CK3 Dynasty Take One - Munster

[Abe Sargent]

Hello everyone! I hope you are having an awesome day today! Am I feeling to try and take on the grand historical real time strategy game Crusader Kings 3 that came out in September of 2020 just a little more than three years ago which I haven’t done yet? After doing EU2 for a bunch of dynasties CK came out and then I liked it more and then played it bunches. Then I played EU3 post release bunches and left CK and then after CK2 came out, I did a sample dynasty as Aragon to get a feel for the new dynamics of the game and liked it, but never came back and EU4 became my go to Paradox grand strategy and I have done tons of EU4 stuff including three back to back dynasties earlier this year, two of which were womb to tomb.

So, do I want to try out CK3 now for the first time here with you to see where it is? I only played CK2 once soon after release and played a decently powerful guy with some challenges in the Reconquista of Iberia to try out. But that was once and back in September 2012 more than ten years ago. So…now what? Am I ready to try this thing out? And, if so, with whom? I like the idea of taking an easier to start new nation that’s still got challenges, like Aragon in the massive wars of the era, but with stuff to bring to the table, rather than my normal one province minor.

So then…is this my next challenge? And who am I taking? I load up CK3 for the first time.
I start in 1066 and won’t change any things in the selection. I look at the three suggested starts for CK3 in the beginners guide a Dukedom in Munster in Ireland to unite the Isle, which I did with CK1, Bohemia or the free Dukedom of Apulia in southern Italy, which I did with Salerno in CK1. The beginner’s guide suggests starting as a Duke title to avoid the titles going independent after death. So we’ll do that. Also the Guide suggests doing something small in your first run through in order to not worry about the other stuff.

All DLCs were purchased.

Who do I like? Dukes, small stuff, and hopefully independent based on the beginner’s guide – the Rags to Riches start has the Duchess of Tuscany as a start. It assigns easy to Munster and Bohemia and medium to Tuscany and Apulia.

I could do Iberia in Pieces at 1066 but I am steering away from that since that was Aragon. In CK2.

I have done all of the easy starts for the Rags to Riches in previous CK games from Iberia to Ireland to Italy. So, who do I like here?

I am playing at normal difficulty.

I’m unsure about Bohemia since its HRE and not easy to gobble up neighbors. But it’s easy. Or I could just do Munster which is the tutorial so I could learn this new game. Munster or Bohemia, Bohemia or Munster? I’ve done multiple CK East Europe Catholics against local pagans and Bohemia would play into that.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s try out Munster since I am 11 years since CK2 with the tutorial and I have already played the other regions on this start too.

We are the Briain Family.

Petty King Murchad – 39 years old, Duke of Munster, Irish Culture, Insular Faith,

Here he is zoomed in:



As you can see, our wife died, we have a son, and then I have the traits of temperate, wrathful, impatient and a skilled tactician with Forder Commander trait and then a 600 prestige, 250 piety, and 1130 cash and we are making 3.2 monthly. Then we have the stats as shown. We have 117 renown.

We have this military:

300 bowmen
10 mangonels
100 pikeman
6 knights
671 levies

Claim on Kingdom of Ireland but it’s unpressed.


Son – Brian, 18, unmarried, Tough Soldier, Catholic Irish, Impatient, Generous and Arrogant traits. Stats are listed moving forward in this order:

9 diplomacy
10 martial
8 stewardship
4 intrigue
3 learning

Moving forward I’ll list them in that order like this: 9/10/8/4/3

Note slight differences in faith

We have two half-brothers to Murchad:

Conchobar. 46, 9/9/6/0/9 – Knight

Lorcan, 37, Marshal, 5/13/9/8/13 – nasty Martial there.

I have three provinces in my nation but only hold two, we have an Earl of Ormond. Then we can only ave four max spots.

Thomond – Capital of us and seat of our power – Wetlands, 6 development, 100 control, Irish and Catholic – center, north of Desmond and south of Athlone and west of Ossory.

Ennis – West of Thomond, on the coast, south of Ui Mhaine. 100 control, 6 dev, Irish Catholic and Wetlands here too.

Ormond – Not under our control, east of Thomond, on the coast, north of Desmond, south of Ossory, 6 development, 100 control, opinion of me is -13, Irish, Catholic and it has three baronies a city, Bishopric and Barony

Earl Ragnvald II of house Vedrafjord – My Earl of Ormond – Not in my family, 5/8/9/1/20 – wow 20 learning? He’s Norwegian culture and Catholic faith culture may be an issue. -37 opinion. Nasty we’ll need to work on.

[Abe Sargent]

Lifestyle Choice – What do I want to follow in my off time? With a Martial education, I’ll get +30% experience if I choose it. That’s what I pick.

That unlocks 8 Martial perks due to my age. I can focus on chivalry, authority or strategy. I like strategy’s +3 to Martial or +3 to prowess with Chivalry. With a 12 prowess, I do chivalry.

Succession:

We are a male and Confederate Partition so our males will inherit equally.

To change to Primogeniture would cost 500 prestige which I have and I need my vassals to agree, but they don’t, so I cannot do so right now.

Now time for marriage. We’ll start with me so get a good wife for the court, since I have a son of age I don’t really want to split up my court with Confederates to other places.

My current Council:

Marshal Lorcan – 13
Bishop Johnannson – 12
Chancellor Tordelbach – 18
Steward Earl Ragnold – 9
Spymaster Murchaid – 13

And the worse one is the only one I need to keep since he’s my vassal.

I can also try to do an alliance with someone nearby for this marriage. The Duchy of Gwynnend in Wales has a few courtiers. But the oldest two are 24 and very likely to spawn. One is Chaste and thus 25% less likely to spawn. She’s also Just and Paranoid, and I don’t want to pass the latter down in a future kids. Should I skip marrying altogether and then just marry my son instead? I do the Chaste one from Wales if the Duke wants.

Prince Bleddyn wants an alliance with me, so we do it.

This is his 24 year old daughter and she is the new Petty Queen to us:

Gwenllion – 24, Chaste , Just, Paranoid – 4/15/11/9/5 – both are Skilled Tacticians

Now my son, and this time we are looking for great stats and traits to pass on.

He only has an intrigue of 4, so ideally we’ll find a good intrigue to balance him out.

I have two options that aren’t lowborn:

One is Iberian the other Italian.

I prefer the traits of the Italian, but she’s not strong at Intrigue.

But she’ll also give me a alliance with an Italian minor Count. They agree.

Leonide Boccassio- 16 years old, Calm, Trusting, Temperate all good traits, Robust so +4 prowess which is inheritable, Astute Intellectual gives great scholarship rule, and her stats are 6/7/9/4/14 Daughter of the Count of Canossa. Italian Catholic

[Abe Sargent]

The War for Desmond –

15 Sept 1066 – I upgrade the Bastions and Curtain Walls for Thomund to level 2, this costs 150 cash and 3 years to build.

Earl Ragnvold II’s negative view is that his culture isn’t accepted which is -26. He is a “powerful vassal”. He expects to be in my Council and gets a +10 boost to relations for that.

My vassal limit is 20

My wife has increased my Stewardship helping me and we can now have up to 5 in our direct domain.

I begin a Sway Scheme to make nice with Bishop Thomas Johansson since he has -11. He does not endorse me so I don’t get levies and taxes from his church holdings. It should take around 20 months. He’s a Swedish culture also not accepted.

I use a hook on Earl Ragnvold II to drop our relations by 15 and increase levies which are now 690

Oh Ormond is Plains, by the by.

I DOW on the one province to the south of me Earl of Desmond called Muiredach who is a part of the Munster Petty Kingdom and our final one so we have De Jure rights to DOW them anytime.

Desmond – no Allies and 539 soldiers all told. This costs 100 prestige.

I can get a 75 gold Wedding Tax or 350 prestige, I choose to gain prestige.

11 Dec – We begin fighting in the Desmond Barony of Tralee

31 Dec – We win the battle and begin the Siege, 362 foes survived the battle

17 Jan, 1067 – They attack me in Tralee

25 Feb – We rout their army and have a warscore of 50%

20 May – Bailey built in Thurmond which gives us +0.4 monthly gold and better fort strength

27 June – Our grandson named Búaidbéo is born! He is robust like his mother!

14 Aug - My Chaste Petty Queen is pregnant. Please have a daughter!

12 October – Tralee, the capital of Desmond falls, and the holding is ours and we have a warscore of 100%!

I captured in the Siege of Tralee the Earl and his son.

We sacked 32 cash

We take in peace:

I gained 40 fame, spend 40 prestige 400 prestige for my allies to share with Earl Ragnvold II, and Desmond!

Earl Muiredach of Desmond – 3/7/15/5/4 – 42 years old prowess of 11, Temperate, Chaste and Compassionte, has a relations of -83 with -40 of that due to wanting on my council. Irish and Catholic.

Desmond is a Powerful Vassal. I hire Earl Ragnvald II as my 5 Dip appoint his 15 Stewardship a s my Steward. We rise to -33.

Desmond – Four Baronies, all different terrain, coastal, in Munster Duchy, my levies are now totaling 731 when restocked and then 100 control and 6 development. I get 0.2 cash monthly in taxes.

[Abe Sargent]

After the war and I disbanded my men I have -2.0 spent in upkeep of my men at arms instead of -1.0 before the war. That may be money spent to restock my military men at arms or levies.

My financial breakdown:

4.4 from our two holdings
0.5 taxes from vassals

4.9 total income

-2.0 – unraised Men at Arms cost

2.9 monthly net

Here let me snap a political map of Ireland:



As you can see, I have zoomed in on our Welsh ally Gwynedd so you can see what they are bringing. Connacht to our north is the only other Petty Kingdom and it has three counties to our four. You can see the four independent counties to our east. Connacht could be taken they have 781 soldiers to our 1151 once restocked from 1001.

Remember that I have the claim to King of Ireland but I cannot pass down to my son since it’s an unpressed claim unless I go to war with it at some point in time. Ideally I’ll grab the minors to my east like Ossory and Athlone and Leinster and Dubhlinn and then grab Connacht later with better military and finances. So I need to press a claim as King of Ireland before I die to give it to Brain my son and I am now 40 so I need to do that soon.

Ossory and Leinster are in a two province Petty Kingdom called Leinster and Meath is the other two independent Counties of Athlone and Dubhlinn. Can I DOW Ossory with my King title? Let’s find out. They have a strong 597 army for one county. Nope I don’t have a Casus Belli since they are not De Jrue part of my Petty Kingdom like Desmond.

I tell Marshal Lorcan to Train Commanders which increases our chance of recruiting a Knight or the damage and survival rate of our men at arms.

I assign Bishop Johansson to fabricate a claim on Ossory – it should take 19 months

Do I want to negotiate an Alliance with Dubhlinn? They are a relative and then they have a strong 624 people, so they are around 150 fewer than the entire Petty Kingdom of Connacht. Then I can hopefully peace vassalize them later when I become the Petty King of Meath or the King of Ireland. Dubhlinn has a massive 10 development.

I offer an alliance with my Nephew.

Do I want to hire a Court Physician courtier which would cost me 0.12 monthly but give me boosts to Court Grandeur and let me heal injuries hunting or in battle. Yeah, let’s do it. I hire my Knight Abban who is average at this role, but better than others.

Abban – Knight, 44 years old, stats are 2/7/1/10/16 =- strong learning from my Knight.

I am not hiring other Courtiers

19 October – We are allied.

Earl Murchad of Dubhlinn – 42 years old, House Chiennselag – 6/7/7/2/2 he has great traits like Temperate like me, Humble, Honest but low stats.

[Abe Sargent]

15 December – My Chancellor screws up and relations with Connacht drop by 30 for 5 years – we are now -10 from +20

7 February – I come down with terrible migraines. We need to take a break.

5 March – By the by, since our Men at Arms has restocked, we are just spending -1.0 on military again and am making 3.7 monthly.

9 Mar – Our Knight’s prowess raises with my Martial training them. I’ll skip these minor updates moving forward.

14 March – We are born with a daughter! We name her Conchenn.

Conchenn – No ablities

April 4 – Our scheme to gain relations with Bishop Johansson worked and we gain +25 relations and that moves us to +17 and he now endorses us and we are getting taxes from churches now which makes us at 3.9 monthly net.

I agree to a Sway Scheme with our new Earl of Desmond. It should take 20 months. Our current relation is -29 and would increase by 25 to get us close to positive

27 May - Since I have more than 1k in cash and then a big cash boost with the Bishop’s recognition; do I want to buy something to build up my capital province:

We have:

Fishing Net Weavers at level 2 which increase development speed, taxes
Motte Castle level 1
Bailey Level 2 which we discussed when that was upgraded
Hide Tents Level 1 – Which increase the ability of garrisoned Men-at-Arms
Lookout Towers level 1 - Which increase hunt sighting chance and a bit of tax

I could upgrade from a Motte to a Keep for 550 cash and 5 years and then get:

+0.7 tax increase from +0.4
Fort level from 1 to 4
Boost to Men at Arms in conflict from 10 to 20%
Levies from 175 to 325
Garrison from 250 to 750 in size

Since I want to wage a lot of war, that seems like good stuff to manage my troops.

For better finances I could increase Fish Net Weavers for 340 cash and 21 months by +0.2 cash from 0.5 to 0.7.

Or I could build a new building like Military Academies for 485 which boosts my military strongly but no new taxes or Royal Armories to boost them and drop cost to pay them by 20% or Jousting Grounds to improve my cavalry, or Archery Grounds to boost them. Want to boost gold? Tax Offices tax holdings by 15%.

I hold off on new buildings and instead buy a Fort upgrade for 5 years and 550 cash after my building is complete.

10 Aug - Martial Lorcan has been proudly showing off a new recruit. A new Commander arrives and is not noble blood but is very strong according to Lorcan so I agree to welcome him to my court - Bhatar.

[Abe Sargent]

4 Mar, 1069 – I see my son Brian and Steward who doesn’t me because I just grabbed his land (Earl of Desmond) spending time together. I have three options:

This is awesome, encourage it – relations with both bloom +20
End it – relations drop 20 each
Get involved in the conversation = +10 relations, come across as nosy,

I choose the first, and now relations with the Earl of Desmond are still at -24. Although Brian’s are now +100

15 Mar- I can unlock a new perk for my Military lifestyle I choose to finish the Gallant track and get +4 Martial and +2 Prowess. Oh and +20% monthly prestige – nice!

21 April – Our Chaplain finishes preparing the Casus Belli against Ossory but I have to pay a bribe of 84 cash to get it done.

I start fabricating a claim on Leinster next door.

So, this is an unpressed claim that will not pass either unless warred for. What allies does Ossory have?

They now have 644 soldiers to our 1216.

They have no allies and the only war I can declare presses our claim of the Earldom. This will cost 125 prestige

100 normally
25 since he’s a lower tier ruler

I declare War for Ossory:

[Abe Sargent]

The Munster-Ossory War

I raise all armies

24 April – My troops are assembled at our rallying point in our captial and I send them to Ossory

30 May – We arrive in the captial barony in Ossory of Gabhran and begin battle with the defenders

11 June – We win the battle and begin the Siege of Gabhran and have a warscore of 50%

14 Aug – Our Spymaster comes to me with word of a Scheme in Court to Kill me and I begin to prepare against it

5 Nov – Our Sway Scheme for the Earl of Desmond has worked and we are now at +4 relations. Next is Earl of Ormond I inherited with a view of me of -44. This should also take around 20 months

24 Nov – Our Chaste Petty Queen is again pregnant. Hopefully this issue will also be a daughter

28 Nov – The Siege of Gabhran is over we capture the four holdings in Ossory, the Earl and four others and then sacked 22 gold.

I have a warscore of 1000%

I get the Earldom of Ossory, I gain 20 fame, I have to spend 20 prestige and I do so.

Peace!

I disband my armies:

He is not my vassal since it wasn’t De Jure, it’s just added to my domain.

Ossory – Plains, 6 dev, Irish Catholic, four baronies, control just 25 out of 100, I get just 0.2 now

I assign Marshal Lorcan to build up control here. This removes him from training his leaders

I ransom Prisoners for 10 cash each

I station my Mongonel here in Gabhran.

[Abe Sargent]

15 Dec – Looks like I cannot build a Keep because the Irish culture doesn’t know “battlements”

Instead I order a Fishing Net Weavers upgrade to level 3

I am getting 208 in levies from Gabhran.

1 Jan, 1070 – Welcome to the next decade!!!

13 April – The Murder scheme on me has been abandoned.

24 April – We get an event for a naval jaunt with me enjoying the waves. I lose 30 stress

4 June – I get a “Swaying Earl Ragnvald II” event and I praise him but spend 75 prestige

We are now at -33 relations

Ideally what I want to do is pass primogeniture and have both of my vassals agree.

2 July – We give birth to another daughter! We name her Áedammair – she’s homely

30 July – Our ally Prince of Gwynedd is attacked by Prince Bleddyn in Wales in a Civil War

I agree and join their war!

[Abe Sargent]

The Gwynedd Civil War

We marshal our troops in our capital. We have 1389. We are the defender


3 August – Our troops assemble. Our ally has 1467 in Ynys Mon and both allies have 544 and 1007 each. I order our forces to cross the Irish Sea to head to Eryr where they are marching to across from a strait to meet up.

31 Aug – They have arrived in Ferlix and enemy stronghold and begin a siege – no battle has been met

I change my arrival to join them

15 Oct -We arrive in Ferlix – their combined armies were coming here to fight them but when they saw us a few weeks ago they stopped and are heading for their master’s territory

29 Oct – Leinster has joined our ally Dubhlinn and I move to fabricate on Athlone

11 Nov – They begin a siege in Eryi

2 Dec – Our Sway Scheme for Earl Ragnvald II works and we increase relations by +25 to -7 and we keep it up for another round which will be harder

28 Jan, 1071 – We capture Ferlix! We have a 37% warscore I follow their leader out

13 Feb – We begin to siege Penlynn

18 June – Eryri falls, and we now have a -18% warscore

27 June – They begin sieging Ynys Mon

I get a message saying that Earl Ragnvald II is now Irish that raises our relations to +37!

18 July – Bastion and Curtain Walls finished in Ossory.

19 July – We capture Penlynn and grab 20 cash and move to their last holding in Perfeddwlad and we have a warscore now of +19

5 Aug – We begin the siege

15 Sept – Our Chaste Petty Queen is again pregnant! Hopefully a third girl!

30 Sept – Tradeport constructed in Thomond

28 Oct - Perfeddwlad falls! We have captured all holdings on the other side and have a warscore of 100%. I follow the King’s army back into his territory.

24 Nov – Peace in Gwynedd! We disband our troops

[Abe Sargent]

24 Nov – I have approval from both key vassals to change to Primogeniture but I need two more things – High Crown Authority and Irish Culture doesn’t have it.

I can unlock a new perk. I choose the first step in the Strategist mission tree called “Bellam Justum” which reduces cb costs by 50%

1 Jan, 1072 – Our new army size is 1466 and we are getting 0.3 from Ossory

6 Feb – We finish our claim on Athlone and I spend 84 cash to get it!

Next is Connacht who expanded into the north in Oriel so they have four holdings, and I’ll focus north on the Earldom of Ui Mhaine with a chance for the Petty Kingdom title instead. Can I DOW Connacht since he’s higher without it with the King of Ireland claim? Nope.

Want to see new Ireland? I got cha!

I’ll show you a zoomed out map of the Isles



Here you go you can see Irelands Wales’s two Independent Duchies and our ally Gwynedd and then united Scotland after taking out other minors in their De Jure Kingdom save for Norway and then the three minor one provinces left in Ireland, including my next target Athlone next to Dubhlinn and then us and Connacht before either of them take it. With their addition, Dubhlinn has more troops than us, so I need to disjoin us all. The game suggests slowly advancing and taking one province at a time in war due to Control. After using my Martial to raise it in Ossory it’s still only raised to 28 just by 3 but I need to take Athlone off the map now to bring it into my purview before my two land gobbling rivals do so. Connacht can still go north for independent states in Ulster and Ailech, and I’ll cut off our ally Dubhlinn who will obvious be a target of military expansion later after uniting the Isle if they do not bow to me.

Military Strength Right Now:

Us – 1470 max, 1431 now
Connacht – 1209
Dubhlinn – 1506

So after gobbling Athlone, I have to start to Connacht before they expand north and then gobble up everything.

Our other ally now united is Gwynedd – 1705 now and rebuilding after their Civil War so I need to expand now, not to increase my power fast but to cut off two expanding dorks.

[Abe Sargent]

Vassalizing Dubhlinn -


Actually, hold on a second. See the 5 number of notes on the top? The Earl of Dubhlinn is willing to vassalize now to get our protection. Here, let me show you:



As you can see the base for vassalization is -50 and we lose -20 for not being their lord, but we have enough to get to +1. And he’s an Earl, so since we are higher at Petty King, this should work in order to split our duchy after we die and our child takes over.

I offer it to him. But he’ll only join with low feudal obligations for Taxes and Levies not the middle one.

14 Feb – He agrees! We raise relations by +10.

Earl Murchad mac Diarmait, 6/9/9/2/2 – Age 47. House Chiennselag, our nephew, Temperate, Humble Honest, Lustful – current relations -40 since he’s not on our Council and he’s a key vassal. Irish, Catholic

I order relations improved with him, this should take around 20 months.

All three vassals are key vassals so we cannot replace one of my old Earls with him so his 9s are in Martial and Stewardship, and my Steward is a key vassal with 17. My Martial is my step brother Lorcan with 13 so I would drop my ability here by 4 to make nice with him but I do so and he is my new Martial.

I order him to raise control in Ossory, and Lorcan’s opinion of me drops by 20 for ten years, and our relations with Murchad are now +19.

Remember that both of our new holdings are Earls and have low feudal obligations

Dubhlinn – The jewel of Ireland – a massive 10 development, 5 baronies, land type is Plains in four and Hills in one, Norse culture not Irish (The only non-Irish holding in Ireland) and Catholic and opinion of Earl is -12 because of it, on the coast, east of Athlone, south of Connacht’s Oriel and Breif. In the two province Petty Kingdom of Meath with Athlone, Absolute control

Leinster – South of Dubhlinn – east of Ossory, in the two province Petty Kingdom with Ossory called Leinster, 6 dev, four baronies, 2 are plains, 2 are hills, Irish and Catholic, Absolute control

Now my military max is 1522 with a current of 1494 and I am making an extra .3/month in taxes – not big changes, but worth it.



Here, see:

[Abe Sargent]

18 April – Do I want to make the Petty King of Leinster title? I have nothing De Jure to gain since I have them both. It would cost me a strong 212 cash, but I’d gain 300 prestige. I am making 5.5 monthly after costs and then I have 664 in cash, but I’d rather save that for CB bribes and then also upgrades to provinces since I have them all and don’t gain any De Jure stuff, it’s just a swap of gold for prestige. Although I spend around 100 prestige to DOW and 50 to win, so we go through 300 pretty quickly and I have 759 and am gaining a much smaller 1.8 monthly, but let’s hold off for now.

23 April – We give birth to another Daughter! We name her Bébinn. She has no abilities

12 August – We get an event – Mandeans in Nyitra. The Prince of Hungary and his people have converted to this heresy. I choose not to spend 250 Piety and convert with the Prince.

7 Sept – More Mandeans are converting

1 Oct – A hunt starts in Tralee in Earl of Desmond’s capital Barony, I join them. This is my first Hunt event

23 Oct – We have set up camp, waited for others and are heading to the Hunt now

6 Nov – We get a Hunt Event – our Chanceller Earl Ragnvald II wants to hunt flowers after coming across a beautiful field. What do I do? I have four options here are two that make sense:

1. Get back on your horse - -10 relations for ten years, gain 35 prestige
2. Pick herbs for the doctor – worse chance of hunt, I gain 20 stress since I am impatient, stocked medicine for 5 years,

So I can lose 10 relations with my key vassal or gain 20 stress and stock medicine. I choose the first

13 Nov – Hunt Event #2 – Softly, Softly – We come across the Roe Deer we are hunting but our leader wants to attack from the front rather than creep around it. This is more perilous

27 Nov – Hunt Event #3 – Cornering the Roe – It’s too fast we lost it.

4 Dec – We finish the Hunt empty handed. I gain some relations with locals from Desmond like a Mayor

Cultural Ruler – Since I have more Irish holdings than anyone else, I am the Culture Head and thus I can reform Irish culture. As of right now, all Irish Holdings are Pastoralists and get boosts to Prowess and travel speed we are polygamous and can marry multiple partners, we are Monastic and love taking vows we are Maritime Mercantile and build those buildings an era early and we are Refined Poets and do better at the Royal Poet courtier. We can have up to six traditions.

Ethos – Ceremonious - +10% prestige boost monthly; -15% Title Creation, we also have House favor boost and Court Grandeur boosts.

Our Cultural Pilar -

Martial – Men Only

This also sets language what the buildings look like and more

If I reform I can reform the Traditions, Pillars or Ethos.

We are in the Early Medieval period. Irish have discovered 6 of 17 innovations.

So, for example, we cannot build that Keep we wanted because the Irish don’t know about Battlements and that should be automatically discovered in 385 years slowly over time. Another example of a missing innovation is the Arched Saddle which would let me build Cavalry named Armored Horseman. When these are unlocked, everyone Irish gets them. We can focus on one. Right now, that is Royal Prerogative which is discoverable in 53 more years. What do I want?

That lets me choose to get higher taxes and levies at 10% but annoy my vassals with Higher Crown Authority, or really annoy them with Absolute but really bring in that cash and levies.

I could focus on Battlements in 58 years or Cavalry in 57. I like both. Hmmm…how about Arched Saddle.

Do I want to Reform and add a 6th Tradition?

They cost between 2k and 7k prestige for the better ones, so I cannot do that now.

[Abe Sargent]

The Munster/Athlone War

4 Dec - I begin to get ready for war against Athlone. Because I am not the Petty King of Meath where Dubhlinn is, our relations drop and I am not getting max stuff, so I need to grab it, and then claim that title. Also there are 14 provinces in Ireland and we have 7, so if we get to 8, one more than half, want to see if I can grab the King Title I have claim too.

Athlone – No allies, 593 troops to my 1532.

I DOW for our claimed CB and lose 100 prestige for that and 25 for a small guy, but half due to “Bellum Justum” so just 63 prestige lost

I raise my armies in Thomond.

7 Dec – Our army is raised and I send to the capital Barony of Athlone ironically enough called Athlone!

5 Jan, 1073 – We arrive in Athlone and begin battle.

8 Jan – King Willam of England left behind Norman culture and embraced English

12 Jan – One of our knights was wounded in battle.

29 Jan – We win the battle and have a warscore of 20% - we begin the siege

8 Mar - 404 arrive back in Athlone to protest our presence

27 Mar – We win another battle and the warscore is 40%

10 April – Our Chaste Petty Queen is against pregnant

6 May - Another battle begins as 274 arrive to try and break our siege

18 May – Our level of fame leveled up

22 June -I become the Guardian of my Grandson

3 July – The Siege is Athlone is over, we gain 24 cash in the sack and capture three. We have a warscore of 100

Peace – We spend 20 prestige, game 20 fame, and then win the war!

I disband my army

Athlone – 6 dev, Wetlands, next to two Connacht holdings of Breifne and Ui Mhaine – part of Meath, 6 dev, 0 control, making us nothing cash wise but 97 levies. Irish, Catholic, three Baronies,

I cannot make the King of Ireland title, but I can Meath.

Before – Dubhlinn – 0 Feudal Taxes from him since I am not his rightful liege.

I make Meath title for 212 cash and gain 300 prestige

I am getting 0.1 from him

With two Petty Kings I can take the King of Ireland title which costs 425 cash and gives me a massive 400 prestige, and I have 545 so I spend it and get the De Jure claims against the other 6 holdings

Ulster is now Scottish so I cannot grab that. That would be a major conflict with the King of Scotland for Ulster.

[Abe Sargent]

I hold court.

I spend 100 prestige and hear petitioners. I can do this once every five years

The first petitioner is Earl Ragnvald II of Ormond and his wife. He suspects someone of trying to kill his wife has no proof, and blames Earl Muiredach of Desmond who has positioned himself as an enemy of the Countess.

I have three options:

1. We Have to Stop Him – Relations with him drop 20 by each of us with the other and I can imprison him; 10 gain with Ragnvald II and his Countess
2. Interrogate him – Two possible – He admits and we imprison him, or he is caught in a lie, relations drop by 30 with him,and 15 his family, gain 10 with Ragnvald II and his Countess or he doesn’t and relations drop with the Countess by 10.
3. Malice is Not a Crime – Relations drop by 10 of the Earl and his Countess and raise with Earl of Desmond by 10.

So the best one with little issue is the “Malice is Not a Crime” one since the Earl of Osmond admits he has no proof. And his relations are +26 with him and would drop to 16, still positive. I do that one

Two petitioners left.

Petitioner #2 – I should like a Veal Cutlet

We have under House Arrest Maire. She complains about the food and petitions for roast swan. Our Knight Cennetig arrives who was supposed to be watching Maire but apologizes for letting her out as she duped him.

I have four options:

1. Chefs Cook Her the Finest Meal Served – Court Grandeur +6, she becomes my friend
2. House Arrest Means Dignity, Let them Roam the Grounds – I lose 10 Dread all House Arrest leave their places under supervision
3. Cennetig You are Unworthy to be Called a Knight – He is dismissed and loses 15 relations
4. Wrathful Option Only – Off to the Dungeon with You – Maire moves from House Arrest to imprisoned.

I like the 1st that increases our Court Grandeur. I choose it.

Petitioner #3 – A Place at Court

This is from our knight, Bhatair. He wants to serve at my side with the honor of protecting me.

I again have four options:

1. You have the job, Bhatair - I appoint him as my bodyguard – relations increase by 10
2. I have a different job for you – He becomes my personal champion - +10 relations here too
3. I have something special for you! – He becomes my court jester, -15 relations
4. You are unsuited to the post - -10 relations

Let’s look closely at his stats

Bhatair – 2/17/7/4/2 – see that 17 Martial? He also has a good prowess with 18, so he makes sense for bodyguard or personal champion. Here’s my next question – what do those cost - like my doctor’?

Bodyguard – 50% chance to stop assassination attempt, always travels with my leader, base salary 0.5.

Personal Champion – Can take ruler’s place in trial by combat, reduced Dread decay boosts to both prestige, base salary 0.25.

I prefer the role of Bodyguard but I don’t have 0.5 cash monthly to spend on it. Personal Champion is pretty cheap and not bad, but I don’t need it, so I decline and drop 10 in relations because I just spent loads of ash making two titles. Sorry Bhatair you are actually well suited!

[Abe Sargent]

The Vassalization of Connacht and Ailech:

4 July - Since I now have De Jure claims on Ireland, I stop claims in Ui Mhaine and move to south Wales to our non-ally in Dyfed that is controlled by Deheubarth

I get a message from my Courtiers…ready?

Let me show you the good news!!!



As you can see, the Petty Kingdom of Connacht will take a Normal Feudal Obligation to join our realm in peace! I offer it.

5 July – Our Court’s Grandeur increases a level

11 July – They accept!!!

Here, let’s look at our new folks:

Duke Aed mac Tadg - 5/10/11/16/6 – prowess of 6, Catholic Irish, 58, Just, Zealous and Shy - -40 relations since he has -40 with wanting a seat on the council.


I order a s Sway attempt to begin. He is a powerful vassal, and all of my others still are. I can’t change my Bishop since I’m Catholic and he was appointed by Rome. But I can my Spymaster with 13 Intrigue with Marchaid and swap in Aed with his of a massive 16 so he’s an improvement and lose 20 with Marchaid. Now he’s at +10 and you need positive loyalty from them to save your life from schemes.

Here are our four new holdings:

Ui Mhaine – 4 Baronies, owed by Aed, 6 dev, Wetlands, 100 control, Irish and Catholic – in Connacht Petty Kingdom

Mayo – Capital of Petty Kingdom, north of Ui Mhaine not previously next to me, south of Breifne – also four Baronies also Wetlands, development of 7, also Irish and Catholic, in the same Kingdom, ruled by Aed, 100 control

Breifne – North of Mayo, south of the free Ailech, west of Oriel – Final one in Connacht Petty Kingdom; 92 control, ruled by Aed, has a negative opinion of him by -50 massive. 7 dev, 5 Baronies here and with terrain like 3 Wetlands and one each Forest and Hills, Irish and Catholic – the negative stuff is coming from a modifier called “Chafing Control”

Oriel – South of Scotland’s Ulster and Ailech, east of Breifne, captured by Connacht, in the Petty Kingdom of Ulster, ruled by Earl Domnall, 84 control, Irish, Catholic, County Corruption here with a Smuggling Ring, 8 development, 5 Baronies here too they are 3 Plains one Hills one Wetlands


Now that I am a King…these things happen:

I get another Domain Limit due to my King from

I now get +5.8 prestige a month

We have all but Ulster and Ailech left.

Monthly Income Breakdown:

Domain: +5.2
Taxes from Vassals: +1.3
Taxes from Clergy: +0.8

Total Income Monthly: 7.4

Costs – Men at Arms at Home –-1.8 – this should drop after my Men at Arms reboot from the Athlone war
Courtiers - -0.1

Total Costs – -1.9

Net Income – 5.5, and could get more in a few months!

Can I peace dip Ailech now that we are next to them?



Yup! And with Normal Feudal Obligations. I make the offer.

18 July – We unlock a new Martial perk, I take Serve the Crown - +15 Dread, +0.3 Control monthly growth

19 July – They accept our offer!

Ailech:

Earl Aed VI mac Neill - Two Aeds? Rough. 43 years old, 7/5/24/13/11 - nasty stats – Greedy, Diligent, Deceitful traits – relations are +5 since he is a key vassal but has tons of good stuff. I cannot name him my Bishop but with that 24 in Stewardship replace my 17 from Desmond and increase mine by 7, that 13 is in Intrigue but I have better. We have positive relations so I don’t push it. Irish and Catholic. He is sending me nothing since I am not his true liege that is the Petty King of Ulster, but I now am making 5.9 monthly

Ailech – West of Ulster – Four Baronies with two Hills and one each Wetlands and Forest. 7 development, 100 Control Irish and Catholic,

And then there was one and Scotland has Bohemia King as a Ally and just by himself has 6646 troops so that’s not happening.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s look at my military now:

Our levies are now 1452 so we have a total army size of 1874 and currently 1389 to rebuild after our war.

Ossory is at 40 control and now making us 0.53 in tax and then levies of 232

I go to my Court View, unlocked with King and Emperor, and look at my Grandeur, now level 4. I am ranked 18th in the world, and we are supposed to increase it as my territory does. I can commission artifacts, pay artists or increase living standards to do so. Amenities cost gold per month, and there is a courter called an Antiquarian to help upkeep and repair artifacts.

Right now we have all four Amenities at zero cost to upkeep – that’s Fashion at Last-Century, Bland Food, Minute Quarters and Very Few Servants.

I can also change our Court Type and Court Language

Also, remember Courtiers help with court grandeur.

Do I want to hire a Court Poet since the Irish are better at that?

Court Poet – 0.38 monthly cost, monthly boost is 1 – 3 grandeur monthly based on aptitude, monthly boost of 0-20% Grandeur from ability, and can randomly become inspired and commission a great work artifact. Would I have someone good enough to hire?

I have one option, she’s good, but not Irish but Franconian. Do I want to hire her without the Irish boost but she’s good? I do:

Meet Mechtild – Good, Court lowborn, 33, Catholic Franconian, stats of 10/16/12/3/11 – not bad with the all but one in double digits, and then Content, Wrathful and Stubborn traits - +2 bonus monthly and +15% boost

I drop from 5.9 cash monthly to 5.6.

I could also do Court Musician or Court Jester for 3.1 monthly too. I hold off I need to keep my gold free.

I have a Courtroom Issue – Foremost Knight –

Everything thinks Knight Bhatair is better than Conchobar. They have become rivals as the latter doesn’t acknowledge it and thinks he is the better fighter. Conchobar enters court where Bhatair is and challenges him to a duel outside.

I have four options:

1. May the Best Knight Win – We gain +10 grandeur, the Knights fight, +10 relations with me, the winner gains prestige and kills the loser
2. Take their Swords, Give Training Blades – We gain 6 grandeur, the winner wounds the loser and gains 75 prestige
3. I Will Humble Both of You – I fight the better prowess Bhatar. If I win I gain prestige and he drops the rivalry if I lose I get a humiliation event for 5 years and lose prestige
4. You are on the Same Side – I make nice and spend 6 grandeur to make nice and this is against my nature since I am wrathful so I gain 60 stress.

Which one? The 2nd. It risks the least. Altough I have two more prowess than Bhatar so I might win against him. Bhatar wins and wounds Conchobar and gains 75 prestige.

Want to see Ireland’s new Flag Standard and Color?





I got you!!!

Since I cannot do Ulster next, I’ll likely head to Wales after getting up to snuff with my CB and rearming my army.

Local Ally Gwynedd: 2030 troops
Potential Enemy Deheubarth: 1491 soldiers
Ireland once rebuilt: 1874 sliders

Since I never called Gwynedd to war on Ireland and then I fought a Civil War with them to keep in power I suspect they’ll be okay helping me win our first war against their local guy. They have no allies.

I’m not even 10 years into this thing, but a lot has happened.

7 August – Event – The Deer of a Longphort – We get a report of Deer in Breifne and should get good Deer hunting there for the next three years. That’s in Connacht territory so I leave them to it. To organize a Deer Hunt takes 230 cash which I don’t have, but they have just 6, so never mind.

17 Aug – Earl Muiredach of Desmond arrives at the court, and I let him come in.

We reconfirm his rights to Desmond, he gives me 50 cash, 150 prestige and 6 grandeur and then he gets 75 prestige and a massive 100 renown for us both. We only had 185.

Our Court Grandeur is now level 5 and we are ranked in the Top 10 at 9th

1 Sept – Our cash per month rises to 6.1 from 5.6.

We have enough Renown to unlock a Dynasty Legacy. What do I want? Let’s take a looksee!

It looks like this was for his House not Briain but Dal gCais – it costs 250 this time and 500 next. Actually, that’s not him, that’s not anyone near us on the House map or our wife.

Here are the ones I like:

Vibrant Court – Courtiers, Guest +10, +5 grandeur, better guests recruited and -30% of their recruitment cost.

Mostly Fair - +5 relations, -30% cost for feast and hunt

House of Warriors - +2 prowess, knight ability +15%

I like all three of these. One’s good for combat, another good for courts and a 3rd cheap at events.

Let’s pull out the Mostly Fair since I don’t really care about the cost reduction when compared to the other too. Better prowess and Knights or better Court.

Here’s why I like each:

Court – Most grandeur boosts cost money to upkeep or courtiers to do the same with cost for boosts. Not this with a boost to grandeur for free. You also pull Guests and have 30% reduction in their cost. But note that this doesn’t read +5 grandeur / month.

If it did, it’d be more likely here. But I like House of Warriors instead for that reason But the Mostly Fair will let me grab level 2 next time which is:

Faithful Magistrates -20% Title Creation Cost

That could save us loads of cash. But we’ll stick with House of Warriors since getting boosts in combat can help us fight better against bigger numbers in Wales.

I’ll see you next chapter at 750 renown.

[Abe Sargent]

11 Nov – We have a new daughter, named Fíne.

24 Nov – 22 courtiers gain the Diplomatic Courtier ability for being in a court for more than 5 years and boosts them by 1 Dip.

5 Dec – Our ally Count in Italy Cristofaro Boccaccio passes. That ends our alliance.

1 April, 1074 – We hit 50 control in Ossory and now am making 0.65

27 July – Branch off Hausen faith called Bori has formed.

17 Dec – Our grandeur level drops back to 4

26 Dec – Our Poet is inspired! I look at her. She is inspired with travel and head to Western Europe. She might wind up leaving altogether but I can give her reasons to stay, and we might wind up with an artifact too. So…what do I want to do? Let her head out to explore and maybe come back and bring an artifact? Or stay with her boosts to grandeur?

I need to pay 81 to send her out. But I don’t really have that cash. I send her. I now have 209 cash

It should take around 2 years

6 Jan, 1075 – Duke Aed gained 25 relations, next is Earl Aed VI

23 Mar – I join a great hunt in Ormond

4 April – On my way there I run into a Saint “Eugenia” of Munster shrine, but this is not canonized. What to do? I choose to patronize it, spend 15 cash and gain the event “Patronized Local Saint” for ten years and gain +10 with the Earl of Ormond

6 April – Mechtild is in Tikhvin and wants more money to increase the chance of a quality artifact, I send more 60 cash more.

17 April – We again run into flowers in hunting.

29th May – We finish the hunt finding nothing

19 June – Earl Sundvald II passes from wounds suffered while hunting. He was our Councilor.

His successor: Earl Olav, 9 years old, Charming, 3/1/5/4/2 – loyalty of -28 even though he’s Irish after his dad changed, and then he’s not expecting a Council chair like his dad to drop that down, he’s Catholic too, and he’s got a few minuses due to

Our new Councilor is Earl Muiredach from my Steward moving over since he has two more than Aed VI with a 9 dip. Then Aed VI with a massive 24 becomes my new Steward. That way we improve in both.

I have a 66 control in Ossory making me 0.87 monthly and in Athlone without my Martial we are at 11 control and making 0.12 cash from there.

I order my new Councilor to work on Foreign Affairs and raise prestige by 0.45/month

I order my new Steward from Collect Taxes where I am making 7.2 monthly net to changing culture in Dubhlinn to Irish. I am now making 6.7.

I want to swap my Scheme Sway on Earl Aed VI who is now at +60 after getting a Council Seal to Earl Olav, but he’s a child, so I cannot I leave it on my new Steward.

[Abe Sargent]

20 June - I need to save my finances for more ups of our quest by our Poet, so I may not be able to afford the bribery aspect of the claim in Wales. I also want to wait to finish control in Ossory and then send my Martial to Athlone to build control there, before moving into Wales. Right now I have 176 in cash. We are at 71.6/100 for Wales, so I stop my buying it until I have enough cash after our artifact finder returns and we are at Dyfed. I have my Bishop start working on the other option to Build Religious Relations which increases our piety by 0.75/month and right now it’s at 421 and 1/1.month

We have around 19 months left for my questing Poet

7 Nov - I designate a guardian for my first born daughter – Conchenn who is 7. I choose myself. She has the curious trait

6 Jan, 1076 – I unlock a new military perk for my ruler. What do I like here? Strict Organization - +20% Control Gain in County Progress

I now have an army size of 2077.

5 Mar – Our relations gain by Earl Aed VI finishes and gains +25 next is a Sway Scheme for my Spymaster Duke Aed – it shoud take17 months

14 Mar – Earl Murchad of Dubhlinn arrives to pay homage and I greet him. We renew his vows, and he offers 50 cash, I gain 100 renown, 150 prestige and 6 court grandeur and he gets prestige and renown too.

That brings me to 286 cash.

Our court returns to level 5

26 June – Duke Aed of Connacht passes. He was also our Spymaster.

Duke of Connacht – Ruadri, -50 relations, 36, Catholic and Irish, stats are 6/12/4/10/2. Obviously he is best as my Marital with 12 there. I order Sway here which should take 18 months. Lazy, Calm, Vengeful

We have open – Spymaster- his is a solid 10. I appoint him – we now have 0 relations

3 Sept – Event – The Stolen Keg – My cook discovers that my grandson and Earl Olav of Ormond stole a Keg of Wine and my grandson watched while Olav drunk himself silly. What do I want to do? Our grandson is temperate already, if you’ll recall. I can commend him and he keeps temperate or encourage something else and swap temperate for another good trait and pay 30 stress. I can swap his temperate for diligent or gregarious. I keep it at temperate since you get +10 from vassals.

15 Sept, 1076 – Ten years have passed very slowly…

22 Sept – Event – Tasting the Grounds - I get out and take a nice relaxing ride and lose 32 stress.

28 Sept – Ready? My Court Poet Mechthild has returned! She found a tapestry of masterful level of craftmanship. And she returned! I display it in my court!

It will last 150 years, gives me monthly +0.14 renown, +6 grandeur bonus

15 Oct – Our court grandeur level drops back down

5 Dec - I want to hire another Men at Arms army now that I have a 4th home for them. I move my 10 Mangonels to house in Athlone. I could get armored footmen for 90 cash or 86 cash for light cavalry. Right now my army upkeep since my army is unraised is just -1. What would I get from this cash splay and how much would the upkeep be? When am I getting the Armored Cavalry boost? Not for 56 years so instead I hire light cavalry to add them to my army. This would be another 100 troops in my men at arms and cost me 0.34/month when not raised. I station them in Ossory’s Gabhran castle.

[Abe Sargent]

23 Sept – 1077 – Our relations improve with Duke Ruaidri by 25, to +31 and we stay on him for another 20 months.

1 Dec – Ossory is now at 100 control – 1.17 made here monthly and my levies at 325

I order my Martial to Athlone where we are at 26 now.

I begin building a casus belli in Dyfed again

17 Feb, 1078 – Event – The Dark Cave – Earl Olav steals a toy from a child into a dark cave and my daughter Conchann saw it happen and beat him up to a bloody pulp. I have three options. She inherited Wrathful from me. She can keep it or I can gain 30 stress to swap it with Brave or turn Olav into a rival with making him go back and getting Stubborn. I swap Wrathful with Brave and gain 30 stress.

29 May - Event – Evening Meal – Almost Stuck – I begin to choke down on the good food.

26 July – I can choose a new Martial perk – what do I want? I choose Parthian Tactics which increase our cavalry toughness by 30%.

4 Oct – Our ally the Prince of Gwynedd passes and our alliance with him. Their province broke up into two holdings – Princedoms Gwynedd with four and Powys with two. If I reinstall our alliance, we’d only be getting the four holdings left and then that’s 1317 left. Can we? Yes, he will accept an alliance. Dowe do it? That would tie me to fighting against next door England if they attack. But I could use the allies in Wales for my first few wars against the 6 strong Deheubarth and then they have 1905 to our 2262.

Let’s renew the alliance. Our new guy is 37 so this could last for a while

22 Oct – Our first guest arrives, her name is Winfrida and she is a trained healer. Do I want to hire her as my Court Physician? Nope Abban is better.

24 Oct – Scotland lost a war against England – they now have just 177 soldiers left after losing them all. Do I want to De Jure for Ulster and unite Ireland? He is still allied with Bohemia who is at war with Hungary and has a +18 war score. Ulster has locally

Is this my chance?

Let’s try it out! I declare De Jure war against Scotland for Ulster! Fortune favors the bold!

[Abe Sargent]

The First Ireland/Scotland War

24 Oct – I call up my ally Gwynedd to call up their troops and begin to rally mine.

29 Oct – My 2254 troops are assembled in my capital, I order them to Ulster’s capital barony of Dun Padraig.

30 Oct – Event – My grandson witnesses an execution and wonders where is God’s justice. I swap Cynical with Just and gain 30 stress.

16 Dec – Gwynedd lands in Dubhlinn

11 Jan, 1079 - We begin the siege in Ulster

29 April – Ulster falls! We have a warscore of +16. An army assembled against us of 1029 is crossing the strait from Galloway to Ulster, I move to meet them

9 May – They stop.

24 May – They begin a siege in Orriel and I head over to meet them

30 June – We win and have a war score of +19

I order us to Galloway’s capital

11 July – Duke Ruadri swayed!

21 July – Our Spymaster discovers a plot against me and I order him to figure it out.

16 Aug – We begin a siege in Galloway

5 Dec – Galloway falls, warscore of 39 Next is nextdoor Carrick

18 Dec – We begin the siege

2 Jan, 1080 –Event - We are planning the next stage of the war, I choose to get +5% pillaging and +5% defense

15 Mar- I get another military perk and I choose Envelopment to increase our countering ability in combat.

20 July – Carrick falls, next is Ayrshire – warscore of +57

27 July -Siege begins

29 July – They recapture Ulster with more than 3k troops

28 Aug – We finish fabricating the Welsh claim – do I want to spend for it 75 in cash with me having
441? I do so!

Next is Religious Relation again

They are sieging Oriel with more troops than I have and we are down to 16 warscore

Can I get a peace now?Nope

15 Nov- We capture Ayrshire the warscore is just +19. Should I head back and recapture Ulster or head to the captial three provinces over and try to send them over?

I head back to Ulster

24 Dec – We arrive back in Ulster. Should our combined army head next door to Oriel which has just 20 days left? I don’t think we’ll get there.

31 Dec – They flee from Oriel as we enter next to us. We begin the siege of Ulster again

2 Mar, 1081 – Ailech is under siege

15 Mar -Ulster is ours again and we have a warscore now of 66%. I order us to Ailech

24 April – They flee from us next door to

9 May – We engage battle – we have 3379 to their 3069

10 June – A huge campaign finishes in Ailech. We win with 2920 to their 2156 and have +83 warscore

I head to siege Argjall

14 Aug – Earl Aed VI claims the Kingdom of Ireland title

22 Aug - We begin the siege

6 Oct – Our warscore raises to 90 and with our +10 boost from our military perk that’s enough to win the war!

I gain 40 fame!

11 Oct – We finish turning Dubhlinn into Irish! I have my Steward work to bring in taxes again

18 Oct – Scotland accepts our peach offer

Ulster:

Earl Cu Ulagh of Ulster – Irish, Catholic, -8 relations, I make nice with him in a Sway Scheme, 57 years, stats are 14/3/9/19/3 – 19 intrigue? Chaste, Craven, Just, not a powerful vassal

Ulster – in Ulster Petty Kingdom 6 dev four Baronies, 3 plains one hills, control of 20


Nice addition!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Wow, when Ulster was taken by Scotland, I figured that we’d never get it. Barring an alliance with England. But with them losing and England grabbing the rest of their kingdom from De Jure we had a chance, and I took it! In EU4 I would have taken Ulster, and some mainland Scottish stuff.

Now we have Civil Issues with Earl Aed VI grabbing a faction to replace me when I die instead of my son. We’ll need to work on that next. He is related distantly, although not our House Briain and better than my son, but I cannot allow that to happen.

We are currently being raided, so I leave my army together and order it back to Ireland.

Now, obviously, I cannot attack our CB in coastal SW Wales for a while since we need time to rebuild my army and wait until fighting down raiders. Now that I am just on the Islands, there is a good reason not to hit Wales and expand there – that I am walking next to the big bad of England. I could go Scotland again, but they are too big, so that leaves the three Welsh Duchies that are called Principalities there in their culture and their 12 Holdings in the Kingdom of Wales. No one is the King of Wales, so if England forms it, then they will have two of four Kingdoms needed to form the empire of Britannia, and once that happens, they will have De Jure wars on us to gobble us up very fast. I need to play long term defense in Ireland by taking the King of Wales title. Then even when England takes out Scotland, they’ll only have two of four and cannot declare De Jure wars against us. Also, if I do that then I should be able to gobble up the rest diplomatically there just like Ireland, and then I will have two Kingdoms of four in Britannia not England.

Hence Wales is the key defense as well as a good place to expand. But here is the main issue, I still share my titles with my male children on death, so if I take Wales and then Ireland and have two male children then we’ll split this thing up. So, I need to grab the Empire title in order to stop that, and my only male grandson has gained the Lustful trait so he’s more likely to spawn. This is not good.

Also, we could ally with Scotland and try to hit England but that’s less likely to happen. After grabbing Wales and becoming the King, I need to grab enough Scottish territory and then I don’t know how CK3 works when you take a majority of territory from someone with that title already. Can you steal it?

As a reminder, here is how I finished Ireland:

Step 1 – Start with 3
War #1 – De Jure - Take in my Petty Kingdom Desmond in a War vassalize them - size 4
War #2 – Claim CB in Ossory, take it in War annex and ours – size 5
War #3 – Claim CB in Athlone, take it in War annex and ours – size 6
Peace – Vassalize the two provinces of Dubhlinn – size 8
Claim Ireland Title
Peace - Vassalize the four holdings of Connacht – size 12
Peace – Vassalize the one holding of Ailech – size 13
War – De Jure – Take in my Kingdom Ulster from Scotland – 14

11 later we have finished the island

[Abe Sargent]

19 Oct, 1081 – The first faction has started against me, it’s here:



I am also screenshotting Aed VI. You can see he actually has a very strong opinion of me, and great stats. He is the also member in this faction, so we’ll need to keep the rest of my vassals happy to keep them out of this faction. The only vassal with a negative relation is the Earl of Ulster. Even Ormond is at +9.

3 Dec - My army returns from Scotland

13 Dec – We win against raiders. I disband my army.

21 Dec – Event – Peers at Play – I let my daughter Conchann join a party of peers hosted by Earl Olav of Ormond.

31 Dec – Using the depleted ranks of the Principality of Gwynedd and us two holdings of four of Gwynedd have declared independence against their master. I join them.

[Abe Sargent]

The Second Gwynedd Civil War

I raise my armies, right now I have 1925 of 2346

1 Jan, 1082 – Olav of Osmond is now 16 and at -30 as a key vassal. I need to appoints him on my Council to keep him happy and away from Aed VI.

Olav – 4/6/8/9/6 – His 8 and 9 are Stewardship and Intrigue. What do I want to give him? I could make him my Steward and pull Aed VI who is a massive 25, but that would be a rough adjustment in cash. I do it. That drops Aed to +1 with -20 for losing their seat and -40 for not getting a seat they expect. But Olav is now +20 and won’t be likely to join any factions.

Since I am at war and thus won’t be able to manage my relations with vassals, I could send a gift to Earl of Ulster of 150 cash and then raise our relations by 40, but that’s way too much. I only have 404.

I just got a Marriage Offer from the King of Scotland for his son named Prince Malcom who is 20, and my oldest daughter Conchenn. Do I want an alliance by marriage with him? He’s 50 and won’t live forever. Conchenn is 13 and has these stats right now: 3/7/5/9/3 – not exactly worth keeping around in my kingdom to marry off. She’s also greedy, brave, vengeful and curious. Now the main issue with marrying my eldest daughter to a male heir of a king is that is her brother, Brian, were to die, then her male issue could have an heir to the throne and move in but Brian already has a son to inherit in that case.

So, here’s the main issue do I want to ally with Scotland? Until the 50 year old King dies? Right now my expansion is Wales not England/Scotland. So I would be happy to ally with one over the other then, btu do I want to get pulled into Scottish Wars against England? Not until I’ve set up in Wales and have both Kings, because I don’t want to lose my Welsh possessions before becoming the King. But having good protection in Wales would give me protection from English wars there to keep us running until I am King in Wales, so if England were to DOW with Gwynedd and Scotland as allies I might be able to do something.

I accept and we are now Allies with Scotland with the royal marriage. Since the King is 50, we won’t have this forever.

4 Jan, 1082 – I have raised my army, I order it across the Irish Sea to Wales.

1 Mar – 376 are in Ulster doing a siege

12 Mar – They are joined by 212 more for a total of 588

15 Mar – I land in Ynys Mon in Wales, but, I order myself back to Ulster to break this siege while Gwynedd is sieging Eryri.

18 Mar – Event – Swaying Earl Cu Uladh of Ulster – I choose to focus on intrigue sinch he has a 19.

22 Mar – Peasants in Athlone have joined Earl Aed VI’s faction and are wanting more control of Athlone. I have -50 relations there due to “Chafing Control”. My control there’s now 90, so I pull off my Martial and send him to Train Commanders

27 April – Conchenn returned from Earl Olav

29 April – My main army is in Ulster

8 May – We defeat one army another fled I chase it down

14 May – My Spymaster tells me of someone plotting against my nephew and Knight Cennetig.

21 May – Eryri falls!

Our Side won the War!!!

[Abe Sargent]

25 May – I disband my army!

I want to change my Wales War Tactics.

Here, let me show you a Zoomed in Map of Wales:




I am zooming in on the area. My first plan when Gwynedd had taken the two province of the Principality of Powys was to head to war in the south and grab that six nation, let my alliance roll over post death, and then take one province from Gwynedd in peace, and then take the King title.

I need to cut off my ally from expanding south. See how the two provinces of Powys are inland? Right now my Welch claim is on Dyfed. What I want to do is grab Ceredigion instead and then take the inland Powys of Penllyn and then that cuts off Gwynedd from expansion south.

So I begin to build a CB in Ceredigion

2 Nov – I unlock a new Martial Perk – I take Organized March – that increases my army speed.

I have two Court Events I look at:

Court Event #1 – A Flesh Wound: A diplomat sent by my ally Scotland is bleeding. He says he was defenestrated on the way over from Scotland. He wants to continue our diplomatic talks.

I have three options:

1. Force Him to see a Physician – 81% chance he survives, King of Scotland relations gain by +25, he get fixed – 18% dies, and I lose 33 cash, and then I have to clean the carpets
2. My Calander has Space Next Week - I spend 33 cash cleaning the carpets, King loses 15 relations
3. Let’s Walk and Talk and Scotland is Buying me a new Carpet - -30 relations with Scotland’s King, +10 grandeur gain 15 cash.


I choose the first. He survives!

Court Event #2 – Poor Manners: My Archbishop Thomas Johansson is belching in the court and acting rudely. One of my Knights complains.

I have three options this time as well.

1. The Archbishop is a Man of God, Let us Treat him as Such – This will raise my stress by 80 since I am Wrathful AND Impatient, I lose 14 grandeur, my Archbishop relation increases by 20 and piety by 50
2. Archbishop or Not, He Will Learn Proper Manners – He loses 30 opinion, I gain 10 Dread, every other courtier gains +10 relations. No stress here.
3. Oh Come on Now, like We all Haven’t Had to Do that Before – I lose 14 grandeur, +40 stress, but the Archbishop loves it and I lose 10 relations with y Knight who complained


I choose the middle one since I am not losing Court Grandeur or getting stressed. Our relations with the Archbishop is now +43

2 Jan, 1083 - It’s been five years since I last held court!!!

I hold it again

I spend 100 prestige

I have three petitioners:

Petitioner #1 – My daughter Conchenn: She is asking me to Annual her match with the King of Scotland’s third son, Malcolm IV.

I have three options:

1. Agree – It’s annulled – We break it off and relations drop by 30 with Scotland
2. An agreement is an agreement – Conchenn loses 40 relations and drops from 100 to 60.
3. Then you’ll never marry – She becomes a Monk loses 40 relations, I get boosted relations from my Archbishop and the Pope. In this case, King Malcom III of Scotland understands and doesn’t lose relations.

So what do I want? The last two hurt my relations with her and my first with Scotland. I choose the middle option to keep her married even if she doesn’t like it or him.

Petitioner #2 – The Ravages of Peace: This is from Earl Olav who is pissed that recently Knight Dairmarit and leading troops pillaged some of his territory. I need to make nice with the Earl Olav and not get him upset since our relations aren’t great and I cannot get him up and joining Earl Aed IV’s coalition.

Here are my four options:

1. My Warriors March in Defenses of us All, Stop Complaining –20 relations with Olav, I gain relations with my Knights, the Earldom is looted for five years
2. You Must Return Your Plunder Diarmarit – Relations with Knights drop by 5 each hi by 20, plus 20with Earl, the Earldom is looted.
3. I’ll Compensate You for Your Losses - I spend 65 cash, gain a massive 35 relations with Olav, the Earldom is still burned for five years the Knights don’t dislike this
4. If you Cannot Keep the Peace, You Don’t Deserve the Land – I take it. This is an act of tyranny.


Obviously I want the 2nd or 3rd. I have 439 cash so I do three, but I do 2 instead

Relations with Olav raised to +35

Petitioner #3 – Laughs Requested: This is from Earl Murchad who is at +20 and wants us to hire a Court Jester and has a great idea about who. Earl Cu Uladh who is just at +13 objects since it would ruin the sophisticated air of the court.

I have three options:

1. If the Earl Cu Ulagh Doesn’t Want Laughs, We Should Make Him Laughable – I make him my Court Jester and drop our relations by 40,
2. This is NOT a Peasant’s Market, a Jester has No Place Here – Earl Murchad drops by -40
3. I’ll Consider it Sometime - -20 relations with Earl Murchad at +2-

I cannot annoy two key figures, I wish I had a fourth option to just hire a Court Jester. I do three.

5 January - Well, I’ve got bad news, my son has a 3rd son named Murchad and his 2nd born Caissene is now 6. That means we will split up without primogeniture or one Empire.

I could plot to kill them. For Caissene it has an 88% chance of success and a 95% chance of not being discovery. Do I do it? Actually, could I go with Caissene instead? No he’s much worse than Buiadbeo

What do I want to do?

[Abe Sargent]

I go ahead and start a plot to kill Caissene and then that will go at the same time as my Sway Schemes, it should take around 12 months to kill him.

22 March – The High Queen is pregnant even though she’s Chaste and 41 years old

4 April – I Get a Murder Scheme Event – I can spend 60 cash to improve our chances or not and I gain 40 stress. I spend it

14 May – Our Sway Scheme to make nice with Earl Cu Uladh of Ulster finishes and we gain 25 relations. We now have +40 Next is Earl Olav.

28 June – My grandson comes of age!

Buaidbeo – 16 years old, Irish and Catholic, Astute Intellectual, Robust, Lustful, Just, Temperate – stats of 6/6/14/5/10 – prowess 10 – strong starts with that 14 Stewardship he should be pretty good with that. I need to find him a Chaste wife to counteract that Lustful massive spawning.

Who do I like?

There is a lowborn 18 year old Swabian with Chaste, Deceitful, Homely and Humble, but Homely reduces spawning like Chaste.

What about 22 year old Dunlaith – Brave, Temperate, Patient, not Chaste, Gaelic culture, lowborn, good stats. Do I like her? She’s all positive things to pass down. She’s unlanded so Buaidbeo would lose 300 prestige marrying her. Her stats are amazing – 15/12/10/8/5 - she’s in Northen Scotland in the area controlled by Norway,.

Who is landed?

What about the 23 year old Stefania di Napoli of Italy. She has Generous, Gregarious and Arrogant. She has the best stats for under 25 adult women. They are 15/7/16/6/4 – prowess of 7, Catholic and Italian. Not bad not chaste. To marry House Napoli wouldn’t give me an alliance since she’s a wanderer, and we still get -300 since she’s unlanded.

Who else? The next best one is 17 year old French Eglantine who has much worse stats but still a-300. I have to dig deep to find a landed one, the 25 year old Kunigunde Franconian from Germany with stats of 11/9/8/9/6 – and she’s Lustful too and Zealous and Humble so they will have all of the kids even starting at 25 to his 16.

So…the 100 prestige gaining 25 year old lustful Kunigunde or 22 year old Dunlaith who loses 300 prestige but has amazing stats for a lowborn. Right now Buiadbeo’s prestige is 200 and he gains nothing monthly right now, so that’s a big hit in prestige for Dunlaith. But him and Kunigunde will spawn but gain him prestige.

I do Kunigunde.

Kunigunde - In House Weimar – Father, Duke Otto of Miesian, 25 years old, prowess of 7, Franconian and Catholic, 11/9/8/9/6 – and she’s Lustful too and Zealous and Humble. No alliance here it's in Bohemia.

7 July - My High Queen miscarries.

[Abe Sargent]

1 Aug – Our army is done restocking at a total of 2312.

14 Aug – I am asked to join Aed VI’s hunt and I do so

29 Aug – We are hit by Mosquitoes and I gain, for three years “Plagued by Mosquitoes”

7 Sept – We have to go foraging when we run out of food

12 Sept - A man named Folachtach wants to dual me. I agree but have my Knight fight him. He wins and wounds my Knight

14 Sept – We fail to heal it and gain a wound issue for a year

1 Oct – We arrive at the camp and will be hunting a Stag.

7 Oct – My older brother Conchabar dies on the hunt and I gain stress. I now have 1 level of stress

10 Oct - I suffer from a Mental Break. I can go to the brothel, convert to Nestorianism or bite my tongue and move on and gain 30 more stress. I bite my lip.

23 Oct – The Hunt ends and I lose 32 stress because I am a hunter

29 Oct – The Earldom of Athlone where my Peasants don’t like me gets a County Corruption event for 5 years called “Lack of Sheriffs”

9 Nov – On the way back we run into a Wolf attacking a man what do I want to do? We leave him.

22 Nov – My wife the High Queen is again pregnant

3 Dec – Caissene is dead! I gain 24 stress

I want to do Murchad next but he’s much harder to kill at just 40% of success and 55% of secrecy. Do I want to? It would also take 2 years. Is that worth it? Well I’m 56 so if I get Kinslayer then I won’t be alive to worry about it.

30 Dec – We are back from the Hunt!

15 Mar, 1084 – Conchenn my oldest daughter has come to age!

Conchenn – 16 years old, Brave, Vengeful, Greedy – Astute Intellectual, engaged to Prince Malcom of Scotland, 3/8/8/9/9, prowess of 16 –

The marriage happens!

6 April – We get another marriage proposal from a Kingdom of Aragon on Iberia.

It will be with his son and heir Garcia Sanchez who is 23 and my 13 year old daughter called Aedammair who. I am fine with the marriage generally, but do I want to be pulled into Iberian Reconquista Wars? She’s Homely so this would be a great match politically, but their military is just 1643. But hey I am about to die, and I like the match. Just not the alliance. Aragon only have three provinces and Castille have gobbled up much.

I decline

25 April – A hunt is launching by Duke Ruadri and I agree and join

4 May – I get my fortune told – I get bad omens for 5 years and lose 15 stress

8 May – I get more skeeters, I get more stress and I have a Mental Break – I choose to swap out Temperate for the bad Arbitrary and then lose a massive 68 stress. I was at level 2.

26 May – We arrive in camp. We are hunting a hare.

22 June – We give birth to a daughter named Dub-Essa

9 July- We are successful and I gained an item called a “Rabbit’s Foot” – this lowers stress monthly

I lose a bunch of stress and drop below level 1.

11 July – My attempt to Sway Olav worked and we gained 25 relations and are now at +66. Next is Aed VI at -12

9 Aug – We return from our Hunt!

I don’t want to offer my 14 year old daughter to create an alliance that may be an issue, so instead I offer her to the son of the Duke of Raudri of Connacht who is 23 named Tadg – that gives her +100 and him +300 prestige

23 Oct – Our peasant rebellion from Athlone has left the coalition against me.

7 Nov – My friend Maire dies and my stress raises above level 1

[Abe Sargent]

4 March, 1085 – We fabricate a claim on Wales’s Ceredigion and I pay 75 cash to get it! I tell my Archbishop to fabricate a claim on inland Penlynn from Powys

I declare war on Ceredigion’s owner Deheubarth who has 1973 soldiers to our 2272 and Gwynedd’s 1808. It costs me 23 prestige


The First Ireland-Deheubarth War


I call Gwynedd to war. I rally my troops in our capital

8 Mar – 2180 set from Ireland to Wales’s Ceredigion

We are each singing a separate place

They hire mercs and are at 2768

We are sieging Ceredigion, Gwynedd their capital of

They are sieging Gwynedd’s next door holding

1 Sept – Their capital falls – we have a warscore of 21

5 Sept - Our Sway scheme works on Aed VI and our relations are now +13 next is Earl Cu Uragh of Ulster

28 Sept – Murchad dies and we weren’t plugged

4 Oct – The siege in Gwynedd is over and they won and dropped our warscore to +21

14 Oct – The Earl Olav knows what I did and is blackmailing me

2 Nov – We capture our wartarget Ceredigion = warscore is 38.

30 Nov – Gwynedd captures a third holding – war score is 45

3 Mar, 1086 – We win a battle against their combined army- warscore is 77

21 April – Kunigunde’s parent died and she is the new Countess of Dresden.

We are now allies

29 June – 1700 troops assault my 1900 sieging a system

3 July- Aedammair comes of age!


Aedammair – 16, Temperate, Sadistic, Shy, Pensive, 3/7/10/6/5 13 prowess married to Tadg

7 July – My brother Lorcan dies and I get stressed.




15 July – We win the battle and max warscore at 100!

Peace:

I gain 10 fame


Ceredigion – Wales – coastal, central – 2 Baronies, 7 development, -18 loyalty, 0 control. I send marshal here to increase control! In the Gwynedd Duchy. Welsh culture, Catholic faith.

[Abe Sargent]

Our first Welch holding and thing outside of Ireland!!!!

I can only have 5 direct holdings with my new Steward so I am at my max with Athlone, Ossory, Ceredigion, Ennis and Thomond.

15 Sept, 1086 – Twenty years have passed!!!

2 Jan, 1087 – Our Sway Scheme on Earl Cu Ulagh of Ulster finishes and our relations rise to +34. Next is Earl Muiredach at 0.

23 Mar – We finish fabricating a claim on the Principality of Powys next door’s Penllyn – do I want to grab it and DOW with just 919 soldiers for defense? The problem is that they are allies. So I could, go to war with them both, call in Scotland …no not right now.

I don’t pay the 75 cash.

9 April – I am wounded

3 May - I am treated

15 May – Earl Olav uses the hook with me to renegotiate his feudal contract.

9 June – Raiders from Jarl Taitur are in my territory

I assemble my army of 2315 to relieve the raid in Desmond

23 July – We begin battle against the 1724 strong force

15 Aug – We win! We drop their force to 1020

17 Aug – I catch pneumonia – Abban gives me herbs and I feel better

9 Sept – I gain a new Military Perk which is Engineered for Destruction +40% siege weapons

18 Sept – The raiders fled Ireland and I disband my army

29 Sept, 1087 – Our High King Murchad mac Donnchad of Ireland, age 60, passes

Our new High King is Brian mac Murchad, age 39, Arrogant, Impatient, Generous, Tough Solider – stats – 11/11/10/5/5 prowess 4. Nothing great. That Arrogant will be an issue as our vassals don’t like it, but they do like Generous. 537 prestige, 176 piety

I am not endorsed by the Archbishop and thus losing that cash.

Only he is in my council so who do I want to send to various spots?

Key vassals, we have 5:

Earl Murchad – was dad’s General with 9 Martial. Has lower stats of 6/9/10/2/3
Duke Ruadri – was dad’s Spymaster with 10 intrigue, has solid sats in places of 6/14/4/10/3
Earl Aed VI – Was moved off dad’s council after supported rebellion – 7/5/25/13/11 – obviously he’s awesome as my Steward
Earl Olav – 3/6/8/15/6 – Strong Spymaster option with 15 intrigue
Earl Muiredach – Was dad’s Chanceller for diplomacy – 7/4/14/2/1 – and 7 is okay there and the best of my key vassals so far

Here’s what I like:

Duke Ruadri – Martial – 14
Earl Aed VI – Steward – 25
Earl Olav – Spymaster – 15
Earl Muiredach – Chancellor – 7

And then Murchad will be left out

I do it. Murchad has relations of -35. I make nice with the Archbishop at enough to raise in one go.

I choose a new Lifestyle and I choose Martial since that’s my background. I was already focused in Overseer which increases dread and control gain and stuff like that. I need one more Perk to finish it.

5 Oct – I want to make new alliances. First is Gwynedd who won’t ally with me normally, so I need to set up an alliance by marriage. I do the Prince who is 44 and wife passed, with my half-sister 13 year old Fine which will raise her prestige by 200 and his by 300

14 Oct – They agree and we are allied again!

[Abe Sargent]

28 Dec – Earl Olav lets me know that Earl Aed VI is planning something against me so I order him watched.

I find out he’s a non-believer but lost 30 relations with him. Does that give me a hook since he has allied with Murchad against me? Yes, it’s a hook, can I get him to call off the coalition against me with it? I need to blackmail him first and do so. We drop relations another 15.

2 Jan, 1088 – We accepts the blackmail and I’ve gained the hook now

Now can I get him to drop the coalition stuff? Nope and now he’s not happy. That may not have worked like I thought it would.

Since Murchad doesn’t like me since he’s not on my council and is on the faction against me with Aed VI and then Aed is should I swap them back and make him my Steward with his 10 Stewardship? That would be a hit in cash from 24 to 10 Steward, but it might be worth it. Right now I am taking home 6.9 monthly in cash after costs and then Murchad is -35. I do it and Murchad goes to positive +15 and we are now making 6.5

4 April -Our Court Grandeur drops to 0 and I head there and increase my homes from Minutes to Small and that costs me 0.2 monthly

17 April – We have two Court Events:

Event #1 – Finger Bones of an Old King – We have a peddler who is selling artifact bones. Do I want to buy these? It costs me 25 cash. I do so.

Event #2 - Foremost Knight – We have a disagreement for two is the best Knight in the realm. They want to hold a duel, I have them do it with training swords.

I Hold Court:

I spend 100 prestige.

Petitioner #1 – In Ancient Times – A wizened figure that claims to be an antiquarian wants cash to research my family tree. I agree, pay him 25, and raise court grandeur by 14

Petitioner #2 – Monument Restoration – A Welsh lady from Ceredigion is here and wants damaged statue from the recent war restored. That would cost 50 of 601, drop my stress by 20 since I am generous and improve Welsh/Irish relations by 10. I do it

Petitioner #3 – Ailech Dancing – A peasant women from the Castle of Ailech has been dancing and is dancing here too and she is bleeding. Our Court Physician says it’s because of an imbalance in her humors.

I have three options:

1. Dancing? Great! - Ailech struck by Dancing Plague for 10 years
2. Pray for Deliverance – I get +100 piety, their outbreak is contained
3. Bring out the Leeches – I get +20 relations with my Court Physician and their outbreak is also constrained.

I choose the middle.

18 Apr – Our Court Grandeur rises to level 3

Our In Ancient Times comes back, our relations with vassals, courtiers and family raise by 5 each that’s enough to get the support from our Archbishop and we now get an additional 0.1 monthly from church holdings. I also lost 25 stress

Looks like Murchad left the faction against me

13 July – My Spymaster has found out who was scheming against my Knight Cennetig – it’s Earl Cu Uladh.

31 July – Our Sway Scheme on Our Archbishop works – next Cu Uladh – we’re at -10 relations

2 Nov – My Church holding monthly cash gain is now a healthy 1.3

[Abe Sargent]

17 Jan, 1089 – Duke Ruadri arrives in court and I meet with him. We reconfirm with him his area of the Duchy of Connacht and we get 6 grandeur, 50 cash, 150 prestige and 100 renown

7 May – Murchad dies, he was Earl of Dubhlinn and his successor is:

Earl Domnall, relations of -21, 42 years old, 5/4/7/7/20 – Arbitrary, Patient, Calm, Catholic, Irish – what do I do with him in my court? His father was Steward with 10, his is 7 and his skill at 20 in Learning is for Archbishop which I cannot change as Catholic. Hmmm…I name him my Steward.

I order my Archbishop to begin claims on Dyfed again.

27 June – Earl Cu Uladh relations increased by 25 to -27 and we stay on him

26 Nov – I get another Inspiration strikes event this time a wandering Weaver named Antonio. I sponsor him with 61 cash to start – I request something that tells the history of Ireland.

24 Dec – Uh oh. England won a war against Powys and are now in Wales next to us.

8 Feb, 1080 – My Spymaster tells me of a scheme against my Court Poet Mechtilid. I order up defenses

11 Feb – Abban my Court Physician passes. I want to hire a new one, but none are better than poor. I hire my wife, High Queen Leonide.

15 Mar – My son and wife spawn a grandson – they name him Mael-Michil

5 April – Event – Exotic Arms – A Peddler arrives from Gaelic and offers me an Orguz Battle-Axe for 115 cash out of 710 and then I gain 40 stress since I am Arrogant. I skip it.

24 April – It looks like France cut off a line of expansion in the 5 province Duchy of Brittany bringing it under it’s aegis

Our relations to sway the Earl work and our relations rise to +14

28 April - I get an inspiration event – Highest Quality – I spend 60 to increase it’s quality

22 Sept – Another inspiration event – Disruptions – Our Poet and Weaver are clashing. What do I want to do? I try to negotiate peace the middle option but with a 75% chance of worse stuff.

11 Oct – The faction has dropped it’s people against me

2 Dec – We finish fabricating the claim in Dyfed. I spend 83 cash to get it.

[Abe Sargent]

As a reminder, I can only have five counties in my direct control, and we have that with our two we started with, Athlone, Ossory and our new Welsh holding Ceredigion. So when I DOW for Dyfed here in a moment, I‘ll need to create space in my queue with another vassal, but I don’t want to make another Key Vassal who’ll be pissed since he won’t be on my council. My only non-key vassal vassal is Ulster’s Earl Cu Uladh.

Here are my thoughts:

Athlone – In the two holding Duchy with Dubhlinn – Either just give it to the Earl of Dubhlinn or create that Duchy, and hand the Earl to him. Or I just could hand this to Dubhlinn and make him a Duke. Athlone is making me 1.15 monthly.

Ossory – In the two province Duchy with the holding Dubhlinn conquered and then was peacefully vassalized, which is an Earl by them and not directly controlled by us. I could hand this to the Earl instead. It’s making us more cash at 1.28 but not much.

Wales – I could hand away my current holding now, but I am building up control. Or I could hand it away post war to work on Dyfed, but that would add to my vassal count. Ceredigion has control of 54 and just cash of 0.24 due to low control and Welsh culture.

Ulster - Remember that Ulster, Ailech with Aed VI and the province conquered by Connacht before we peacefully vassalized them are part of the Duchy of Ulster. In order to add a Key Vassal in Wales, I could create the Duchy of Ulster and hand Ailech and Ulster to it.

I wish that Dubhlinn hadn’t annexed south so I could create that Duchy and hand Ossory away.

Anyways, Deheubarth is at war with England and has two provinces controlled by England and then an army on the way to Dyfed so I’ll need to wait until after the war to grab Dyfed but I need to be fast in gobbling up Welsh Territory now that England is moving that way instead of north to Scotland or south to France.

21 Dec – Inspiration Event – Its done! We have an Excellent Tapestry that, when exhibited will increase tax by 0.2% from vassals that are Glory Hounds and then grandeur boosts of +3 and then it lasts for 75 years.

I display it in my Courtroom and take down the displayed Dynasty Banner.

2 Jan, 1081 – Earl Aed VI of Ailech passes and his son takes over:

Earl Aed VII – Age 20, relations -55, Calm, Deceitful, Lustful, Pilgrim, Astute Intellectual background, stats of 4/2/9/13/15 – prowess of 9, Irish Catholic, key vassal, not on Council.

Will he start factions against me like his father?

7 Jan – He begins a faction to replace me with his Son Niall, so yes

7 April – In one War, England takes Deheubarth off the map.

I cannot compete with that.

13 May – We have an Event Called Death from Above where I am injured from an attack and am incapable.

We are now in a Regency:

Regent Prince Buaidbeo – He has borrowed powers.

Here’s our Regency Tab:



As you can see, we are power sharing and the more power slips to the Regent, the harder to end it. You can see the relations below. Remember that I am Sway Scheming Murchad at -15. We have the best Scales of Power on our side. I give him a Mandate to Promote Authoirity to increase control and drop faction support, the others are to increase cash or could increase men-at-arms.

This may make the factioning get faster even with Promote Authority.

[Abe Sargent]

15 May – It looks like Gwynedd is at war with England too

7 June – Ceredigion gets an event for 5 years of Bandits Running Rampant which drops taxes by 20% and development by 50%

18 June – Sway scheme success with Earl Murchad and it’s now +10. Next is Earl Olav.

1 July – Ceredigion loses the County Corruption event

10 Aug – The High King Brian passes.

The High King Ruled for four years.

The New High King:

Buaidbeo mac Brian – age 24, Irish and Catholic, Temperate, Just, Lustful – stats of 8/7/14/6/15 – prowess of 10, Robust, one son, Astute Intellectual background, has Stewardship high enough for 6 domains, 875 prestige, 376 piety,

Negative relations with Archbishop at -0

I have no other Council. Aed VI was appointed to my father’s council, had great relations and then still created factions against him would Aed VII his son? I think so since he started a faction against me, so I am not appointing him.

Here is my Council:

Marshal – Duke Ruadri – 17 – relations of +70
Chancellor – Earl Muiredach – 8 – relations of +12
Spymaster – Earl Olav has -100 relations, do I give him that job again? I need a positive relations to help end factions so I give it to Earl Domnall of Dubhlinn – 18 – relations of +23
Steward – Earl Olav – 8 - -53 relations


I begin a Sway Scheme on Earl Olav

I choose a Learning Pasttime since I have a Learning upbringing

I have three options here:

Medicine, Scholarship or Theological Focus. Looks like I already had a Scholarship Focus which I confirm.

I hold my first High Court to proof myself worthy of the title:

I spend 100 prestige!

Petitioner #1 – A Holy Tomb – I get approached by a peasant lady who wants us to venerate a local saint that is not endorsed by the Vatican named Ruaidri.

I have three options:

1. Venerate his Holiness: I spend 250 piety to gain 50 control in Ui Mhaine and then the local holding of Athenry becomes a sacred site.
2. I Shall Eradicate this Nonsense: I gain 20 dread, 250 piety, control in Ui Mhaine drops by 20
3. I Don’t Care About Peasant Superstitions: I get -10 control in Ui Mhaine.

Ui Mhaine is in another holding in the Duchy of Connacht so I don’t really care about it’s control level. If I helped the locals and make Athenry a sacred site that’s likely to be a nice economic boost but at the cost of 250 piety? Cash I’d do, but I am only making 1.9./monthly and 351 and that’s because our Archbishop isn’t making a claim, when he is, we lose piety. I like gaining 250 piety and stomping out this, or just not getting involved. I do the middle one.

Petitioner #2 – Rightful Lands – This time we’re approached by nobility, in this case Earl Enna of Leinster in reports to Dubhlinn. He wants the title of the Earl of Dubhlinn which he has claim to. What do I do?

I have a massive five options:

1. This Injustice ends Now: This is an act of tyranny and I am just so I am stressed with this.
2. Such Matters are Decided by War: This starts a war with them and loses 10 relations with Earl Enna.
3. You Must Win it by Sword: This starts a duel with them and the winner gets the title.
4. Domnall’s Claim is Truer: -30 relations with Earl Enna, +15 with Earl Domnall
5. I Do Not Interfere in Such Things: I gain 75 prestige only hurt by 5 relations with Earl Enna but gain stress since this is not just.

I cannot choose the first three. I don’t want to be stressed out so that outrules #5. That leaves the 4th option which I choose.

Petitioner #3 – The Ravages of Peace – If you’ll recall we had this one before where my Knights raid and pillage a province, and this time it’s Ui Mhaine.

I choose to make them pay and they do. I lose 65 stress since I am just

[Abe Sargent]

19 Aug – Earl Olav has joined the faction against me as has +14 relations Muiredach.

I need to get Olav out of that faction now since he’s a key vassal. I offer him a gift of 125 cash to increase our relations by +33. We are now at -20. I cannot offer another gift to raise relations again. How about Earl Muiredach. Can I pull him out with a gift?

I give him 100 cash to increase relations to +33. Will he pull out?

25 Aug – Doesn’t look like it

5 Sept- I am now the Culture Head of Irish

12 Sept – A new courtier arrives who is medical trained. I appoint him our new Court Physician called Janko Oginski

13 Sept - I start translating Aristotle’s Peri Psyches into Irish

15 Sept – We are 25 years in this dynasty – want to see a map of Brittania?



Sure thing my friends!!!!!!

2 Oct – Earl Muiredach leaves the faction

9 Dec – Translation Event – I am working hard and I take some rest

3 Feb, 1092 – Another translation event – the phrase is bothering me but Archbishop says I only need to know where to look. We work together to improve the quality of the translation.

21 Feb – Muiredach passes of old age.

His heir –

Earl Tagh mac Muiredach of Desmond - relations of -19, age 43, stats of 7/8/9/15/11 and prowess of 5., Catholic and Irish and I appoint him my new Challenor and he now has -9

1 June - We discover a hook with Earl Cu Uladh and relations drop 40

16 June – Our High Queen is Pregnant

30 June - Another translation event - this time I choose to add Christian notes to the text and increase piety by 100

14 Aug – Our Earldom of Ailech gains Inefficient Census for five years

3 Oct – Our vassal Duke Ruadri arrives and we reconfirm our relations

4 Oct – Our Sway Scheme for Earl Olav works and we are at +7 – next is the Archbishop

6 Oct – Our Translation is done and it’s excellent! We get Accomplished Translator for 10 years and an extra learning perk and I choose Open Minded - +15 relations with other cultures and other similar boosts

25 Nov – Scotland wins a war.

[Abe Sargent]

21 Jan, 1092 – We give birth to our first daughter named Ciar, our first girl!!!

11 Feb – I have enough Renown at 750 to unlock another tradition for my dynasty. What do I want?

The last time I did Warfare #1 House of Warriors and #2 gives me -20% CB Cost.

I do my number 2 last time Erudition #1 – Vibrant Court - +5 grandeur, +10 relations with vassals and courtiers and better guests recruited costing us -30% less

See you at 1250!!!!

16 Feb – I have a Court Event available:

Court Event #1 – A Ghostly Pen – Our Court Poet approaches, Mechthilid. She offers to write my speeches.

I have two options:

1. My Words Could use a Certain Infusion – I gain 100 dip lifestyle experience, relations with her +25 I gain for five years Ghost Writer and she gains a minor hook with me.
2. My Words May not be Fine, but they are From my Heart – I gain Honest Speaker for two years.

I like the addition and if it added grandeur I’d do the first one but instead I choose the latter

27 May – I see 2231 Raiders of Vestrland trying to land in Leinster. I order my army assembled in our capital

3 June – I have 2590 assembled and order them to Leinster

7 June – The Raiders land.

14 June – Event – A Sacred Text – I am shopping in the market when I am approached by an old merchant who produces a book I’ll need. What do I want to do? I spend 70 cash for the book artifact.

It’s a Fine Scripture. I display it in my court:

It lasts for 60 years, +4% piety monthly, +2 clergy opinion, +0.1 monthly prestige

I need to hire an Antiquarian to help prolong these and offer repair and reforge artifacts.

It costs 0.18 monthly to upkeep him. Is there someone I like?

Yes, we have an average person, the guy who made my excellent tapestry:

Antiquarian – Antonio Alliata – 33 years old, average, -17% artifact speed reduction, 11/7/3/7/11 – prowess of 8, Catholic and Italian, Patient, Generous and Forgiving.

19 June - A Sacred Text – Bibliomancy – I am putting away the book I just bought when a paper comes out. This is a practice where I take a divination in a book on a random spot. Do I want to? If I do I have a chance at a free learning perk. If not I gain 100 piety. I choose to do it.

I find a passage with four options. I choose Fascinating this requires future research and gain 75 prestige and then have a chance to gain 100 research in learning. I gain the trait Focused Reading for three years.

I unlock a new Perk which is Scholarly Circles which gives me +2 Learning for each level of devotion.

30 June – The Raid is over and the men are departing Leinster – can I get to them first before they head to their ships.

17 July – We arrive in Leinster and begin battle with the Raiders

10 Aug – Our wife is pregnant with our 3rd child!!!

29 Aug – We defeat the Raiders and capture 34 cash.

30 Sept – The rest of their army fled

6 Oct – I begin building a CB in the Isle of Man controlled by Scotland in case we have a chance

14 Oct – Athlone gained a Couty Corruption event for five years called Lack of Sheriffs

I disband my army after the Raiders landed in Scotland

[Abe Sargent]

17 Mar, 1094 – Another Daughter is born, we name her Sinech.

5 Apr – We have fully established control in Ceredigion with a control there of 100 and are making 0.47 monthly. Next I order my Martial to build up Commanders and train them.

14 Apr – Our Sway Scheme with the Archbishop works and we are now making taxes from churches of 2.3 monthly.

Next is Earl Olav again.

3 June – It looks like Scotland has lost some men, from recent stuff and only has 376 men. I could DOW and press Earl of Ulster Cu Ulagh’s claims. They are allied with Iceland and that’s it. They are losing a Civil War.

I need another ally , and I wasn’t going Gwynedd since they were at war with England and I didn’t want to get pulled into a Welsh war but they are winning at +85%.

I need to increase our relations with my relative since we are at -15 to create an alliance. I change my Sway Scheme from Earl Olav to the Prince of Gwynedd.

6 Oct – Should I send a gift to Gwynedd of 150 to improve relations by +29? Let’s try and see if that works.

They agree to an alliance!

I change my Sway Scheme back to Earl Olav

Scotland’s War is over. Their army is at 1415 and growing to our 2657 and Gwynedd’s 1894.

10 Nov – I have two Inspirations:

Lachtnae Somhairle – Wants to go to Western Europe – I send him with cash of 55

Mechthilid - Also wants to head to Western Europe for 85 cash – I agree since she came back with our tapestry last time

26 Mar, 1095 – Inspiration Event – Mechthilid – We encounter Bandits on the Road. I pay them 40 to get her through

5 May – An Artisan wants to make something for us but it cost 265 to start and I have two current Inspirations so I skip it

7 Aug – Our Archbishop passes.

Our new one is:

Lutbert von Hohenvels - +8 approves of us, Catholic, Franconian, 10 Learning skill, 41 years old

23 Aug – Inspiration Event by Mechthilid – A Change in Direction – I invest in 60 more cash.

14 Sept – Event – Visions of the Divine – I host a religious ceremony with Lutbert but he objects. I choose to debate with him given my much higher learning and… I gain 100 learning experience

7 Oct – We bring in Earl Fianchu to swear allegiance again. I gain the normal stuff from this

23 Nov - I unlock another Learning perk and I take Learn on the Job - +20% of councilors skills added to mine

[Abe Sargent]

6 Jan, 1096 – Sway Scheme successful with Earl Olav and we are at +41. Remember how high my relations were with the pervious Archbishop and how much I was making? Now I have relations of +8 and just making 0.4 monthly so I sway him

22 Jan – We have a Court Event:

Court Event – Poor Manners – This is the same event that the previous Archbishop causes in court. If you recall the first and third choices reduce court grandeur by 14 but gain 20 relations with the Archbishop or the middle one will harm relations with him by -30 that he will be polite in court.

What do I do? I choose the 1st, raise relations by +20 and gain 50 piety

Our monthly income from Church Holdings rose from 0.4 to 1.3 so my theory was proved

25 July – Court declines to level 2

7 Sept – I spend 100 prestige and hold my 2nd Court:

Petitioner #1 – Rivals in Agreement – Two Rival Knights approach the Throne. They don’t like that my wife is of another Culture.

I have three options:

1. I’m Sure if you Looked at this Another Way – 66% chance of success - +20 relations with Knights, I gain 300 DIP experience; 33% of it not working and I get for a few years Unworthy Ruler
2. I am not your Enemy – He is – Same percentage chance of success, but now their rivalry increases
3. Perhaps You’d Back those Words with Steel – We fight


I choose the first. It worked

Petitioner #2 – Indirect Espionage – This from my guest Seaghdha who was travelling in Gwynedd and has some juicy secrets to sell.

I have three options:

1. Pay 70 gold, gain a hook
2. No one Extorts me, seize him – This is an act of Tyranny
3. Begone from my Court – We gain 10 grandeur

I choose the final option

Petitioner #3 – The End is Nigh – This final petitioner is from an agitated man. He is from Leinster and says that the signs are here and we have to repent

I have three options:

1. Salvation by any Means – I gain 250 piety and put off food and gain the trait Inappetic
2. Nonsense, Burn the Heretic – I gain 100 piety and 20 dread
3. Take this fool out of my Sight - -100 piety

I choose the first and put off food and gain another 250 piety

10 Sept – Court rises to level 3

30 Nov – My claim is done for the Isle of Man – I pay 90 cash to make my final bribe.

Scotland has 1754 troops and is at another Civil War – is this the time to snatch the Isle of Man which is safe from England since it’s not adjacent to the mainland?

[Abe Sargent]

Gwynedd won their war against England. Nice! They are allied to a Duchy in Scotland but not the Kingdom of Scotland…will they join me?

So, should I try to ally with England instead to have them in my back pocket in case I need a Deus Ex Machina? That might be good because then they’d invade on my schedule not theirs. Can I get an alliance? We have +8 relations already but unlike Gwynedd they are not family or a lower nation that wants an alliance.

How about a marriage? The ruler is 42 year old William “Curthose” and he has three sons one of age, one of which is married, and then another son who is 12. I could try and marry his third born son of 5 and my oldest daughter who is 3 when they age. But I’d prefer a future marriage with my oldest son who is 9 and their daughter since then my heirs would be related to the English crown. But they don’t have any daughters.

This is going to be rough, but I hope I can call on Gwynedd.

Fortune Favors the Bold!

I start working on a claim on mainland Galloway which has strait crossing with the Isle of Man and Ulster

I declare war for the Isle of Man which Scotland calls “Mon”

It costs me 50 prestige.

The 2nd Ireland-Scotland War

Can I call Gwynedd to War? Yes and it costs me 150 prestige. This is my first war without my grandfather Murchad leading it since we weren’t to grab that land in southern Wales due to the war that grabbed them in one shot.

I call up my army in my capital.

1 Dec – My Archbishop is not swayed, so we try again

7 Dec – I have assembled 2642 men and order them to Mon

18 Jan, 1097 – Gwynedd arrives in Mon and begins the siege – they have 1942

4 Feb – We join them. This should last around 4 months

28 April – We capture Mon! We have a warscore of +5. Next is Galloway.

25 May – We arrive in Galloway to siege and then Gwynedd is next door in Carrick sieging. This should take 8 months for both. The rebels are sieging Annandale next to us

16 Sept – The Inspiration for Lachtnae and he comes back with something!

Jewelry Casket:

Lasts for 120 years, +0.5 piety monthly, +0.13 renown mothly,+3 grandeur - I display it!

12 Oct – Inspiration for Mechthilid is done! She comes back too! She has:

House Jewelry Casket:

Piety +0.6 monthly, +0.1 renown monthly, +3 grandeur – I display it too

15 Oct - Carrick falls to Gwynedd warscore of +20

31 Oct – Annandale beside me falls to the rebels

16 Nov – We capture Galloway. I sacked 34 cash and capture a Knight prisoner. I head to Cumberland

15 Dec – We arrive and begin sieging

4 Jan, 1098 – Rebels are attacking Ayrshire

27 Feb – The Sway Scheme worked this time on our Archbishop – next is Earl Olav

4 Mar – Gwynedd captures the rebel held Annandale and our warscore rises to +51

18 Mar – Gwynedd is sieging Teviotdale.

12 April – I unlock a new learning perk I choose Sanctioned Loopholes which let me Buy Claim Interaction

4 May – Ayrshire falls and the rebels are moving to us in Carrick

11 May – Our Court Grandeur rises to level 4

5 July – Cumberland falls to us, our warscore is +73 and we gained 22 in cash from the sack

I head to Carrick

24 July – I hit next door and they flee, I head to Ayrshire

Our claim to CB Galloway is done, I pay 90 and bribe and we’ve got it!

9 Aug – We arrive in Ayrshire and begin our siege

28 Sept – Ayrshire falls, we sack 9, warscore is +83. I head north to the rebel captured Lennox

23 Oct – We begin the siege of Lennox – this is much longer and should take around 10 months

11 Nov – Event -Promising Young Recruit – We are brought a young man by our Martial Duke Ruadri named Uargus that’s lowborn but worthy, I welcome him to our team.

19 Nov – Gwynedd begins sieging the west of us Argjall

4 Jan, 1099 – The Prince of Gwynedd passes, but their new leader continues the war effort

2 Feb – Event – Exotic Arms – The arrival of arms merchants are herein our capital, I can purchase Karn Sarimar’s Laminar Armor for 150 gold, but I don’t lead from the front. I don’t

2 Mar – Argjall falls and we have a warscore of +100!

Let’s get muh island! It’s not worth that much, but it’s easy to defend

I get 20 fame and the Island:

Isle of Man – Two baronies, 0 control, Catholic but Gaelic culture, it’s in a Duchy by itself called Mon, one half hills the other plains, 6 development, has a -14 reaction.

I disband my army. Thanks Gwynedd!

[Abe Sargent]

I order my Martial to build up control in the Isle

Earl Olav has rejoined the faction even though he has +19 relations. I hope that my Sway Scheme will get him out.

I need to update my Men at Arms a bit. Right now all of my Men At Arms are at level 1 save for Bowmen which are level 3, so that’s my 300 Bowmen, 100 Light Cavalry, 100 Pikeman and 10 Mangonel. I like the idea of increasing one to level two or purchasing level 1 in another unit like Armored Infantry.

Armored Infantry – 90 cash,

When do I unlock Armored Cavalry? 13 years

Let’s do the Armored Infantry and I’ll station them in Athlone and move the Mangonel to the Isle of Man

They cost 0.4/month when at home

11 April – Duke Ruadri hosts a Hunt and we’ll join!

29 April – Hunt Event – Forbidden Fruit – My Knight finds random fruit, I forbid him from eating it

10 May – We reach the Hunt place.

12 May – We hunt fox

23 June – We win, we capture foxes and then my High King gains the Hunter trait and then we got an artifact:

Fox Tail - +0.06 prestige monthly, lowered stress and negative scheming

21 July – Our Sway Scheme on Earl Olav is done, is he off the faction? Yup! Next is the Earl of Ulster

22 July – We are back from the Hunt

20 Aug – Raiders arrive on the other side of Ireland in Ailech

17 Sept – Marriage proposal from Aragon again, which is much bigger with 1701 men. King Garcia Sanchez is 39. This is for his sister, Infanta Peironela age 18 and my heir age 12. Is she good?

Infanta Peironela – Age 18, Lustful, Craven, Sadistic – I don’t like three negatives, Catholic faith, Aragonese culture, Thrifty Clerk – stats are 6/1/8/10/7 – base for children is 6/3/2/6/7 – prowess of 11.

She’s okay. I’d prefer more positive traits or better stats in things to help, but this is my heir. Since there is no English daughter Princess, adding Aragon permanently to my line for future alliances makes sense. So…here is the question – do I want to get pulled into Iberian Reconquista wars. They were just three provinces generation ago when asking for marriage with Murchad, but now they have a big chunk of Eastern Iberia – looks like around 12 strong with the massive and wealthy Duchy of Barcelona theirs.

He’ll gain 300 prestige and her +500. It makes sense for them since they have no local allies, and for us looking for help outside of the Isles like Scotland’s ally of Bohemia and Iceland

I do it.

We are now allies.

10 Oct – Raiders in Ailech lost to the local forces

22 Nov – They leave Ireland for Scotland

1 Jan, 1100 – Welcome to the New Century!!!

2 Feb – Event – Renewed Jihad – Local Muslims in the Middle East are under attack from various area and the Dar Es-Salam must be defended at all costs.

15 Mar – Event – Dear God, Go Outside - My wife is upset that I am spending so much time in scrolls and reading and such. She wants me to get my head out of the Scrolls or don’t come to her bedchamber.

Here are my three options:

1. As you wish - +20 relations with her and then for a year I gain “Alluring Confidence”
2. Perhaps We Should Read Excerpts Together – Her learning increases by +2 but her relations -20
3. I need not lay with you I have the warm embrace of knowledge – I gain “Focused Reading” for five years, relations drop 40

So which do I want? Is #3 my way out of spawning way too many Lustful each side kids? I have one son and two daughters. I choose #3.

1 April – I unlock a new Learning perk and I can finish off General Scholarship with Scholar and I gain that Trait! It gives me +5 learning to give me 30,

13 April - My wife is preggers

22 June – We renew our vows with Earl Domnall of Dubhlinn and get the normal stuff

26 June – Our wife miscarries

17 Sept – The Earl of Ulster’s Sway Scheme works and we are now at +20

Next is Earl Domnall my Spymaster

21 Oct – A Faction to take me off the throne disbands

[Abe Sargent]

1 Jan, 1101 -

Wales update:

We have Ceredigion, England has one of Powys with one left and five of Deheubarth and then four Gwynedd. So, if I grabbed the last Powys holding and then brought in Gwynedd in one war, I could have six just like England and stop them from grabbing the King of Wales title. I sort of ceded it to them back when England massively gobbling up the rest of Deheubarth in one war, but they haven’t been back after losing that war to Gwynedd. Powys is still allied with Gwynedd, so I could CB and then grab it in one war. Remember that I took Ceredigion for military purposes next to everything like a beachhead not fiscal ones, and I am not getting much from it fiscally since it’s only two baronies like Man and another culture. Should I create a CB for the last Powys holding and expand here in Wales by one? It’s next to my holding in Ceredigion. The problem though here is that if England grabs Wales’s King title, they can take the rest with De Jure titles, so if I spread I could lose it to the Behemoth.

Remember our expansion in Ireland? We brought in the two sized allied Earl of Dubhlinn despite not having the King of Ireland title yet. Another way I could spread here might just be diplomatically because they might not want to be taken in war by England but peace by us since we are both not Welsh. Also remember that we were both Catholic, Irish and he was my grandfather’s nephew by marriage not in the Briain family. We had family ties.

Could we peacefully vassalize Gwynedd prior to bringing in Powys? It would be a few years of claims in the final holding of Powys prior to it. That would give me time. I could also ally with Powys like Gwynedd and then peacefully annex them too, that might be possible. In real life I could make an argument to join us to stop the English taking the crown, so no one does. And then avoid another war to devastate your nation like the first one.

One way I could get a title on something bigger is with the Papacy. Right now I can spend Piety to claim a Duchy in Scotland called the Sudreyjar which is on the west coast. It would cost me 360. I could also get a Papal Claim on the Duchy of Albany in Scotland on the east coast at the cost of 360 too. My relations with the Pope are +47. Is it possible to get a Papal Claim against Gwynedd? That would be just -6.

I want to move my Sway Scheme to the Pope but it’s only a 20% chance of working. What about a gift? I could raise relations by +24 with a gift of 225 and I have cash of 642. I pay the cash. Can I get the Papal Claim on the entire Principality of Gwynedd? Yes! I spend 360 piety and drop my number to 1472.

I start fabricating a claim on Powys’s Ferlix.

Actually Gwynedd and Powys are no longer allies. Gwynedd isn’t allied to anyone, but Powys? France.

My army has restored to 3020. Do I want to raise my five Men at Arms army numbers by 1?

Gwynedd has 1676 and Powys 542 and France has 5386. Future war with Scotland has 2116 and it looks like their Civil War is over.

Right now I am making 10.1 cash month after expenses. Should I order more troops or go to war now with Gwynedd? I got enough for that war, so I declare war on Gwynedd

[Abe Sargent]

The (First?) Ireland/Gwynedd War

I do not call in Aragon since this should be doable solo. It cost me 188 Prestige to DOW them.

6 Jan – I call up my armies.

13 Jan – My army of 3012 is assembled and I send it their captial

8 Feb – Their army of 1678 has arrived in Ceredigion and begins a siege - I divert my army there

9 Mar – We are unloading from the Irish Sea and they break off their siege and flee - I chase

14 Mar – We capture them and begin battle

13 April – We win and force them back from Ceredigion, on to their capital I have a warscore of +11.

26 April – We arrive in Meirionnydd, begin a siege that will take around 10 months.

17 June – Their remaining 1386 arrives at and begins a siege in the Isle of Man – it should take around 8 months, the same as mine in their capital. I stay here in their captial since that should give a higher % warscore.

5 Oct – We capture Meirionnydd! We have a warscore of +35, we sacked 29 and captured a prisoner. The Isle of Man will fall in around 4 months. I order my army here to relieve the siege.

21 Nov – We arrive in the Isle of Man and fight the siegers

13 Dec – We win and force them from the Isle of Man. We have a warscore of +49. I order my troops to the holding of Perfeddwlad to chase them,

24 Jan, 1102 – We arrive in Perfeddwlad and begin battle.

16 Feb – We win and our warscore is now +61. I begin a siege here it should last around 7 months

26 Mar – They arrive into the captial to resiege it which is in 5 months, so I head over to drive them out

4 April – My wife is preggers

9 May – We face them.

21 May – My mother passes and I gain stress of 20

22 June – We win and the warscore is +71 - I head back to Perfeddwlad

20 July – They arrive back at the capital and I order my army back to head since it would end in 5 months to our 7

3 Aug – We arrive and fight

21 Aug – We win but only gain three more warscore and are now at +74 – I head back to siege Eryri

25 Aug – Our claim on Powys’s Ferlix is up and I spend 90 to get it.

29 Aug – We arrive and it should take 6 months to capture

2 Nov – We give birth to a new daughter which my Wife wants to name after the virgin Mary ”Maria” and I agree.

20 Nov – I can gain a new learning perk – I choose the first one in Theologian and get +10 relations with clergy.

16 Jan, 1103 – Eryri falls, we have a warscore of +100 and we sacked 16 cash.

I do peace:

I gain 100 fame, I spend 100 prestige

I disband my army.

Duchy of Gwynedd:

Eyns Mon – Islands off the coast, strait to Eryri – Two baronies, owned by Lord Cadfan who is my vassal, Welch and Catholic, 100 control, -73 relations, type of plains, 7 development,

Eryri - Strait to Enys Mon, west of Perfeddwlad, north of Meirionnydd. Controlled by Lord Llywelyn, -100 relations, 3 Baronies, types of Hills Plains and Mountains, Welsh and Catholic, 100 control. 7 development here too.

Meirionnydd – South of Eryri, north of Ceredigion which is in Gwynedd by the by, southwest of Perfeddwlad two holdings, both Hills, Welsh and Catholic, 8 development, Also run by Lord Llywelyn

Perfeddwlad – East of Eryri, northeast of Meirionnydd – Three holdings, development level of 8,land types of Hills, Welsh and Catholic, held by Lord Llywelyn too.

I have a few issues from this. First of all, I have the Prince of Gwynedd title, not the former one Llewelyn who was dropped to Lord. He is not a key vassal. Because i have three Duchy titles I am losing relations with my vassals, I need to get rid of one since I am a King. I cannot give away Munster so that’s Llywelyn as Gwynedd or Earl of Dubhlinn’s Meath.

I want to give Llywelyn the Prince of Gwynedd Title but that will likely take Ceredigion. What to do? I give him the title again.

He gets +60 relations for giving him a Duchy title.

Prince of Gwynedd – Llywelyn – Age 46, Welsh and Catholic, 5/11/5/6/7, prowess of 17, wow, traits of Humble, Sadistic, Shy and his background is Skilled Tactician. -42 relations.

I start swaying him.

He did not take Ceredigion. Is he a key vassal now? Not yet, but maybe after a bit

[Abe Sargent]

After the war my army is down to 2663 of 3184. I’ll need time to reload my army. I’ll also need to keep attention on Powys’s ally France to hold off on attacking them until they are distracted to then have half of Wales and England half, so no one can form the Kingship

I have an option to create a hybrid culture with a high enough Cultural Acceptance. That would get raised by handing off culture provinces to people of that culture, or having a Councilor raise Cultural Acceptance and then I can choose both Culture’s Pillars and Traditions and unlock both Innovations which are the slower techs. My new couture will have high relations with both other cultures.

Do I want to create a hybrid with Irish/Welsh?

We cannot because we have fewer than +40 relations

I only have 342 cash so I need to save up cash from the long war.

22 Jan – Our heir is now 16!!!

Mael-Michil – 16 years old, Catholic, Franconian (He got his mother’s culture, this can happen), Charming, Temperate, Fickle, Compassionate, stats are 12/7/7/7/4 – not great, his prowess is 10, Adequate Bargainer is his background. I’ll need to ward his son to bring him back to Irish.

I agree to bring in his fiancé from Aragon. Infanta arrives

2 Feb – We have a Court Event:

Court Event – Sartorial Sting – I overhead my wife getting upset at a guest named Jozsef – they are debating about our court fashion sense. He doesn’t like it at all. She approaches me and asks me to kick him out.

I have three options:

1. Come Dear, He is only Ribbing Us – I gain 75 prestige, I lose 6 grandeur, relations with my wife reduced by 10.
2. I Suppose We Could Make More of an Effort – We lose 5 relations with my wife, Set my Court Fashion to “Decent”. This creates a shot of my wife becoming my rival.
3. Passe? Passe? – Jozsef leaves my court, I gain 10 relations with my wife, I gain the trait for 3 years of “Inhospitable Host”

What do I like? I don’t want to lose grandeur and I don’t want that trait for a trio of years, but I don’t want a shot of rivaling my wife either. So, where do we go and what do we do? I do 2. Our court upkeep increases by 0.4 a month from level 1 to level 3 “Decent”

I spend 100 Prestige to Hold Court:

Petitioner #1 – The Day of Truth – My Steward Earl Olav petitions and want so do a survey of the realm to know everyone’s stuff to increase tax revenue.

I have three options:

1. Begin the Survey – I pay 145 cash to start it, Earl Olav relations increase by 20
2. If I want to increase taxes, I can just increase their level – I gain 80 stress since I am Just, I gain 10 cash per vassal
3. It’s not Worth It – I lose 20 relations with Olav.

I begin the survey.

Petitioner #2 – The Isle of Man Out of Control – I am approached by a peasant from the Isle of Man. He complains about the levels of bloodshed and says we can get better results there without it. Remember that my Marshal is there increasing Control.

I also have three options here too:

1. Curious Idea, Let’s try It – I gain +20 control there
2. What we need is EXCESSIVE Bloodshed – We get there for ten years the event “Increased Presence”
3. Here Do What you can with This – I pay 15 cash to gain +10 control

I choose #1

Petitioner #3 – A Call to War – Iorwerth approaches me, who has the claim to Powys and wants me to go to war with them, take over, and swear fealty to me.

Here are my three options:

1. It Is a Beautiful Day for War – We gain a strong hook with Iorwerth, DOW Powys and then lose 2 Cultural Relations with Welsh/Irish.
2. Please Depart at Once I cannot Afford to Offend the Prince – He leaves, gets -20 relations and I gain 20 with Powys
3. I Cannot Help You, But Please Enjoy my Court’s Hospital – He stays, I get +10 relations with him,

I choose the 3rd and gain him as a Courtier. I can give him Welsh properties I need to take off the board later and then increase our relations.

Isle of Man – 52 control now, making 1.1 cash and with the Gaelic culture and Just 6 dev and two holdings, that’s nice. Levies 275

28 Feb – Duke Llywelyn has begun a faction against me for independence. Hopefully my Sway Schemes will stop that later

14 April – Event – The Stolen Keg – My daughter Ciar stole a Keg and then my other daughter Sinech was caught returning it. Ciar gains Diligent.

21 April – My Court Grandeur level rises to 5

8 Aug – Earl Olav’s survey is done!!! I went from making 13.7 monthly to 13.9 for 30 years

[Abe Sargent]

1 Jan, 1104 – Our army is finished rebuilding.

15 Mar – Duke Llywelyn’s relations rose +25 and are now -46. It looks like he’s a key vassal now. I stick on him. Should I offer him a gift of 150 to raise relations by 21? Not right now I only have 365

Scotland is down to 148 men and are at war with England. Should I DOW them and claim the Irish Sea Duchy of The Sudreyjar with using Piety? I don’t have Gwynedd to help this time, it’d be Aragon only and they are allied with Bohemia still.

Can I DOW them, has our peace from the War for the Isle of Man finished?

Yes I can DOW them. Do I want to? With 3k army to their 148 in war with England at -27% it seems like the right time.

I claim The Sudreyjar by spending 400 piety. I send an offer to the Pope.

18 Mar – I get our claim in a missive back from the Papacy!

I am ready to DOW Scotland for the Sudreyjar. Since this is also a Duchy, they would likely come in including him. And then I could give the Duchy to him.

Or I could just take my one claim in Galvei with a crossing to Ulster and Isle of Man. It’s pretty wealthy, but I need to eat up and take my many land claims in The Sudreyjar and leap past England here.

I DOW for The Sudreyjar!

The 3rd Ireland/Scotland War:

I spend 75 prestige to DOW Scotland for us. I order my troops raised. In order to call Aragon I’d need to spend 350 prestige since they are a King level ally with another 2k troops. They could distract Bohemia on the continent. I’ll wait since the first level of adding to my Irish Culture is 2k prestige and I am at 1686

25 Mar – 3341 troops have assembled, I send them to The Sudreyjar’s next to Ulster with a strait called Innri Sudreyjar.

30 Mar – Bohemia joins our war

1 Apr - I have an Inspiration for an Artisan who wants to craft a Throne for me. Now that my army is assembled I am losing 0.3 per month and have 365 – I cannot spend much since they’ll likely need more. How much to start? 221 – nope

18 Apr – Ceredigion gains Smuggling Ring for 5 years

11 June - We begin the siege of Innri Sudreyjar – It should take around 8 months

11 Nov – Our Court Poet Mechthilid passes. Is there another to hire? No one is available.

Instead I hire a Court Jester – Average skill, Janko, 29 stats of 8/8/9/9/17 – wow!

21 Dec – England won their war for Northumbria

26 Dec – We win our siege and sack 16 cash and our warscore is +11. Next is Argyll.

29 Jan, 1105 – The Siege begins, it should take around 10 months

5 Feb – The Isle of Man is under siege by 1505 King of Bohemia I order my army there.

15 Mar – They flee

10 May – We Sway Scheme the Duke again, we stay on him

I call on Garcia after there armies combine on The Isle of Man and we have around 2.8k troops there

8 Aug - I have a granddaughter named Burchard

12 Sept – The Isle of Man falls and our warscore drops to +6

25 Sept – I get a White Peace offer from Scotland but no thanks

18 Nov – Aragon’s troops arrive and attacks a 1.7k army

20 Dec – We win against their combined army and the warscore is now +27

12 Jan, 1106 – We win, sack 16 cash warscore of +44


19 Mar – I begin to siege Outer Hebrides and it should take 6 months and 1020 have besieged Ulster and Aragon is on the way there.

6 Apr – My Wife and I gain the traits “Lover’s Pox”

17 April – We win in Ulster and warscore rises to +60

They are trying to recapture Argyll

9 May – Duke Ruadri of Connacht who was my Martial passes.

His son:

Duke Tadg II – 45 Calm, Compassionate, Stubborn – stats of 8/18/12/7/5

I name him my Martial

21 July – We capture The Outer Hebrides. We have all three holdings we are trying to grab with a warscore of +72. We capture prisoners. Aragon is at war. I head to Ross

4 Aug – We win that battle and then the warscore is now at +78

2 Sept – Aragon begins a siege in Inverness

7 Sept – We arrive in Ross and it should take around 13 months? Wow

28 Sept- Sway scheme on the Duke successful and we have relations of +30

3 Nov – They are besieging Argjall again

9 Jan 1107 – Inverness falls to Aragon, warscore is +93

25 Feb – Aragon arrives and begins a siege in Moray

31 Mar – My children have a son! They name him Murchad

10 May – I have a 100 warscore!!!

Ready for peace? Peace:

I gain 110 fame
Aragon gains 100 prestige

Here’s a map:



I take peace. I disband my troops.

Innri Sudreyjar – Development of 8, Gaelic and Catholic, control of 60, ruled by Earl Porbjorn, 3 Baronies with land type of Hills, strait to Ulster, on west Irish Sea

Argjall – Four Baronies, east of Innri Sudreyjar, 3 Hills and one Mountain, 8 development, Gaelic and Catholic, ruled by Earl Porbjorn as well who was the Duke, 60 control

Outer Hebrides – Ruled by Archbishop Inghaldr, 3 Baronies, land type of Hills in all three, Catholic but Scottish culture, 60 control, 8 Development,

Again, I need to get rid of a Duke title so I hand this to Earl Porbjorn, who doesn’t have any kids

Duke Porbjorn Gunnarson – 11 years old, stats of 0/4/4/5/2 – prowess of 6, Catholic and Norwegian, traits of Shy and Bossy.-9 relations. I cannot begin to make nice with him since he is a minor.

[Abe Sargent]

I have 2387 troops out of 3307 possible.

England is in a Civil War.

30 June – Event – The Clothes Thief – The Court Jester stole someone’s clothes and they are chasing them naked. I choose to make him give back his clothes and then our relations drop 5 with the Court Jester.

Right now, I will lose The Sudreyjar (which we call The Isles) when the Duke passes since his heir isn’t in my realm. Should I offer him my daughter? I do it. That way he’ll do it. I doit, and arrange his marriage to my 13 year old daughter, Sinech. She gets +500 prestige and he +400

5 Aug – Duke Tadg arrives and wants to renew his vows and brought gifts

16 Sept – Event – CJ: A Good Story – Events with a CJ abbreviation are in the Court Jester theme. Here he notices I am super mega busy and stressed out and askes me to read a book of his. I choose to ask him about himself, lose 15 stress, gain +20 relations with him.

25 Oct – I unlock a new Perk for Learning and I choose Church and State and gain +50 relations with the Archbishop

6 Nov – The only Duchy left I can spend Piety for is the Duchy of Moray on the northern part of Scotland which is also partly Norwegian. It includes 6 total, 2 of which are in Norway. Should I claim it now for my next war with Scotland? It’s a pressed claim and goes to my son as a unpressed one. I’m 40 so I would likely have some good time to press it, and my son is much younger.

Actually they are in a Civil War against Scotland now for their independence. I spend 430 piety to gain the claim.

1 Jan, 1108 – I have 630 cash. Do I want to spend it on an economic building in one of my holdings?

How about my capital of Thomond:

I could upgrade my Lookout Towers, Tradeport, Hide Tents or build a new building like Tax Offices to increase tax revenue in the Duchy of Munster by +15% and costs 485 cash. I order Tax Offices, see you in 5 years!

22 June – Event – Leviathan – I am out boating with some escorts, and we see a whale. I have four options. I choose to let the men handle the beast and then bring me the carcass. I gain 50 cash.

18 July – Event – Competitive Cronying – I come across a debate for how to supplicate to me. I praise them, gain 3 grandeur and 20 relations with them.

25 July – Scotland lost their war with Moray

3 Aug – We gain +25 relations with Earl Fianchu of Ulster and it’s now +29.

Next? No one

Our army is at 3327

12 Aug – Our Culture discovers Coinage! Anything that unlocks? I get the Coinage Rights Feudal Contract.

4 Dec – Earl of Isle of Man lost County Corruption event

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

1. Begin the Survey – I pay 145 cash to start it, Earl Olav relations increase by 20

I begin the survey.



8 Aug – Earl Olav’s survey is done!!! I went from making 13.7 monthly to 13.9 for 30 years

Wouldn't have thought about this except the things were in the same post and it was too easy.

So 0.2/monthly gain, 2.4 yr, 72 gained over the life of it
vs 145 it cost to do it

My question is, any sense of how these things work out? In the games in general even, since I believe you haven't played much of this one.

Are they usually cash losers or does it run more 50/50?

Thoughts?

[Abe Sargent]

22 Jan, 1109 – Ciar comes of age!

Princess Ciar – 16 years old, Temperate, Greedy, Gregarious, Robust, Tough Soldier background, stats – 6/13/12/8/6 prowess of 14 – solid stats for a lesser education option.

Now what? Do I marry her off? There are no possible alliances that I want. I hold off for now.

30 Jan – It looks like my 3 year old grandchild was a boy, not a girl, sorry. I can attempt to Murder Murchad, but that would be an effective rate at 67% an 82% silence. I do it – it should take 13 months

I become the ward of the 3 year old kid Burchard and try to change him to Irish

11 May – The people and rulers of Istria have converted to Waldensianism

I don’t convert

25 June – Earl Olav of Ormond and my Steward passes.

Countess Forbflaith – 15, regency, -24 relations, Chaste, Fickle, Forgiving, stats of 9/6/7/4/8 with a bonus due to education soon, then Catholic and Irish, -28 relations.

Who do I like as my Steward? The best in my court by anyone Earl Fianchu at 14, and he’s a key vassal but we have +48 relations so I don’t really need that. How about Duke Llywelyn? His Stewardship is just 5, yuck. I could wait until Forbflaith ages to 16, but that would be rough. Earl Aed VII is 11 and 3rd best but not a key vassal and we have relations of +16 Since Fianchu is 52 and likely a temporary appointment, I do it.
1 Aug – Event – I gain 150 prestige

6 Aug – Event – I turn down a guest who wanted to start wooing me

2 Sept – Event – A Donation in Good Gaith – My Archbishop reports a big anonymous donation, what to do with it? He offers me 50%, but I tell him to donate it to local charities for a +200 piety boost.

3 Oct – I catch my Spymaster cheating others I can send him to the dungeon, or have him teach me how to forge documents. I choose the latter and gain 20 stress since I am just and gain a weak hook with the Earl of Ulster Dommnall

29 Nov – Murchad dies, no one suspects me – I gain stress and am at level 1.

I have a breakdown and have three options I donate 170 cash to charity and drop my stress by33

I get a marriage offer from England for Ciar. I’ll think about it later.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Wouldn't have thought about this except the things were in the same post and it was too easy.

So 0.2/monthly gain, 2.4 yr, 72 gained over the life of it
vs 145 it cost to do it

My question is, any sense of how these things work out? In the games in general even, since I believe you haven't played much of this one.

Are they usually cash losers or does it run more 50/50?

Thoughts?

Good question! It might be better with a better Steward -Olav is just 8. He was there because he was a key vassal I needed to make nice with.

[Abe Sargent]

There are good reasons for an alliance with England and bad reasons for it. Let’s talk!

The Good:

1. England won’t attack me.
2. I can DOW on Wales’s Powys right now and call on England to be my France check they have the same number of troops. That will give me 6 of Wales to 6 of Englands.
3. If I DOW on Scotland in the future, I can bring in England and expand across the Irish Sea on my timetable not theirs.


The Bad:

1. England waged war on Scotland and ended it before us, so they may DOW them before our peace treaty is up, and then we are following their lead.
2. I don’t want to get pulled into continental wars with France/England with my smaller 3.3k soldiers.
3. I don’t want to get pulled into English Civil Wars since they have more than 6k soldiers and we could lose many men.
4. I don’t want a fast ally for a few years with England. If I want to ally, I want my heir with their daughter to be family moving forward and re-ally after.

So…what do I do?

[Abe Sargent]

2 Dec, 1109 – I accept the alliance and marry Ciar with King William II’s Courtier named Bernard Gaveston. This isn’t a bloodline marriage so it won’t last long I am 42 years old and he is 36.


Now, because the Isle of Man was captured in the war, it’s control drops by 40 and now it is just 39 so if I waged war on Powys and took their holding with my CB, It would be a long time to finish the one taken then and then move on. I can DOW war with Powys and then five Ceredigion to Gwynedd after the war since my cap is 6 and I have 6.

I have 1921 prestige, and I need 2k for some cheap Irish reforms into our open area, but I need to take the last Welsh holding now to check England.

I DOW Powys and spend 125 to DOW for it; I spend 350 to pull in England.

The First Ireland/Powys War:

I order up my army.

9 Dec – Our army is called up and I order it to Powys. England could beat us there.

11 Dec – France joins the war

I am losing 2.8 cash monthly

2 Jan, 1110 – England arrives in Powys’s county of Ferlix and is fighting the locals.

3 Feb – We unlock the secrets of the saddle and gain the ability to make armored cavalry! Next I focus on Royal Prerogative and that should be unlocked in 21 years

20 Feb – Our Chancellor Tadg passes and he was the Earl of Desmond.

His heir – Muiredach II, age 28, 16/7/8/12/8, traits of Temperate, Paranoid, Sadistic, and then Charismatic Negotiator background and I name him my new one with his Diplomacy of 16. Relations of 46

24 Feb – We arrive in Ferlix and begin the siege. After winning the battle with England, the warscore is +4. This should last around 6 months but England hasn’t shown up yet they are next door so when their 6.3k troops arrive they could speed that up bunches

1 Mar – The era of the Crusades has arrived and we now have access to holy orders.

13 Mar – I unlock a new learning perk and it’s Radiant – Level of devotion raise +100

18 Mar – Sinech comes of age! She is promised to the Duke of the Isles when he ages up.

Princess Sinech – Age 16, Charismatic negotiator background, traits of 9/9/8/11/9 – Irish and Catholic, Charming, Temperate, Brave, Diligent

I begin to Sway Scheme the Countess of Ormond since she’s now 16

2 April – France’s 6k troops arrive in Powys and are fighting our combined 9k.

8 May – We lose and the warscore drops to -24% my 2017 troops that survived are fleeing to Gwynedd

12 May – The Countess comes in to show her fealty, we redo her vows and get the normal stuff, she is appointed as my Steward and I am not sure how I just got an event. She only has a 6 Stewardship

1 July – I get a Call to Arms by the Papacy for the Khanate of Zaporizhia

I am in the middle of wars, so I send cash of 150 and raise my piety by 75

13 Sept – The English army of 5k left has arrived where I fled to in Ynys Mon – France has not pushed forward.

2 Jan, 1111 – We have built up our army and could try to assault the army in Powys but I’d need to get England to join me in an assault.

I need to surrender now before my economy is blasted. I’ll lose 442 cash and our claim on Powys. I do it and we will go negative in cash.

I disband my army and have -374 cash. Blasted France! They beat our combined army!

[Abe Sargent]

7 Jan – I can ask the Pope for cash – this would cost us 250 piety and -20 relations for 220 cash. That would reduce our ability to get Papal claims on higher titles since our relations would take a hit. I do it and swap my Sway Scheme to the Pope after it works

24 Jan – The Sway Scheme works on the Countess and our relations are now -11, I keep on her rather than up the Papacy

3 Feb – Mayo was raided.

10 May – I join Earl Muiredach’s Hunt!

22 May – I arrive at the camp

11 June - We gather and head out to hunt Fox

1 Aug – We corner the Fox

15 Aug – It flees, we end the hunt

13 Sept – Event - The Christian Play in Luimneach – We agree to hold her play – we spend 40 cash and I gain 50 piety

10 Dec – Our Sway Scheme works – relations at +26 – next is the Pope – well it has a 20% chance of working, so I’ll hold off for the Duke of the Isles who is 15

23 Feb, 1112 – I join a Feast in Dubhlinn

26 Mar – We arrive

2 April – I unlock a new Learning Perk this time I take Zealous Proselytizer that increases my missionary strength

15 May – Our marriage goes on with the Duke of the Isles

At the banquet I lost 145 stress.

20 May – The Banquet is over, time to head home

19 June – I arrive home!

1 July – I have two Court Events:

Court Event #1 – Saucy Readings – I come across a bunch of youths reviewing a sexy text.

I have four options:

1. Culture Comes In Many Forms; Let them Read: +6 grandeur, +10 relations with courtiers that aren’t chaste.
2. Uhhh, Juicy – I gain a lover
3. Why Limit Ourselves to Reading – I gain an intimate relation with the book person
4. Make it Disappear and I’ll pretend I didn’t see - +10 relations with her

I choose the first to increase Court Grandeur.

Court Event #2 – The Unknown High King - My guest Bruno has been rude with me and then he didn’t realize I was the King. He thought our court would be better based on it’s reputation.

I have four options here too:

1. I’ll Banish You – I gain 42 stress since I am just
2. Spread the Word that I am an Accommodating Host – I spend 80 cash, +6 grandeur, +30 relations with our people and better renown
3. I’ll Have a Mandatory Test for Guests – I gain 50 renown here too, but -20 with guests
4. I Don’t Mind! – I gain +30 relations with him

I spend the 80 cash to raise our renown by 50 and grandeur by 6

Our Court Grandeur level rises to 6

23 July – Our forces are rebuilt