Holy Fury AAR: Ivar the Bönless
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Just confirming I'm still around, just had to take a break for a while to catch up on some other life things.
Quick hint: Turns out my focus on the last episode was spot on.
Quick hint: Turns out my focus on the last episode was spot on.
So, yeah, one of the reasons I've been delayed on writing for Ivar is because I've been working on a new mini-AAR for The Iron Century. Check out Thankmar's Rebellion for an in-depth look at an important event chain in the new bookmark!
Chapter 44
Chapter 44: Shed in Remembrance
"Skuld is the youngest of the Norn, spinning the threads of fate of every living being. We consecrate this church in her name."
The Fylkir finished the prayer over the new stave church raised on the site of an older monument. Apparently, the Baltic people called this a holy site, but now and forevermore, it would be the realm of Skuld, erected as a place of worship, learning, and healing. The land here, still under the purview of Þorfinn, would no longer bear its Russian names of Mstislavl, Roslavl, and Bryansk, but instead be named for the women in his family he had lost: Gloðsheim, Alvörsheim, Skuldsheim.
As part of the rebuilding of the temple, the emperor declared a Blood Games to be held, so that the blood of warriors could fuel Skuld's ascension to the ranks of the Norn.
The pronouncements for the Blood Games complete, Bragi approached Þorfinn. "Please, my king, let me represent you and your family in battle!"
"Bragi, please, I need you for further conquests. Your skill at sieges is insurmountable."
"I served as Marshal, and now I serve as commander, and you would deny me this? Surely I must have failed you, my king, to be treated so."
"No, no, that's enough, Bragi. I agree. You are an incredible combatant. I know you will serve me honorably."
"I thank you, my king."
A large carving of stone was brought atop the altar. The godis revealed it to be a carefully crafted likeness of Skuld, screaming at the heavens, her hair wild and matted in the sea breeze, forever fighting demons of sickness for the benefit of all who come to worship.
The battles commenced. One by one, the warriors fell to axe, spear, and sword. One by one, the godis retrieved the slain, sliced them open, and poured their blood over the new statue. "This one gives his life, so that you may heal," they intoned, again and again.
From the arena, a scream broke through the sound of melee. The shouts had been many. The pained call of a man struck. The bellow of warriors rushing to fight. The guttural howl of a berserker rage. But this, this was the scream of a young girl. Everyone stopped for a moment to see why there might be a girl on the battlefield. They turned, but all they saw was Toke af Rügen.
Realizing the sound that had just been uttered from his own throat, Toke grinned. "Good spirit, lass," he said.
Toke descended upon the remaining warriors with a fury that none had seen before. Spittle frothed and lodged in his beard as he tore through his opponents one by one. There was no denying who Skuld had chosen as her champion.
Bragi was still breathing when the godis brought him to the altar. He looked up at Þorfinn through a haze of blood seeping from mortal wounds. "I failed you..." he sputtered.
Þorfinn shook his head and looked back. "I failed you, Bragi."
Somberly, Þorfinn left the priests to their work, wishing for a moment of solitude. Nearby, atop a horse, a young man appeared, bedecked in blue embroidered robes and a fur hat.
"Dear emperor, I heard you loved your daughter very much. As you loved your sister, the Empress Alvör. I wished to come and give my respect, and the respect of all the Bashkir people."
"Thank you, you're very kind and most welcome here. But you fly the standard of the Khagan. Isn't the Khagan Kourkoutai's older brother, Temer?"
"Ah, the family has been beset with tragedy like yours. A stray arrow struck Temer in the neck as he rode. I am Yazi, younger brother of Temer and Kourkoutai, and the chosen Khagan of Bashkiria."
Þorfinn blinked and smirked. "Most tragic indeed. But of course, the Bashkirs are welcome in Ivarland. Our two lands have stood together many a time."
Yazi grinned. "Indeed we have. It would be a true shame should we choose to no longer stand together. We are like brothers, the Ivarish and the Bashkirs. It may be true that Alvör never had children, but Kourkoutai did. I would like to see this brotherhood continue. What say your son Ingjald and my niece Özgul become betrothed. Let the future be more fruitful."
"Well... yes, true enough. We have far more to gain together than apart. Our families should remain together."
Yazi hopped off his horse and hugged Þorfinn. "Excellent! Then let us further discuss how we can work together! For even now, we move against our common enemy... Vladimir! Come, let us enjoy this battle together, as brothers!"
"Skuld is the youngest of the Norn, spinning the threads of fate of every living being. We consecrate this church in her name."
The Fylkir finished the prayer over the new stave church raised on the site of an older monument. Apparently, the Baltic people called this a holy site, but now and forevermore, it would be the realm of Skuld, erected as a place of worship, learning, and healing. The land here, still under the purview of Þorfinn, would no longer bear its Russian names of Mstislavl, Roslavl, and Bryansk, but instead be named for the women in his family he had lost: Gloðsheim, Alvörsheim, Skuldsheim.
As part of the rebuilding of the temple, the emperor declared a Blood Games to be held, so that the blood of warriors could fuel Skuld's ascension to the ranks of the Norn.
The pronouncements for the Blood Games complete, Bragi approached Þorfinn. "Please, my king, let me represent you and your family in battle!"
"Bragi, please, I need you for further conquests. Your skill at sieges is insurmountable."
"I served as Marshal, and now I serve as commander, and you would deny me this? Surely I must have failed you, my king, to be treated so."
"No, no, that's enough, Bragi. I agree. You are an incredible combatant. I know you will serve me honorably."
"I thank you, my king."
A large carving of stone was brought atop the altar. The godis revealed it to be a carefully crafted likeness of Skuld, screaming at the heavens, her hair wild and matted in the sea breeze, forever fighting demons of sickness for the benefit of all who come to worship.
The battles commenced. One by one, the warriors fell to axe, spear, and sword. One by one, the godis retrieved the slain, sliced them open, and poured their blood over the new statue. "This one gives his life, so that you may heal," they intoned, again and again.
From the arena, a scream broke through the sound of melee. The shouts had been many. The pained call of a man struck. The bellow of warriors rushing to fight. The guttural howl of a berserker rage. But this, this was the scream of a young girl. Everyone stopped for a moment to see why there might be a girl on the battlefield. They turned, but all they saw was Toke af Rügen.
Realizing the sound that had just been uttered from his own throat, Toke grinned. "Good spirit, lass," he said.
Toke descended upon the remaining warriors with a fury that none had seen before. Spittle frothed and lodged in his beard as he tore through his opponents one by one. There was no denying who Skuld had chosen as her champion.
Bragi was still breathing when the godis brought him to the altar. He looked up at Þorfinn through a haze of blood seeping from mortal wounds. "I failed you..." he sputtered.
Þorfinn shook his head and looked back. "I failed you, Bragi."
Somberly, Þorfinn left the priests to their work, wishing for a moment of solitude. Nearby, atop a horse, a young man appeared, bedecked in blue embroidered robes and a fur hat.
"Dear emperor, I heard you loved your daughter very much. As you loved your sister, the Empress Alvör. I wished to come and give my respect, and the respect of all the Bashkir people."
"Thank you, you're very kind and most welcome here. But you fly the standard of the Khagan. Isn't the Khagan Kourkoutai's older brother, Temer?"
"Ah, the family has been beset with tragedy like yours. A stray arrow struck Temer in the neck as he rode. I am Yazi, younger brother of Temer and Kourkoutai, and the chosen Khagan of Bashkiria."
Þorfinn blinked and smirked. "Most tragic indeed. But of course, the Bashkirs are welcome in Ivarland. Our two lands have stood together many a time."
Yazi grinned. "Indeed we have. It would be a true shame should we choose to no longer stand together. We are like brothers, the Ivarish and the Bashkirs. It may be true that Alvör never had children, but Kourkoutai did. I would like to see this brotherhood continue. What say your son Ingjald and my niece Özgul become betrothed. Let the future be more fruitful."
"Well... yes, true enough. We have far more to gain together than apart. Our families should remain together."
Yazi hopped off his horse and hugged Þorfinn. "Excellent! Then let us further discuss how we can work together! For even now, we move against our common enemy... Vladimir! Come, let us enjoy this battle together, as brothers!"
- 1
So it's come to pass, and this AAR is dead. Life had taken priority and delayed further progress, but this past month, disaster struck and my hard drive crashed, so the saved game was rendered unrecoverable. Good bye, Þorfinn and everyone, I'll miss you.
But that just means it's time to consider what would make a good next AAR. When I started Ivar the Bönless, we didn't have Great Works or the new start date. Heck, I was able to help with the new start date with Thankmar's Rebellion. So why not something that allows for all this?
I've got a couple ideas for new games, focusing on the Iron Century:
What would you like to see?
But that just means it's time to consider what would make a good next AAR. When I started Ivar the Bönless, we didn't have Great Works or the new start date. Heck, I was able to help with the new start date with Thankmar's Rebellion. So why not something that allows for all this?
I've got a couple ideas for new games, focusing on the Iron Century:
- The Hafsid Emirate in Crete is a fun start with literal Barbary pirates.
- There's a number of Central Asian cultures that have their last gasps in 936: the Tocharians, Saka, and Sogdians all have their last playable characters at this date.
- The Persian Gulf hosts a bunch of interesting characters: Qarmatians, Khozistan, the Shia Buyid Satrapy (next to the Abbasids).
- Eirikr Bloodaxe is the easy mode Viking. Hákon of Namsborg is the hard mode Viking.
What would you like to see?
Turns out Zhangzhung is similarly having a last gasp. I know who I'm playing, now.
