Fredesende 'The Devil'

I have not made a CK2 post in a bit... not least because I've played multiple games since the AAR I was documenting here and I have sort of lost the narrative thread of my screenshot record. I will try to recover that at some point. As a bone for those that may be interested, I am resurrecting a forum post I made over at Paradox in Q3 of 2013 for those that may not have seen it there.

The History

The game was an 867 start with a custom dynasty (Smiðring). As a Norse/Norse County of Nantes I usurped the Kingdom of Aquitaine and destroyed France. The goal became not to paint the map, but instead keep Aquitaine's direct borders near to what we recognize as the French region, and instead place dynasty members on every throne I could and prop them up. It was a frantically active game that became a Norman Catholic effort supporting landless invasions, pressing other people's claims, joining war after war to defend family members under attack, 10 crusades (3 alone for Jerusalem) the Caliphate converted to Tengri, the Ilkhanate ate the Mongol Horde, republics rose and fell,.... The game was "successful" in that the Dynasty held thrones in independent kingdoms of Asturias, Portugal, Lotharingia, Croatia, Bavaria, Greece, Jerusalem, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark, Africa, Alba, Sicily, the joint crowns of Ireland/England, and numerous dukes and counts. Almost any war anywhere in Europe involved sides of the family squabbling over titles.

I had had no liege in the entire game. Some revolts and stresses, nothing too threatening. And every ruler male.

I began to eager look forward to taking the realm and families into EUIV.

The Setting

It was 1400 and Buliwyf X died young, after being maimed on a Crusade. One of my hard case rulers in early 1200s had taken the realm primogeniture, so this left four year old Fredesende to serve as queen.

By luck or design I have very little experience with a non-male ruler. At first, bribes and honorarium kept people off my case. (They like to complain about a woman on the throne, and a young ruler, and a new ruler.)

I sent Fredesende to tutor with mom - Queen of Sicily - figuring mother, correct dynasty (she was in the same family, though distantly related), etc. would be helpful - I couldn't go traitless after all - but Fredesende became wroth and greedy (and envious, maybe?).

Then factional pressure began to mount. My spymaster was busy as a bee, scheming people to behave. I had a nice bank of cash, and used it to keep mercenaries on staff, delaying factions. Then the first revolt, but I could see it coming and moved the retinues and mercenaries there preemptively and rapidly destroyed the faction leader's forces and then chased the others to ground.

The Killing Begins

A dangerous faction developed to install an uncle on the throne. I was concerned enough that I undertook to see him dead, and he was murdered. But my plot was discovered, and she was named Kinslayer. Another faction, another family member. Another murder.

A faction leader met his death.
A revolt, nearly unseated me, but was put down with liberal use of mercenaries.

The Pope offered to cleanse me of the kinslayer sin... I refused (out of spite). But gave him back papal investiture.

A faction proposed a family member to rule in my stead. Then another. I couldn't 'scheme' fast enough. I turned to murder again, and they all fell to the knife, heading off each faction as it formed.

Finally married and gave birth to a daughter. Malus for queen, malus for female heir, malus for dishonorable, malus for kinslayer with dynasty members on every throne that mattered...

The Devil

Bribe after bribe. Murder began to follow murder.

I knew there was no turning back when the game gave Fredesende the nickname of 'The Devil'.

And the murders piled up, one after another after another. Family members of all ages from Egypt to Aragon to Alba - dying green and bloated - old men, children in their minority, cousins so distant I barely knew why they even had a claim, nephews, nieces (once even the young girl I had as a ward to keep her father in line). I pictured each of them crying alone and begging as their relatives pushed them forward onto the knife simply by whispering their name for the throne... I had to get a new, non-dynasty spymaster when I couldn't keep the current one from joining the very factions he was battling. I started scanning the claimant list, anticipating who would be next.

She was excommunicated, but rapidly paid to have that go away. The murders continued.

In all my games I have never seen such an orgy of violence. Without exaggeration it was easily dozens of murders. I lost count. For year after year it was simply a matter of who to kill next.

But she was not going to let the unbroken line of rulers end before 1444 (and EUIV export) and Fredesende was a domineering angry woman who would not be put aside (yes, role playing this had firmly taken hold).

She finally had a son, but that hardly mattered anymore. The hate she had sown was too deep and too broad.

A powerful 70% faction was presenting the claim of her aunt - the wife of the King of Ireland & England. The fighting would start at any moment and all of Europe would rally to the cause of the rebels. It would be unwinnable. I was amazed that things had gone on so long, but she would not surrender. The order was made and the aunt died, as had all the others, and her name was again revealed.

The King of Ireland and England would not be denied, and in turn Fredesende was foully murdered to die cursing his name.

The coronation of the 2 month old King Joscelin of Aquitaine in 1426 was a healing balm on the nerves and sanity of all of Europe and the extended dynasty.

I saved the game. And exited the program.
His reign had to wait until another time. I was drained.


And that is the tale of Fredesende Smiðring, the first of her name, Queen of Aquitaine, and 'The Devil'.

Epiloque

The really sad part is that after taking the game into EUIV, the Joscelin's son Turstin was the last of the Smiðring dynasty and the realm of Aquitaine that Fredesende had doomed herself to keep for her heirs came under the control of the Rozgonyi family. Only two generations and it was all for naught...

My Superbowl XLVIII Post Mortem

Frankly, I was rooting for Seattle (barely) but was prepared for a Denver win. I wanted a close game. I expected a close game. I like fast, aggressive defensive play, but thought Seattle looked a little shaky against the 49ers (certainly SanFran moved the ball on them repeatedly), and was worried that the Broncos would take advantage as a result.

I've harbored a childhood love of the Seahawks because my first NFL branded ball was one of those cheap white plastic ones in Seattle's expansion season ...my brother and friends always gave me trouble about that ball, but it had that awesome eagle logo on the side. (Still one of my favorite logos in sports.)

I've rooted for the Broncos in every Superbowl they have played in previously. I rooted particularly hard during the Orange Crush year, and I've always thought it was the height of marketing stupidity for the soft drink company to have squashed that moniker.

It may be notable that tickets were not selling and were available at face value as late as Thursday/Friday, from what I hear and that by itself is stunning. Reports are that Friday and Saturday the city started filling with Seattle fans, and reporters at the game are saying it was the loudest and most boisterous Superbowl crowd in memory. I must wonder if the 12th Man decided to show up for the game when it became affordable (other than the plane tickets - incidentally, still the first Superbowl where both teams had to travel more than 2,000 miles). The unexpected noise may have contributed to the first play snap, and Denver looked just plain rattled for their next several series.

That rattled bit is important, Denver looked like they threw their game plan out of the window and went into desperation mode too early. It was 2-5-8-15.... Easily reachable with a two capable drives, but by the end of the 1st quarter Denver looked like a team scrambling to recover from a 4th quarter deficit (Superbowl records for passing set by Manning and Thomas on the receiving end, notably). Seattle went man-to-man coverage and let their pass rush go...

Which turned the good game I was hoping for, into the farce that was far less enjoyable than I wanted. Even if the team I wanted came out on top. (At my house we decided that it was all because of the Kurt Russell team intros. The Seattle intro seemed better scripted and better delivered, and that clearly doomed the mountain equines.)

As for the commercials, I thought that they were largely complete flops - unimaginative, lazy, and not worth the $4M USD for 30 seconds. Sadly, many of the ones I thought were particularly horrid were getting buzz in my feeds.

The true exception was perhaps Coke's America the Beautiful ad. That made me want to go out and purchase a pallet of Coke products and hand them out to my friends. That took bravery and heart (perhaps particularly given they are a Georgia based company) to try and remind people what America really is, and not this 'Murica mythology that seems to be gaining hold of late. The web backlash and hate against them for it was notable (for examples: http://deadspin.com/dumb-people-mad-at-multilingual-america-the-beautiful-1514567876). I also heard discussed on the radio this morning, with some people quite upset and promising to switch to Pepsi over it... idiots.

So, the ones I enjoyed in no particular order: Coke, time travel machine Doritos, Cheerios, Ellen's dancing (I don't even remember the product), and the Matrix Kia. The rest was largely junk, crap, and forgettable.

The half-time show sucked. Again. To be fair, I have thought there was really only ever one good show (there were a couple of others that were okay), and that was Prince who delivered a true musical performance. I've never seen Bruno Mars perform, heck don't think I've ever even seen his picture. What I got was standard, modern, & over-produced mish-mash of noise pasted into a package of 50s pop presentation. It appears uninspired and unoriginal from concept to delivery - from the dance moves to the clothes. The musical arrangement was also poor - from the long drum solo to start and the rest of the intro setup which just ate time before the performance started. It was poorly staged and weak. And again a horrible decision to follow the energetic movement of the RHCP (who were not bad, and are obviously proud of looking very good for their age) with that slow syrup. Bad show.

So, all in all... one of the worst Superbowls in my recent memory.

Neither Leadership Nor Acceptable Politics

Laying upon the floor kicking one's heels while holding your breath until your face turns red is not compromise. Nor is it suitably adult behavior. I am sadden by this display.

On Democracy

I had a unique and informative opportunity last week to really see democracy in action, and contrast it with an alternative perspective.

I am a member of an organization that had an annual meeting that includes a session of review, debate, and voting upon a variety of topics. I sat in the audience next to a citizen of the UK and we were able to compare and contrast how the UK version of the same organization would handle the same topics. The open airing of the subject matter, the opportunity for all members to voice their thoughts, and the group voting were energizing and admirable. I was proud to experience true democratic ideals in contrast to the example situations where in the UK the same topics would never be aired or even acknowledged.

In this current environment where the US Congress seems bent on giving the democratic system a bad name, it was in no small way a heart warming experience. On the other hand, at the same time it was also more than a little horrifying.

It was E.B.White who said "Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time." I am absolutely convinced that on one or two of the issues discussed in our forum more than half of the people were wrong. Scarily so (IMO) and it required me to explain a couple aspects of current American ('Murican?) society and the visible undercurrents that were perplexing to our visitor. I felt as if I was speaking about that cousin that embarrasses the family at the annual picnic. Correspondingly, I was sadden that these questionable ideas were given equal airing and credence (let alone support by the majority) in the discussion and vote. Certainly, our UK visitor (and I) got to see how there are also some benefits to a process with more executive decision making.

It was completely evident to me that there is no perfect solution. Democracy may, in fact, be the best of the worst. But it has issues, and that cannot be forgotten.

The Decline, and Hopefully Fall, of the Two Party System

By and large within the United States politics has adhered to a two party system. We warp a mutating and diverse matrix of issues and goals into two camps over and over again through the years. This was more successful when the country was smaller - lesser population, less diversity, fewer issues, less complex economy, etc., etc. In today's web of issues, the two party system seems to be getting weighted down and frozen as it tries to keep to the staid behavior of the past. But habit and tradition cannot free us from the expectation of two meaningful parties and a bunch of fringe humor candidates.

Look at the current drama of the government 'shutdown'. The Republican Party is being held politically captive by a faction which is essentially a third party within it, 'The Tea Party'. We even call it a party, but keep it lumped within the accepted grouping because we cannot allow them to stand on their own.

There is a lot of dialogue and 'podium thumping' at home and on the internet about 'failures of leadership' and other fun terms. I think those are inaccurate to large extent. The failure is in the structure of the two party system in the United States. Why is the Tea Party mucking up the core Republican Party public image and platform, why can't the Tea Party survive by itself on merits all its own?

For that matter, if climate/environment are worthy focus issues of their own with a lot of support, why doesn't the Green Party get more national weight than in 2-3 states as a local phenomenon? Can we let actual socialists be a Socialist party, away from the Democrats (which really are not the same thing no matter what conservative talking heads want us to believe)?

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It is time, probably past time, for the political establishment to embrace the diversity of our nation within the core structure of the 'process' and stop forcing political dialogue to gravity to two poles. I do not see real compromise, cooperation, and progress coming until the individual voices get broken from the Ying-Yang dichotomy within which we are trapped.

Random Quotes, Shared Randomly

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

-- E. B. White

Nurture your minds with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.

-- Benjamin Disraeli

...with very few exceptions, nothing lasts forever; and among those exceptions no thought or work of man is numbered.

-- Iain M. Banks

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

-- Will Rogers

A nation is a society united by a delusion about its ancestry and by common hatred of its neighbours.

-- William Ralph Inge

There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.

-- Hindu Proverb

Dùghall Gòrdonach

Dùghall mac Uilleam was the grandson of King Mànas, and had experienced a complex and eventful life beyond his years.

His father had been made Duke of York following the Yorkish Wars with Queen Björg, but Duke Uilleam had died when Dùghall was in his minority and Lleuca Aberffraw (Björg’s daughter) had driven the young lord from his title and lands. But, when they fled, the family sent Dùghall not to the court of Scotland but to Asturias in Hispania. He reached his majority there still firmly Scottish in his manner (considered a blessing by those that had elevated him to Tanist of the realm). But he steadfastly refused all invitation extended by Ruairidh to return to Circinn. On his own merits, he rose in the court at Asturias, achieving a position on the Council as Steward.

Despite his personal success, he did not marry. Ruairidh extended a couple of options - solid Scottish members of his court, but Dùghall would not accept. The family had become large enough that Dùghall failing to have children would not have been as much of a concern, but it would still have caused some consternation as the future head of the dynasty. Despite being a bit of a black sheep for staying away and remaining unwed, the realm remain determined that Dùghall would be the next king.

Dùghall relocated from Asturias to Nantes, where he again was given a seat on the council as as Steward. Ruairidh tried one last time and extended the hand of Muireall, a Scottish  (though lowborn) lass . Such a move would have brought no small amount of gossip to the court as Muireall had born Ruairidh a bastard son, Aonghas, which he had recognized. Ruairidh was probably trying to get her away from the court as much as anything else when he offered her to Dùghall. To everyone’s surprise, Dùghall accepted. He probably realized at last that his position was going to bring additional responsibilities into his life, and a wife would only benefit his long term role. Un-phased by Muireall’s past, he took her as wife. Even so, he continued to live in Nantes until Ruairidh’s passing.

Ainmeil (Notable)

• Dùghall Gòrdonach - King of Scotland and Germany
• Muireall - first bride of King Dùghall
• Nyala Metkourios - second bride of King Dùghall
• Uilleam mac Dùghall Gòrdonach - first son of Dùghall
• Flann Dál Birn - son of Lleuca Aberffraw, Duke of York & Mecklenberg, and brother-in-law of King Dùghall
• Uilleam mac Ruairidh Gòrdonach - Tanist of Scotland and Germany, and Duke of Lancaster
• Aonghas mac Ruairidh - bastard son of Ruairidh Gòrdonach and Muireall

Cunntas (Events)

Attention Upon Wessex

Dùghall resolved to continue his predecessor’s attention on Wessex. Earl Balthere of Leinster offered a suitable claim against the County of Oxford, so Scotland again entered into conflict with King Æthelweald of Wessex. There was little resistance, and Wessex surrendered in September of 961.

Ireland

While fighting Wessex, the Chancellor was busy in Ireland gaining claims upon the final free Irish counties. It was in 962 that the first action resulted, with war declared upon Earl Murchad of Kildare. They fought back, but were overwhelmed at Knockaulin, and the sieges brought their surrender in February of 963.

Earl Róen of Breifne received the same treatment in the following May. The Battle of Clones, and some sieges resulting in Scotland’s victory in May of 964.

The young Mànas was named Duke of the new title of Meath.

Gelre

The Duchy of Gelre bordered the lands of Germany to the west along the coast, and had been conquered by a Norse adventurer named Suni. It was decided that this was unacceptable, and war hastily declared to drive the pagan out. 

The German levies were raised, and the King’s retinues and personal levies called up to support them from Scotland. Frantic reports soon arrived though, that Suni ‘The Conqueror’ still had far more of his invading forces left than anyone had expected. A host of Norse warriors was descending on the unprepared German forces. In a panic of embarrassment the Council sent out a call for all the levies of the realm, and hired the Saxon and Breton Bands. It was to prove sufficient, barely.

After being chased across northern Germany, and handed mutiple defeats, Scotland finally brought it’s force to bear at Nijmegen where it won a hard fought victory.

CKS 965.4 Nijmegen, where many fell.

More battles were fought over the following year and Dùghall made a name for himself on the battlefield, and but it was at Nijmegen that Gelre had been broken, and Suni surrendered in April of 966.

The victory was won, but many Scottish lads lay in the fields of Gelre.

The Decline of the Saxons

King Æthelweald of Wessex had suffered an invasion from Tjudmund, a Norse noble who had formed a new realm and usurped the title of Wessex. This opened the way for Scotland to strike in the Saxon South.

Events were begun in April of 966 when Duke Flann of York declared a holy war against Tjumund of Wessex. Scotland was reluctant for Flann to gain yet that much more power, and declared their own holy war for Wessex. With the opposition engaged with York, Scottish armies poured south and began winning sieges, until Tjudmund abruptly converted and cancelled the casus belli for the war.

Ireland at Last

Thwarted in Wessex, Scotland turned to Ireland, where it was found that that Duke Mànas of Meath held claim upon the county of Connacht. A short war was waged upon Earl Mugrón and Connacht was brought into the Scottish realm. The last free Irish Lord of Ireland had fallen.

Nyala

In early 969 Dùghall’s wife Muireall died after an illness. The King remarried a short time later, but his controversial social practices continued. He married Nyala Metkourios, an Ethiopian. She arrived at the court, converted to Catholicism and settled in. The first of multiple children of the union was a daughter - Catrìona - born in 970.

Byzantium in Scotland

The Byzantine inheritance continued. Lotharingia had, indeed, gone to the Eastern Roman Empire, and then the Duchess Gyla of Susa inherited Airer Goídel in Scotland. There was nothing to be done about the issue, however.

The Chester War

Pagan Denmark still controlled the County of Chester, and Scotland proceeded to declare a holy war to reclaim it for Christ in April of 970. German levies marched north and invaded Denmark itself to lay siege. A hasty defense by Denmark was defeated at Mansfield by the British levies, and then the conflict became a matter of siege. Denmark surrendered the county in the middle of 971.

Aonghas mac Ruairidh Gordon

CKS 973.6 Aonghas mac Ruairidh named Duke of Gelre by King Dùghall.

When Aonghas mac Ruairidh came of age, Dùghall granted him the title and lands of of the Duchy of Gelre. The Council advised against this course of action - Aonghas was ambitious and perhaps not to be trusted, but Dùghall was not to be swayed. Aonghas took to bride Magdolna, a princess of Hungary. When his own son, Aonghas, was born in 976 King Dùghall sent a missive of congratulations and recognized him as Aonghas Gordon, founder of a new Scottish dynasty.

The Duke of Galloway

Uilleam, the King’s oldest son, had come of age. The King found him a strong wedding match in Ildégarde, a Princess of West Francia. The King sought to further strengthen the Gòrdonach and the Realm, and an opportunity presented itself in the fact that pagan beliefs and practices of the Norse had again entered the realm in the form of Tolir Styr, Duke of Galloway. Dùghall was disgusted by this turn of events and proceeded to revoke all of Tolir’s holdings - duchy and counties. In turn, the lands and titles of all of Galloway were granted to his son Uilleam. (In particular, having rewarded Aonghas, he likely could not have been seen to favor his step-son over his actual son.)

Saxony

Dùghall and Scotland next turned to the region around the German kingdom and the pagans to the east. It was decided to bring Saxony into the realm, and a holy war was duly called.

Scottish forces entered Pomeranian territory with confidence, and quickly won a small battle at Rugard in June of 978. They continued with another minor victory at Havelberg, wherein they encountered the mercenary Finnish Band which, unprepared for battle, routed and their commander was captured. Victory at Drezdany followed, and people spoke with confidence of victory.

Then defeat at Brennaburg in November, followed by a loss at Uznjöm disturbed the confidence of the realm. July of 979 brought victory at Dohna, however, and the Pomeranian resistance was broken.

CKS 979.7 Dohna, where the warriors of Scotland routed the Slavs and cut them down as they ran.

Sieges and patience bought the surrender of King Aron I of Pomerania in August of 979.

Succession

Next Dùghall began working out how to continue the consolidation of Britain and politically a faction requested gavelkind inheritance for the realm had developed. A claim war upon Dorset was declared, and troops placed in action. His further plans, however, never came to fruition as in January of 980, he passed away unexpectedly.