The Scottish Sagas (Viking RFC)
- Thread starter Tlönitte
- Start date
Back in Iona Hrolf had died peacefully of old age, buried in the most holy of places in the abbey fortress. As years past the mantle of leadership passed on to his descendents, and by the year 700 Kadram, son of Hrolfson son of Hrolf had assumed the throne. He sent expeditions west to chart the islands of Eire and Iceland, and earmarked potential future settlements.
At the same time the iron ore in the hills was mined, supplying great production to the island city. The seas around Iona were also plentiful, and once fishing boats had been sent out massive surpluses of food started to build up. Most importantly Kadram was able to use the slaves brought back from the European raids to construct a grand library, to show off Norse culture to the surrounding Celts. Soon Iona’s culture would extend across the whole of this island.
This was of vital importance, as Hrolf’s descendants seemed to think of the local populace as nothing more than sport and raiding targets. No meaningful attempt had been made to bring the locals into the Norse way of life, and murmurs of rebellion and mutinies increased. This eventually grew into a new English kingdom established in the south by the great Thames. At first a peace was granted by the Norse king Gautrek, son of Hroldrir, more out of cowardice and procrastination than anything. That year new advances were made in sea travel, with the invention of the magnetic compass.
Gautrek was a cowardly king, always seeing dangers in the shadows. It was not so much the arrival of the English but the machinations of his powerful chieftains that scared him. To this end he sent his armies off to sea, telling them to scout the island to the northwest and not to return till signalled.
The king was right to be paranoid. Decades of ignoring the local serfs lead to a revolt in 840, where the denizens of his kingdom begged to be allowed to join the new English nation. Gautrek was weak, but he was not going to give up his families claim to these isles, and told the serfs that he alone was their overlord.
By 850 Iona’s lands had been reclaimed by the Norse king, but word reached him of English settlers approaching the southern border. However he knew that soon the outpouring of Norse culture would dissuade any English advance.
Faced with this new menace the Norse warbands were desperate to return to the fight, and safeguard the homes that they had built up in Iona over the years. But Gautrek was fearful of everyone, he had daily reports of warriors switching sides to the English and wanted his fierce fighters to stay out of the way. Gautrek believed that the very country would protect his capital, hidden behind vast forests and great mountains. If the English had ever fought their way through the terrain they would have glimpsed an undefended capital, tearing itself apart and under only nominal control of its leader. Amazingly even the bravest English swordsmen turned back as soon as they ventured into Norse territory, and Gautrek was thankful his forebears had put so much effort into Iona’s cultural influence.
As the decades past Gautrek never managed to gain full control over his capital, with no military to keep the population in line he was king in name only. He died a twisted, broken man, but was a mighty influence on his son and heir, Egil. The new king wasted no time in bringing the disparate realm back under his sole command, and by 920 he succeeded in crushing the surrounding rebels. As English transports were venturing further and further up the east coast, and the rebellions had been crushed, Egil called home the troops from the Icelandic wintering points, and reasserted his royal power over Iona.
How that Norse warbands were trusted to operate inland again the central forests dividing Iona and England had to be under Norse control. The veteran warbands from the European raiding trips steadfastly held off inexperienced English swordsmen, and for the first time in a hundred years the people of Iona felt secure.
At the same time the iron ore in the hills was mined, supplying great production to the island city. The seas around Iona were also plentiful, and once fishing boats had been sent out massive surpluses of food started to build up. Most importantly Kadram was able to use the slaves brought back from the European raids to construct a grand library, to show off Norse culture to the surrounding Celts. Soon Iona’s culture would extend across the whole of this island.
This was of vital importance, as Hrolf’s descendants seemed to think of the local populace as nothing more than sport and raiding targets. No meaningful attempt had been made to bring the locals into the Norse way of life, and murmurs of rebellion and mutinies increased. This eventually grew into a new English kingdom established in the south by the great Thames. At first a peace was granted by the Norse king Gautrek, son of Hroldrir, more out of cowardice and procrastination than anything. That year new advances were made in sea travel, with the invention of the magnetic compass.
Gautrek was a cowardly king, always seeing dangers in the shadows. It was not so much the arrival of the English but the machinations of his powerful chieftains that scared him. To this end he sent his armies off to sea, telling them to scout the island to the northwest and not to return till signalled.
The king was right to be paranoid. Decades of ignoring the local serfs lead to a revolt in 840, where the denizens of his kingdom begged to be allowed to join the new English nation. Gautrek was weak, but he was not going to give up his families claim to these isles, and told the serfs that he alone was their overlord.
By 850 Iona’s lands had been reclaimed by the Norse king, but word reached him of English settlers approaching the southern border. However he knew that soon the outpouring of Norse culture would dissuade any English advance.
Faced with this new menace the Norse warbands were desperate to return to the fight, and safeguard the homes that they had built up in Iona over the years. But Gautrek was fearful of everyone, he had daily reports of warriors switching sides to the English and wanted his fierce fighters to stay out of the way. Gautrek believed that the very country would protect his capital, hidden behind vast forests and great mountains. If the English had ever fought their way through the terrain they would have glimpsed an undefended capital, tearing itself apart and under only nominal control of its leader. Amazingly even the bravest English swordsmen turned back as soon as they ventured into Norse territory, and Gautrek was thankful his forebears had put so much effort into Iona’s cultural influence.
As the decades past Gautrek never managed to gain full control over his capital, with no military to keep the population in line he was king in name only. He died a twisted, broken man, but was a mighty influence on his son and heir, Egil. The new king wasted no time in bringing the disparate realm back under his sole command, and by 920 he succeeded in crushing the surrounding rebels. As English transports were venturing further and further up the east coast, and the rebellions had been crushed, Egil called home the troops from the Icelandic wintering points, and reasserted his royal power over Iona.
How that Norse warbands were trusted to operate inland again the central forests dividing Iona and England had to be under Norse control. The veteran warbands from the European raiding trips steadfastly held off inexperienced English swordsmen, and for the first time in a hundred years the people of Iona felt secure.
Mosher
Mushroom dad
Another Tlonitte story! Definitely subbed (even though I don't check my subs, I just cruise through the subforum and click on all the bolded links. 
)
)
hoplitejoe
Top fun-poster
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You need Constantinople I think 
Steel Knight
Warlord
you need the world
Omega124
Challenging Fate
You need Helsinki
Tambien
Theseus, Duke of Athens
christos200
Never tell me the odds
you need ..................................... Athens or Kyoto.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
You need Los Angeles!
You need ALL THE THINGS!
Yoshiegg737
Jungo Jungo
You need Toronto
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Subbed.
Pieman
Prince
Did you withdraw your troops from Iona to prevent them from deserting (thanks to RFC game mechanics)? If so, that was a clever bit of writing 
j_mie6
Deity
I have a victory condition for you... No european colonies anywhere by turn 300
Optical
The Fall of the Eleventh
You could settle Christchurch in New Zealand later in the game, and rename it Dunedin... it's a Scottish settlement, and it's also a good city location
Nice update, BTW!
Nice update, BTW!
Steel Knight
Warlord
I have a victory condition for you... No european colonies anywhere by turn 300
NO
We need Europe.
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