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5. Feasting, with Interruptions
5. Feasting, with Interruptions

Máel's honoured guests began to file in. Everything was set.

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Apart clearly from scouts. Damned useless scouts.

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Raiders led by one Flosi, a pagan “lord” of some Godforsaken isle up north. Damn!​

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But no matter. He could be taken care of, without the presence of the feasting lords. Why interrupt a perfectly good feast unless a proper army shows up?

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Bishop Comgán barely sipped his wine. A vintage brought in at great cost from abroad but that clearly didn't bother the cleric.

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Everyone enjoyed the feast. Even if one of them was an ingrate.

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The feast paid off.

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Even Áed was clearly impressed.

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Then, to focus on crushing Flosi, the cheeky fool.

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Well, focus on that, while Eochaid took a boat to Galloway to investigate obscure documents and bribable nobility.

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Although paying for all those bribes could be troublesome.

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Suddenly, Bödvar struck at Cathal's lands in Connachta!

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And scattered the local levies!

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Bödvar and his chieftess Elisabet were more pagans from that cursed, frozen isle.

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But as suddenly as he struck, Bödvar then fled.

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To a cunning destination. Máel felt in no hurry to oust the pagans from their looting of Norse-ruled Dubhlinn.

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Then Vagn of Fyn had to irk Máel.

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That provoked Máel into crushing the invading pagans on Irish soil, even the ones in Dubhlinn. No mistakes, he'd do the job himself. With Conchobar and Comhaltan in tow to make sure.

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During the turmoil, there was some joyous news for Prince Flann and Teresa!

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Now, was Bertrada being lazy or was Prince Conchobar just too busy?

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Nontheless, the raiders were swept back to their boats in good time for Christmas!

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Interestimg start and great writing! And certainly that second son could not be worse if he trained for it.

Edit: disn't see the second page XD. Here is hoping yourhonours and celebrations can keep the plots at bay.

Cheers! Yeah, Flann is awful at everything bar martial. Well, that and producing heirs.


Can't remember if I missed this AAR, or simply forgotten about it. I might have missed it, I was away on vacation when it was started. Anyways, I will follow this one.

No worries. And I'm glad to hear that.
 
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The raiders can be so annoying. With them gone, we can once again focus on the real threats. :p
 
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The raiders can be so annoying. With them gone, we can once again focus on the real threats. :p

I find that they are a headache for years if you play Ireland. But by one means or another, the Viking age comes to an end.
 
6. The Day–to–Day of Life
6. The Day–to–Day of Life

Of course, the Norse were a persistent bunch and had to be driven out again in the following May.
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The tradition faction showed its approval of Máel's vigour in keeping the Norse out. And in tangible ways!
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Like Máel himself, the raider Vagn of Fyn wasn't lazy, even if he had to be pressed into battle. Though word was that Vagn had fallen into deep gloom over his repeated failures in Éire.
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And yet, he raided in Wendish lands too. Maybe if he picked one or the other to loot, he might have had better success.
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But Vagn wasn't foolish enough to try further south – and risk the wrath of the Germans!
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He was just clever enough to pull off a few quick snatches, and flee before being crushed.
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Eochaid finally scrounged up support for a claim on Galloway, “valid and true”, but said support would cost many times what was held in the treasury. So the opportunity slid by.
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Máel would not be tied to one way of doing things, even by himself. The road to land was through gold! To feed troops and to pay off nobility alike.
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The “court faction” – Máel Mórda – were displeased. He had been overlooked in the last round of honours and minor titles. He could bloody well wait a little.
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At least someone was happy. Gilla Comgaill now had a daughter, already set to be fair indeed!
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Perhaps inspired by the news, Bertrada finally revealed that she and Conchobar had done their duty – an heir to be!
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Flann and Teresa had great reason too to celebrate New's Year's Eve that year!
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Duke Áed, the goat, had a legitimate son shortly after. Well, as legitimate as he could make Cathub, considering he arose out of wedlock.
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Caisséne. Had she been a boy, Éire might have been a waiting inheritance. But she was so weak, she might not even see her father inherit it first.
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Máel felt in need of cheer. And what better way to cheer up, than to show off what happens to those who oppose him?
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Well a coronation might do it!
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I'm probably gonna start a game of my own in CK2+'s Millennium bookmark next week. Leaning towards doing Nikephorus Ouranos (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikephoros_Ouranos), who they have as the Doux of Achaia. Maybe might play the Ealdorman(Duke level) of Northumbria instead, Waltheof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltheof_of_Bamburgh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltheof_of_Bamburgh
This is definitely enjoyable reading though.

The bookmark is full of interesting characters alright, though I've mostly paid attention to Ireland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia. I'm interested to see who you pick. I especially like the sound of Nikephorus myself.

And thanks!
 
D. Names of the Islands
D. Names of the Islands

The names used to jointly describe "Britain and Ireland" or "The British Isles" have changed considerably over time and are still disputed. In this time period, it appears that "Oceani insulae" or "islands of the ocean" was used to describe the islands as a whole.

Oceani insulae

In classical geography, the Mediterranean world was thought to be surrounded by a fast-flowing river, personified as the Titan Oceanus. As a result, islands off the north and west shores of continental Europe were termed (in Latin) the Oceani Insulae or "islands of the Ocean." In AD 43, various islands (including Britain, Ireland, and Thule) were referred to as Septemtrionalis Oceani Insulae ("islands of the Northern Ocean") by Pomponius Mela, one of the earliest Roman geographers.[103]

This term was also used by indigenous sources during the post-Roman period, who also used the term Oceani Insulae as a term for the islands in the Atlantic and elsewhere. One such example is the Life of Saint Columba, a hagiography recording the missionary activities of the 6th century Irish monk Saint Columba among the peoples of modern-day Scotland. It was written in the late 7th century by Adomnán of Iona, an Irish monk living on the Inner Hebridean island.[104] No Priteni-derived collective reference is made. Jordanes, writing in his AD 551 Getica, describes the islands (particularly in the Western Ocean) as "islands of the Ocean"; he named various islands in the North Atlantic, and believed Scandinavia to be one of them.[105] He described Britain, but does not mention Ireland.

Another native source to use the term is the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum of Bede, written in the early 8th century. Bede's work does not have a collective term for the archipelago, referring to "Brittania" solely as the island "formerly called Albion" and treating Ireland separately. As with Jordanes and Columba, he refers to Britain as being Oceani insula or "island of the Ocean".[106]

Isidore of Seville's Etymology, written in the early 7th century and one of the most popular textbooks in Europe during the Middle Ages,[107] similarly lists Britain ("Britannia"), Ireland ("Scotia" or "Hibernia"), Thule, and many other islands simply as "islands" or "islands of the Ocean" and uses no collective term.

In the 17th century, Peter Heylin, in his Microcosmus, described the classical conception of the Ocean and included in the "Iles of the Ocean" all the classically known offshore islands—Zealand, the British Isles, and those in the "Northerne Sea".[108]


For a more general overview:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles_naming_dispute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles_naming_dispute
http://www.thejournal.ie/is-ireland-british-isles-northern-ireland-europe-islands-1140112-Oct2013/
http://www.thejournal.ie/is-ireland-british-isles-northern-ireland-europe-islands-1140112-Oct2013/
 
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Kids seem to be sprouting up left, right and centre :p Though it is good to see the realm prosper, I reckon Máel won't settle with what he has, not just yet. Land and glory await!
 
7. Crowning, Living and Dying
7. Crowning, Living and Dying


On the 20th March of the Year of our Lord, 1005 A.D., Cynan of Aberffraw donned the crown of Brythoniad. And to no small applause.

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King Cynan had an interesting wife. Ximena wasn't it? A Basque by all accounts.

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And to the part all men of good taste held close to their hearts – the celebratory meal!

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Even a spot of dinner entertainment, courtesy of Hrothgar and Sihtric. Though Hrothgar had best get a move on if he wanted love in this life.

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On his return, Máel received the latest word.

Chancellor Eochaid was not to be outdone by Gilla Comgaill – his daughter was just as lovely, even if she was not as healthy.

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Bödvar was chancing his arm in the south again. A glutton for punishment.

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Bertrada had caught ill. She arose from her sickbed – only to fill a grave.

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And perhaps most important – a “plot” to seduce his very self. Who was this woman?

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When Máel thought a moment, a smile grew on his face...

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...and then promptly died. Damnation.

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For once, someone gets just what they deserve. For once, Máel-Muire.

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Perhaps – just perhaps – Máel should not repeat his tactic of just picking the very first name on a list of prospects for Chonchobar's second wife. It had not worked out so well before.

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No princess for Chonchobar this time. Damnable “political considerations”. If the Tanist of Éire wasn't good enough for those royal daughters, who the hell was?

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Now the Breton, Duke Jafrez, he was amenable. A few drinks back at the coronation and the two had spoken of great plans. His daughter Adela, a feisty girl, would surely suit Chonchobar well.

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Speaking of wives, Máel Muire was well pleased with her fine white mare, and didn't question Máel's sudden generosity.

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A few quick words elsewhere had put a swift end to that looming trouble.

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Máel had enough on his dinner plate. There were castles to raise...

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...and death notices to watch.

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I actually did the last post in a flurry of activity late last night - and then imgur was giving me grief logging in. But here it is.

Kids seem to be sprouting up left, right and centre :p Though it is good to see the realm prosper, I reckon Máel won't settle with what he has, not just yet. Land and glory await!

A few more got in on the act since. I'm not even recording all of the births, just those of the immediate court. And Máel has a few notions about that land and glory. ;)
 
Non-Campaign Screenshot of the Isles
Is Wales color diferent in CK2+? Or is it under a foregn's yoke?
Nice update, as always.

Cheers!

King Cynan is very much Welsh so the colour apparently is normal.

Here is a screenshot of Ireland and Britain from the 1066 bookmark in CK2 Plus. I didn't see one for just Wales. I hope that helps.

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Your rule is going well, I see. Not even a hint of discontent amongst the peasants ! :)