm a bit short on details but I do know I'm in charge now.

I'd been pretty happy in live. I have a big mansion and have plenty of gold. Gold can get you anything and everything. Gold can make you be anyone and definitely someone. With enough a very important someone. And I am definitely a very important someone. I am Lord Mayor! The Hanseatic League may just be forming but with me in charge and the vast wealth I will collect, the von Bardewik name will become known throughout the world.

However now that I'm Lord Mayor, a few things do need to change. For one, I need to get married. Can't run a trade empire when you're single... or so they tell me. Personally I think I'm doing okay. I managed to have 7 kids without needing a wife. Finally I agreed after I was told people would lavish gifts upon me. Who am I to turn down more gold?

Those damned advisers also told me I need to work on my diplomacy. They said something about needing to balance out my temper. I lost track of the conversation after that because I was holding myself back from drowning the lot of them in the Baltic. In the end I agreed to work on it if only to shut them up so I could go back to counting my gold.

As I mentioned before, I'm but one of five major families here in the Hansa. The von Bardewiks are the majorist of them all. The others served a purpose in helping to bring together our trade league but now they're hurdles to my greatness. And the most annoying hurdle of them all is Udo. The man can't even have a proper name. Gottschalk is a name of greatness. Udo sounds like something a peasant would name their inbred, dwarf, bastard.

I have my work cut out for me. The blasted Italians have the advantage of being at this whole trade thing for a long time. They've pretty much locked down the Med and are slowly expanding northward. Won't happen in my lifetime but I'll be damned if those pizza-breathed, prosciutto eating layabouts are going to dominate trade in the North.

 

[BigDork]

I think Udo overheard me calling him inbred or Vorrade discovered I was the one who started the joke about his beard. At first I was happy being Lord Mayor but now I'm starting to wonder if being at the top is a good thing. It seems like everyone wants my title and the only way they get it is if I'm dead. I'm safer in my mansion for the time being surrounded by bodyguards and gold.

This man is a genius at squeezing extra gold out of the peasants. His latest scheme was a "beer tax". He let it be known that if everyone didn't pay the tax all the beer in Lubeck would be dumped into the Baltic. Probably the easiest 100 gold we've ever raised.

I'm far from the only gold-loving bastard out there. The biggest gold-loving bastards of them all is The Church. I receive an nasty note from the local bishop informing me that The Church is very upset with my Treasurer fleecing the peasants out of their hard earned money. That's their job and they don't appreciate the competition. The bishop tries to bully me into funding some sort of scam play but I send the man packing. I foresee some issues down the line between Rome and Hansa. There's not enough gold to go around and I want it all.

So far Lord Mayor has been a far easier job than I thought it would be. All I have to do is count my gold, avoid Udo, and order the building of new trade posts around the Baltic. There's been a lot of whispers though that Udo would have made a better leader of Hansa. To prove I'm twice the diplomat of that puffed up... puff I decide to step in and stop some peasant squabble.

I really felt like I had things under control. I was being understanding and really trying to help them come to an understanding. But as the night went on my patience started to wear thin. Finally my bad temper gets the best of me and I accuse them of bickering worse than two French maids over the last baguette. Things kind of go downhill from here.

So maybe pulling a dagger wasn't the best idea. However I wasn't going to stand idly by and let them disrespect their rightful Lord. They're lucky I didn't order the lot of them hung. Killing taxpayers tends to not be very profitable though. I learned a lot from the encounter though I wonder if it will stop the whispers. Next time I'll bring an axe instead of a dagger.

 

[BlackBishop]

Udo sounds like something a peasant would name their inbred, dwarf, bastard.

LOL!

Following.

 

[BigDork]

I have two main goals as Lord Mayor. My primary goal and the reason I wake up each and every day is for the love of gold. There's nothing I hold more dear in this world. The other goal, proving those pasta-eating nitwits down in Italy wrong. They say that us Germans can't run a successful trade empire in the north. "Look at Gotland" they claim. The Swedes failed and so shall you. If we're gonna shut up the Italians we need to expand and my brother Jakob is helping with that. He was sent to Ostfriesland to prove that Count Sitat owed me his title as payment for some old gambling debts. Obviously it's not true but as long as the papers look legit, that's all the excuse I need. The Doges can all choke on pepperoni and burn in Hell.

Jakob may have gotten the job done but boy did he spend a lot of gold on his way. He was never the business man of the family which is why I'm patrician instead of him. Sure Hansa is severely in debt because of me but it's a temporary setback. The claim on Ostfriesland was worth it and besides, there's plenty of gold just laying around. It's not like The Church and I get along as is. I'm not thickheaded enough that I don't think this action won't have consequences however.

Look, I'm Lord Mayor for a reason. I'm the best merchant in the world, just don't ask the Italians. I can sell snow to a Norwegian, sand to an Arab, and water to a drowning Scot. Fast-talking the Pope into lifting my excommunication was child's play.

At first I thought this young man was running away from a father who was angry that his daughter was violated. The real story is far better. The young nobleman made the mistake of bedding the ugliest of the Luneberg ducklings after a long night of drinking and her father is insisting that my young friend marry her. My friend realized his horrible mistake and thought that now would be an excellent time to visit the Holy Land. Rarely is making gold this easy.

5 years after the birth of the Hanseatic League things are going wonderfully. The van Bardewiks are the top family in the Republic and my brother is set to replace me if something were to happen. We've expanded our trade in the Baltic, focusing on the rich Danish lands and soon we'll add another trading post in far away London. As everyone knows, when things are going well in life you can only continue to prosper. I look forward to the future and all it holds for myself and for Hansa.

 

[BigDork]

What passed for an army in Ostfriesland was no match for the Hanseatic Army. I smashed Lord Sitat's forces in a single battle before besieging his lands. I was content to sit and wait for the defenders to starve. I knew that in the end the castle and all the gold inside would be mine. Master Merchant and General, this is why I'm Lord Mayor and Udo is... Udo.

I am throwing one Hell of a victory party to celebrate the addition of Ostfriesland into Hansa. I instruct Jakob to invite all the important nobles far and wide to attend. To make the party truly magnificent I instruct the chefs to use rare spices recently arrived from the Orient. Not only will it make for delicious food but it gives everyone a free taste, after which they'll all want to buy from me. Master Merchant.

Unfortunately Jakob forgot to invite a certain someone and he's slightly irked to say the least. The man rambled on about being denied a feast filled with exotic spices and demanding Ostfriesland as recompense. To back up his tantrum he raises double the soldiers the Hanseatic Army has at their beck and call. Unfortunate for Lord Grouchy, what I lack in loyal soldiers I can make up for in hired soldiers. I'm sad to spend hard earned gold on hired thugs but losing my new vacation home seems like a good use of Hansa's treasury.

Lord Mayor, Master Merchant, Supreme General. I'm beginning to think there's nothing I can't do. The battle was hard fought but Lord Grouchy's forces were smashed with my cavalry carrying the day. God truly loves me and continues to prove that time and time again.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." - Proverbs 16:18. In the end, The Church may have the last say in our ongoing feud. When God turns against you, there's little you can do. My pride and arrogance, my feeling of invulnerability lead me to charge headlong into a battle I had no business being in. He took that moment to remind me that I am but a mere mortal. From now on I think it best if I leave the generaling to others. It's hard to enjoy your gold when you're dead.

Sensing weakness, my world starts to crumble around me. I am weak from my wounds and cannot conduct business. Putting profits and gold before family, like any true von Bardewik would do, my brother and heir plots my murder. He feels that with me out of the way he can become Lord Mayor and continue the family business and the success of Hansa. I cannot be angry at him but I'm not about to lay here and let him get away with it either.

I can't be angry at Heinrich for putting profits first however it is unforgivable that he flees to the damned Italians for sanctuary. He is dead to me, and he is dead to Hansa. I consider sending assassins but it's not worth the gold. The warm weather and sunshine of Italy will kill him soon enough. A far better revenge is to name my son Elver heir to the von Bardewik family instead. The unfortunate downside to this is now Udo looks to be next in line to be leader of the Hanseatic League. To stop this all I need to do is recover from my wounds and begin campaigning on my son's behalf.

Doctors always tell me the best way to heal is plenty of sleep. I'm just gonna lay down and close my eyes. Tomorrow I'll start working on having Elver succeed me as Lord Mayor.

 

[Avindian]

Looks very interesting! I've got The Republic DLC, but I've not actually played with a republic yet; I'm looking forward to seeing how you do.

 

[BogMod]

Sleep has been the death of many a fine man I have noticed.

 

[BigDork]

LOL!

Following.

Glad to have you along for the story.

Looks very interesting! I've got The Republic DLC, but I've not actually played with a republic yet; I'm looking forward to seeing how you do.

I'm looking forward to see how I do too. Prior to starting this game up I had about a 20 year experiment in Gotland that went horribly wrong. Things could get very interesting and/or go very bad.

Sleep has been the death of many a fine man I have noticed.

Maybe that's why I have sleep issues, CK2 has made me subconsciously afraid to close my eyes at night.

 

[BigDork]

I am Count Elvar. I'm still getting used to that. Father passed so suddenly and up until a little while ago, we all expected Onkel Heinrich to take over the family. Thankfully I was well educated by great teachers and will do my best to ensure the von Bardewiks continue to thrive.

Father died before he could campaign for me to follow him as Lord Mayor. Because of that Udo is now the leader of Hansa. I personally don't have the problems with Udo that my father had. I actually like the man. He tells some of the dirties and most hilarious jokes you've ever heard. The only thing I have against him is that he's Lord Mayor instead of me. However my time will come. Udo is an old man and will only rule for a few years and none of the other Patriarchs are as respected as me.

Laughing at all of Udo's jokes, even the bad ones, has paid off for me. I'm a bit unsure what my duties are as State Inquisitor but it sounds important. Even better, it means more respect and influence within Hansa.

I honor my father's wishes that Onkel Heinrich be punished for fleeing to the Italians by naming my son heir to the family and Ostfriesland instead him. From what I've heard Heinrich is enjoying the warm Mediterranean weather far more than our brisk Baltic days. Personally I find this unbelievable but Heinrich was always a bit odd. Bernhard is excited about some day succeeding me and has assured me he's going to be the best Lord Mayor ever. Kids are great.

I am quickly learning that despite my education and all the reading I have done, there is a lot I still have to learn about running the family businesses. The loss of the gold due to the smuggling certainly was a setback but I find the fact that my trust was betrayed by one of my captains to be far more painful.

The incident with the smugglers has taught me that if one is going to be a successful merchant one needs to be able to ready to delve into some of the shadier sides of business. Many of my teachers focuses on the practical, legal business practices and theories. Time to continue my education.

I have never been so nervous. Not even on the battlefield did my heart race as fast or beat as loud. I thought for sure the drumming of my heart alone would wake the manse. I decide that Meldrick will take the fall for my nefarious activity. Magda, while annoying, is the cook's wife and I don't feel like being poisoned if things go wrong. Meldrick on the other hand always smells like shi... he stinks. It's time to clear the air.

I wasn't expecting this to be as easy as it was. I do suffer from moments of guilt as Meldrick gets hauled off to the dungeon. He is just an innocent pawn in my scheming. However, being able to manipulate others to do what I need to be done to succeed serve me well in the years to come.

 

[BigDork]

Hard times have fallen upon the Luneburg family. They will not speak of the tragedy that befell them and has left a 4 year old boy as the head of the family. It's a sad thing to see, one of the great families of Hansa struggling. I decide to make things a little easier for young Diether. I volunteer to administer the Luneburg kontor in Skane. I have developed quite the love of lutefisk and want to import it myself.

I'm surprised at just how fiercely the boy fights to hold on to the trading post in Skane. But my love of lutefisk is strong and I'm willing to put the von Bardewiks into debt if it means I can enjoy the Scandinavian delicacy. Elver needs his fix.

I was beaten by a 4 year old, so what? He got lucky. He had more gold. And... and I was distracted. I don't even want lutefisk anyway. It tastes aweful and makes you smell like a Viking. Now I need to find a way to dig the family out of the sizable debt.

I decide to test the waters a bit and see if my good friend Theodolf would spot me a few coins. Unfortunately he's wise to my scheming and refuses to fund my lutefisk addiction. Claims it's for my own good he won't give me any gold. I need to get clean. The man is a monster.

With no gold to spend on adventure and fun I spend more time with my family and my son. I hope that he's paying attention and learning what not to do when he is some day in charge of the family. After days of watching him try again and again to succeed and achieve his goals I realize that not only can he learn from me, but I can learn from him.

Bernhard's diligence wears off a bit on me. A true merchant won't let a little setback stop him. I just need to try again. This time I won't let the snot-nosed brat stop me!

Success! It's just like taking dried lye fish from a baby.

My son is a man. As he enters adulthood there is no denying his love of gold. A love that will carry him far in the Republic. Perhaps he will become the greatest Lord Mayor of all time just as he always dreamed. His choice of companions is not something I would have hoped for but I love the boy all the same. As long as he's making money for the family, I don't care who he spends his time with.

I am confused at being offered the Stewardship of Hansa. My son is clearly superior with finances and gold and it's my guess that Udo mistook me for him. Senility is clearly setting in which can only mean that soon, very soon I will rule the Hanseatic League.

 

[BigDork]

Knowing that Udo's days were numbered and I would soon be ruler of the Hanseatic League, I requested documents showing the trade status among the various Republics. What I saw left me feeling rather unhappy. Clearly I'd have my work cut out for me. Those wily Italian bastards, especially the Genoese, were expanding out of the Med and continuing to grow in power. They needed to be thwarted.

I wasn't Prince Mayor yet though, so I'd let Udo deal with it for now. I have family matters to attend to, like my son's wedding. I went out and found him the best wife I could. Thankfully I didn't have to look far. A very eligible daughter of the Swedish king is now the newest member of the von Bardewik Family.

Weddings are a magical time and Kominia was totally caught up in the affair. I could tell from the sparkle in her eye and the flush of her cheeks it was going to be a very good night for me. And now here we are, expecting our 3rd child. Perhaps we should attend weddings more often.

Unfortunately the wedding only could distract me from my dire financial situation for so long. My intrigues against the Luneburg Family have bankrupt my family. While gaining Skane was a long term victory for us, in the near term we are suffering. Unlike my father though I have no problems turning to the money lenders. Usury may be a sin but considering all the other sins I've committed this one barely registers.

Again Udo asks me to become his steward. It's really getting awkward. This time he brought it up as I was bringing him the tallies for the latest taxes we had collected. The man is clearly not well. To avoid embarrassing him I made it a point of graciously accepting. Any day now...

... or four months. The old man managed to hold on another four months. I was starting to think he'd never die. I'm not usually an advocate for murder but I was starting to get tempted. Finally though Hansa is mine. The von Bardewiks are back in their rightful spot.

I decided to show the other families what Hansa was going to be like under my rule but starting off strong. The Vorrade Family is the second strongest behind us. I successfully make a move on their most profitable kontor, setting them back and probably making a lifelong enemy. Oh well. What's the point of being in power if you can't us it to your advantage?

I learn that my daughter in law is plotting the murder of one of the patriarchs who stands ahead of her husband in succession up on my death. I have to admit, the girl's got spirit. Also, she's totally won me over. I'm not about to step in and stop her from her plotting. Her success will only improve our family's standing.

Before I can continue to us my power to shape Hansa how I see fit and improve the von Bandewik's lot even more I'm summoned to the Emperor's court to serve as his steward. Tales of my financial prowess have spread far and wide and now I'm being recognized for it. The von Bandewik Family continues to rise.

 

[BigDork]

Almost as soon as I depart from Lubeck to take my new post as Steward of the Holy Roman Empire, things begin to go wrong back home. Profits start to drop, my extended family refuse to work, and ships start sinking. I'm realizing that something needs to be done to keep Hansa and the von Bardewiks succeeding.

Thankfully in my new position as Steward I have the Emperor's ear. I begin slowly convincing him that it would be in the best interest of the Empire to knock the Italians down some. I personally would have preferred that we strike against Genoa, the strongest of the Italian Republics but I'm happy to see the Venetians getting their due.

Damnation! I am so distracted trying to inflict damage on the Italians I forget about my own financial woes. After avoiding the debt collectors for several days they leave a note saying they'll be back in a year's time to collect. The price has gone up but so far they aren't threatening bodily harm.

I'm upset and confounded by my lack of funds. I control several trade posts and as leader of the Hanseatic League have access to their coffers as well. I ask Bernhard to show me where the money is going. The answer is not what I expected. Apparently the von Bardewik Family is far larger than I thought. I'll need to give some thought as to how to fix this problem. I may have several distant kinsmen about to find His calling. Alternatively, there me be a sudden wave of accidents throughout Lubeck.

Before I know it, it's a year later and the debt collectors are back and not too happy when they find out I still don't have the coin to repay them. I offer to give them several cousins instead but no luck. Something must be done and soon.

Thankfully that wonderful boy of mine, Bernhard comes to my rescue. Sensing my distress he shows up one day with several large sacks filled with gold. He's a bit cagey about where it came from and I'm not going to press too hard. Finally we have enough gold to pay off our debts.

Ever since I was selected as Steward things seem to be a struggle for me. Nothing goes as planned and I'm finding it harder and harder to enjoy life. Even word of infighting amongst the Wittenborg family does little to cheer me. I instruct my spymaster to leave them to their schemes. I'm not going to step in and save a Patriarch from his own family. "If he can't control them, he doesn't deserve to be on top."

I'm soon struck with the irony of those words. Two of my siblings go out and marry lesser women against my express permission. I decide that the best way to rein in the von Bardewik population is to just not allow the men to marry. Of course that seems to backfire on me. I guess Church life is the next option.

Things are spinning out of control in Hansa. I need some way to unit everyone together and prove that I am still in control. I need a symbol of my power and prowess as Prince Mayor. I need a war and after 20 years of trying to get a claim on Bremen Onkel Jakob finally brings me one.

Those inside Hansa may be questioning me secretly but my allies still respect me and join in my war. Things are falling into place wonderfully.

Unfortunately before the my armies or those of my allies could arrive in Bremen, the kontor there is taken by the Prince-Bishops men. Warehouses are sacked, goods are looted, and worst of all, all the ale is dumped into the North Sea. Sacrilege!

I don't know how the boy does it. Every time I fall into one of my moods he shows up with sacks of gold. Again he refuses to divulge where it's coming from. However it does go far to cheer me up. Gold has that affect.

Feeling revived by the gift of gold Bernhard brought, I am able to push my army forward and to victory over the Prince-Bishops men. They flee the battlefield as their lines collapse. They've had enough of Hansa's swords and fear the large army marching to support us. As the Bremen army flees to Denmark we set in to siege.

Tragedy strikes again! One of my first lessons as a boy was to always finish an enemy, whether on the battlefield or in business. By leaving them wounded they will eventually heal and strike back. And the Prince-Bishop strikes back. Another kontor lost, another blunder by me. I'm starting to see why Udo lost his mind.

Of course Udo did not have Bernhard. Every single time things go wrong, he's right there with gold to make it better. Could a father ask for a better son? I think not.

One minute I'm moving around and smiling. The gold Bernhard has brought me has again cheered me up. The next minute I'm feeling faint. Perhaps I need to rest a moment.

 

[BigDork]

Father's death was very sudden and took us all by surprise. Thankfully he had prepared me well for taking over the family business. One thing even the other families cannot deny is that the von Bardewiks are the best financial minds in all of Hansa. With my father gone, I step in to take over as Steward for the Republic, A job I've long wanted.

Perhaps though I was not given the job due to my keen business sense but more because Vorrade wanted me to be close. When Baldewin discovered that the Prince Mayor was going to make a move on our trading posts, I knew the answer to my ruminations.

I pulled the family together and we began planning on how we were going to thwart Vorrade's plots against us. Stefan began the charge by drumming up some extra coin to further our own plotting. I may not like my family members much but they're blood. I'd do anything to stop another family of the Hansa from hurting us... unless there was profit in it. Gold is thicker than blood.

I am also in the process of teaching my son to someday take over the family. That is if his curiosity doesn't get him killed first. They boy needs to learn some tough lessons though and I'm not going to hold back and coddle him.

Well I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong and maybe gone a bit too far. It was tough to watch my son fall from the tower but he survived, that's the important thing. For now he's got some bad headaches and a broken bone or two. This is all just training for the politics of running the family someday. Lord knows I have had many bad headaches after dealing with the other families.

Even my wife is getting into the spirit of keeping the von Bardewik empire thriving. Plotting to kill the Prince Mayor may not be the most subtle way of going about things but if it removes a threat, I'm not above a little murder. It's only business.

Ever since the fall Simon hasn't shown much diligence in his studies or any interest in someday taking over for me. I take him down to the family docks and explain to him he either commits to the family or he'll be rowing a galley for the rest of his days. After seeing the condition the rowers live in, the brat finds his passion again.

Now he's a new child. He works on his numbers, practices multiple languages, reads his scriptures, and is becoming competent with his sword. Simon is going to make me proud someday.

Finally the day comes. Vorrade sends his demands that I hand over control of some of our kontors to him. Long have I waited for this day and the look of utter disbelief and shock as I tell him no and show him all the reasons why it's not going to happen. I can't help but laugh as he walks away from me in defeat.

A couple months later, Vorrade passes on. I like to think it was the humiliation of his plot failing miserably that lead to his death. Now I'm forced to deal with a Warendorp as Prince Mayor. My family will stand firm against his plans as well and I am going to work hard to ensure that when Warendorp passes on, I am the one to take control of Hansa.

As always, it's the von Bardewiks who are invited to be Steward for the Republic. I don't know why they even bother to leave it up for discussion. The position should just be inherited by my family.

What is this!?! I should have seen this coming. My spymaster definitely should have seen this coming. With no time to prepare there's nothing I can do to stop Warendorp from seizing six of my trading posts. If it is the last thing I do, I will see this man and his family destroyed.

More tragedy strikes. I am so distracted by the political on-goings in Lubeck that I neglect the family lands in Ostfriesland. As a result, a group of heretics has taken root and began to spread. This couldn't happen at a worse time. As I go to dispatch my chaplain to deal with the infidels, little did I know he was one of them.

 

[BigDork]

It's a day of celebration in Ostfriesland and at the von Bardewik mansion in Lubeck. Simon is 16 and has turned into a man any father would be proud of. He continues the family trait of having a keen financial mind and is also well trained in word and warfare. I will give him a few years to gain experience and if he continues on the path he's been on, I will ensure he succeeds me as patriarch.

Here is how the Five Families stand within Hansa. The Lunbergs continue to be hapless at best and the Warendorps and Wittenborgs are my rivals. I refuse to let any other family take control of Hansa when Johann dies. To ensure my success I'm not afraid to spread the family wealth some. A little bit of gold is worth the Prince Mayor seat.

My plan for Simon to become my heir is accelerated when I catch my my kinsman and heir plotting murder against the family. While I normally would be okay with a bit of family in-fighting to save me some coin on family dues, Markward was going to murder one of my favorite cousins. Markward goes to the dungeon and obscurity, Simon will go on to infamy, if he's lucky.

The Fraticelli heresy continues to flourish in Ostfriesland. Worse yet, members of my own family are turning from the Catholic faith. I try logic, I try to reason, I try bribes and threats... nothing will get through to Dietmar. Before I let my anger get the best of me I order him from my sight and warn him to decide between his Little Brethren and the Family.

When I discover that Simon has fallen under the sway of the heretics I've had enough. Simon will bring ruin upon all that myself and my forefathers have built if he does not change his ways. I remind him that no matter how high he rises I can chain him to a galley at any time. After the reminder of his childhood threat, he agrees to return to the Church.

The Fraticellis have survived for too long. I promise gold, titles, and glory to my Court Chaplain if he can end the heresy. When that fails I threaten to impale him and burn his still twitching corpse. That seems to prove far more motivation. Ostfriesland is free of the scourge of the Fraticelli. Ludwig does such a good job stamping out the heretics even the Pope is impressed.

I'd been waiting years for Johann to make a move on the von Bardewik kontors. I knew that his success when he took office would embolden him to try again. I use small words and draw lots of pictures to prove that his plan is idiotic and would only do harm to Hansa. Clearly confused but recognizing that I know more about business than he does, he walks away with me laughing at his back.

My victory over the Prince Mayor is short lived. The sudden death of my youngest daughter comes as a vicious blow. A few years back my eldest daughter passed away from illness as well. Now, all I have left is Simon. And while he continues to make me proud (except for his one youthful indiscretion), losing my girls is a crushing blow. So much so I begin to give up on life.

Simon won't let me quit though. He threatens to chain me to galley if I don't step up to my responsibility. The good laugh that brings me is enough to rekindle the fire inside me some. Unfortunately for a Vorrade spy caught snooping around, I recovered at the wrong time for him. I use him as an example to the Prince Mayor I haven't given up on life yet.

The man doesn't take the hint though. He again tries to seize von Bardewik trading posts. The shock on his face as I yet again proved to him that his ideas were idiotic was well worth clinging to life. Even old and infirm I am proving Johann's better. As I drift off into oblivion I still dream of some day being Price Mayor

 

[BigDork]

With father asleep and never to wake up I've been named Regent of the von Bardewiks. It made sense for me to become regent since when father finally slips away, I will rule the family. For now, what I do, I do in the name of Bernhard.

Oh if only father would wake up for a few minutes. He would die a happy man knowing that he has outlived Johann and is Prince Mayor of Hansa. He may not know he rules but his name will live on forever in the history of Hansa and that is something important to the entire family.

I know that I have little time running Hansa and so I take advantage of it. I seek revenge on the Warendorps for Johann stealing trading posts from us. My plan is to take kontors from him and give them to the Wittenborg family. The Wittenborg Patriarch is set to be the next Prince Mayor and I hope that my plot will not be forgotten once he is in charge.

Father died in his sleep. But considering he was asleep 7 months it wasn't going to be any other way. It's a sad day for the von Bardewiks though we've been expecting this for a long time now and it comes as no surprise. I mourn more for having to step down as acting Prince Mayor of Hansa. Mark my words though, I will return to rule the Republic again and this time it will be in my name.

Wittenborg wastes no time proving himself to be untrustworthy and despicable. After what I did for him, he turns around and tries to take coin out of my pockets? I think not. In a heated conversation I tell him what he can do with his demands in great detail. Many of those details I would never again repeat but believe me, I'm probably going to Hell for what I suggested.

I realize that I can trust no one other than the other von Bardewiks. Even they are a lot to be suspicious of. If I'm going to keep my family on top I am going to need more coin. What better way to get more gold than to take it from one of my rivals. Still wanting to make the Warendorps hurt for the actions of Johann I choose to plot against them. I am forced to use all the gold available to my family and some more but in the end I have my victory. The coffers will be replenished far faster now that another kontor is under our control.

It took a while for Wittenborg to heal his pride over the embarrassment I gave him. However he couldn't ignore the fact that the von Bardewiks make the best Stewards and Hansa was being punished due to his stubbornness. I probably could have been a bit more graceful in my acceptance but it was fun to make him practically beg.

I should have known something was up when Warendorp invited me to a ball at their family mansion. There is far too much bad blood between the families for us to come together in a social event. I thought maybe we were being adults and moving on from our differences. Instead I was left to look the fool. While a blow was struck against myself, all that Warendorp truly accomplished was stoking my rage and my drive to see his entire family destroyed.

If I am to truly have my revenge I know that I will need to become better and the darker sides of business. I'm willing to do anything as long as in the end the Warendorp mansion is ashes and every last member of the family is burning in Hell.

With my education into deception and intrigue complete, I focus on ensuring that it is I who next is elected Prince Mayor. I direct gold that should be used to further the family's financial empire into the election instead. Great sums of gold are required to ensure that the right people vote for von Bardewik and not Warendorp.

Eventually I see the war between our two houses not only fought in the marketplace but on the battlefield as well. To prepare for that I marry my daughters off to powerful noble lords. When the time comes for battle the von Bardewik forces will be reinforced by allied soldiers.

The groundwork has been laid and now it's time for me to begin striking back against the Warendorps. I figure there is no better way to show Giselbert that the war continues than to turn the event of my humiliation into my biggest victory to date. I spare no expense throwing the largest ball ever seen in northern Europe. In fact I'm told it rivals any that even the usually extravagant Italians would put on. Things go off better than planned and at the end of the night I'm the talk of the town and the Warendorps are the butt of everyone's joke. This is only the beginning...

 

[BogMod]

I envy your competition with the other families.

 

[Raxstones]

After reading God's Kingdom I had to read another one of your AAR's. I like it so far, expecially thanks to the inbred, dwarfsized, ill named lad Udo.