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Old 05-31-2005, 11:20 AM   #1
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
May Our Reign Be Green and Golden: Crusader Kings Dynasty

So I've been bummed about Bognor Regis sucking it lately in my FM/WSM game and I haven't gotten in the mood for the Phoenix league lately.

You know that that means, especially for a Gemini like myself.

That's right, another game, another dynasty!

I visited Paradox's website and found they have gobs of new beta patches, so I downloaded the latest one and fired up a new game. I'm starting off as the Count of Agder, which for those unfamiliar, is in Norway, right on the southwest coast of the country, at least on the CK map.

If anyone has any questions about the game as I go along, just let me know.

And here it begins.

December 26th 1066: County of Agder

Two days after the Festival of Christ's Birth, Count Lodin of Agder, ruler of the county of Agder, stood on the balcony of his castle looking over his domain.

The county was neither rich nor poor by the standards of other European holdings of this size, producing nine-tenths of a goldoon a month in profit. (Goldoon was Lodin's own personal unit of measurement when simplifying larger sums to a more accessible ruling stick). While the family had been ruling for several generations, Lodin hungered for more.

A thin, pale, blonde Norwegian, the count was not of particularly strong stock and he was plagued with a small court, consisting of only a female cousin who was just 16 years old. Her name was unimportant, though for the time being she served as the Spymaster.

Rubbing his eyes, pale blue irises whose surrounding white pools were shot through with lines of red from too much revelry the past few days, Lodin once more went over the line of thought he had been following for the past pair of hours.

First, it was imperative that he be married. At twenty-seven, he was getting up there in years by his personal timetable, and he wanted to be wed. Looks and nationality were of no concern, nor were any potential inheritances he might get out of it. All that mattered was talent and willingness. Once he was sufficiently bedded down in matrimony... Ahh, the plans he had. But first, to wedlock.

It was time to send out the messengers across Northern Europe's island and peninsular countries and see what available brides were there. He would only go south to the Continent if it was an absolute necessity, for Lodin did not trust the hotter blood of warmer climates to be in his Viking line.

With that in mind, the count of Agder turned and disappeared inside his castle. The dream of a thousand hardships to be overcome would begin with this first, simple task.

After all, what girl wouldn't want to marry an ambitious nobleman?
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Old 05-31-2005, 05:20 PM   #2
Izulde
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Join Date: Sep 2004
December 27th 1066: County of Agder

The very next morning, Lodin was woken up by one of the five homely servants in his employ.

"Your Lordship, the messengers you sent out yesterday have already returned."

Though confused at this, the Count nodded and dressed after thanking the girl. Twenty minutes later, he was in his throne room, staring down at the man the couriers had brought to him.

"He says his name is Peter the Plaid, Sire, and that he can find you any type of woman you seek to be your bride", announced the lead messenger.

Peter the Plaid was a most curious looking fellow, as short and fat as a beer barrell. His skin was as dark as a Moor's, his beard was thick, red, and bushy, and his eyes were startling in their blue crystalline colouring. To make things even more puzzling, he wore the kilt trademarked to the Highlanders of Scotland.

"Aye, I be Peter the Plaid!" boomed the matchmaker. Yellow teeth beamed up at Lodin, a thick tongue washing over them in relish as Peter sized up the Count, "I be having contacts all over Europe, yer Lordship and if yer want a wife, I can get yer one."

Lodin raised a single eyebrow, cool and impassive as he sat, still eyeing the visitor of such boasts, "I see. And what, pray tell, allows you such broad access to the courts of Europe?"

Peter's belly shook with laughter, the sound as rumbling and jarring as a small earthquake. Fat hands rested on the shaking stomach as he grinned, "It's easy yer Lordship. I be a mutt. I be Irish, Saracen, Norwegian, Scottish, and a little bit o' French too. Me ancestors come from everywhere and I can speak ta everyone because o' it."

Inwardly, Lodin sneered. He had little use for mutts of no pedigree such as this, but it seems in this instance, the matter necessitated that he keep the man around, for time was of the essence that he find a bride. "Very well, I am looking for a woman under the age of thirty with exceptional talents. I would like her to be in the North, for I do not trust the weak blood of the Continentals."

"Yer gonna have a hard time o' that, yer Lordship. Most o' the women here in the North o' that description be already married", Peter pointed out, scratching at his remarkably clean fire-beard. "Tell ye what, I know of a good Frankish girl, just seventeen, who will bear you many fine children. She be quite the talented woman in every area. Her name be Adelais de Pontieu and she be residing in King Phillipe o' France's court."

The count grimaced. Already his plans were going awry as he would have to marry some French tart. Still, necessity must force us to ends we do not like sometimes, he reminded himself. At long last he nodded and rose, "Very well, Peter the Plaid. You will go to the court of the French King and ask for Adelais to wed me. I trust you will not fail."

"Of course not, yer Lordship! Peter the Plaid never fails!"

January 11th 1067

"You told me you never failed!"

"I'm sorry about that, yer Lordship, but it be not me fault."

Lodin clenched his hands into fists, resisting the urge to pummel Peter's bulby nose and break it, "And how, pray tell, is it not your fault?"

The chastisted matchmaker studied his impeccable nails, avoiding eye contact with the enraged noble, "It's simple yer Lordship. When we got there, Adelais had run off with one of the court musicians and she was nowhere to be found. So the King had no choice but to say nay. But don't yer Lordship be angry, because while I was there, me brain had an excellent idea and I recommended to King Phillipe that yer be married ta a Norman woman in his court, Cundo of Eu. She be nearly as talented as Adelais was and she be closer to yer Lordship in age ta boot, being twenty-one."

"And the King said?"

Peter looked up with a wide grin, "That he'd have to think on it. But don't worry, yer Lordship! I know me succeeded this time!"

Or so they both hoped.
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Old 06-01-2005, 06:50 AM   #3
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February 8th 1067: County of Agder

"You should have accepted Ulv's request to join our court, Cousin. His skill in the marital arts would have served us greatly." Snofrid of Agder, Lodin's country cousin and Spymaster, was still extremely displeased over the refusal of the Russian who had come seeking succor.

"Ridiculous, cousin! The man wanted me to give him 17 goldoons so that he could pay off his travel debts! With only 26 goldoons in the treasury and my not planning to be off to war anytime soon, it didn't make economical sense." Lodin was not going to be reprimanded so easily as all that and he glowered at the dark-haired woman from his seat.

Just then, a servant came bursting in through the door.

"Sire! We have an emissary from King Erik of Sweden!"

"...What in the world could the Swedish King possibly want with a Norwegian count like me?" wondered Lodin aloud as he stood up, "Ah, well, we'll find out. Send him to the throne room and I'll meet him there."

After the dignitary had been escorted in and the Count of Agder was in place, the messenger bowed and declared before the full court, made up of only a handful of members, "Count Lodin of Agder of the County Agder, I come today on behalf of my lord, King Erik of Sweden who art also the Count of Vastergotland. His Majesty King Erik requests the hand in marriage of Thora Bjelke, Courtier of the Court of Count Lodin of Agder of the County of Agder. What say Your Lordship?"

A gale of shock whooshed through the room as everyone turned and eyed Thora. A girl of only moderate beauty, she was eighteen years old and was so unremarkable that she was only a court hanger-on, not even worthy of a position. "I accept if Count Lodin will release me!" shouted the thrilled girl, bouncing forward.

"...King Erik wants.. Thora to be his Queen?!" Lodin's surprise was so great that he was unable to keep from blurting it out. The most useless member of the court was now a valuable commodity. To be sure, the glory this would cast on the Count of Agder was not to be missed, and so Lodin declared in a not-so-booming voice, "We accept! Thora may head straightaway to marry King Erik."

The newly engaged Thora squealed with glee and dashed over to hug equally elated Snofrid. The giddy girls then made their departures, as did the messenger, the latter to make the travel arrangements.

"Simply astounding", mused Lodin once he was alone.

Two days later, Thora became Queen of Sweden and Lodin's prestige was now greater than it had ever been.

March 2nd 1067: County of Agder

Almost a month had passed since the marriage of Thora to King Erik of Sweden and in that time, Lodin had torn up the old laws of the county and instituted new ones specifically aimed at increasing the influence of the aristocracy over all else and more specifically, the power of the of Agder House.

No longer was semi-salic primogenture allowed. It would be salic primogenture only. Too were the court laws of traditional custom now banished. Henceforth, the heirarchal, chivalric structure of the feudal contract would be in place. Even the Catholic Church was not spared, for instead of the balance that was in place before, royal priorities now superseded all other concerns. Much of the population was not happy about the changes, but the subsequent increase in power to the barons ensured that the nobles were unswervingly loyal to Lodin's new policies.

The Pope did not sit back when he received word of the change in Agder however, for he sent a wayward bishop who had been removed from his prior post due to too much love of the drink to Agder, politely requesting that Count Lodin please grant Bishop Vigleik Bjelke a place in the court and pay 7 goldoons for the travel costs.

Lodin of Agder was not pleased.

"How could His Holiness make such a request of me?! I can't afford to pay that kind of money! I'll simply have to dismiss him and send that fool back to Rome!"

Snofrid sighed and shook her head, laying a head on the Count's arm, "Cousin, cousin... You *must* accept the Pope's request for three reasons. First, you will be seen as more pious if you take in this holy man. Two, you will be seen as sacreligious if you do not take him, to a potentially dangerous degree. Third, he is our own Thora's first cousin. You do not want to upset the Queen of Sweden, do you? For that would mean the King of Sweden would be angry as well, and it would not be advantageous to us at this time to have a war between Norway and Sweden."

"...Oh, very well. Let's take him in and appoint him as the Diocese Bishop, then."

And so it came to pass, though in that moment, Lodin's heart grew colder against the Church and he privately swore his revenge.

March 8th 1067 County of Agder

Bells rang their merry tune throughout the County of Agder on this happy day as the entire region celebrated the marriage of Count Lodin and Cundo of Eu. Beer kegs flowed freely and many a dirty song was sung while many a wench was bedded.

"I told yer Lordship I could get yer a pretty and talented wife. And yer know the Normans were Vikin's first." Peter the Plaid was pleased with himself after having secured the Count of Agder the marriage, particularly since it meant that Lodin had made him the Minister of Domestic Affairs, intent on keeping the curious man around for any future marriages needed in the of Agder family.

"That you did Peter and I look forward to seeing your future successes", replied Lodin. About to say more, the Count was swept away by his wife, who carried him off into a waltz, a smile on her lips that was charming to behold.

"Dear husband, I don't know if Peter informed you, but I'm not just any courtier girl. I'm also the daughter of Robert Hastings, the Count of Eu. I took my mother's name because I did not feel it was right that no one bore her name and my brother already took my father's name." Cundo laughed as she twirled with her new groom and added, "Peter told me you were worried about my being weak-blooded but I assure you, husband, I'm a noble Norman girl through and through... but with a French education."

"What good is a French education?" groused Lodin as they danced.

That night, Count Lodin discovered in the wedding chamber just what good a French education is.

The next day: The County of Agder

The next morning, the newly enlightened Count was awoken by none other than his cousin.

"Get up. Now that you are married, we have to discuss where you will go now."

Lodin quickly threw on his trousers and followed Snofrid. To hell with his wife's French education; plotting for power was even better than that.

They repaired to a small, hidden room that only a few people in the castle knew about. On the table in the middle of the room was spread a map of Europe. It was to the table that Snofrid and Lodin now walked, the female half of the two tracing a line on a specific section.

"You will want to become a Duke next and in this you have some luck, for you own the County of Agder, which is one of the counties needed to ressurect an old ducal title, the Duke of Bergen. There are four territories within the Dukedom, so in order to have the title reborn, you will need three of them. Agder you already have. Rogaland has a very secure line of succession, so I would forget about that for now if I were you. Telemark has no heir, but Jon is recently married to a young girl, so an heir will likely be forthcoming. Worry about that later, however. Bergenhus is what you should focus on most of all. It is a bishophoric with but a single heir, a 12-year old boy. If he is removed from the picture and you put a claim in, the way will be clear."

Lodin listened to the analysis and scratched his chin, nodding, "I see... Unfortunately, there is not the money in the treasury as of yet to remove the Bergenhus obstacle. However, since both Bergenhus and Telemark have shaky lines of succession...." His voice trailed off and the Count looked at his Spy Master cousin with a notched brow.

"...Yes. I understand", finished Snofrid.

Later that day, couriers rode all across Norway with the announcement that documents had been found attesting to Bergenhus and Telemark both having once been part of the of Agder domain and that Lodin of Agder was the rightful heir to both counties.


Count Lodin of Agder after the two prestige-enhancing marriages and two claims


His wife Cundo, now Chancellor of Agder, daughter of Count Robert Hastings of Eu


His cousin Snofrid, the Spy Master


Vigleik, the worthless Diocese Bishop sent as part of the Pope's revenge for Lodin's power seizure


Thora the worthless Courtier, now Queen of Sweden. Can you say bad times ahead for the Swedish throne? I think so.


The King of Sweden. I'm still wondering why he chose Thora of all people.
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Last edited by Izulde : 06-01-2005 at 06:52 AM.
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Old 06-01-2005, 07:27 PM   #4
Izulde
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Join Date: Sep 2004
August 16th 1067

"This changes our plans, does it not?"

Spy Master Snofrid clucked her tongue thoughtfully at her cousin's question before slowly nodding her head, "Yes, it does. I had thought that upon the Bishop's death, Bergenhus would be open, but it appears that the new German bishop installed shows no signs of disloyalty to King Olaf. We still have the claims on Bergenhus and Telemark, however, so we shall keep them in hand until opportunity presents. itself.

The Count of Agder growled and banged his fist on the map of Europe, "What can we do then? Cundo is with child, but it will be many years before we can arrange something for the future. I wish to be Duke now!"

"Patience, cousin. Things take time to develop. You wish to be a Duke now? Perhaps there are other avenues. How large is your army?"

Lodin spat on the dusty floor, irritation flexing the bones of his face. "311 men. Not enough to fight the pagans in the East. Not even enough to seize Bergenhus or Telemark, since that child-king Olaf will come to their aid. I've the feeling he's been eyeing this county for his own power."

A sigh came from Snofrid's lips as she patted her cousin on the arm. "As I said cousin, you must have patience. For now, there are no openings. But wait, watch, and listen, and an opportunity may present itself."

"I hope you are right, cousin. I grow tired of being able to do nothing."

March 22nd 1068

In late August, farmers in the County of Agder discovered how to alternate their fields to have better crop yields. This came to be called the Two-Fields System and would prove to be the only noteworthy event for the rest of 1067.

On March 22, 1068, there was new cause for celebration and the monotony of daily life was once more broken up by a festival throughout the county. Sigrid, a daughter, had been borne to Count Lodin and his wife Cundo. The courtyard was littered with revelers and amateur musicians, all of whom were sworn to be professional by the drunk listeners. Everyone was happy.

Everyone except the Count, that is.

Lodin scowled as he slouched against a wall in the little room he and Snofrid had met in many times in recent months.

"A bloody daughter! I need a son! I need action! What good is it to have ambition if I can't act on it?"

In times past, Snofrid politely remonstrated with him and urged patience. Tonight, however, she smiled and kissed her irate cousin's forehead.

"My dear cousin, I have good news. My spies report to me an independant county in the heart of Ireland by the name of Mide. Count Murchad O'Neill has only another county, Ulaid, as his ally. While his army presently is larger than yours, I believe the quality of your leadership and our troops shall be sufficient to win the day, particularly if King Olaf lends assistance that does not involve his own person. It will hurt the treasury, but the gains will be more than worthwhile."

The Spy Master reached into her bodice and removed a paper. When unrolled, the parchment revealed itself to be testimony from King Erik of Sweden that his researchers had discovered that Lodin was, in fact, the great-great grandson of a Count of Mide and so was the true and rightful heir.

"I persuaded Thora to look into this as a favour to you for allowing her to be married into the throne of Sweden. It took considerable effort, but she agreed, and King Erik has issued this proclamation. Therefore, dear cousin, you now have a third claim and are free to go to war against this Irish count without any trouble at all."

Lodin smiled grimly and stepped forward to press himself aggressively against her. "Have I mentioned, dearest Snofrid, that I love you?"

A simple shift sufficed to slip her out of her cousin's grasp. With a short laugh, Snofrid countered, "Save your new lust for the war, cousin.. and go bed your wife some more, so that you may have a son."

The Count of Agder laughed darkly and nodded, striding out of the room with new purpose and hope. When he'd woken up that morning, it seemed yet another dreary day in an endless march of them.

Now the march of depression had changed to the drumbeat of war.
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Old 06-02-2005, 11:27 AM   #5
Izulde
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June 8th 1067: County of Agder

Cundo of Agder, nee` of Eu, wept. In her arms was the cold corpse of her infant daughter.

"Sigrid, why were you taken so soon from us? Is this God's punishment for your father who is away at his war? Ah, daughter, why did you have to go? I wanted to see you grow up, teach you how to be the best kind of woman. But now you are gone and I am alone."

The whole county mourned, all save Lodin, who was away at sea.

November 8th 1068: County of Mide

Corpses littered the battlefield, a succulent cornucopia for the carrion crows circling overhead.

379 of Agderese men had warred with 434 Miden soldiers and at last, after many days of struggle, Count Lodin's forces had emerged victorious. 134 troops remained after the field victory and presently a siege was starting.

The Count of Agder's victory dinner in his tent was interrupted by a messenger, heaving with the exertion of his news and the effort needed to get there.

"Your Lordship, I regret that I bring bad news. The nobles demand Prima Noctae Rights and your daughter Sigrid has died."

Lodin's face showed no reaction, remaining as inscrutable as it had been before the harbinger entered. Biting off a hunk of lamb from the leg he was eating, he replied, "I have witnessed the death of many good men over the past days. The death of a little girl means nothing to me in comparison. As for the nobles, give them whatever rights they wish. The peasants are worthless."

"As you wish, Your Lordship." The messenger bowed and exited.

One of Lodin's captains, having overheard the exchange, stared at his liege in shocked dismay.

"Are you not sad for the loss of your daughter?"

"She is a sacrifice to Heaven for this great victory. I would welcome the death of my entire family if it meant my greater glory."

This was to be the guiding principle of Count Lodin of Agder for the rest of his life.

June 12th 1069

Nearly a year after the death of his daughter, Count Lodin was still fighting in the County of Mide. The rotten King of Denmark had stolen the seige and had afterwards made agreement with the Count of Mide whereby Murchad was allowed to keep his title after paying 7 goldoons.

And so the Agderese army was forced to fight Mide again on the field. Once more they emerged victorious, but this time, just 49 men remained to carry on the seige. On the horizon was Olaf, the King of Norway's army.

"If my victory is stolen again, I will disband the army and return here another time", vowed Lodin as he sat in his tent.

So close to success and yet so far away...

On July 24, seeing the little progress being made in the seige, Lodin disbanded the army and returned home.

Now thirty years old, he felt the urgency to produce an heir posthaste.

Continuation of his line was more important than a futile seige, he concluded.
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Old 06-02-2005, 10:23 PM   #6
Izulde
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August 4th 1069: County of Agder

"Look, there it is! A royal ship sailing without Olaf on board! They're headed to Mide, no doubt! I'll summon the army at once and we'll be off."

His pale eyes shimmering with the lust of renewed war, Lodin stepped forward on the pier, staring out on the dark waters of the sea, gaze fixed upon the vessel in the distance. "We'll get there and with their help, we'll finish the siege of Mide and take the title, since Olaf is heading home!"

"...Don't be absurd, cousin. It is clearly a trap. King Olaf wants you to commit your army there so that you are further weakened. Then, when you think you have the province in hand, he will swoop in and claim the glory for the victory. Besides, you have only eight goldoons left in the treasury. You will go into debt over a war that you will not win in the way you need to. Stay here, cousin. Our House depends on your patience in this hour."

Lodin scowled and retreated, nodding gruffly. Though he did not want to admit it, once again his Spy Master was correct. Her wisdom and cunning were why he had not married her off, despite repeated suitors, and for her own part, she showed no inclination for matrimony.

"Very well, Snofrid. I defer to you in this."

The woman smiled, "Excellent, cousin. You are not happy about it, I know, but it is necessary for the long-term survival of our family."

If only that weren't so, thought hot-blooded Lodin.

March 9th 1070: County of Agder

"My wife is once more pregnant. We are still officially at war with the County of Mide and have 372 men ready and willing to fight. With 18 goldoons in the treasury, we may go a little into debt, but it will easily be recovered by the dual incomes we will have then."

As punctuation, Count Lodin banged his fist on the map of Europe. Once more, he and Snofrid were in the Room of Secrets, as they'd taken to calling it.

His cousin tipped her head to the side and nodded, "What you say is true, but King Olaf presents a problem as before. However, I think I have the solution. Through my agents, I have learned that the neighbouring heathen chiefdoms of Reval and Dorpat to the east are absolutely defenseless. With no standing armies, you should consider yourself free to declare war on both chiefdoms. Olaf will become occupied with taking those territories to expand his power there, which will leave you free to occupy Mide. There is a risk in giving the King two territories in exchange for your one, but right now, territory is imperative to expanding your power and I do not see either Bergenhus or Telemark becoming available any time soon, even if Jon only has two daughters. The choice is yours."

It took Lodin only a moment to decide.

"We go to war again."

Declarations of war were sent out that very evening.

Perhaps this time a Norwegian would become an Irish lord.

April 3rd 1070: County of Agder

"Your Lordship! The Tribe of Livonia has declared war on us!"

The emissary burst through the marching army to present the dire news to the Count of Agder.

Lodin paused and glanced at his captains.

"We will continue on to Mide. Livonia poses no threat to us. They are also at war with our King Olaf and King Sven of Denmark."

One of the captains cleared his throat and added, "Sire, I heard rumours from the mercanery soldiers we passed a few days ago that the Livonians are also at war with the Principality of Novgorod and another county besides ours as well."

The Count smiled and nodded at the messenger, "So you see, there are too many fronts for the Livonians to fight on now. They will not even come close to approaching our borders. I thank you for your message, however and hope you continue to serve me well."

A frown appeared on the boy's lips, but he bowed and left in silence.

He only hoped that his liege's confidence was rightly placed...

September 9th 1070: County of Mide

"With this signature on this document, I, Murchad O'Neill, formally do surrender my title as Count of Mide to Lord Lodin of Agder, Count of Agder."

Sorrow painted the former nobleman's face as he declared his abdication. He had given up his title without a single Agderese man having to be killed.

What had transpired was that two regiments of the King of Norway's army had attacked Mide and overrun it before Lodin's forces had even arrived there. Adding insult to injury, the Norwegians looted the province of everything of value, even going so far as to rape the women and steal even the thinnest of oxen.

Wanting to prevent further harm to his people, Murchad accepted the demand of surrender from Lodin's messenger the moment that it arrived.

The new Count of both Agder and Mide smiled serenely at the small crowd that had gathered to witness the historic moment. True, Mide would not produce anything for some time until the ravages of the pillaging had worn off, but he had now succeeded in increasing his power, and was only 18 goldoons in debt for it.

The first step to greater power had now been taken.

Even better, he had received word that on May 8, a son had been born, named Torstein.

The of Agder line now seemed assured of success.

May 8th 1071: County of Agder

It was the first time one of Lodin's children lived to be at least a year old.

An extravagant feast was held throughout the Counties of Agder and Mide as the people celebrated the good fortunes of the of Agder family.

Yet, in the Room of Secrets, not all was well.

"I find it troubling, cousin. Count Dun Sleibe of Ulaid has just wrested the title of Count of Tir Eoghain. You know that he holds no love for me, as I vanquished his ally and took his place. I suspect that he holds dreams of becoming King of Ireland. Too, it is disturbing that Mide still remains unproductive thanks to that damned looting army."

Snofrid sighed and rubbed her temples. It was truly a chore dealing with the tensions of her cousin at times.

"Dear Lodin, you need not worry. Count Dun will not attack you so long as you remain a loyal vassal of King Olaf. More important for you is to think about getting the County of Dublin. If you can seize that, then you can declare yourself the Duke of Meath and you will not need to worry about how to become the Duke of Bergen."

Lodin smiled grimly, baring his teeth, "An excellent plan Cousin, save for the following problems: firstly, I do not have the influence I need to be able to seize another title. Secondly, the County of Dublin is owned by the Duke of Leinster, arguably the most powerful Duke in all of Ireland and the one most likely to become King as it stands right now, for he not only owns extensive territory, but has vassals to support him besides. Thirdly, it requires money to both wage war and declare myself the titles you would have me claim. We are still in debt and are likely to remain so until Mide is repaired from the pillages of conquest. I can do nothing but wait."

A surprising smile bloomed on Snofrid's lips upon hearing that reply, "Excellent, cousin! You are fast learning to grasp all levels of a situation! Perhaps you are not so hot-headed and impetuous as I've thought you all of these years."

Lodin growled and beckoned to the door, "Enough of this! Let us go and celebrate my son's first year of life."

"Yes, let's."

And so the two scheming cousins went to join the celebrations.

With greater power comes greater responsibility. The House of Agder was still very much in danger of crumbling, but for the first time, there was the whisper of genuine hope stirring on the wind.

Would Lodin seek to expand his influence in Ireland or would he strive to increase his power in Norway?

Or would some other avenue present itself.

Time and time alone would tell.


The former Count of Mide


Lodin of the Two Counties


Dun of the Two Counties


The well-supported Duke of Leinster


The birthday boy and future hope of the of Agder line
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Old 06-03-2005, 04:01 PM   #7
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November 9th 1071: County of Agder

"Our position in Ireland has grown much more precarious, cousin. I have received word from my people in Mide that Dun Sleibe is now the Duke of Ulster. His power grows while you remain stagnant."

Lodin rubbed his temples, his head throbbing with the ache that Snofrid's news engendered there.

"So Ireland is quickly being carved up into duchies, I see. Given that Mide is still not recovered from Olaf's army's rape of it, I am beginning to think that I should just give the County to someone else."

Snofrid vigorously shook her head, stabbing a fat finger on the debated territory, "Do that, cousin, and you will surrender our foothold in Ireland entirely, for the new Count will be your equal and not a vassal of yours."

A sneer retorted the Spy Master's accurate observation, "I will be damned if I make a bishophoric! I still have not forgiven the Pope for his treachery against me! Why, that damned cousin of Thora's is now viewed as almost as pious as I am and he is considered far more influential!"

Irritation swept over Snofrid's face as she turned and strode for the door.

"I will not tell you again, Cousin. You must have patience. The treasury is still gradually making its way to solvency again, but to go to war again anywhere would be to put you in financial ruin. The only battle I would approve is one against Dublin, but you have neither the power to press a claim nor the army to make good on any claim that might appear. So you must do nothing for now. Anything else and you will not only bankrupt the treasury beyond repair, but you will soon be overrun by noblemen equally ambitious and far more intelligent besides."

The door slammed behind huffy Snofrid, leaving in its wake an agitated Adgerese Count. His headache approaching migraine levels, Lodin stared at the map of Europe and snorted, "What in God's own Holy Name does *she* know?"

More than he did, apparently.

October 17th 1072: County of Agder

In late March, the oppressed and weary burghers received a boost to their power when small merchant houses first made their appearances in Agder, though it was not expected by anyone that the power of the nobility would be made weaker.

One noble did become lesser in strength however in fall of 1072 and that man was none other than Count Lodin himself and it was on October 17, 1072 that the royal doctor diagnosed him as sick, recommending bed rest and judicious application of leeches.

After one such treatment, Lodin lay in bed, feeling literally drained. "What went wrong with my rule? Why has God punished me in this way, when I already struggle to increase my power?"

There was no answer from the heavens.

All throughout the county, people began to pray. The barons prayed for the health of the Count, while the merchants, clergy, and serfs all silently prayed for Count Lodin... to die.


If only Lodin could have the same success...
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Old 06-03-2005, 06:56 PM   #8
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Uh oh.. could be the end of the game already?

Good stuff.
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Old 06-03-2005, 10:45 PM   #9
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If this game was faster it would kick ass
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Old 06-04-2005, 01:40 PM   #10
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SirFozzie: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. If Lodin dies, the game will still go on because then Torstein, his son would take over. If Lodin had no successors at all, then what's referred to as a country cousin would take over (i.e. still the same last name as Lodin, but only distantly related). The only way the game would end when a noble dies is if the successor was from a family other than that noble's family. So say Lodin of Agder were to die and Roger de Hauteville were to succeed him, the game would end.

MrBug708: If you mean CK, you do know that you can adjust the speed setting so that the game goes faster, right? It's something you can choose in the options. That'll make things go by a lot faster.
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Old 06-04-2005, 01:45 PM   #11
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(grins. I had a feeling that would happen.. even before I checked out a certain thread on the CK boards.. GET TO UPDATING!)
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Old 06-04-2005, 01:56 PM   #12
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SirFozzie: *bows* Your wish is my command.

March 3rd 1073: County of Agder

"I have news both good and bad, Your Lordship." The doctor's face was grave as he made this announcement to his noble patient, noble in title only.

Count Lodin of Agder grunted and sat up in bed, gesturing for the physician to continue.

"You are recovered from your illness and you shall live. This is the good news. Unfortunately, I must tell you that you have a parasite residing in your stomach. Therefore, you will not live as long as you might once have hoped to. The advice I can give Your Lordship is to make the most of your health while you still have it and do your best to avoid stress, which will only make the worm more active."

The count bowed his head, nodding after a few moments of thought, "Very well, Doctor. I thank you for your aid and counsel. You may depart now."

After the royal physician left, Lodin got out of bed and walked to the window, staring at the lush view afforded by the high-placed, open arch. So his lifespan was now cut short... and he had not the power needed to manufacture any claims. The treasury was almost recovered, but he did not want to bankrupt it again by going to war against the Eastern heathens. Too, King Olaf would simply steal land before he could get there.

No, the only thing he could do was to once again wait. He only hoped that the tide would turn soon enough that he could become a Duke somehow, somewhere, before he died.

Anything else, and Lodin would have considered himself a failure.

May 20th 1073

There would be no happiness on this day for the aristocracy.

Black flags flew on every parapet in both Agder and Mide, the minor nobles sunken into the utmost of grief and despair.

Lodin, Count of Agder and Mide, was found dead that morning in his bed, the worm having murdered him in his sleep.

Now a regency was established, for the new dual Count, Torstein of Agder, was just three years old. No one knew just what would happen as a result of this perilious power transition, but the barons feared for the survival of their extensive authority.

Meanwhile, the peasantry, clergy, and burghers all privately cheered Lodin's death. Perhaps now they would be more valued and perhaps now they would be able to grow in strength and prosperity.

It was shortly after this that a young knight, the third son of Baron Orm Ingebrigsten, named Svein Ingebrigsten, wrote a short piece on Lodin's reign. The entry is presented in full below:

Lodin the Lesser of Agder, Count of Agder and Mide (b. 1039 d. 1073 r. 1066-1073)

"Lodin the Lesser of Agder's reign was very brief, lasting just seven years. Due to suspicious claims on counties throughout the Bergen region and on County Mide in Ireland, by the time of his death, he had become one of the least influential counts in the Kingdom of Norway in spite of his increased domain.

On March 8th, 1067, he married Cundo of Eu, the daughter of Count Robert Hastings, ruler of Eu, who until her marriage was a courtier in King Phillipe Capet of France's court.

Highly ambitious, Lodin was able to double the size of his demense by carrying out a prolonged war against Murchad O'Neill, then Count of Mide. The conflicted lasted from October of 1068 to September of 1070 and was concluded by Murchad's ceding Mide to Lodin in the Treaty of Mide on September 29th.

Lodin's reign was also marked by dramatic upheaval in the domestic scene, as he reintroduced the law of feudal contract, changed the order of succession to salic primogenture, and angered the Papacy by declaring royal supremacy over Church affairs. He also repeatedly backed the nobility in several clashes between the aristocracy and the peasants and burghers.

Though he longed to become Duke, Lodin of Agder contracted an intestinal worm in October of 1072 and died seven months later, just twelve days after his son and successor Torstein's third birthday."


The child-count Torstein

(OOC Note: Just wanted to add this real quick-like. What do you guys think of the synopsis of Lodin's reign after his death? It's something I plan on including with everyone in this AAR... It might seem redundant, but I figured a recap of everyone as we go along would help people remember things (like me ) and keep their of Agder rulers straight)
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Old 06-05-2005, 09:16 AM   #13
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March 28th 1075: County of Agder

The first year and three quarters of child-count Torstein of Agder's reign were largely peaceful and uneventful, save for the further advancement of farming techniques in February 1075 with the discovery of the wooden plough in Agder.

On March 28th, 1075, that all changed.

There rode up to the royal dwelling in Agder an aging knight. He stopped before the door, dismounted, and shouted up to the windows.

"I am Gudrod Galtung of the County Hdemark! I request asylum in your court and 26 in monies to be able to pay the debts I've left behind me!"

Behind a curtain, the women of the Agderese court peered out and debated over what to do about the man's request.

"It would be foolhardy to accept him! The sum he asks is well over half of our treasury! Lodin never would have admitted him!"

Snofrid's cheeks were a conflagration of crimson as she angrily argued against admittance of Gudrod Galtung. To her mind, acceptance of the stranger was far too risky and far too costly to even think of entertaining it, even if he was Norwegian as her dear and dead cousin would have approved of. Dowager Countess Cundo had other plans, however.

"Yes, you are right in that my husband would have never accepted him. However, each man that Lodin turned away only served to ruin my husband, your cousin's power a little more every time that it happened. The cost does not matter. We will take in this Gudrod. It is the Christian thing to do and we can ill afford to tarnish Torstein's reputation so early in life."

Though Snofrid would have argued more, she saw that Cundo would not brook disagreement in this matter and so she aceded, silently cursing the power the other woman had as the Dowager Countess.

And so Gudrod Galtung came to serve the Count of Agder and Mide as Court Marshal.

May 8th 1075: County of Agder

The banquet hall was filled with many tasty dishes to eat and the excellent acoustics provided for the songs played by the court musicians to carry throughout the entire area.

Count Torstein, five years old on this day, sat at the head of the table and happily chewed on a turkey leg, oblivious to the heated argument that was going on in another corner of the room.

"You *will* marry a man and leave this court, Snofrid. Torstein will be all the more acclaimed for it, and that is what Lodin would have wanted, for his son to become more famed and respected."

"I will *not*, Cundo. I have served this court faithfully in my duties for nigh on to nine years now, and I will not be turned out of doors so easily as that. Besides, the thought of marriage is a distasteful one to me, as you well know."

The quarrel was interrupted by spirited trumpeting from outside the hall doors. A herald in blue and gold entered and announced in a strong baritone, "Announcing Her Royal Majesty, Queen Thora of Sweden!"

A murmur rushed through the crowd as the former courtier now stepped across the treshold. Thora Bjelke had never looked more beautiful than she did in this moment. Flush with the ecstacy of intense happiness, she was stunning in a gown of royal blue and many a young man in attendance fell instantly in love with her.

Followed by her small retinue of bodyguards, she smiled to all she saw as she made her way to the banquet table, bending down to give Torstein a hug that he found quite pleasing.

"So this is Lodin's son. Quite the handsome boy you're turning out to be! I understand someone here has a birthday today as well." The last was spoken with a coy smile on the Queen's lips as she winked at the other newcomers.

"For the last time, Cundo, I will not marry!" Snofrid's exclamation boomed off the walls and broke the Thora watchers out of their reverie, much to their loudly grumbled resentment.

Thora raised an eyebrow and stood up, her bearing proud and authorative as she looked over in the direction of the two women.

"But Snofrid, my dear... Marriage is a wonderful thing! Why, I've never been happier since I married my dear Erik. We've had four children together, and three of them still live. Knut, our oldest is a handsome and talented boy just a year older than little Torstein here."

The Spy Master stared, eyes wide with her scandalized state, "You betraying wench! I don't care if you're the Queen of Sweden! To me you will always be the worthless courtier who hadn't a thought in her head and just happened to be lucky enough to catch a King in his moment of weakness!"

Stunned silence swept over the room, all eyes fixed on the spectacle. Some were amused, some were horrified. Still others were gleeful, hardly able to wait until the time they could rush out and spread gossip of the day's events.

"Don't be mean to my birthday!" Torstein's lustful cry shattered the tension in the room and drew eyes to him. Indignant, the little Count stood up on his chair and announced, "Snofrid will marry because she was mean to my birthday!"

This was Torstein's first edict, given at his fifth birthday party. Though many who heard it laughed, it was quickly accepted as the law it was according to the feudal contract.

Unfortunately, despite continuous efforts by Cundo to find Snofrid a husband, by the fall of 1075, she still remain unmarried as all proposals were rejected. Most of the would-be husbands cited her age of 26 as cause for concern, for they felt she would not be able to produce them heirs.

Also in that autumn, Torstein chose to receive training from Marshal Gudrod and served in the army. Perhaps it was a direct result of Gudrod's well-known cowardaice, but after three short months of training, Torstein became quite lazy.

This did not bode well for the future of the of Agder family.


Looks like I was wrong about the Kingdom of Sweden being in bad hands because of Thora
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Old 06-05-2005, 01:02 PM   #14
SirFozzie
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Torstein.. hoah boy.

I think this boy's gonna have some PROBLEMS
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Old 06-05-2005, 02:43 PM   #15
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Reading this dynasty it seems like there might be enough new things in CK to make me fire it up again sometime.

Starting as a count and becoming a Duchy is one of my favorite things to do. Your recounting of the tales is great and I liked your summary a good deal and hope that there will be many more rulers to follow.
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Old 06-05-2005, 11:25 PM   #16
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SirFozzie: Torstein? Problems? Nah. I'm sure he'll grow up to be a perfectly normal, well-adjusted boy.

Barkeep49: Thanks! I'm glad you're liking the dynasty so far. I have to agree, the new beta patches really make a significant difference in the playability and enjoyment of CK. I'm using the May 13th beta at the moment, though the latest one is for June 3rd.
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Old 06-05-2005, 11:25 PM   #17
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January 13th 1077: County of Agder

The fall of 1075 also witnessed an influx of moneylenders in Mide, who were drawn to the county as a result of two factors: primo, the lack of a strong central authority to regulate them and secundo, the domination of the nobility over the Church in ecclesiastical matters. Pleased with the influx of money, which once more restored the bottom line to around two goldoons profit a month, Torstein, and more importantly his regency council, freely allowed the newcomers reign, despite the Papacy's strident objections and murmurings among the devout in both counties that the boy-count was showing sacreligious leanings.

This proved to be an important event, for after a year and a half of quiet and stability in Torstein's reign, news of the immigration at long last spread to the County of Agder. Emboldened by the report, the burghers gathered together outside the count's dwelling, protesting the realm codex of feudal contract.

"Your father enslaved us, sire! Now is your chance to right his wrong and free us! Do away with the tyranny of feudal law and return to the freer customs we enjoyed in the time before him!"

"Free us! Free us! Free us!"

"FREE US! FREE US! FREE THE BURGHERS AND THE PEASANTS!"

As the mob's cries grew louder, the court watched from the security of curtains placed in front of the high windows.

"Torstein, dear, the right thing to do would be to heed the people's cries. Give them their freedom and you will be all the more loved for it," counseled his mother.

"Absurd! Your mother is wrong as usual, Your Lordship. Give into these unruly ingrates and they will demand more and more, until you have nothing left. They mock you, think you just a little boy. If you surrender to them now, you will never be respected in your own territory." Snofrid was adamant in her opposition to Cundo. The shame the Spy Master felt at the young Count's fifth birthday feast still had not been forgotten, nor the source of it forgiven.

Marshal Gudrod coughed and stepped in, "Your Lordship. Remember what I told you during last week's lesson."

Torstein listened to each of these points, smiled at his tutor, and stepped to the window, throwing back the curtain. His six-year old voice, though high-pitched, carried, reaching out to the protestors below.

"My people! You are either for me or not for me! If you are for me, leave! If you are not for me, Gudrod will make you!"

A buzz broke out over the hive for a few minutes before the demonstrators' leader, a mildly wealthy merchant named Heinrich Stradson, shouted back up at his lord, "We will not leave until you agree to change the laws, Sire!"

"Then you are not for me!" Rage purpling his slender face, Torstein turned and marched back to his court, nodding to his marshal, "Gudrod, take the guards and kill them all."

Gudrod bowed, "As you wish, Your Lordship", and started to make his way for the door.

"No, child! You can not kill innocent people who are only asking to be free! Not even your father would approve of this!" Grief and horror warred on his mother's face, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Snofrid said nothing, too shocked at the turn of events to speak.

"They are not for me, Mother. They must learn!"

A mere forty-five minutes later, three hundred and seven corpses became the new grass of a lawn turned red with blood.

On a pike before the main entrance sat Heinrich Stradson's head, a grisly reminder and warning to all those who would dare to oppose the boy Count in any way.

February 3rd 1077: County of Agder

In spite of the warning, shortly after the Massacre of Agder, as it came to be called, the burghers and peasants took arms, declaring themselves in open rebellion against Torstein and the regency council.

All income from the province was now uncollectable and the situation looked quite precarious indeed for the young nobleman.

Then, in the first few days of February, the strangely precocious Torstein devised a plan.

"They fear and respect me now in Europe because I said no. I read a little of Father's diary last night. He wanted to be Duke. I will be Duke and I know how I will be Duke."

The court stared at him, but none dared to question the suddenly bold and daring youth. Instead, they waited for their liege to continue.

Torstein stepped off the throne and smiled at all of them in a way they found strangely unsettling. Something had happened to him at the Massacre of Agder, but none of them knew just quite what it was.

"I had a dream last night. In that dream, Father came to me and told me that our family once ruled Dublin County. I must have what is mine. I will be the Count of Dublin. Mother, write the paper Father told me about and send it to every court in Europe."

Had Lodin truly come from beyond the grave to instruct his son? It was a question that weighed on each court member's mind, but none gave serious thought to voicing it, or even to hint at objection to the youngest of Agder's declaration. They were all far too afraid of him now.

By nightfall, the claim was out, and Cundo cried in her room as she had not since Sigrid's death. First she had lost her daughter, then her husband. Now she had lost her son.

Worse yet, unbeknownst to her, accompanying the claim on Dublin was a declaration of war against the Duke of Leinster.

Once more, the banner of the of Agder family would fly on the battlefield.


Perhaps it's that marital education that has turned him so bloodthirsty and unpious...


The faithful Tutor-Marshal
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Old 06-05-2005, 11:43 PM   #18
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Good thing he has such good stewards (even if the Marshal is a coward )
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Old 06-06-2005, 01:57 AM   #19
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Man this makes me want to fire up my Romte:Total War game.
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Old 06-06-2005, 01:51 PM   #20
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SirFozzie: I prefer to think of Gudrod as absolutely loyal rather than cowardly. And yep, I *heart* the Steward with 12 rating.

Neon Chaos: Thanks. Isn't it funny how reading dynasties can make you want to either get or play a game?
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Old 06-06-2005, 09:39 PM   #21
Barkeep49
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Quite an ambitious agenda for having a regency. I am going to miss Torstein when he gets older since one would expect he'll be a LITTLE less petulant.
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Old 06-06-2005, 10:44 PM   #22
Wolfpack
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Blood-thirsty little bugger...kind of reminds me of the little girl in the Bible who asked for and got John the Baptist's head on a platter....
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Old 06-07-2005, 01:01 PM   #23
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Barkeep49: One would hope he'd be a little less petulant, but one never knows what's going to happen. And yeah, I'm suprised at the ambitiousness of Torstein and his aggressiveness in this regency period.

Wolfpack: I didn't know that bit about John the Baptist. Thanks for the info. Blood-thirsty is definitely one way to describe Torstein.
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Old 06-07-2005, 05:11 PM   #24
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How soon do provinces usually get unrazed (like Mide). Before I got tired of CK, in my game (Long Live the Duke of Luxembourg!!) a province stayed in the war-torn state for 3 generations & never did change.

I could've just edited the save file, but that would be cheating!
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Old 06-07-2005, 05:23 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NevStar
How soon do provinces usually get unrazed (like Mide). Before I got tired of CK, in my game (Long Live the Duke of Luxembourg!!) a province stayed in the war-torn state for 3 generations & never did change.

I could've just edited the save file, but that would be cheating!

They do eventually recover. Mide was handed over to Lodin in September of 1070 (though I just noticed there's a discrepancy in dates. The original listing is the 9th, whereas Ingebrigsten's summary has it on September 29th. Ah well, I'll sort that out later, or maybe it can be one of the controversies surrounding the of Agder line. )

I don't recall exactly when it was recovered, but it was sometime between 1070 and 1080, where I currently am in gametime. I want to say it was about 1076 or somewhere in there?

In any event, nothing like the three generations you were experiencing.
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Old 06-08-2005, 04:03 AM   #26
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May 14th 1077

Just six days after Torstein's seventh birthday, tragedy struck the court.

Diocese Bishop Vigleik Bjelke was found dead in his bed.. with a dagger separating his ribs in a way that such things should never be. Attached to it was a letter declaring, "This is what happens to the heretics who serve a tyrant. The people will be free!"

"Cowards! They are cowards!" cried Torstein as he gazed upon the body. Cundo brushed tears out of her eyes and nodded as she stood beside her son. Even the dowager Countess could not countenance such vile acts, no matter how noble the cause of the people was to her.

The young Count tore off the note, crumpled it up, and tossed it into the nearby hearth, "They will pay." In truth, he did not care so much about the death of Vigleik himself, as Torstein had no use for religion. Rather, assassinating the courtier was showing a lack of respect to his rule, and it was this that Torstein could not countenance.

A week later, a funeral was held for the former Bishop. Not many attended; it was mostly the nobility and a scattering of devout citizens who did not condone the murder either.

Also there was Queen Thora of Sweden, now heavy in the face with lines of sadness caused by the death of her beloved cousin. Vigleik had always been one of her favourite relatives and she had been joyful upon hearing of his post in the of Agder court.

Wanting to take her mind a little off of her grief, she turned to Torstein after viewing Vigleik's body and asked, "How goes your fight in Dublin?"

"We are winning. Marshal Gudrod is a great fighter. An army is attacking Mide, but they won't win. King Olaf and King Svein will help us too. I hope Duke Murchaid will recognize me as the rightful Count of Dublin soon."

Thora smiled and gently tousled the boy's hair, "I hope so too, dearest Torstein. By the way, I brought Knut with me. Did you want to go and play with him?"

The boy smiled in turn and nodded, "Yes!" Though bloody and capable, Torstein still was a seven-year old and sometimes missed the company of peers his age.

And so saying, the two youngsters dashed off to cavort with one another. Queen Thora tilted her head to the side and watched them at play, quietly musing to herself on the years since she had ascended the throne of Sweden.

So much death, so much war, and yet so much hope, too. Was there the prospect of peace for Europe in these two children? She believed it might be true and that some day they might be allies, standing side by side to bring new stability and prosperity to both the Isles and the Continent, an era of glory unlike Europe had ever known before.

November 1st 1077

A peace was concluded on June 18th whereby the Duke of Leinster agreed to pay three goldoons for the end of the war. Torstein accepted this arrangement due to the danger of Mide falling to Murchaid and summoning the Agder regiment would be far too costly to consider.

King Olaf of Norway, however, had other plans, and attacked the County of Dublin in the fall, quickly crushing Leinster's resistance and laying seige to the city. Before it could be completed, however, peace was agreed to, with Olaf receiving 16 goldoons for his generosity.

"We must strike again while Leinster is weak, my lord" offered Gudrod at the supper table one night in Agder.

"It will hurt Torstein's influence to declare war on the Duke so soon after their peace. We can not risk it!" Cundo had long since tired of all the bloodshed and battling, and longed for a return to peace.

"I must agree with your mother, Torstein. The treasury simply won't support it." Though Spy Master she may have been, Snofrid in point of fact made a better Steward and was often obsessed with sums.

The boy addressed finished ripping away a piece of lamb from his leg and announced, "Marshall Gudrod is right. We go to war. I will be Duke. I do not care about the cost."

Gudrod smiled, "It is done, Your Lordship."

The women sighed unhappily and in unison. Ironic, the first time they'd ever acted in concert... and they'd failed.

December 27th 1077

"No! Noooo! Nnnnnoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!"

His face marred by the unceasing flow of tears, Count Torstein threw his seven-year old body on the dirt, wailing and screaming.

"I hate you God! I hate you I hate you I hate you!!!! I hate God!!!!"

Bruised and beaten from his flailing kicks and punches, Cundo and Snofrid stood watch over the grief-ravaged boy from a safe distance.

"Poor boy. His best friend in the world is now gone. Such a shame." How much Cundo had been forced to witness in the years since she married Lodin! It was enough to turn any heart bitter, all save for the most pure of them, as the dowager Countess's was.

"It's a good thing, I say. The man had entirely too much influence on the boy. Perhaps now we can turn him to the right path." Ever pragmatic, Snofrid refused to have any sympathy, for sympathy was a waste of resources.

On March 17, 1078 Duke Murchaid of Leinster officially ceded the County of Dublin to Torstein.

But Torstein could find no joy in his victory.

For Marshal Gudrod was dead.


The unhappy Tri-County Count Torstein
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Old 06-09-2005, 06:48 PM   #27
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April 12th 1080: County of Agder

1078 was an unremarkable year, as Torstein and the three counties under his rule sought to repair themselves after the years of strife.

The year 1079 was notable for two reasons: First, Torstein gained a new tutor when a bishop sent to Agder by the Pope turned out to be a passable military mind and was so appointed the new marshal. Second, word of the Massacre of Agder had now spread to every capital in Europe and Torstein was by and large considered a cruel leader for ordering the slaughter.

In 1080, the relative peace of the last two years was once again broken.

"Your Lordship! There's a priest in Mide who is preaching against you and urging the locals to arms! His name is Father Liam Flannery and he means to force you to surrender Mide to the Church."

Cundo and Snofrid exchanged uneasy glances over the Count's head, while the bishop-Marshal just sat there, eating an apple with a glazed look in his eyes.

"Bring him to me. I will talk to him and everything will be fine again." Torstein smiled warmly at the messenger, who voiced his assent and exited the room.

"That's wonderful of you, Torstein! I'm so proud of you my son!" The count's mother could not conceal her delight at the more humane path being taken in this venture.

"Yes, very good indeed." In counterpoint, the Spy Master was not so enthused as the dowager Countess, but Snofrid had ceased to become excited about anything since Lodin's death.

Torstein simply smiled at them both, saying nothing.

Two weeks later

Father Flannery turned out to be a squat man with a red face and the heavy jowls of a bulldog. Indeed, with his compact form, short legs, and mincing walk, and his expressions, the peasantry and more affluent non-nobility often called him the Bulldog Priest, though never to his face.

"Mide must be returned to the Mother Church, Count Torstein! Your home is here in Norway. What need do you have with the Irish? Appoint Father Galtung to be Bishop of a new Bishophoric of Mide and the people everywhere will love you for your piety."

Torstein glanced sidelong at Trond, who presently was eating a group of grapes. A distant cousin of former Marshal Gudrod's, he did not show quite the military acumen that his relation had, but more than made up for it with his penchant for gluttony. After a few moments of study, he turned back to stare down at the defiant curate.

"I will not give up my teacher and I won't give up Mide! It's too important to me. You are not for me. Trond, remove this man's head!"

The friar did not attempt to flee, but instead allowed the guards to bring him down to a kneel, the ruddy face turned up nobly towards the boy-Count of three domains, his grey eyes gleaming with anger.

"Though you kill me this day, Count Torstein of Agder, you will come to rue your actions. If you are not punished here on this Earth, then God will damn your soul!"

These were the last words Father Flannery ever spoke, for in the next second, Marshal Trond's blade swung down and cleaved the priest's head from his shoulders. Blood sprayed everywhere, most of it getting on Torstein's royal regalia.

Snarling, the Count descended from his throne and stomped his small foot hard on the dismembered head's nose, shattering it.

"Heretic! Give his head to Mide!"

And so it came to pass that Father Flannery's head was shipped back to Mide and publically displayed.

Riots broke out immediately in Mide and the situation was once more dire for the of Agder family.

Already eight goldoons in the red, they now bled half a goldoon a month.

Mide and Agder were both in revolt and Dublin was still recovering from the scars of Olaf's pillage. Furthermore, Torstein was now widely condemned as a pagan barbarian throughout Europe.

Would tyrant Torstein recover from the blows? Or would the promise that the of Agder family once showed shrivel up and die away like the last leaf of fall?


The belatedly added new Marshal. Older than his cousin was when Gudrod died.
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Old 06-09-2005, 08:06 PM   #28
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Is he intentionally trying to get people angry, or is it because he's not quite 10 yet that makes his penchant for blood (not to mention a severe lack of tact) a bit higher than it would be for saner rulers? I think Hitler was a bit kinder in his youth....
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Old 06-09-2005, 08:22 PM   #29
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Is he intentionally trying to get people angry, or is it because he's not quite 10 yet that makes his penchant for blood (not to mention a severe lack of tact) a bit higher than it would be for saner rulers? I think Hitler was a bit kinder in his youth....

True, but Hitler just had a civil-servant father who he argued with constantly to deal with.

I think his lack of tact is a combination of his being not quite 10 and the fact that his education has come from Marshals that aren't the most diplomatic of individuals.

As for his bloody appetite, some children are born with an inherent propensity for evil and I think that's not only true in Torstein's case, but it was accelerated by the death of his father and the assumption of responsibilities that he had to take on at such a young age.
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Old 06-11-2005, 04:48 PM   #30
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July 18th 1080: County of Mide

In June of 1080, moneylenders in Mide distressed by the growing tensions caused by the unrest in the county fled to Dublin, a move that both damaged Torstein's already ravaged religious reputation and proved to be quite wise...

"To arms, People of Mide! We must rid ourselves of the tyranny of the godless boy, Torstein! Our freedom is worth everything! Fear not death, for in dying, God shall reward you with a place in the kingdom of Heaven! Today is the day that we fight for our people and our home. Today is the day that we shall have victory!"

Just over two hundred throats roared approval at their leader's stirring speech and in the next moment, they surged forth in a giant body to storm the walls of the small hill fort that held the royal garrison.

Behind the walls of that defensive structure, Marshall Trond Galtung stood watching the approaching partisans while he sipped his beer.

"Huh, so Kerry O'Donnell thinks God is on his side? Well, we'll just see about that. Liam, get me my sword and sound the alarm. We're going out to meet that bunch of rabble and we'll have them beaten before lunch."

Liam, a freckle-faced Irish lad of fourteen, nodded solemnly as he scampered off to do as his master bid.

As he ran to the bell in the centre of the fort to ring it, the boy's thoughts wandered outside. It was a shame that this was coming to bloodshed, but that was the way of the world today. Besides, the battle was inevitable. Kerry had been one of the original moneylenders who had migrated to Mide and he had refused to leave when the others did, insisting that Mide was his home and that he was going to be damned if he let some strapling influence his life.

"I'm sorry, Uncle", whispered Liam as he rang the bell, summoning the troops, "I know you wanted me to fight for you, but you're wrong this time. The Count's just a kid and I bet he's scared. I know I'd be scared too and maybe I'd do the same things he's done. I don't know. All I know is, it's wrong to fight against your master. God isn't with you now."

609 professional troops versus 218 amateur patriots.

As Trond raced out of the fort gates at the head of his force to meet the rushing rebels, one couldn't help but think that this time, God was a gambler who favoured the percentages.

And the percentages lay with the bishop-general.

August 2nd 1080: County of Mide

Lunch came almost a month late.

Bolstered by the addition of more freedom fighters, O'Donnell's numbers swelled to 245 men, allowing them to prolong the battle. Over the course of the two weeks that followed the initial charge, the two armies were all square on the field, with the Mideans even appearing to have the upper hand in numbers killed.

Then, on the night of August 2nd, Trond had a plan.

In his tent, he announced to Liam, "Kerry is doing well, too well, in fact. I tire of toying with him and I will end it tomorrow morning. He has no knights in his company, so I will take ninety of my best chevaliers and tomorrow morning, we will charge and scatter them!"

The preparations were made and at dawn, all was ready.

The royal horsemen stood in a long line of fifty that stretched all across the battlefield. Early sunlight shooting out of lustrous pink-blue clouds made their lances and armour glitter, dazzling those who dared to look at them. All stared grimly ahead and not a word was spoken.

Before them was their commander, Trond Galtung. Unlike his men, he did not wear heavy armour, nor had lance or sword at his side. The sun did not gleam off of him, but instead bathed him in a halo of light that was mesmerising to watch. In his full bishop's regalia, he held his mace aloft and looked coldly across the field at the remainder of Kerry O'Donnell's army.

With great ceremony and in absolute silence, Trond swung the mace down.

Fifty men charged forth. The terrible thunder of their horse's hooves preluded the lethal lightning of their lances striking home in the bodies of the Mideans.

The storm of God's judgement was unleashed upon Kerry O'Donnell's defiant rebels.

Six days later, the squall had ended and all who opposed it were dead.

Kerry O'Donnell's head stood watch over the meadow and Trond Galtung was celebrated as a hero.
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Old 06-11-2005, 07:53 PM   #31
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Apparently, God took the Mideans, but not to win outright, just against the spread....
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Old 06-11-2005, 11:56 PM   #32
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Apparently, God took the Mideans, but not to win outright, just against the spread....

Indeed and cover the spread they did.
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Old 06-13-2005, 01:44 AM   #33
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September 26th 1080: County of Mide

In late August, another motley citizen army assaulted the fort of Mide, led by James O'Donnell, Kerry's brother. He was soon joined by Frances O'Mide, one of the county burghers, who added another 170 men to the cause. All told, 384 rebels rose up to fight for their freedom.

Once again, Marshal Trond Galtung countered with the royal army, but this time, thanks to a foolish charge that was an attempt to repeat the glory of the formal battle, he suffered heavy losses and was disgraced throughout the three counties.

Nonetheless, superior numbers and troops eventually won the day on September 26th for the royals, though Trond would never again be as good a commander as he once was.

March 13th 1081

"I'm sorry, Your Lordship."

"This is not right! Why do bad things always happen to me?!"

Torstein was greatly displeased at the messenger's news and for a moment considered having the man's head cut off, but decided upon reflection that it was too passe`.

None in the court answered the question, though it was obvious to Cundo that her son was being punished by God for the cruelties that he had inflicted upon the people.

"Trond, cut off his man parts and feed them to my dog! But don't cut them off here. I don't want my floor to be ugly like you."

The Marshal bowed as lowly as his sixty-year old arthritis-ravaged knees would allow him to, "Of course Your Lordship."

"No, don't, Sire! I can not help what happened!" Though heartfelt, the messenger's pleas were unavailing. In short order, Trond and the guards dragged him off to a secluded room not far from the throne area, his screams shortly thereafter piercing the hearts of those kind souls who had the misfortune to it. Moments later, there was a sloshing sound of slurping and noisy chewing as Torstein's bulldog enjoyed his unexpected delicacy.

"I want to be alone! Go away!"

The court complied, exiting two-by-two. Once outside the doors, the dowager countess whispered to the spy master, "He's getting out of control.. I wish there was something we could do."

Snofrid shrugged, "There isn't. We are only women, after all."

Inside, Torstein banged his small fist on the arm of his throne, glaring up at the ceiling as if God were within the beams.

"You'll pay for making Dublin a desert! By all that I love, you'll pay, God!"


The reckless old man
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Old 06-14-2005, 05:12 PM   #34
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January 1, 1082: County of Agder

The remainder of 1081 was a mixture of fortunes for Torstein's domain, as Dublin recovered at long last from the ravages of war four days before his eleventh birthday and the ledgers at last began showing a profit again.

However, by August, news of his announcements against God had spread throughout Europe, causing the boy Count to be viewed as a sceptic and arbitrary in his application of law. This made the tax collectors working under him much less inclined to follow the edicts of the court and hence income was reduced.

The bottom line was further injured when it was discovered in September that the farmers of Agder, in an act of passive aggression against the Count, had ill-prepared the soil, making for a bad crop and an even lower profit each month.

It was just before the New Year that the greatest blow occurred.

"Eleven goldoons have been found missing from the treasury, sire!" The Chief Accountant trembled at the knees as he reported this new hit to the pockets of the Three Counties.

"What?! I want every man, woman, and child in this castle searched! You will find my money!" Red-faced, Torstein stomped down from the throne to stare at the Chief Accountant with eyes of hate, "You are lucky that you are the only one who can do your job, or I would kill you."

"Yes, sire. Very good sire." The head financial man bowed and raced out of the room before the bloodthirsty young jackal could change his mind.

"This is bad! When I find out who stole my money, they will pay!"

Silent stood the court in the storm of Torstein's latest rage. They had never seen him this angry before, and so none moved even the slightest of an inch. It was as if the tiny tyrant were addressing an assembly of statues.

All save one, that is. In the corner of the room, Stewardess Eldrid Sparre smiled to herself.

Perhaps this would teach him a lesson about abusing his subjects, she thought.

June 9th 1082: County of Agder

On Count Torstein's twelfth birthday, the rebels in Mide once again struck the garrison but they were quickly wiped out by Trond's forces, eradicated by the 26th of May.

A day and month after the inssurrection began, a bishop arrived at the court of Agder, sent by the Pope to fulfill the spot of diocese priest that Trond was originally intended to take.

"Take advantage of this opportunity, my son! His Holiness is giving you a chance to begin to redeem yourself in the eyes of the Church!" Torstein's mother eyes glistened with tears as she pleaded for her son to accept the man and pay for his journey there.

Her son had other plans, however.

"No! I hate God and I won't allow a bishop of his in my court! Send him away and send him away now!"

And so the holy man was banished from the county and Torstein, now twelve years old, became even more reviled than ever by those of a religious nature. Some began to openly wonder if he would perhaps not be excommunicated by the time he reached the age of majority.

Troubling times for the Tri-Count and his demense, indeed...


The incredibly talented Stewardess


About the only way he'll be a saint is if Satan starts his own unholy saints' society...
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Old 06-17-2005, 09:00 PM   #35
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July 5th 1082: County of Agder

"...His Holiness Pope Anselm I hereby orders Count Torstein of Agder, Count of Agder, Dublin, and Mide, to atone for his scepticism and return to the Holy Catholic Church. Forty-six and one-half goldoons are to be paid to the Church as a sign of Torstein's renewed troth with the One True Church."

The papal messenger finished the lengthy missive and rolled up the parchment, looking up at the boy in wait for his answer. While in normal instances, it would be the regency council he would look to, the regents had long since lost whatever power they may have once had.

"May I see the paper?" inquired Torstein with the wide eyes of innocent youth as he stepped down from the throne.

After a moment's hesistation, the envoy nodded and turned over the scroll to the boy-count.

Torstein solemnly unrolled the message and set it down on the floor, studying it for a few moments. Then, with a viscious snarl, he took down his trousers and urinated on the holy writ as the shocked audience looked on, declaring hotly, "I piss on the Pope! That is my answer!"

The emissary paled, quaking with rage. Such an affront to the Papacy had never before been committed in all his years of serving the Vatican, "Your soul will be damned for this, Count Torstein! I only pray that one day you will turn from this dark path and return to the light!"

So saying, the messenger stormed out of the room, not daring to touch the soiled document.

Torstein laughed as he watched the man go, the sound keening to the ears of the court women.

Cundo whispered to the other two female officeholders, "I fear greatly for my son's soul, even more than I ever feared for my husband's."

Snofrid and Eldrid nodded, covertly making the sign of the cross while Torstein wasn't looking.

Was redemption possible or was Torstein already damned?

The answer came soon.

Two weeks later, Torstein was excommunicated from the Church.

Cundo cried, Eldrid wept, and even Snofrid sobbed. Trond began to doubt whether this boy was the right master to serve.

Torstein alone remain unaffected, save to swear even greater revenge on the Pope.

In his bedroom, he whispered fiercely to himself, "One day I will march on Rome! I will take the city and I will kill the Pope! This I swear!"

August 17th 1082: County of Agder

"Do you realize what this means, Your Lordship? We are in grave danger. The Duke of Connacht has a far more powerful army than we are able to command in our Irish possessions and he allied to the Duke of Ulster as well. Since you've been excommunicated by the Pope, I would not count on King Olaf helping you this time."

Snofrid's cheeks tensed as she gave the report from her spies in Ireland. Surely the boy would begin to see the dangers of his sacreligious policy now!

"You worry too much, Snofrid. King Olaf will still help me because he likes having Norwegians in Ireland and when I am Duke of Meath, people will think he's a great King because he has a Duke loyal to him, not just Counts."

The Spy Master stared at Torstein, unable to hide the surprise in her eyes. How was it that a twelve-year old boy was able to grasp the situation with such cunning? Snofrid privately wondered if perhaps Torstein was not Satan born in the guise of a boy, but said nothing of her thoughts.

"I only hope you are right, Your Lordship."

"Leave me now."

Snofrid nodded and left, still greatly troubled. In truth, the entire Irish question had become disturbing to her, for the natives of Mide were unrelenting in their desire for independence and now the Duke of Connacht had laid claim to the County of Agder.

Sighing, she decided to go to the little-used family chapel and pray... pray for Torstein's soul and for the future of the of Agder family. It seemed only divine intervention could save them now.


You know you have to be evil to the core when the Pope excommunicates you and you're only 12 years old...


The claiming Duke of Connacht revives the Irish theatre of war by claiming Agder
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Old 06-17-2005, 09:51 PM   #36
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Old 06-18-2005, 06:44 AM   #37
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I love this dynasty.

Thanks, illinifan. That really made my morning. In fact, it made my morning so much, I'm going to fire off another update before I go into work this morning.
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Old 06-18-2005, 06:47 AM   #38
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September 2nd 1082: County of Agder

"Why are we still paying money to the Church? The Pope has excommunicated me! The fat priests don't deserve money! We won't donate any more!"

Torstein's face flushed with fury as he looked at the accounting parchment for the first time in his life, the red number by the Church expenses vexing him beyond all sanity.

Clearing her throat, Cundo stepped forward, "My son, the Church helps our subjects. I know you are angry with His Holiness, but the Catholic Church does good works. Let not your personal feud get in the way of helping those who need it most."

"I will not stand for it, Mother! No more money for the Church and let the clergy have no power in any of my counties!"

From across the room, Snofrid interjected, "Your Lordship, do what you will with Agder and Mide, but I plead you to leave Dublin alone. There is your only province that is profitable and if you upset the balance there, you will once again begin to go into debt."

"All right, Snofrid. I will leave Dublin alone." To Torstein, money had become the most important thing, superseding everything else.

For it was only with money that he could at last become Duke...

July 25th 1083: County of Agder

The most immediate effect of slashing the Church donations to nothing was that the Tri-Counties were now showing two and one third goldoons profit a month, nearly double what the original showing was.

On October 12th, 1082, the Mideans rebelled for a fourth time and stormed the fort. Once more, they were crushed by Marshal Trond Galtung's forces by November 3rd. Some began to think that the insurrection was at last starting to die down, for just one hundred and seventy-five fighters challenged the Norwegian garrison this time, the lowest of any attempted overthrow.

Due to the increased power of the burghers in Agder from the crushing of the clergy, towns and hamlets grew in size and economic might, restoring the county to its usual levels of wealth. Unfortunately, this made no difference to the royal treasury, for the county remained in revolt.

This did not sit well with Torstein.

Pacing in his room, he clenched his newly-teenaged hands, growling at the walls, "All this wealth Agder and Mide should be producing, but they're not! I should be making more, much more money than I am now! I need money! I need to be Duke!"

Thusly weighed under by financial concerns and the expectations that he felt his dead father would have wanted him to fulfill, Torstein became, in addition to his numerous other flaws, stressed.


One of the biggest sources of stress in thirteen-year old Torstein's life
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Old 06-20-2005, 02:07 PM   #39
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October 12th 1083: County of Agder

The unthinkable had happened.

Enraged at their loss of power, the clergy in the County of Agder had banded together with some of the pious peasantry to form a holy citizen army. Just over a hundred strong, they now marched upon the dwelling of Torstein and his court, brandishing whatever means of weapons they could find along the way.

"Do away with them, Trond" Torstein was bored with these rebellions and hoped they would end soon.

And so Trond rode out with his men to do battle with the fanatically devout rebels.

But this was not the end of troubles, for on October 29th, while the battle was still being waged in Agder, the ever-active rebels in Mide struck yet again. Now two rebellions were being waged simultaneously.

Would this domestic strife ever end for Torstein?

The revolts proved to be more than a minor annoyance, however, as the Agderese priest-led army was destroyed by the 3rd of November and by November 22nd, Mide's rebels had likewise been crushed.

March 18th 1085: Duchy of Smaland

The local church gonged its wedding bells, the courtyard filled to overflowing with all manner of people, from the Smalese citizens to every Scandanavian noble worthy of mention.

On this day, Duke Knut Stenkil, son of King Erik and Queen Thora of Sweden, was wed. Though just sixteen years old, the young noble was adored and loved by his subjects, hailed as a true hero to the Swedish people. The very model of a great Christian ruler, his grasp of military affairs, diplomacy, and finances were all quite remarkable and many hoped that it would be he that would succeed King Erik. Already he was second-in-line to the throne, behind the somewhat discontent Duke of Uppland, who had expressed displeasure at the nepotism.

Curiously enough, Duke Knut, though given freedom to choose his own bride, had decided to marry a girl of quite meagre talents, much as his father had when he married Thora so many years ago. Even in spite of this fact, or perhaps because of it, the King and Queen of Sweden gave their blessing, and so Knut was married to Alfhild Eka, a Swedish courtier.

Among those attending the ceremony and following reception was none other than the Count of Three Counties, Torstein of Agder. Some murmured their apprehension at seeing the cruel boy in their midst, though none spoke of it in earshot of the Norwegian noble.

During the reception, the groom spotted his best friend and smiled, crossing through the crowd to join him, "Do you have a moment, Torstein?"

"Always for you, Knut."

So saying, the two young men slipped away to a secluded grove, out of the range of hearing of the revelers.

Once there, the new Duke of Smaland picked up a small stone, rolling it around in his fingers a few moments before he spoke.

"Father will see to it that I am King after he joins our Lord in Heaven, I am sure. I will rule over Sweden fairly and justly and make it one of the greatest kingdoms in all of Europe.

Torstein nodded in silence, though a lance of pain drove through him at hearing the words. Already he felt a divide opening between himself and his closest coeval. He had already lost his father and his favourite tutor. Must he now lose his dearest friend of his own age as well?

Seeing the stress in his friend's eyes, Knut stepped forward and pressed the warm stone into Torstein's white hand, his grey eyes solemn.

"And when I am King, I hope that you will be King, too. We will ally then, Torstein, and together we will drive the infidels from Europe! A new, great Christian Empire will be forged out of the ashes of the pagan and Moorish strongholds! We will reclaim Jeruselam and drive out the Saracens! Together, you and I, side by side!"

Silence was Torstein's immediate answer as he accepted the stone. What did he care for a Christian Empire? He had some time ago forsworn God and even made an oath that he would drive the Pope out of Rome. Still, there was something in Knut's eyes that touched Torstein in a way he hadn't been since Gudrod died...

"How am I to be King, Knut? Olaf's family is strong and they will not give up the throne! I'm not even Duke yet, like you are!"

A smile touched the Duke of Smaland's lips as he leaned in and grasped the Tri-Count's fisted hands.

"Ireland, Torstein. You will have enough money in a few years to proclaim yourself the Duke of Meath. Then you must wage war against the other Dukes until you are able to make yourself the one true King of Ireland. Then, after you are crowned, we will unite! I swear it!"

Torstein swallowed, fighting back the sting of tears that brushed on the edges of his eyes. He must not cry, he must not cry.. he must not show weakness here. Opening his palm and displaying the stone, his voice became no more than a hoarse whisper.

"Then let us swear this oath together, Knut! Let us become blood brothers here and now, forever bound together!"

Knut smiled once more, his eyes glittering with happiness, "Yes, let us!"

Three minutes later, Duke Knut Stenkil of Smaland had become eternally bound for the second time that day.

The visionary wish Queen Thora had so many years before was now one step closer to becoming a reality.


Torstein's best friend comes of age


Knut's new wife


The current heir to the Swedish throne
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Old 06-21-2005, 10:44 AM   #40
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Brilliant. Can't wait for the next update. Definitely good stuff.
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Old 06-21-2005, 06:21 PM   #41
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Brilliant. Can't wait for the next update. Definitely good stuff.

Thanks. I'm really glad you're liking it. Next update comes now, by the way.
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Old 06-21-2005, 06:22 PM   #42
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September 15 1086: County of Agder

Torstein's veins hummed in ecstacy. At long last, it was *his* turn. No more would he be forced to watch that fat, gluttonous cleric lead his armies against the Tri-County's enemies. Now, it would be *him* leading the charge.

Outside the castle walls were ringed 115 rebels. They had taken courage from Trond's earlier prolonged assault on the Midean rebels, who had revolted yet again earlier in the year. Too, these faithful, for many of them were once again of the clergy, sought to test the mettle of the newly adult Torstein.

It was a test that Torstein passed with flying green and gold colours. He lost just 70 men compared to all 115 of the rebels losing their lives by the third of October.

For his first campaign, the Count considered it an excellent victory.

As he sat on his horse overlooking the valley in which the bodies of the rebels lay, his thoughts turned the way of marriage, much as his father's had on that midwinter night just hours after William was crowned King of England.

His mother had wanted to him to marry a good Christian girl of unreproachable scruples. Snofrid, his cousin, simply wanted a girl of good talents to join the court. Eldrid the stewardess expressed no opinion and Marshal Trond had been too busy eating to contribute to the discussion.

But he knew. Torstein knew exactly who he wanted to marry and he swore that he would have her, no matter how many times he must ask for her hand...


The newly and allegedly mature Torstein
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Old 06-21-2005, 11:36 PM   #43
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Damn. Torstein looks like the heretic, heartless bastard that he is. Great pic.
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Old 06-22-2005, 05:59 AM   #44
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Brilliant.. absolutely brilliant.. found the dynasty today and read through it from post #1 to #43 in one sitting. Excellent stuff.. you've even made me scour the web to find where I can get a hold of this game.. seems to be out of stock everywhere.
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Old 06-22-2005, 12:41 PM   #45
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Originally Posted by Coder
Brilliant.. absolutely brilliant.. found the dynasty today and read through it from post #1 to #43 in one sitting. Excellent stuff.. you've even made me scour the web to find where I can get a hold of this game.. seems to be out of stock everywhere.

It is available for download at www.paradoxondemand.com

I have found it addictive.
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Old 06-22-2005, 01:04 PM   #46
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Brilliant.. absolutely brilliant.. found the dynasty today and read through it from post #1 to #43 in one sitting. Excellent stuff.. you've even made me scour the web to find where I can get a hold of this game.. seems to be out of stock everywhere.

What he said.
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Old 06-22-2005, 04:54 PM   #47
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I can only add on top of what the others said. This is in my mind the best dynasty I have read on this board in a few months. I read through that in one sitting, and despite Europa II killing my interest in this game before it was released, i now plan on purchasing it within the next few days. Damn you and your amazing dynasty!
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Old 06-22-2005, 05:06 PM   #48
gi
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It is available for download at www.paradoxondemand.com

I have found it addictive.
I just purchased it from www.ebgames.com.

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Old 06-22-2005, 08:48 PM   #49
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Wow, so many great comments! Let me address them one by one.

Neon Chaos: I agree it's a wonderful pic! Though I didn't notice until now the devilish aspects of it. That forked beard, the evil gleam in his eyes.. perfect!

Coder: Thank you very much! I think it's the highest compliment that a dynasty writer can receive, when it makes someone else want to buy the game. As Samdari and gi mentioned, it's possible to buy it from a couple places online, including from Paradox directly. A word of advice though--when you get it, be sure and download up to the latest beta patch. The beta patches greatly improve the game on all levels.

Samdari: Thanks for pointing out the link and I agree, CK is a *very* addictive game. It's just too bad it has the smallest following of the Paradox games, though I would say it's also the most devoted group overall.

gi: Thank you! As I said, it's the best thing when a dynasty makes someone other than the writer buy the game. I'm really glad you're enjoying it.

Blade6119: Wow, thanks for the incredible praise! I don't know if I'd consider my own dynasty to be the best in the last few months, but I do like writing it and I'm happy you enjoy reading it as much as you do. As for EU2, I didn't care much for that game either, though I do own it. To me, CK is a lot more immersive and you develop a closer connection to the people you control and interact with.

gi: Thanks for giving another link people can get the game from!
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Old 06-22-2005, 08:51 PM   #50
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November 1st 1086: County of Agder

"In his infinite and bountiful mercy, His Holiness Pope Anselm I has graciously permitted your Grace, Count Torstein of Agder of the Counties Agder, Dublin, and Mide, to return to the arms of the Mother Church and once more receive the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist for the pittance of four hundred and twenty-five goldoons."

The sum demanded drew silent gasps from the three women of the court. It would set the Tri-County's finances back for decades. Still, even in spite of it, Cundo silently prayed that her son would accept the offer and redeem his soul. No earthbound glory could ever hope to complete with the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven in her eyes.

Trond Galtung, now the Diocese Bishop, sat at a table and said nothing, occupied as usual with stuffing his face, this time with cheeses. In the other corner of the room, the new Marshal, Olaf Gunn, was also silent. A far more religious and capable man than Trond, Olaf had simply showed up one day at the court and requested asylum. It was immediately granted by Torstein, who delighted in having the chance to have a younger and more talented tutor again.

"What does the Pope not understand? I told him before that I piss on him and my opinion of him has not changed! Go away and never disturb the peace of my court again!" Torstein's eyes gleamed with an acidic fury, the danger in them apparent to the Holy See's envoy.

Left with no other option, the Papal messenger simply bowed and left. Cundo's heart broke and all was still in the room, save for the slovenly sounds of Trond's munching.

A week and two days later, Torstein was proclaimed a heretic. His soul's damnation seemed all the more assured.

March 1st 1087: County of Mide

In January of 1087, the Agderese clergy rebelled again against Torstein and once more they were crushed.

Not to be outdone, the Mideans took to arms in February and so Marshal Olaf Gunn was sent out to defeat the insurrection in the first true test of his abilities. When the new month came, the rebels had just about been taken care of, when a golden opportunity arose.

"General Gunn, we've surrounded the O'Donnell house. Here is our chance to burn it to the ground and kill their entire line! Then we'll need not have any worry about dealing with their treachery any more!"

Olaf stood and surveyed the impressive three-story structure. The O'Donnells had continued to do well for themselves, even despite the death of their men, who often led the revolts. Much business came from patriots throughout Ireland who did not want to see a Norwegian with a strong presence on the mainland. To be rid of them and eliminate a snake whose fangs were quite an annoyance was a strong temptation.

"...No. It is not the Christian way to burn down the homes and slaughter the innocent members of other Catholic families. The traitors will be dealt with according to the proper laws. We will not inflict needless death, simply for the sake of slaking our thirst for revenge."

And so it was that because of the courage and restraint he showed in not destroying the O'Donnell line when he had ample opportunity to do so, Marshal Olaf Gunn was called a hero by the people of Mide and he became known throughout Europe as a merciful and forgiving man.


Torstein's peity hits negative triple digits


The new Marshal after the umpteenth Midean revolt
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