The Scottish Sagas (Viking RFC)

Tlönitte

Prince
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Mar 21, 2010
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This will be a new story where I use the Vikings to establish a great Scottish Empire. Please excuse any misuse of history, as I know jack-all about either country, but enjoy!



The outskirts of Exeter, Twelth Century Britain

The English soldiers huddled around their campfires, trying to draw strength from the flames to make it through the harsh Devon winter night. Their numbers had dwindled over the last few fateful years, and their morale had ebbed away. Yet they still knew almost nothing of the enemies that had hounded them out of their capital and forced them back to their last fortresses in the West Country. Some said they were barbarians from the wild north, vengeful warriors from the highland cities. Other soldiers claimed to have seen these barbarous cities and swore that they could not support such hordes as those that had swept through the English armies. Veterans from the London campaigns told their comrades that English sailors had seen great fleets of longships heading across the North Sea, towards the English coastline. Finally the inquisitive soldiers came across a merchant peddling his wares at the edge of the camp, who spoke with a strange northern accent and claimed to have traded in the courts of the northern cities. For the price of a full meal, officer rations, he agreed to tell them the sagas of the Norse, and how they came to be pillaging this country. As the cold night crept in the soldier clustered in around the fire to hear the merchant's tales.

Long ago, six centuries into the past, the Norse people wandered separately, farming and trading as isolated communities among the great fjords of Northern Scandinavia. Then a great leader dedicated his life to forging a union between these disparate peoples, to form the Norse race. This leader Narvir brought all of the chieftains together to tell them how their nation would go forth. All settlements would pay liege to their chiefs, who would then pay homage to their King. All Norse, farmers fishermen or traders, would have to train as warriors ready to be called upon by their chiefs. These warbands would be unleashed upon the peoples of Europe to pillage and bring home slaves.



While all the Norse were gathered together, their king Narvir passed away from the sickness of old age, and his power was sought by all three of his sons. Hrolf, Lubin and Kol fought bitterly for control of this new nation, and though Hrolf beat his brothers in a show of strength he knew that he could ill afford to split this new country even as it was just beginning. To cement his lineage he took the crown of the Norse, but he also gave to his brothers the titles of kings, telling Lubin to claim all the lands to the East as his kingdom, and for Kol to claim all the lands to south. Taking command of most of the Norse warriors, Hrolf told his brothers that his own kingdom waited for him across the waves to the west. He had dreamed of the lands where the sun set, and knew that he was to be its rightful ruler.




Years passed, and the Norse people spread out, each brother looking for a fit spot for their capital. Hrolf’s longship braved fierce seas, losing some of their spare ships to pirates and gales in the vicious waters. When a new land appeared out of the west, Hrolf knew that this was the kingdom he had been searching for. Sending half his force pillaging southwards, Hrolf steered his flagship towards the largest settlement.



The Celtish inhabitants seemed not to recognise the Norse claims to the land, and for revenge Hrolf ordered the sacking of their town. Norse swordsmen overran the defenders and fell upon Inbhir Nis in an orgy of bloodletting. After untold destruction had been inflicted Hrolf ordered his troops to head off into the hills, to search down any more Celts. He himself kept to his ships, heading round the northern coastline looking for the site of his future capital. After many more years of raiding and pillaging his flagship was winding its way through the Hebrides when a great sight struck Hrolf. On the isle of Iona a great abbey’s stained windows glinted in the setting sun, reflecting the light out across the bay and blinding the Norse sailors. Hrolf knew that this was the place he had sought, where all the light in the setting sun had brought forth great riches and treasure. The abbey was the only northern stronghold of the Roma religion, praying to a God and Christ whose holy city was many leagues distant. Hrolf could not believe this pacifistic religion could claim his island, his future capital, and swore that it would not last. And so Hrolf became Ragnarok, destroyer of the Gods, as he murdered the monks and burnt the holy books, screaming his defiance of this Christian God. Hrolf took the abbey as his castle, and ordered his Norsemen to construct their dwellings around the island, that would then be fortified against all enemies. He named his new capital after the old abbey, this island was to become the grand city of Iona.




Hrolf knew that he had to work these new lands, so he immediately set to work recruiting serfs to toil the rich veins of iron ore and the plentiful fauna that roamed the highlands. He also knew that the locals would initially be hostile, as he had spent the last decades raiding the coastlines and pillaging the inland villages. To bring the locals under his Norse control he ordered the construction of many cultural obelisks across the land, and future plans for a new Norse library were also drawn up. Hrolf knew that culture would safeguard his new town just as surely as his warriors would.



Even as Hrolf was establishing his new kingdom the raiders he had sent southwards came across a new continent. This Europe showed signs of civilisation, though there seemed no current protector of the vulnerable settlements. This situation was perfect for the bloodthirsty Norse, as these lands offered much plunder, and it was important to strike before other barbarians might.



While one warband stayed by the coast and concentrated on pillaging, the other group set out inland along great paved roads, heading towards where locals claimed civilisation came from. A few years later they met with emissaries of the Roman Empire, which seemed grand compared to the small Norse Kingdoms. Their leader Caesar seemed happy to share their technological insights, and seemed impotent to stop the Norse raiding the western settlements now out of his control, where the Vikings were finding lots of pillage.




Over the next few years the hordes of barbarians overwhelmed the Roman Empire, and it sank away into history. However the fierce Norse bowmen easily dispatched any barbarians trying to steal Norse pillage, and the warbands stayed in these provinces for many years, growing fat off the undefended lands.



By the time they headed home to Scotland their longships were heavy in the water and the crews gluttoned and enriched. They had brought over 400 bags of gold and treasure back for the Norse coffers, and many tales of conquest and pillage.

 
In the East Hrolf’s brother Lubin had led his warbands to the most northern tip of the Baltic, where the frozen seas met the frozen lands. Here his scouts reported of vast mineral wealth, that would give Lubin’s descendents an almost monopoly over weaponry and production. Here Lubin settled his capital, the frozen city of Lulea. Further to the south the youngest brother Kol struggled onwards through the great Scandinavian forests. Finally coming across the southern inlets to the Baltic, Kol founded the trading port of Kalmar, to bring wealth to his provinces and financially support his brothers’ kingdoms.



Kol knew that the best way to attract wealth was to attract merchants, so all efforts were put towards constructing a grand new marketplace. To develop this city Kol sent emissaries north to Lubin, asking for any spare serfs to be sent southwards. Lubin acquiesced to these requests, and ordered that many serfs be recruited from the surrounding countryside.




As the Scandinavian Peninsula seemed serene and peaceful Kol and Lubin allowed their brother's warbands, who had been left behind in the first wave of exploration, to join their brother's capital in the Western Isles.



Further to the east Norse scouts had been sent out to chart a route to the great eastern civilisations that tales and legends spoke of. The first people that the scout met were brave Persian artillerymen, patrolling the great northern marshes. From this ancient nation the Norse learnt of many new wonders, including a standardised calendar that would help the Norse plan their crops and record their victories.




However not all was well in the east, even as the first copper mines opened around Lulea massive rebuilding work sapped the Vikings treasury. Work was ordered to proceed more carefully in future.



The Norse scouts continued their exploration eastwards. After hiding in swamps to escape bandit horsemen and struggling across massive deserts they finally reached the great Empire of China. The leaders there were willing to trade technologies, and once suitably bribed deigned to allow the Norsemen entry into their nation.





Back in Kalmar Kol’s descendents had been constructing a great market for generations. Finally enough slaves had been gathered to realise Kol’s dream, and in the year 800 the market was finally opened. All available citizens quickly rushed to fill this new wonder, and many merchants set up business. Soon it was rumoured that great merchants would surely be drawn to Kalmar too.


 
Subbing and good start! Can you create another massive empire? I guess we will have to wait and see!!! :D:D:D:goodjob:
 
Hurray! A new story! Great job, so far!
 
Maybe I did raise everyones expectations with the Babylonian game, once you get out of the starting situation the Babylonians are actually the best conquerors in RFC. This could end up as good, but whenever I've played as the Vikings before theyve always collapsed. But not this time, with Scotland!
 
Nice job so far. Scots, eh? Should be a good RFC run. :goodjob:
 
If this thread needs a bump, I've got a great idea for how to do it. A cookie for whoever guesses what it is.
 
Looks good.
 
good update.
 
nice, did you play another civ before hand? if so, which one :p
 
nice, did you play another civ before hand? if so, which one :p

No, this is an v1.187 unlocked 3000BC start, I just let the autoplay roll by.

I don't know what type of victory I'll go for, im just going to play and see what happens. Any Scottish UHV's suggestions that people make could make it interesting too. (beyond kill England!)
 
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