Viking Russia, For the All-Father!

[BogMod]

Hmm I see. I started as the petty king of Sweden, except I modified him into a woman aged 16 just for fun. It really is an easy location to start out. My stronger vassals conquered the Norway leftovers for me and one keeps expanding in Scotland and Ireland!

Try Rurik, you have 0 sea power to start to reduce your raiding power, you are norse culture and religion, your heir isn't though and no one around you shares culture or religion. Might be more of a challenge for you. I mean there are always easy groups and as a player you always have an edge I think over the computer. Playing as say East Francia is probably going to be pretty easy too.

 

[Deaghaidh]

Try Rurik, you have 0 sea power to start to reduce your raiding power, you are norse culture and religion, your heir isn't though and no one around you shares culture or religion. Might be more of a challenge for you. I mean there are always easy groups and as a player you always have an edge I think over the computer. Playing as say East Francia is probably going to be pretty easy too.

I actually find Rurik's sons faith in the slavic gods a plus on the whole. Russia is better placed to reform the Slavic religion than the Norse one.

 

[BogMod]

I actually find Rurik's sons faith in the slavic gods a plus on the whole. Russia is better placed to reform the Slavic religion than the Norse one.

Oh sure it would be. And getting them to turn Russian would be easier too. However...I wanted my Viking Russia so damnit, I turned that boy Norse! Russia as Norse is harder than Scandanavian Norse was the point I was tryin to make.

 

[unmerged(528845)]

I actually find Rurik's sons faith in the slavic gods a plus on the whole. Russia is better placed to reform the Slavic religion than the Norse one.

No one can accuse you of not being up for a challenge.

 

[BogMod]

Ahh the winter in Gardariki. The way the snows rest on the rooftops. The great festival to celebrate Rurik down at Lake Ilmen. Also of course finding ways to entertain oneself when the great blizzards keep one indoors for long stretches of time.

With that done I send a large force of raiders out east. They shall go west and go harass those in West Francia and the Muslim Sultan who rules the vast swath of western Europe. Maybe I am just making up for lost time but since we have a proper sea force we have to remind nations far distant from us that Russia is not some distant land that is of no consequence! My second son though I name for my father.

When my raiding ship returns home full of wealth from foreign lands it is time to advance the Russian agenda. Long have I held to my desire to take the battle to Norway and claim the holy place of Maere. So first things first we have a blot! That will put everyone into the mood for things. With the sacrifices done we move on to the part I have far more interest in. The feast! I wonder if there will be a sex show this time…

“Enjoying things dear?” At the head of a great long table I sit at my seat. To my left is my wife Skuld. The green of her dress really suits her.

“No one has thrown up yet.” She says with a small smile to me before she looks to my eldest son sitting on my right. “How are you finding things dear?”

“Uhm…it is nice.” Rurik says rather a rather non-committal way. Honestly the boy doesn’t like crowds and large events like this are necessary for people of our rank and position. Maybe with a little more experience he will grow to enjoy them.

“Mayor Vladislav passed away last year. Things will be so much less interesting with him around.” I grin into my goblet, a small chuckle of mirth from me at the scolding look from my wife. She hates it when such things ruin these events.

“And good riddance. That man…I mean…show some self-control!” She rather aggressively cuts at the roast before her.

“Like uhm…like the Godi who serve the Gods?” My son asks, I grin a bit. He might be shy but he is very clever and I think I know what he is doing as I have just seen it myself.

“Right like Godi Asbjorn dear?” I add to Rurik’s words.

“Yes exactly.” She says with a curt nod.

“Godi Asbjorn in the corner there?” I say to her. The way her lips form a thin line when she sees what now everyone is noticing makes me laugh loudly, the only sound otherwise in the room which has gone quiet staring at the two.

With that done everyone is ever more ready to take action. King Bard of Norway…has become…a Christian! Now I personally don’t care much what you believe. The merit of a man is in his deeds not what gods he professes to believe in! If King Bard rules his people well, with a fair and just hand, honors the God he has chosen to follow then he is a good man in my eyes. Being a good man doesn’t mean I won’t attack you for your lands though. A civil war delays things and ruins my first invasion so I pull back, regroup, and strike out to subjugate the territory I had my eye on and was now in rebellion.

With a triumph now and the extension of Russia across the mountains of the north I gather the most powerful Godi in the realm. Places holy to Thor, Odin, Tyr are in my hands. Freyr’s place rests in the hands of Scotland while Germany holds the place sacred to Freyja. However the Norse faith is strong. Russia has a powerful authority in both the secular and religious realms. Let us see which Gods are strongest! I am the Flykir of the Fylkirate! We will find out on the battlefield!

 

[dodedo]

it's time to play ball!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fylkir

 

[Wolf6120]

I love the conversations between the characters. I wish you had more of those, they really keep the story going, especially since paradox games have a bad tendency to be repetitive...

 

[Behoernchen]

I would like to read this aar.. but without the pictures it kind of feels like a huge part is missing.. do you have any idea when it will be able to see them?
What I read so far is very good .. well i didn't expect any other thing because of your previous aars

 

[BogMod]

I would like to read this aar.. but without the pictures it kind of feels like a huge part is missing.. do you have any idea when it will be able to see them?
What I read so far is very good .. well i didn't expect any other thing because of your previous aars

According to the bandwidth stuff from photobucket I should expect a fresh chunk of viewing available on the 15th or 16th depending if they do the changeover at the start or end of the 15th of every month. I am also quite happy to hear you have been a fan of my other works. Thank you.

 

[BogMod]

I have attained fame like that of my ancestors before me. Through my sons, and their sons, and their son’s sons shall the rule of both the Empire and the authority of our Norse religion shall by tied to the throne. The Imperial coffers are a little low though so I send out a raiding fleet to gather great wealth to fund the expansion of Russia. Not everyone is happy with the reformation though and in parts of Konugardr there are people who fight to restore the old ways. They are put down harshly. I also complete the Temple of Haikonen in Finland.

I have heard that other rulers upon ascending to the highest levels of their realm stay at home. I am not like that. I have a wonderful night with my wife and sail out with my soldiers to personally see the world and take values from the other realms to feed my own. Word reaches me in Cyprus about the results of my night with the wife. Whatever the case may be I become known as the wise for my actions. I set the example for the Empire.

I…must return home. At sea at my age has taken a toll upon my body. I shall return to the Empire and strive my hardest to see my son grown. I have also realized a small problem with reforming the Norse faith. My vassals don’t seem as happy to go sail around for years raiding my neighbors for their wealth. Well let it never be said that I ignore the will of the Gods when they make things so abundantly clear.

Rurik has grown into a fine man. He never quite got used to crowds but if that is the boys only flaw I can easily forgive it. He is smart and quick, deadly with the large broadsword he favors, and not inclined to needless cruelty or other such flaws. We talk some about a wife for him but he insists he will find his own bride so I give him this small thing. I just ask he not take too long.

I do less and less letting my son and heir take over more aspects of governing Russia. Power remains in my hands for now. Across the sea the mighty king of Scotland who rules the isles there has become a proper reformed Norseman. So have the kings of Denmark and Sweden. Four mighty faiths compete in Europe. Islam, Christianity, Norse and Tengri. With defeating another old Norse rebellion I complete another temple in the north, the Temple of Pitkyaranka.

Time to exercise some of my newfound authority as the ruler of the Norse religion. We shall war against the final tribes in Bjarmia such as they are. They have existed at the outskirts of Russia and though they are not powerful they are a hearty folk who survive in hard places and will bring much into the Empire.

Augh! Who would light their Emperor on fire! By Odin that man will pay! Why!?

Perhaps…perhaps whoever dared do this was secretly one of these Shia I have heard about? If they can maintain a secret order of beliefs for centuries surrounded by the other Muslims I wonder could such a person work their way into my court and try to attack me? Maim me? I will have to ponder such things. Maybe one day Russia will meet these Shia on the battlefield and we can match blades and test our gods against each other.

At least I have lived to see my son have a wife! I can rest now I think.

 

[BogMod]

With the difficulty of sending out my fleets for long raids I am going to try nearby local raids and see if I can do that without upsetting my vassals. We will start with Bulgaria and then sweep our way east through the Cuman lands. My brother Folki launches a war against Sweden. King Eilif is a follower of the old ways and that is all the justification needed to invade. He doesn’t get far before Sweden folds back into Denmark. Coin to support my son when he takes over.

Oh father. You had fallen so far from the prime I knew you in when you were younger. Time was not kind to you but I remember well what you taught me. I will always honor you father. You have named me Rurik after our founder. Rurik never ruled Russia but he set us all on the path. Without his drive to stake a claim in the woods that would become Holmgardr none of us would be him. I honor him and you.

Your deeds are many father. You saw the expansion of Russia mostly into the homelands of the Norse people. You organized and codified the teachings of the Gods and have reformed our faith. You raised six wonderful children. Your wisdom will be recognized throughout the ages as another of the powerful and influential Rurikovich dynasty. Father we honor your deeds and what you have turned Russia to! I can only strive to live up to your achievements.

I am both the Emperor of Russia and the Fylkir. Sadly most of my father’s titles had to be spread around to his children leaving little in my personal holdings. A mere two counties. Well we can always improve on that soon enough. The west and east of Russia are prime areas of expansion. The Cumans and the Polish and even south into Bulgaria. If I ever want to rule from Holmgardr again I am going to need to change the laws of inheritance in Russia.

First things first is to organize the lands a little. I make my brother the King of Norway to help solidify and organize the westernmost parts of Russia. The second thing I want to do is organize a blot. The third thing is that I want to make a runestone in honor of my father and his deeds. I even have some non-Norse people in my dungeons to offer up to my gods this time around.

Ok. It is tradition. There is always someone having sex at these things. I have started to think that this is a mark of Freyr’s involvement and blessing more than some fool who can’t just keep it in his pants. My father’s runestone is also complete. It will become a holy site in its own. Not sacred to the Gods perhaps but one that is sacred to the people of the Norse Faith. This is after all the runestone of the very first Fylkir. People have already started to arrive in Holmgardr to pray before it asking for his intercession with the Gods in Asgard.

I actually do not rule from Holmgardr anymore though that is where we build the runestones. Now I rule from Uppland. It doesn’t sit hugely well with me to be honest but I must leave it be for now. With the Cumans having conversted to Orthodox Christianity there is but a small territory trapped between us and them who are Tengri. They will be absorbed into Russia through a Holy War. While I lead the war effort myself my wife sends word she is with child.

I also try to increase the authority of the Empire. This will take some time but if I can accomplish it then I will be closer to moving towards a system where my eldest son gets all my lands and titles. The war goes easily in my favor and the territory falls into my hands to govern personally. A good place to start to expansion of my own desmense.

Triumph there frees me up in time to see the birth of my first child. A daughter instead of a son. Well an heir is good but I am going to want to work for a son. Lucky for me the wife is always happy to indulge in nighttime fun. I am going to have to focus my attention north after this. There is a small territory left unclaimed called Bjarmia. Unifying it would give me no land of real value but it will remove any threats at the north. Furthermore it will make the powerful Mapmakers Guild happy. I don't speak f them much but...they have their ways to influence things.

 

[lordvagrant]

Yes, orderly maps is the way to go.

 

[BogMod]

Yes, orderly maps is the way to go.

If you don't the Mapmakers come for your children in the night.

 

[BogMod]

971 sees my dear wife with child once more. Things are a little mixed in Russia as there are a few rebellions by those who still hold to the old ways. They have no real chance of success but it is something that I have to divert time and energy into stopping. I would so much rather be spending coin to upgrade the army or building more shipyards.

Chasing the rebels around Norway is kind of like hunting a particularly elusive deer. Ultimately the rebels are scattered and my second daughter is born to me. I also see several men rise up and gather hosts to head out and see about forging their own lands in distant realms. Well whatever. Win or lose their achievements don’t matter to me since they are not invading my lands.

Once things have settled down opportunity arises in Sweden. One of my kin has a claim to the throne there and so I shall lead a force in to make him a King under the arms of Russia. Though the war is not without its casualties. I don’t just mean the losses in life of my soldiers and those of my enemies but I suffer personal loss from it all.

29 and still no son though I do have two wonderful daughters. Well I will follow the advice of my brother and take for myself a concubine. The son of a concubine is better than no son at all. I might be missing a leg, but I still have the right leg needed to have a son! I also win in pressing the claim for Sweden expanding the power base in Russia farther and wider into our traditional Morse lands.

http://imageshack.us/a/img842/6073/z2uk.jpg[IMG]

However it is not my concubine who is with child first but my wife. I suppose me taking another woman to our bed helped inspire her. I should have done this years ago!

[IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img195/4254/ia04.jpg

Construction on a temple in Norway has begun. When I complete it I will give the lands to my vassal the King of Norway to govern which will keep him happy. So much of my territories are undeveloped it really slows down any ambitions I have. As much as I wish to build up my capitol I must slowly organize and expand efforts developing distant counties such as in Perm first. The realm though celebrates as my Empress gives me a son!

Treachery! How dare they!? This will not go unpunished! After I put him on the throne of Sweden he would back my uncle for Russia? Oh no, this will not be allowed! I should never have helped him get the kingdom of Sweden. I should have realized the danger inherent in letting him inherit Konogardr and then becoming King of Sweden! This will be a lesson I shall not forget! The only silver lining to this is my wife’s pregnancy.

I have to try to crush the enemy in two places. I can’t afford to split my forces so I instead gather them to meet the leader of this rebellion. Thanks to superior naval power(I can’t believe I am saying that about my Russia) I am successful in lulling his force into a trap. The battle is heavily in my favor thanks to not only the superior tactics of my generals and myself but also the superior numbers we can bring to bare against them.

Victory is good but I also hear about what is has cost me. My wife had to give birth to my second son in the prison of the rebelling King of Sweden. I am not pleased! There will be blood on this I swear!

Ahh sweet sweet victory. I shall be King of Sweden now. He will also never see the light of day. Though this means he will not release my wife from prison I will not let him out! He even takes my wife as his concubine! At least though he has agreed to release my daughter to me. The rest well…he will die in my cell by Odin I swear this.

Hahahahahhahahahahahah! AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA~!

Well with that time to relax and focus on my next project. Changing succession from gavelkind to primogeniture. To that end I will host a wonderful blot to help bring everyone around to my thinking. With the blot started I find out my concubine is with child too.

And with that done my vassals do not oppose things as I change from spreading my lands out to everyone under my rule to just my eldest son, or daughter if I have no sons. I have enough children this should not be an issue for me at least but my descendants it could one day.

 

[BogMod]

Not everyone is happy yet with me enough to change things in Sweden to primogeniture succession. While the Empire itself follows primogeniture Sweden which I hold as King is gavelkind. Gold will fix this but I don’t have enough yet to make it all work out. To that end I think I am going to have to dispatch another great raiding fleet out from my lands to gather up a great deal of gold. I shall even go with it. A peg leg Viking raider! First though my new wife arrives.

News reaches me on my raids that my concubine has given me a son. Good. A new son helps fire my activities as I raid my way down southwest I start becoming known amongst the Christians and Muslims for the danger that I am. What this is about undead raiders though I have no idea. Well the important thing to me at least is that that all know that I, the Fylkir am not the sort to hide in some ivory tower and send people out to do things for me. I am a doer. Let the Christian Pope try to separate himself from the material world this is the world we live in and until Odin sends for me I shall set the example for my people!

http://imageshack.us/a/img197/4325/ojr8.jpg[/IMG]

Hmm. Why would the Muslim’s hide this in a chest instead of using it? Well no matter. I will take the fine axe and continue on my way. Though these arcane marks. A two? So strange. Why two? Why not a four or a five? I am reminded of a story one old Godi told me once about something called a Holy Avenger. Though that was a sword not an axe. Oh well.

While raiding in Rome my concubine Ludmila who I brought with me to keep me company in the warm southern waters tells me she is with child. Well, I had best send her back home to give birth safely to another child. They also tell me some of my vassals are going a bit…odd. They are picking up odd accents and talking in strange ways. Doing very not-Norsely things.

And best send my wife home as well I suppose. Just in time for the news that I have a new daughter through Ludmila. She has left her child with nursemaids while she comes back out to see me in Rome where I am still looting and pillaging.

This requires my personal attention for me to return home to deal with. I dare not ignore the warnings of the sorceress yet…my own child. She seems fine. Strong and healthy even. Maybe…maybe the sorceress is wrong about things. Hmm…I am so confused on what the right action is. I shall prey to the All-Father for wisdom.

Ok, home with loot from my journey it is time to see what I can do about changing the succession laws. Damn. Small complication. I have to finish increasing the authority of the crown of Sweden first. These things are so complicated. Cost me plenty of coin too to get them all to support increasing the authority of the crown too. Well no matter. Maybe some more raiding will help. Or perhaps if I build some more temples I can give them to those vassals who are still not happy with what I have done. Or wait for them to get over the whole matter.

(Note, I have decided not to worry about showing the kids age 0 picture, instead I will wait until they grow up to reveal how they turned out)

 

[BogMod]

I begin the final war to solidify my holdings in the north. At the same time I move to invade the land of Pomerania south of me. It is held by some of the Slavic faith but is in a nice location to prepare for invasions into Poland. While gathering my forces for these invasions Ludmila gives me another son and my wife gives me a daughter.

My invasion of Pomerania fails as they surrender back to the Polish King. No matter. Bjarmia falls to me swiftly. Yet interesting word reaches me along with the fall of the last independent northern ruler, a distant land to the far far west.

With those things done I dispatch another great raiding fleet. This time I raid the Cumans to the south of me to start with. Where the last time they went west and circled around we shall start south and work our way clockwise. I do achieve a most wonderful advancement in how we manage our supply lines when we are at war. This advancement has me recall my raiding fleet. I think now is an ideal time to take the war to the pagan Slavic worshipers now. Once more I move against Pomerania this time tangling with Poland.

I also finally make Sweden a kingdom that is a succession by primogeniture. Favoring sons over daughters of course. I then launch another raid. I think I have a plan now. My next great raid should it be very successful I shall spend a great deal of coin on building up my own personal always ready standing force. Raiding Constantinople is fun given I can move in after they deal with a civil war and have their manpower depleted. Then it is off to pick on the holdings of France in Italy. Also…when did my wife inherit land? Oh well no matter. My holds are full of foreign gold!

I am now preparing to invade Denmark again. There is still land I can claim from them and should I claim enough I do hope to take the whole of that land. All of Russia and Scandanavia under my rule. I also have another child.

Also…WHAT?! How dare you! Gah…this throws everything off since an invasion from a foreigner for my lands means I am stretched very thin and I must ask for a white peace from King Folki of Denmark. Of course my land isn’t the only one having to deal with foreign invaders.

Like the achievements of this far distant Seljuk I too am devastating the traitors. Also a small plus shows itself as I fight for Russia. One of the lands held for a long time by we of the Rurikovich which has always been Russian by culture is now more Norse than Russian. Finally they are accepting the ways of my family.

And….maybe my sorceress was right about my daughter. Well no matter. I win the civil war. The throne of Gondariki shall no longer be held by that distant kinsman of mine! I shall hold it until such a time I feel another is worth it. Then with that done a blot to restore faith in my rule. Sigh…this whole thing has really slowed me down. So much I could have done were I not warring like this. The only perk is that now that I am established in Gondariki I can start working to move the rule of Russia back to Holmgardr.

 

[dodedo]

so how big is the rurikovich dynasty now?

 

[Wooz]

Keep up with this AAR, I realy enjoy it. And also good luck dealing with the Seljuks.

 

[BogMod]

so how big is the rurikovich dynasty now?

147 living members so far as of the year 994.

Keep up with this AAR, I realy enjoy it. And also good luck dealing with the Seljuks.

Thanks. I don't think the Seljuks will be an issue. So long as I can keep my vassal from turning on me without any warning.

 

[BogMod]

First there are two matters I wish to touch on before continuing. My two eldest boys have come of age. Ingjald is a fine man and able warrior and will make a fine Fylkir. He is married to a brilliant woman who I hope will be able to balance out his weaknesses with her strengths.

My second son is currently the heir to Gardariki and is a talented speaker. Where his elder brother carries a sharp blade it is his tongue that is sharp. He is also married to the heir to the throne of Scotland. The current Queen is 50 years old. She will have no more children and so when she dies my daughter-in-law will become Queen and her children will be Rurikovichs. I do not want to risk dividing my realm though so I hope to change succession laws in Gardariki.

First perhaps a nap. Wait…what is this feeling of dread over a nap…no what am I thinking!

Ahh my father. You died so young. You shall forever be missed and honored! I do mean forever as I shall build for you a great runestone. My brother is already away in Scotland as only days before your death the Queen of Scotland died. Your death and my brothers departure has made for an odd situation in Russia. The throne of Gardariki is vacant and several vassals are independent in the region because of that. This is because my brother had to go to Scotland to be King and could not take his titles with him. Such things are easily solved of course. However first I wish to take a moment to recognize what you accomplished.

The only problem is that some parts of the realm under your rule moved away from our ancient and august culture and picked up their own habits calling themselves Norwegians, Danes or Swedes. Hopefully something we can reverse in time. I shall of course commission a runestone to honor you right away. I am also forced to reduce authority across Russia of the crown.

I think this will be for the best in the long run. I don’t really need such authority now that it is established that we use the primogeniture system of rule. I turn my attention to those lands that became free and quickly absorb them all back into Russia. Once again the land is whole and secure. My vassals seem happy enough with the medium level of authority in Russia. I am only 19 and with the land stable for the moment I shall turn my attention to getting myself an heir and then see about expansion.