PART 4 IHAVALD THE IMPALER
After rain the view was beautiful. Sun suddenly appeared. Raindrops on wet leafs shined bright. It all smelled rain and summer. Ihavald's favorite window in the castle, here he was waiting for dad. Later it was hiding place from plotters. Ihavald enjoyed the view. He was looking at trees and through the trees. Mind was wandering freely like hussy river Gauja. This time he expected someone. Spymaster Otto Babenberger arrived.
"Valdo, mein herr!" he greated his lord.
"Did she die?" Ihavald was still looking through window, his head in thoughts.
"She did, mein herr" spymaster confirmed.
"Did it even remotely look like a choking accident?" asked Chief.
"Well, em..."
"Useless, your poison is useless. First rule, it should always look like accident. Let's go and try balcony again" Ihavald slowly turned against his visitor,"last time I tried, I realized one important detail - your shoes should be as dirty or clean as the floor to avoid unnecessary complications"
"Yes, mein herr. I am taking this frau upstairs"
Ihavald turned back to window - "Practice, you never reach excellence without it"
// Livonian peasant mythology has a story, one of a maiden Liis who was invited to work in Impaler's Castle. Ihavald would take her up to balcony. On its way Ida would notice he had goat legs, and when the Impaler tried to take her honor by force, she would jump of the balcony. Liis is a synonime now for a chaste virgin.//
But in the beggining of his rule young Ihavald seeked for revenge on everyone. Starting local regent who would not ransom his dad and would try to kill baby Valdo twice, following with his uncle Geraldus who was openly plotting for his death (pic above) and all von Rohrenbachs family who betrayed Turaidas trying to revoke Castle when Ihavald could not protect.
Manfred fled and escaped inprisonment, bloody bastard. Geraldus continued to plot murdery, his assassination was not possible to organize due to unknown locations of his order
(47% plot power, no willing conspirators and no place to send spymaster, triggered no event in years). Ihavald was still young, he locked into his side in Castle and would spend days looking through window.
Revenges had to wait. First few years saw critical Romuva revolt in Kurland
(93% negative score) which could be oppressed only by joined Crusader forces. Marriage to Russian Princess Ulyana, castle upgrade. Ihavald became known in whole Livonia for marriage with Russian princess (exalted among men).
When Vilimeel of Saaremaa revolted for lower tribe organization Ihavald noticed opportunity and declared Holy War for Osel. He raised tribal army
(-500 prestige), but... war ended inconclusively. It was all waste!
Chief slowly but surely went deeper and deeper to the dark side. Living under constant threat for life made Ihavald paranoid, later stressed. He could trust nobody, became deceitful. Name "Ihavald" meant lust controller, he would control his emotions. In the end Turaida Chief learned that fear is the best weapon to keep enemies in check. He shall strike terror into the hearts of foes. Ihavald became The Impaler.
New Impaler took on an ambition to become Spymaster of Livonia. He worked hard on intrigue skills and schemed around Dorpat castle. Eventually although without much enthusiasm High Chief submitted to his requests and granted Ihavald spymaster position.
TO THE DUNGEON! Ihavald started a terror where his hands could reach and being Spymaster of Livonia his hands reached far enough. He would spy, spread gossips and terrorise his neighbors and liege. Impaler knew a bunch of thugs who were happy to help with kidnapping and murdery. "Who is the High Chief of Livonia?" yelled his prisoner Vinno II outraged by his vassal's actions. "To the dungeon!" replied Ihavald slowly, "I will visit you later.. to discuss"
With Turaida castle surrounded by black legends of Impaler's dark works, it caught the eye of Livonian Chaplain who after careful analysis of Ihavald's misdeeds came to decision. Turaida chief was surely a dangerous heretic. Even if heretic Vald The Impaler used his persuasion skills on craven liege to hold on to the Spymaster position. Paper was paper, but there were more swords in Livland and even more so in Russia.
Catholic church however saw the opportunity and would preach local peasantry that Impaler is the punishment from God for holding to their pagan beliefs. Livland people converted in mass. Even Ihavald's wife denounced Orthodox faith and otherwise stubborn Suomenusko chief of Osel became Catholic.
Council (1) was useless bunch of sloths, fools, halfwits and traitors. Marshall could not clearly tell the difference between light and heavy infantry. Diplomat would anger the most peacefull soul after 3 minutes friendly chat. It was only expected that stupid man was killed during his mission in Laanemaa (2). Unfortunately replacement was even worse (3). It was maybe expected that Impaler's court did not have many men alive, I meant to say available.
Spymaster had some skill, but was a common guest in "discussion room" where Ihavald The Impaler would "friendly" request him to abandon the plot on his lord's life. After "discussion" Spymaster would be thankful for being alive and love his liege (4). But in no time would join the plot again.
Same could be told about Ihavald's wife. She was angered by succession law changes and joined the plot. After Ulyana received the "discussion room" treatment she would stop the plot (5) but alienate from husband completely.
Discussions with his wife, spymaster and few other courtiers continued through the whole period of Ihavald's rule. They would fall on their knees and ask for fogiveness, they would be eternally grateful, but then.. join the plot gain.
Dorpad, tavern "The Merry Goat". Urmas and Thomas after long working week in the city are taking a beer or two.
Urmas: Do you know the story about our old liege?
Thomas: What story?
Urmas: He had an affair with Impaler's wife
Thomas (spit the beer): No kidding? Aahahaaa.. Should have learned to fly instead.
Urmas and Thomas were laughing hard when older man arrived to their table and whispered: look at the rat! It is watching you!
Thomas: it is just a rat man, relax!
Old man whispering: you don't know, do you. Rats, beetles, worms and crows are all spies of The Impaler. Be careful with what you say!
Thomas shaked,
the rat was watching him. He felt like going home.
// Livonian peasant mythology has a story, about old lord of Dorpat castle. He would take inappropriate look at Impaler's wife. Next day when he walked out on the balcony strong wind started to blow. Ihavald arrived flying on his large black wings, he would grab the poor Wido, take him up the skies, and drop to the ground evilishly laughing. Wido's son would have faced the same destiny.//
Before his death Wido would offer money to Ihavald to "forgive and forget". The Impaler took the money. Wido felt of the balcony. To each his own. His heir would not last much longer. Vinno II died just before his 16th birthday. "Little High Chief Vinno II of Livonia had not yet learned how to fly". High Chiefdom was taken over by his younger brother.
Ulyana gave birth to Wido's girl, who was quickly betrothed to Polish king and sent out of sight.
Ihavald's son Ulo and his cousin's son Kaomeel came of age. Impaler's son of course was a dissapointment. He grew up into laughing stock of a man, brilliant strategist but craven with no valid skills. Ulo was married away to Georgian countess, his kids would be guaranteed counts somewhere in Caucasus. Instead the fool became celibate or maybe wife made him. Probably she was shocked when he finally arrived from Livonia useless and ugly.
Kaomeel was not brilliant, with 0 martial skill he should be kept far, far away from anything sharp or dangerous. His stewardship, intrigue, learning would wish for better. But he was diplomat and in 2 months he did what previous failed for 20 years. He proved the obvious thing that Livonian person Ihavald has as much rights to Laanemaa as any living Rohrbach. Now it was waiting for right moment.
The moment came next year when Siegmund Rohrbach from Kurland declared war on Livonia on High Chief Sigismund. It did not really matter to Ihavald which Sigmund gonna rule the High Chiefdom. Instead he declared was on his liege on Laanemaa. Year later Lithuanian pagans arrived for Riga Bishopric.
Sigismund collapsed. TO THE DUNGEONS! He signed capitulation. Laanemaa was given to Ihavald, with it 145 pieces of gold as ransom payment. Unfortunately though Lithuanian pagans took developed Riga bishopric with its two cities, temple and barony.
The Impaler got sick. He called family around. Morons, halfwits, bunch of useless bastards, The Impaler's eyes moved from one to another. Maybe Ilmalemb, he looked like his whore mother, but had some sense. Hell, why not? "Ilmalemb, he is younger than you but already smarter than most of you. May God bless our Turaida dynasty!" Ihavald closed his eyes. Promise of darkness and eternal peace. Smile. Impaler's last smile.
Since my boyhood those guys and their simple heroic warlords were my heroes, rather than "divide et impera" crusaders and their naive supporters like Kaupo.
