Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury - A Slavic Pagan Revival AAR

[Ramidel]

Don't apologize for putting your family's health first, ever. This is just a fun read, and we will be here when you have more time to play and write. My best wishes to your family.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Take care of your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Did the Mongols take more than just a kingdom? Thank you for the update and we will wait patiently for your next spare word or two,

 

[Superstorm]

Don't apologize for putting your family's health first, ever. This is just a fun read, and we will be here when you have more time to play and write. My best wishes to your family.

Thank you, that is very kind of you. I don't think anyone on the forum would expect to put writing above family, myself included, but I still do enjoy the hobby and being able to share it with others. Still, family does have to come first.

Take care of your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Did the Mongols take more than just a kingdom? Thank you for the update and we will wait patiently for your next spare word or two,

Thank you, I appreciate them both.

Yes, it actually shocked me as well so I had to go back to saves and find out. They declared a 'Nomad Invasion' on me, which is essentially a kind of nomadic crusade. They take the target kingdom and any places they had fully sieged. At some point they must have taken Arkona when I was not looking, my own mistake but it makes for great story.

 

[Idhrendur]

Please do take the time to care for your family. AARs can wait.

 

[Superstorm]

Please do take the time to care for your family. AARs can wait.

Thank you, both are doing better now and helping me with an injury (when it rains it pours), hoping to carry on with the every two week schedule.

 

[Bullfilter]

Caught up after a major family event of my own. Hope yours turns out ok.

On 10 February, 1272, the Battle of Soltsy began. It would end in another victory for Konrad, less pyrrhic than his last but still won at a high cost for little gain.

But better than a loss, I suppose. Though the Mongols just keep on coming.

Konrad had begun this defence and winter encampment with 21,000 men. Between winter attrition and his battle, he now had 11,000. Only a few thousands of those losses were due to fighting; the vast majority of losses were attributed to starvation, freezing and desertion.

This seems to have been the turning point. Perhaps conceding defeat here may have been the best course, in retrospect?

His men were taken by surprise, split and routed quickly, with now only 4,000 men of the 21,000 arrayed in the east remaining.

On 20 March 1274, the final battle of the war would take place, the Battle of Polotosk. It was more of a slaughter than a battle for the tides had turned.

Ouch.

As a result, he would be forced to become the first Velky Vohlv to offer surrender to a foreign power

A shame, but it is the Mongols, after all. It will take time to stop them.

This term was completely unexpected, for Konrad could not have known that Arkona had been retaken as he marched to the east. It meant that he had sacrificed Novgorod for nothing. It meant his beloved wife had died for nothing. It meant that it had been all for nothing.

Nasty. It will be a real sore point in the future, no doubt.

two of my close family members, one I live with and one very old, have both caught COVID a couple days a go and are not in the best of ways.

I hope everyone understands that I do have to put my family's health firs

Of course we understand. All the very best of luck to you and the family members you are caring for. Take as much time as you need. <3

 

[Superstorm]

Velky Volhv Konrad of the Gryfita Empire - The Oathsworn (1275-1277)​

"Aut inveniam viam aut faciam." - "I shall either find a way or make one", spoken by Hannibal, upon being told by his generals how it was impossible to cross the Alps with elephants, 218 BC.

In a single war, the Gryfita Empire had lost control of two sacred sites, one razed to the ground and another held hostage. Tens of thousands had died, and the treasury had been largely emptied to fund desperate defensive measures - to no avail. Konrad had suffered a severe head wound, lost his wife and much of his noble and ecclesiastical support. From a tactical point of view, the surrender made sense, but that did not make it popular in a society built on war.

All of this was a perfect confluence of events that could do irreparable damage to a man's mind, and it showed. From April to July 1275, Konrad retreated to his castle and refused any visitors. Many at this time urged him to either reclaim the lands he had just lost or abdicate so that someone else could take over, the latter being a very politically dangerous statement, but this fell on deaf ears. His seclusion is one of those little historical mysteries, because no one knows exactly what Konrad did during those months. What we do know is that he came out a changed man.

Konrad returned to court at the end of 1275, and courtiers took note of how radically his personality had changed. Few sources describe his personality before 1275, but the fact that we have many noting how much he had changed shows that he was at least cordial. That was no longer the case now. After his return, these accounts report he forced a number of courtiers to tears; what about is not said, but we get the impression that it was about minor court matters. The Velky Vohlv would, by all accounts, often get up from his throne and launch into calculated personal attacks that are described as both petty and vindictive.

He could not treat his vassals so lightly. Many were horrified by the loss of Novgorod, and not only because of the religious importance of the city. They were now caught between two empires that had already shown their willingness to cooperate against them. Until now, the Empire's vassals had been content to have the HRE on their borders, as it was the only threat that could challenge them. With neither side willing to wage war one versus one, an uneasy stalemate had developed. Now the question had turned to who would be the next to lose their lands if the empires continued to conspire.

It was a serious blow to the empire's reputation, as the defeat of the Gryfita Empire was celebrated throughout the HRE by both sides of the Third Antipope Crisis and the first crushing defeat it has suffered since its inception. Wood carvings depicting Konrad's humiliation were widespread, and a day of celebration was called within the HRE and the other Catholic kingdoms. Konrad's nobles demanded retribution and demanded to know his plans on achieving this.

The silence from Konrad on this caused a great deal of frustration and talks of demanding him to act or abdicate started to gather. It was then that Konrad sent a summons to the Sanctuary of the Gods, stating in the summons that he would set out his intentions there. What followed was such a choreographed event that historians wonder to what extent Konrad had planned it out; remember, he was a well-known intellectual, just like his father - and now likely as mentally disturbed.

On February 2, 1276, the lords and ladies of the Empire gathered in the holiest temple of the Slavic faith. They were in the main hall and saw Konrad, dressed in plain black robes and without his crown, standing before the sacrificial altar. These were long stone surfaces on which animals or food were ritually sacrificed to the gods by shamans, of whom Konrad was flanked by a dozen.

Most of the shamans of the empire were present, which is why so many accurate details about this event exist today. However, for the sake of brevity, an abbreviated summary will be provided.

Konrad first acknowledged his failure in the Mongol invasion of Novgorod, which surprised many given his notoriously stubborn nature. The blame could hardly lie solely with him, but he took it nevertheless. He had, in his own words, "brought shame upon himself, his ancestors, and the gods." He went on to say that he had listened to the calls of his vassals and that he had come to convince them of his intention to reclaim his lands. As befits a good politician, he did not say exactly how he intended to enforce this claim; after all, Arkona was still being held hostage, not to mention the financial predicament the empire had fallen into as a result of the war.

This led him to accept that the Mongol threat would have to be dealt with and revenge would have to be taken on the HRE for giving their support to the invasion. This unholy alliance, along with the capture of Arkona and the death of Konrad's wife, had all contributed to their defeat.

A map of the northern region of the Gryfita Empire circa 1276. The light blue areas denote the areas siezed by the Mongol Empire. ​

He then made an oath that few could believe: He would reclaim the lands of the empire and take revenge on both the Mongols and the HRE, all within 10 years. To us, that may sound like a lot of time, but one must remember that there was war to recover from, two empires on either side eyeing for further weakness, and this had to be done in a way that wouldn't cause more damage or allow their enemies to take advantage - all upon medieval logistics. Many in the crowd expressed their disbelief.

Konrad’s stubbornness shone through their words. He would famously double down about as firmly as anyone could.

He swore that he would achieve these goals within his self-imposed time limit and was intent on proving his conviction. He further stated that should he fail, he would voluntarily abdicate the throne to whoever the nobles put to the Elder Council. This would mean another of the Gryfita line taking the throne, likely a child of Konrad, or from the lesser branches of the family to make them less of a threat to noble interests.

Finally, he acclaimed that such an oath made before the Gods required a sacrifice to be paid and such a substantial defeat demanded a substantial sacrifice in penance. It was then that the influence of Havel, now 67 years dead, would be felt once more. Konrad would then lie down on the sacrificial altar, barking a command for the shaman to begin. The nobility watched, reportedly stunned, as one shaman took an obsidian dagger and dug the blade behind Konrad’s right eye.

This procedure was performed without painkillers or sterile equipment, with only the shamans holding Konrad down while he screamed in pain. Fortunately for him, obsidian can cut as sharply as modern surgical steel, so the entire procedure could be done with a few clean (excruciatingly painful) cuts.

However mentally sound such an idea was, Konrad had conducted a masterful bit of political theatre. He knew that he was at his weakest politically and that open talks, however quiet, of him abdicating were a serious threat. This act stopped the whispers from getting any louder and further acted as a test of loyalty; any who had not attended had their continued obedience brought into question.

The frankly minute timeframe he allowed himself was meant to be as bold and outrageous as it sounded. With the potential carrot of having Konrad replaced in a bloodless coup and some certainly seeing it as a forgone conclusion, meant the dissatisfied noblity were willing to let Konrad ride out these next ten years. They knew that Konrad would violently oppose any such act to force him out, with civil war in the current political climate a serious threat to their interests. A chance to have him replaced and with the reason of a broken vow made waiting at the least worth considering.

Lastly, the act of cutting out his eye to show his seriousness of the oath had multiple effects. He was attempting to associate himself with his ancestor Havel, in an attempt to harken back to the good days of powerful leadership and pagan expansionism. Havel’s missing right eye was his defining feature, meaning it was no accident that Konrad had the same eye removed. He was attempting to emulate his ancestor literally.

It also served a secondary purpose; it was a gruesome act of intimidation. Historians have never concluded decisively what caused Konrad’s sudden change in personality and descent into cruelty. Most would agree however, that having your eye cut out to prove you are serious, is not the action of a mentally sound person. It displayed both how serious Konrad was, as well as how unstable he was. If he was willing to cut out his eye, then what else was he capable of, if not allowed his time to prove himself?

Konrad had made his intentions and terms clear. He had in essence bought 10 years of time where he could act without the worry of being overthrown. Perhaps due to his own instability he would later jeopardise that, though that is for later.

He would waste little time in his preparations, as he began to undergo proper martial education that he had otherwise missed in his childhood. This while he was still recovering from his mutilation and having to relearn how to fight without proper depth perception, again as per his ancestor Havel. Impressively, this training began to pay dividends quickly. By April 1276, he was already building up a reputation for winning numerous duels and bouts, seemingly adapting to his missing eye faster than even Havel. To contemporaries, it appeared he was taking his pledge seriously.

But Konrad would toil behind the scenes as well. His martial training would continue for the remainder of 1276 and much of 1277, with this period being relatively peaceful. This is where historical hindsight and reading between the lines of sources becomes crucial. Akin to Swietopelk III’s secret society, Konrad’s infamous spy network remains nebulous by necessity. We lack even the journal that his distant kinsman kept of his actions to return Poland to paganism. Instead, one must draw conclusions based on secondary and tertiary sources.

In the same period of his training, he undertook a flurry of diplomatic actions. He would meet with numerous Mongol diplomats, including some of those sent to administer the territory that had been taken from him. This caused anger amongst his vassals for seemingly fraternising with the enemy, though despite his missing eye, the Mongol sources do portray Konrad in a positive light. Many noted his intelligence, understanding of administration and ‘requisite humility’

When the Duke of Lesser Poland, began to openly speak out against Konrad (believed to be one of the few that did not attend Konrad's proclamation/maiming ceremony) he was poisoned while attending a small banquet, which was then blamed on a servant who was promptly executed.

He also began the slow process of putting the expanded staff he had to use. He would make gifts of numerous women placed into concubinage to his more powerful vassals and start to draw in shamans to the capital to take administrative roles limited to the Crownland. It's plausible to say the concubines were agents meant to spy on his vassals, while the shamans were to begin the process of his father’s reforms on a local level.

Konrad was clearly trying to build a network of sorts, with the intent of snaking his way into his vassal’s courts in addition to his Mongol ‘minders’. For the moment, he was in a precarious position and was already starting to annoy the vassals he had cut out his eye to placate. He would aggravate them further.

In October 1277, Konrad would be challenged to a ‘Flyting’. This comes from the Old English verb flītan meaning 'to quarrel' and was essentially an insulting competition. These were common among members of the Champions of Perun, usually done in good faith as a simple game. In this instance, it was not.

He had been challenged by Varvara, a junior member of the order who must have held some kind of personal grudge against Konrad. What insults were traded are not documented, in favour of what happened after the bout. We know Konrad lost and that Varvara had continued to mock him well after she had claimed victory, which would have embarrassed him, at a time where he was trying to appear strong.

Konrad then challenged her to a duel there and then; one more example of ‘martial equality’ the order liked to tout. It was within his right to demand satisfaction and the onus on Varvara to accept for the sake of her honour, despite many considering such a challenge needless. Vavara was a junior member, well into her forties and was recovering from an injury herself, while Konrad had been undergoing intense combat training and had wartime battle experience.

Nonetheless, the duel was accepted and arranged for the next day. The outcome was already known by those in attendance and luckily for historians, these duels were documented. There had been a hope that Konrad would show mercy on an opponent he outclassed so greatly. Understand, this was before his reputation was established.

He won the duel with little effort. This duel was different in that edged weapons were used in place of blunted ones, with all the risks that carried. Konrad had chosen to use his ancestral blade Thunderheart and did so to great effect, tripping her to the ground by striking her legs. As Varvara attempted to stand up, he stepped forwards and struck her across the face, which crumpled her to the ground. When she pulled herself up, now bereft of weapons, many observers were aghast to see that Konrad had blinded her. Before he could be declared the winner, he then plunged his blade into her stomach and twisted it multiple times.

We are told she died screaming.

This vicious killing is the first evidence of Konrad’s capacity for cruelty and it would not go unnoticed. This act alienated him from the order for decades to come while providing ammunition to his detractors. After all, blinding then gutting a rival over an insult, did not equate to delivering on any of his promises made in the sight of the Gods. Little did they know, that Konrad was already working on that.

 

[Ramidel]

Ah, Konrad shows his true colors. The cruel priest-emperor will build his dark legend!

 

[Bullfilter]

He had, in his own words, "brought shame upon himself, his ancestors, and the gods."

Sounds like the disgraced footballer’s mantra after doing something bad at a nightclub after ‘one beverage too many’.

He went on to say that he had listened to the calls of his vassals and that he had come to convince them of his intention to reclaim his lands. As befits a good politician, he did not say exactly how he intended to enforce this claim

“Our season may be over, but we will come back better than ever after a period of rebuilding”, the embattled coach of the Gryfita Eagles said at the post-match press conference.

I‘m sure Konrad is just being cruel to be kind … or not.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Illegal emigration is a growth industry in Gryfita. No one is going to risk staying in a land where a misplaced word sends you to eternal night without a last meal. Thank you for updating.

 

[Superstorm]

Caught up after a major family event of my own. Hope yours turns out ok.

I am sorry to hear that and I wish a speedy and safe conclusion to any issues you and/or your family are having.

But better than a loss, I suppose. Though the Mongols just keep on coming.

Oh yes, the Mongols either never make it past the Steppes or end up conquering half the world. As you can see, the latter happened in this game. xD

This seems to have been the turning point. Perhaps conceding defeat here may have been the best course, in retrospect?

Absolutely. In truth, this would have been the kind of battle I'd have just reloaded over in a casual game. But I figured that things had been going well so far, so why not introduce a bit of error on my part. And it shows a lesson in managing supply and avoiding attrition ticks.

A shame, but it is the Mongols, after all. It will take time to stop them.

Oh that it will. I figured at this stage they were just going to take more and more land from me and while I could fight it, it would drain manpower and then have the HRE kicking me from behind. The classic problem of a fight on two fronts being untenable.

Nasty. It will be a real sore point in the future, no doubt.

That honestly surprised me. Again, something I'd of just save scummed over before, but it was too delicious a plot point and challenge to avoid. All that work Konrad did for nothing? What better way to torture a character.

Of course we understand. All the very best of luck to you and the family members you are caring for. Take as much time as you need. <3

Thank you for reading, the worst of it has largely subsided now, so it is just a case of getting the creative ball rolling once more.

 

[Superstorm]

Ah, Konrad shows his true colors. The cruel priest-emperor will build his dark legend!

Oh yes. So rare do I get to play a character who has a logical reason to be a tyrant. Act upon the throne, and it shall act upon you.

Sounds like the disgraced footballer’s mantra after doing something bad at a nightclub after ‘one beverage too many’.

“Our season may be over, but we will come back better than ever after a period of rebuilding”, the embattled coach of the Gryfita Eagles said at the post-match press conference.

I‘m sure Konrad is just being cruel to be kind … or not.

I do hope no one ever gouges out their eye to prove their point to the press, though that would make for one hell of a post-match conference.

I think this is a case of being cruel for the sake of cruelty, it will not be the last time.

Illegal emigration is a growth industry in Gryfita. No one is going to risk staying in a land where a misplaced word sends you to eternal night without a last meal. Thank you for updating.

Thank you for reading! I can only imagine that such a tonal shift might upset the stability of the realm, if Konrad cannot keep his vassals at his heel.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Save Scumming, what a horror. Tony Stark will bar you from his next movie or at least double charge you.

 

[Idhrendur]

This kind of change will either serve well for striking back, or will doom everything.

 

[Superstorm]

This kind of change will either serve well for striking back, or will doom everything.

Thank you for reading! The events and traits worked out nicely for the shift in personality of Konrad. Plenty of historical cases of good rulers turning into tyrants, even more so after trauma, so I'm looking forward to exploring the character some more.

 

[Superstorm]

Velky Volhv Konrad of the Gryfita Empire - The Cobra (1278-1279)
​

'At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.' - Proverbs 23:32, The Bible

"How does one kill an empire? The same way one goes bankrupt - slowly, then suddenly." - Dr. Richard Tate 'The Entropy of Empire' 1994.

You may recall that Konrad took to wearing a snake charm in honour of Veles; he would emulate his patron god further.

On 28 September 1278, in the Mongol capital of Karakorum, Caliph Nogai died a horrific death.

The Caliph was awoken in the night as a snake bit him in the throat and while the snake in question was flung off and slithered away into the night, the deed was done. He would rush to his personal physician to no avail, though it is known in detail how Nogai died, due to this physician's journal. Within half an hour his liege was paralysed, within the hour he had stopped breathing, panicked and terrified as his body slowly shut down, with no aid possible.

Nogai would not be the only one. At roughly the same time, a string of such snake attacks were reported upon his court. Victims included two of the now late Caliph’s wives, a number of administrators and a greater number of staff, who were often confined to barracks and so easier to strike. In all, 32 people would be killed in a single night of sudden snake attacks.

Konrad orchestrated the attack (he will confess as much shortly) as an act of vengeance upon Nogai, the man who had humiliated him in battle and, in Konrad's eyes, caused the death of his beloved wife. The reason behind the wide scope of attack was to cause enough chaos that finding the culprits would take a back seat to corralling the deadly, venomous snakes, now roaming the capital. This did work, as no records ever emerged of anyone being punished for the act.

What is rather astonishing is that Konrad succeeded in this. It is reminiscent of his ancestor Swietopelk III’s killing of the Cumanian Khagan in 1136, only Konrad would not be caught in the act and choose snakes as the vector rather than wine. Like Swietopelk III, Konrad had a wide range of malcontents to draw upon and the diplomatic acumen to identify them - those diplomatic meetings with Mongol officials are often pointed to as the potential pathway that allowed him to gauge potential collaborators.

Caliph Nogai did have his own share of problems. The victory against the Gryfita Empire had bought him a great deal of prestige, albeit at a high cost in manpower that the Mongols could not reasonably afford. It had only been by taking the pagans by surprise, in combination with an unpopular collaboration with the HRE, that victory was achieved. To fully appreciate this, one should look at the map of the Mongol territory at the time of Nogai’s death.

As is apparent, the territory they controlled was immense - perhaps a ⅓ of the landmass of Europe. This had made the Mongol Caliphs incredibly wealthy, even after the loss of China, though this expanse of land was a curse as much as it was a blessing.

The empire itself was not one contiguous land. Those who either surrendered, proved to be too costly to annex or otherwise not worth the effort for other reasons, acted as tributary states whose actions were largely dictated by the Mongols; the term ‘informal empire’ is commonly used to describe this method of government. With the advantage of having a vast amount of potential manpower to draw from in levy, the Mongols had the ability to hold lands and keep subjects in check should they garner seditious tendencies.

They had overextended themselves in conquering Novgorod, but with the power projection over the local nomadic tribes, this should not have been an insurmountable problem. What was insurmountable was the title the dynasty had taken alongside Ghengis Khan - Caliph.

Being Caliph meant that the success of Islam was tied directly to the success of the Borjigin dynasty, whose position as the most powerful Islamic state demanded that they come to the aid of their religious kin.

As mentioned, these kin was largely in Africa and Iberia, This forced the Mongols to send thousands of men many thousand of miles away from their lands, as Islam itself attempted to defend itself from a Catholic onslaught, turning to them as the pagan threat to their east proved insurmountable. The peace with the HRE had given them the ability to draw men away from these fronts, but through poor commanders, Konrad’s surprising dogged defence and simply arriving too late, it achieved victory at a cost of draining much of the manpower they had left.

In short, the Mongol Empire had fallen into the trap of so many empires in history - overextension, which bred contempt, which Konrad would have been able to use.

The Mongol Empire at it's territorial zenith, circa 1278 The lands within the red border denote the Mongol Empire's lands. Light blue indicates direct control by the Mongol government, the myriad of other colours within this red border denote tributaries under Mongol authority.​

The death of Nogai led to his brother Horkhudagh being elected in the next Kurultai after some squabbling amongst his still surviving brothers. He was a strange mix of just and cruel, with a notable temper that he struggled to reign in, as he would promptly purge many of those who had opposed his nomination to the throne. He inherited an empire that was starting to teeter on the edge.

Konrad would give it the final push.

In late 1278, he would have a letter sent to the new Caliph that survives to this day. It makes for astonishing reading with how crass and yet elegantly worded it is. It was written in a Mongolian script, suggesting Konrad had some help with the wording or was fluent in the language. In it, Konrad openly confessed to having orchestrated the murder of his brother and court. He mocks and describes in detail what Nogai would have experienced with the venom, acknowledging that it would have been agonising and that he selected the snake (a Caspian cobra) exactly for that reason.

Attached to the letter was a shedded snake skin.

He further stated that such an act violated their agreement to not wage war on the Mongols and that Arkona was forfeit, but such a message would take months to arrive and that many of the local diplomats in Vilnius had aided in the plot. War was a possibility, however with such a wide frontline to cover, Konrad knew that just as Horkhudagh could not afford another war in the growing instability of the empire, nor could he with the Gryfita Empire equally as weakened.

Konrad was mocking Horkhudagh, who would have felt honorbound to avenge the death of his brother. That was when he was given a chance.

At the end of the letter - the most well known part - Konrad challegend Horkhudagh to a duel to the death. The goading had the intended effect, as the challenge was accepted and was to take place on neutral ground in the plains of Mordva on 7 January 1279.

There was a reason, other than emotion, that the challenge was so readily accepted. Horkhudagh was a talented fighter and had spent much of his life fighting under his deceased brother, receiving a lifetime of training that Konrad could not have safely matched, even with his recent combat education. There were also tactical advantages. If Konrad was to die suddenly, it would mean a child on the throne or the civil war he had been desperate to prevent and further instability - his pledge and intimidation had been one of the few things keeping the nobles in line. This would open them up to further attack if not by the Mongols, then by the other powers of Europe.

The logical bet was that he would win.

On a snowy morning in Mordva, the two men, each with their own contingent of royal guard and observers from the tribe, met and did battle.

The duel between Konrad and Horkhudagh proved to be as fabled as it was controversial. With two religious heads fighting to the death, there were plenty of others documenting the bout between the two.

Konrad was said to have been on the backfoot from the start, though holding up an admirable defence under the Caliph’s strikes. This clash continued for some time, with each man not allowing himself to be struck by a killing blow. The stakes for each man could not have been higher, as each was the living embodiment of their respective religion; the appointed of Perun and the successor of Muhammad. It is no shock that this is yet another popular inspiration for poets and artists alike.

Then we are told of the shift in the dynamic of the fight. Horkhudagh seemingly began to grow tired, moving slowly and sluggish compared to his initial powerful advances. Some mentioned that he seemed so fatigued that he was struggling to hold his blade, while Konrad began to regain his own composure now he was no longer weathering an assault. Just as many note how sudden this change was, unnatural for a man who had spent a life in warfare.

Horkhudgah made a clumsy lunge, which Konrad dodged and then fell face down into the snow, struggling to get up.

Konrad did not give him a chance to. As all sources account, he is to have famously said:

“Your death was the only logical outcome, brother."

To this day, many have accused Konrad of poisoning Horkhudgah some time during the fight. They point to the evidence of the sudden change in the Caliph’s movements as being suspicious, especially after he had Konrad on the backfoot for much of the fight. To then suddenly exhaust himself to the point of being unable to stand was far too instant to be natural. Others refute this and claim he made the simple mistake of tiring himself out, allowing Konrad to outlast him. This is a difficult line to defend, given how well known Konrad was for his poison, association with Veles and the small matter of openly confessing to the poisoning of dozens a few months back; a false equivalence maybe, though one hard to ignore.

Regardless, Konrad had won yet he was not finished. We are told by Slavic sources that the Mongol delegation drew swords and attempted to kill Konrad, whose own delegation defended their liege. The truth of this is often brought into doubt, as during a desperate defence for your life, you do not often have the time to retrieve your opponent’s corpse. That is exactly what Konrad and his men did, suggesting premeditation and the attack being an excuse.

Konrad would return victorious, the corpse of the Caliph in tow, towards the end of January 1279. He then personally flayed it and then had it hung around the neck above the entrance way to the Sanctuary of the Gods for all to see. It was a message - Konrad was going to keep his vow; woe to those that wronged him and another example of his cruelty. When looking upon his handiwork, he was overheard by a shaman saying:

"You wished to watch over Arkona? Allow me to give you the honour of watching over the Sanctuary of the Gods instead, noble Caliph"

For Konrad, the duel was the fulfilment of a vow. For the Mongols, it was a calamity.

Hordkungdh had not been at the head of his empire long enough to declare a successor, which led to infighting across the large Borjigin dynasty for the title of Caliph, which then led to civil war. With their manpower already so depleted, they could no longer exert control over their own territory, let alone their subject states. This resource would only be spent further as factions vied for power, perpetuating the death spiral they had fallen into.

In rapid succession and for much of 1279 to 1284, tribes and kingdoms once compliant with the Mongols broke away as the empire rapidly disintegrated. Some of these tribes and nomads would side with a particular faction in the Mongol’s civil war to start, though most would soon turn to fighting one another for land and resources amongst the confusion. The steppes that had once been united and made stable by the Mongols, returned to how it had been before - a myriad of tribes fighting for scraps.

The disintegration of the Mongol Empire, circa 1279-1284. The red border denotes lands still held by the Mongol Caliphs, while those in blue denote states that had broken away inside its former borders. To name all these states is needless, but it displays just how fractious the eastern world became.​

This extended to the conquered Seljuks, who also broke away upon news of the civil war. There had been hope for a quick return to power for the once dominant family, though this was impossible in reality. Just as in the steppes, many minor families and even some cousins to the main Seljuk line saw the chaos as a chance to seize power for themselves. As a result, much of Persia and Arabia erupted into smaller sultanates and beylerbeyliks, with the Seljuks retaining significant holding in the desert regions of Arabia itself.

Unknowingly or not, Konrad had just perpetuated centuries of instability and chaos in two regions of the world, where death would spread (and in more ways than one upon the arrival of the Black Death). The Mongols, once the most powerful empire in the world next only to China, had now been reduced to holding in their core region in Mongolia once the dust settled. They would never again be a major power in the world. Even the title of Caliph, which once conveyed them significant prestige, would be rendered inert. The Mongols would keep the title for centuries still, in lieu of any of Islamic power being strong enough to seize it from them. Konrad had, with a single sword thrust, robbed Islam the chance of being able to centralise under a single ruler, as the Slavic Faith had done so.

 

[InvisibleBison]

Sic transit gloria mundi.

 

[Superstorm]

Sic transit gloria mundi.

Thank you for reading! And:

In cauda venenum.

 

[Bullfilter]

What an orchestrated cataclysm! Murder most profitable.

Nogai would not be the only one. At roughly the same time, a string of such snake attacks were reported upon his court. Victims included two of the now late Caliph’s wives, a number of administrators and a greater number of staff, who were often confined to barracks and so easier to strike. In all, 32 people would be killed in a single night of sudden snake attacks.

Konrad Gryfita sends his regards.

Konrad challegend Horkhudagh to a duel to the death.

And then taunts Sonny into over-reacting. Very well done.

Then we are told of the shift in the dynamic of the fight. Horkhudagh seemingly began to grow tired

”They will arrange a meeting on neutral territory and at that meeting you will be assassinated.”

To this day, many have accused Konrad of poisoning Horkhudgah some time during the fight.

Well, of course he did. The logical outcome.

For Konrad, the duel was the fulfilment of a vow. For the Mongols, it was a calamity.

A bit of plotting and voila! What do you think would have happened if Konrad had lost? I suppose that despite the fix, there was still a risk and it remained a bold play. In any case, what a great way to largely destroy a world-spanning empire. You must have been very pleased with the result - was it even greater chaos than expected?

Unknowingly or not, Konrad had just perpetuated centuries of instability and chaos in two regions of the world, where death would spread (and in more ways than one upon the arrival of the Black Death).

As hoped for, no doubt. Fantastic for Gryfitan ambitions: Novgorod and the rest of the recent losses are no doubt at the top of the list for retaking. But I hope Konrad is doing plenty of hospital building in the capital

 

[Superstorm]

What an orchestrated cataclysm! Murder most profitable.

Murder? No, that was a 'benefical accident' - the Mongols really need to keep an eye on their pet cobras.

Konrad Gryfita sends his regards.

Funnily enough, Lannister and Gryfita have the same number of syllables, so that does actually work.

And then taunts Sonny into over-reacting. Very well done.

Had to think of a reason story-wise why he would accept and 'I murdered your brother and laughed while I did it, so come at me' was a good reason.

”They will arrange a meeting on neutral territory and at that meeting you will be assassinated.”

Well he didn't know that part.

Well, of course he did. The logical outcome.

Doesn't matter how tough you are, poison does not discriminate. And Konrad was hardly going to allow something like decency and fair play get in the way of winning.

A bit of plotting and voila! What do you think would have happened if Konrad had lost? I suppose that despite the fix, there was still a risk and it remained a bold play. In any case, what a great way to largely destroy a world-spanning empire. You must have been very pleased with the result - was it even greater chaos than expected?

If he had lost, then the story would have taken quite a different turn. I did want to see what would happen and roll with the punches either way, but was very pleased with the result in the end. It's not the first time I've done such a move in game, as I've said it can be the best way to deal with the Mongols and nomads in general. This is one of the more border gore-y examples, simple because of how huge the Mongols have got. I'll admit, when it happened in game, I did burst out laughing.

As hoped for, no doubt. Fantastic for Gryfitan ambitions: Novgorod and the rest of the recent losses are no doubt at the top of the list for retaking. But I hope Konrad is doing plenty of hospital building in the capital

Oh yes, they'll be on the top of the list. And as for the hospitals, they will be very much needed, as we all know the Black Death will be hitting fairly soon.