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Groogy

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Sep 4, 2009
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Reading so many awesome AAR's on the forum and digging up Wiz old megacampaign inspired me to give it a try and write my own AAR. As you might know all the developers in the game have their own Easter egg characters as a courtier somewhere in the Stanford Bridge bookmark. So I decided to mod the game slightly to make mine the count of Skåne and start my story from there. We'll see how far I will be capable of taking this AAR since I can't promise regular updates or anything like that because my work on Crusader Kings II will of course have to take precedence.

So a bit of background, the character I will start the game with is going to be then Henrik Hansen of the Vogelius Dynasty. In real life Vogelius is a name that we have in my family. I will be starting in Skåne with a mostly Catholic world but have a Norse belief myself. My aim will be to keep the dynasty strong rather than conquer as much as possible, a bit like Tywin Lanister I guess. Of course if I manage to keep the Norse faith trough the hundreds of years that await me that is just going to be awesome.

I will be trying to write quite close to the character, except in the prologue. If people have any suggestions to improve my writing style feel free to post here in the thread, though be gentle :happy:
If things turns out alright then I will have some really awesome stuff to show so... Let the saga begin...

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Crusader Kings II, The Rising Raven 1066 - 1444
The Rising Raven Prologue
Chapter I - Playing with Myself
Chapter II - What goes around comes around
Chapter III - I might as well just have rotten in the dungeons
Chapter IV - They're back!
Chapter V - The Grief and the Love
Chapter VI Part 1 - You can only rule me trough the use of iron!
Chapter VI Part 2 - You can only rule me trough the use of iron!
Chapter VII Part 1 - The Vanguard of Christianity
Chapter VII Part 2 - The Vanguard of Christianity
Chapter IIX Part 1 - Grim's Ragnarök
Chapter IIX Part 2 -Grim's Ragnarök
Chapter IX Part 1 - Never trust the Catholics
Chapter IX Part 1 - Never trust the Catholics
Chapter X - The Laws of Succession
Chapter XI Part 1 - Gnupa's Reign
Chapter XI Part 2 - Gnupa's Reign
Chapter XII Part 1 - Start of Something Really Good
Chapter XII Part 2 - Start of Something Really Good
Chapter XIII - Throne of Odin Part 1
Chapter XIII - Throne of Odin Part 2
Chapter XIII - Throne of Odin Part 3
Fylkir Allthing 1201
Chapter XIV - The Catholics are sour losers Part 1
Chapter XIV - The Catholics are sour losers Part 2
Chapter XV - WE SHALL NOT FALTER! Part 1
Chapter XV - WE SHALL NOT FALTER! Part 2
Chapter XVI - The Estrid Empire Part 1
Chapter XVI - The Estrid Empire Part 2
Chapter XVII - Kingdom of Skåne
Chapter XVIII - Holy war after holy war Part 1
Chapter XVIII - Holy war after holy war Part 2
Chapter XIX - A head for an eye Part 1
Chapter XIX - A head for an eye Part 2
Fylkir Allthing 1242
Chapter XX - Whose Gods are the strongest Part 1
Chapter XX - Whose Gods are the strongest Part 2
Chapter XXI - The Skrælings Part 1
Chapter XXI - The Skrælings Part 2
The Accounts on the Skræling Invasion by Thorbrand af Athlone
Chapter XXII - The Great Men that are forgotten
Chapter XXIII - The Legacy of Milzas Part 1
Chaper XXIII - The Legacy of Milzas Part 2
Chaper XXIV - Sins of our Fathers Part 1
Chapter XXIV - Sins of our Fathers Part 2
Chaper XXIV - Sins of our Fathers Part 3
Chapter XXV - The Weak Kings Crusade Part 1
Chaper XXV - The Weak Kings Crusade Part 2
Chapter XXVI - The End of the Salian Levant Part 1
Chapter XXVI - The End of the Salian Levant Part 2
Fylkir Allthing 1400
Chapter XXVII - Start of the new age
Chapter XXIIV - Jórsalheim Part 1
Chapter XXIIV - Jórsalheim Part 2
Chapter XXIV - The Future Part 1
Chapter XXIV - The Future Part 1
The Rising Raven Epilogue

Europa Universalis IV, Forge of Empires 1444 - 1820
 
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So you will be using a 1066 start? Awesome to see a dev joining in with an AAR of their own! Look forward to seeing it begin.
 
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It is the year of 1066 and the Christianization of Scandinavia is in full-spring with most of the powerful rulers already having converted to this religion of the god on the cross. Only a few remnants remained of the old faith adhering to the Aesir and Vanir gods. Our story will follow a family that goes trough these dark times trying to preserve their old customs, the Vogelius Dynasty. A young dynasty formed as Henrik Hansen of Trelleborg took the county. Being zealous in nature he claimed that Torgils Haraldsen were not fit to rule and that the dynasty Hilditönn lost their right to the land when Haraldr of Skåne converted to Catholicism.

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The fact that he was alone believing this as he forced Torgils to seek sanctuary at the count of Bornholm's court of course didn't matter to Henrik. Being a cruel drunkard that doesn't care about those around him didn't make a good impression to anyone he came in contact with. His relationship with his fellow counts were strained and he wasn't very well liked at the King's court thanks to his demeanour when it came to finding the end of a wine bottle. However the Danish King Knud IV tolerated him and his heathen beliefs as he enjoyed the old heroic sagas of Denmark's pasts.

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Blekinge and Halland was part of the King's personal demense while Bornholm was a proud count that had been a vassal under the king in Själland since time inmemorial like Skåne has been. Looking outwards doesn't make the Vogelius dynasty's future look much brighter. The only strong ruler of the old faith is Jarl Erik "The Heathen" af Munsö, the true king of Sweden in the eyes of Henrik. However being currently a vassal under the cross-worshipper King Stenkil of Sweden makes it much harder to find any possible support to survive the Dark ages.

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May Odin give you knowledge on your path,
May Thor grant you strength and courage on your way,
And may Loki give you laughter as you go.
 
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I'll be writing Chapter 1 when I get home today, I can give a bit of a hint that.... The rule of Henrik doesn't start very well....
 
I always wanted to see a dev AAR!

Be wary of crusades!
 
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Henrik had to choose a council but he suffered from a problem that no one really liked him and he didn't know why. sure at feasts and hunts they were all smiling and pretending but he knew they didn't enjoy his company. Though it didn't bother him as long as he could keep drinking his wine. The collection of courtiers available to him wasn't that impressive, except for a chancellor that were actually quite competent and were well accustomed to the Christian lord thoughts.

Chief Henrik immediately sent his council out on their missions, specifically his well educated spymaster Jens of Uppåkra and chancellor Lennart of Helsingborg to Ringsted in Sjælland.

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The demesne of Henrik isn't a very impressive one, he is the self-proclaimed chieftain of the old county known as Skåne that used to belong to the Hildetönn, He was quite quick to replace the various leaders of the cities and castles with people of his faith however King Knud IV demanded that Lund remained untouched and that the bishop remained. The King claimed that Henrik as a heathen lived at his mercy. Of course this angered Henrik as the laws of the realm clearly stated that the county was his and his alone to govern and this was clearly breaching the chieftains rights, pagan or not.

Trough the many feasts at the castle of Ringsted in Sjælland Henrik had acquainted Duke Harald of Jylland, Prince of Denmark. He knew how upset he was that his own father preferred his landless brother Svend over him for the crown of Denmark.

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The King dares to claim elective succession law while he controlled majority of the land in his realm, making him and his sons the only possible electors with him having the majority weight of votes. Too add salt to the injury, a royal courier enters his chambers as he is clunking down his cheap wine. As he reads, angers overtake him and he throws the bottle at the courtier.

- "GET OUT" He roars at the poor boy that had travelled across the sound.

With the courier was a royal decree to revoke Skåne's rights to autonomy, giving more centralized control to the king and making Henrik owe his liege levy and tax.

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Obviously Henrik's loyalty to his liege was tested when he couldn't even be guaranteed his old rights. At least he gets some good news when he receives a letter from his steward Gotfred accompanied with a bag of gold. Its the tithe of the peasants in the city of Dalby that they had been refusing to pay.

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It goes a couple of months and in early winter a message arrive to Henrik's court carrying a scroll with the royal seal. The chieftain sighs, rolls his eyes and reluctantly accepts the message. The news from the capital is that his liege have put Jens of Uppåkra in the dungeons while he was trying to learn how to improve the Scanian troops by observing the Danish royal army. The Danish king keep taking liberties at Henrik's expense and this time he has had enough and answers the King by claiming he is the offspring of cattle and should be hung from a tree and beaten.

Now instead he has to replace his trusted Spymaster with his catholic wife who is the only one that shows anything that could resemble promise of intrigue. However now our dear chieftain had to keep a wake eye at night when he went to bed with his wife.

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Apparently the King didn't care about Henrik's threat and demands as he later started a war with the independent Count of Lübeck that had been refusing the Danish King of what he saw was Danish by ancient rights. Obviously this war would be a short one as there were no powerful lord backing the small but rich count of Lübeck. While the coward that held the Danish crown called on his in-laws, the Norwegian and Swedish king. However this served as a warning of caution to our Henrik to keep a calm head for now.

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Shortly after the war of Lübeck the Norwegian Invasion of the British Isles starts, of course backed by the Danish king. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth as he has to send his men of to fight for the Norwegian king in England. However he started to sense an opportunity was brewing....

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...and joined a faction that had been formed by the Count of Fyn who apparently also was displeased with his lord....

The time passes on slowly in Skåne and the county has a longer period of peace and as the King is off fighting in the Isles it makes lifes so much easier for Henrik and his subjects. However at next Autumn his wife falls gravely ill having caught the Great Pox. Luckily for Henrik he doesn't care much for his wife and already starts inviting débutantes to his court to replace her when she is gone. However while happily having a feast and flirting with the girls, the maiden taking care of his sick wife comes and whispers to his ear.

- "Her belly has grown and she has stopped bleeding"

The next day he immediately visits the Temple at Uppåkra and sacrifices a goat in Eir's honour begging her for mercy and help to his wife and his unborn child, his first child and future heir.

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His prayers are answered and after several stressful months his wife deliver a healthy baby boy which Henrik names Ubbe. Unfortunately his stubborn wife lives trough the whole thing...

The armies of Norway and Denmark are still fighting in the English fields, taking its sweet time. Henrik also gets some ideas of conquest of his own in the Isles. He looks to the small county of Ulster with no allies or relatives that can aid him. The Only thing he needs is the means to get there. His coffers were full, even with his expensive drinking habits, so he orders and pays for a shipyard at the coast of his castle Trelleborg in order to house the ships needed to invade the Irish lands.

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However Skjalm, the Count of Fyn. visits our chieftain and tells him that the Danish king had to pull his entire army to support Norway in England as the Anglo-Saxon king put up a valiant resistance which was giving them the opportunity they had waited for...

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- "To war it is then my friend..."
 
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Wanted to write more for the first chapter but I was starting to hit the 20 image limit pretty damned fast. So Instead I put the war for the second chapter that I will write tomorrow and will go into more detail than I originally planed for it. I can tell you I did not pick an easy scenario for me and having a dumb character (which is supposed to portray me :happy:) I have to also role-play a drunkard and a fool :D
 
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Nice to see the developers are getting in on the AAR scene. Also, this is a rather interesting scenario; I wonder how long the Vogelius line can stay powerful and pagan in a realm that's coming to be dominated by followers of the White Christ?
 
I can tell you I did not pick an easy scenario for me and having a dumb character (which is supposed to portray me :happy:) I have to also role-play a drunkard and a fool :D

A grey eminence, nonetheless. Drinking may help in diplomacy. I'll follow,too.
 
Interesting! I'll be following this!

You're doing a megacampaign, right? ;-)
 
It is our honour to have a dev alongside :) As for the story maybe drinking has helped our Count make some freinds as it seems ;)
 
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In silence the boats left from Trelleborg's newly built Harbour, carrying the housecarls with them and Henrik Hansen leading them. They were 800 men strong, while the Army led by the leader Skjalm and Duke Harald of Jylland, the son of the King, rounded up to 4 000 men. They had agreed that their armies would converge at Ringested in Själland to lay siege.

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The entirety of the Danish Royal army is stuck in the Isles besieging the Anglo-Saxons for King Harald Hårdråde. Essentially the only thing the revolters have to worry about is the Swedish king joining in to defend his ally. While at the besieging camp, Henrik gets joyous news that is wife is pregnant yet again, proving the chieftains virility! The Vogelius dynasty is growing for each year that passes and the heir Ubbe has turned 4 by now and soon ready to be educated into a proper norse man.

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Its now April 1072 and the revolt has been going on for about a year. Ringested finally falls to the troops of Henrik, the Danish bastard prince Niels Estrid is dragged out from the castle and taken captive. A 8 year old boy with not much of note, however its a disgrace to the Danish king that he would let his own kin be captured. Of course Harald of Jylland looking after his relative and knowing the cruel nature of Henrik he forces him to promise not to hurt the boy.

Some damned loyalists appear in Skåne, 50 peasant rubble that is all. They prove to be no match for the Scanian army as they face each others on the plains outside of Uppåkra.

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At the end of July news reaches Henrik that a second boy has been born to him, his wife gives him the name Grim. The father of the two children is gone for a further year besieging the capital island of the Danish Kingdom. However 1073 would make the war turn for the more interesting. Norway has succeeded in their invasion of the British Isles and the English king has been subdued! Now the Danish king starts to return with his army, and with that the Swedish king preparing for the return starts moving his army in against the troublemakers. Being worn down from the sieges the rebel forces only surmount to about 3 500 troops now.

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The Scanian chieftain moves his army to engage the Swedes in Dalby before they can consolidate with the Danish armies that has just recently landed on Fyn. His allies join in and they utterly crush the Swedes and forces them back.

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However the war is starting to look bleak for the worn down rebels as the war-proven Danish troops are starting to return from England, and in greater numbers than what Henrik expected. However without fear Henrik engages the remaining forces of Sweden and vanquishes them. Among them were one of the cross-worshipper king's sons, another prince to the collection in the dungeons of Trelleborg. However knowing the Danish army is growing and coming closer, Henrik retreats back to Trelleborg in Skåne to do a last stand against the superior force of King Knud IV.

Its a courageous but futile attempt to hold the Danes back, and with it ends any hope for the rebellion.

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Knowing his time is nigh and the guards of the King will come for his head any moment he visits his wife one last time, resulting in another pregnancy. Makes sure his heir is well taken care of by the Thane of Helsingborg. Then he goes into hiding...

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While in hiding his wife takes over in Trelleborg, being Catholic the soldiers and the commanders of the armies are more kind to the populace and the court of Skåne. A third child is born to the Vogelius dynasty, this one Cecilie names Karl. The family tree of Vogelius is growing, only consisting of one person before but now with three possible heirs it might survive these dark ages even if something bad would happen to Henrik.

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The date is 17 of August, the year of 1076 when Henrik Hansen of Vogelius is finally found and captured. Dragged in shameful display trough Ringsted and then thrown into the dungeons....

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...and thus ends the rebellion...
 
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