My both sides were bathed in
Blood, I dreamed so, flooded;
I dreamed harm descended
Of drawn wound flood on me.
Necklet goddess, nightly
Now, blood nightmares bow me;
A storm stirs, of weapons,
Strife of men against me.
- Soga om Gisle Surson
And it began with a dream, as you can guess a pretty darn drunken dream, the great leader Thuderhawks birthday bash was definitely one to remember for the ages, and dreaming stretched out under the table after a very long night of mead is not recommended for the weak. Not that Kabuki, the son of Kabuki, the sacker of England, felt particularly strong as he stumbled bleary-eyed to the wash basin so he could try to clear his head of the dream.
Half-way across the room he stumbles over the body of T_McC stretched out, some Kievan girl on his arm, or at least he thought it was the arm as he passes out again.
After another macabre nightmare, daymare, after-drink-mare or whatever you want to call it, he sits up and declaims another verse.
If dreams true lines draw me
Dark for age they mark me;
Thread-work goddess through my
Thought-filled sleep has sought me.
Although the ale goddess
Invites no bright meaning,
Linker of strong letters
Not less soundly rests him.
Not every dream avails me,
Albeit word not fails me;
She, goddess, has spoken,
So is my joy broken.
At sleeps edge she seeks me,
With slaughters gilt she freaks me;
This woman works bloody
Wound flood on me, ruddy.
Told have I the tall ones,
Trees of the spears greeting,
My dream of deaths coming,
Dear wealth goddess, clearly.
Seeker of sarks hatred,
Strife gods, who outlawed me,
Will feel my filed weapons
Fang, if I grow angry.
The other, bleary-eyed head shrunken Vikings look at him like hes a freak. From the back someone offers some suggestive advice regarding where to shove his declamation. Furious, and with images of a burning, blood-spattered Europe in his mind he smashes the fool to a pulp, noting the incapacitation of the celebrant (Congratulation T-Hawk!) and the general condition of the party-goers as a whole Kabuki decides it is time that someone with a vision, if a bloody one, ran this place. None of this mincing around with Kievan girls, I mean look at the man, hes a fop! Nope it is time to unite the North and the take the war to Europe, raiding the coast, spreading terror from Germany to Rome. It shouldnt be so hard, but first the bloody Danes.
After thinking on it he remembered something his father told him about the Danes, something about a book. After another bowl of mead - thus headache, gummy mouth and general personal hygiene taken care of he remembers, the Book of Grudges. After digging through some of the piles of Swedish loot he finds it! A small leather bound list of names. At the top: The Danes. That decides it. Pillage and Burn!
Before getting quite so far Kabuki lays out the strategic map they were laughing about the night before on top of the sleeping T-Hawk. There wasnt much of interest. Although he noted that some places needed to be re-named. Holar quickly became Hrafsfjord, Julianehab (bloody Danish names) became Etne and Skalholt becomes Skaldholt. To his amazement, and quite disturbingly there were only three longships in the fleet, and one was off in Ireland playing ferry for a bunch of peasants. The two other however were well placed to slip into Danish ports. Some blue sails were noted as well, quite a few of them, 2 Dromons and 6 Curraghs of the Byzantine navy were sitting in Skagerak and the Helgoland Bight, damned if he knew what they were doing there.
Speaking of the Byzantines, at least shes sight for sore eyes and she has both Silk, and the knowledge of how to Defend Europe
not that shes in a sharing mood. Kabuki figures landing a boat of diplomats in Constantinople would make the little bird sing quite nicely
well at least after the Danish stop screaming. Looking at some scribbles on the map he sees that the Danes are also proud owners of the knowledge of smithing
so there is no reason for us to research this as we plan to make them hand it over, shouldnt be to hard
a couple of axes into heads
After some time the notion of getting medieval on the Danes does occur to the drink clouded brain and he orders research into this medieval combat nonsense to be made. A scientist is hired in a Rus colony while some taxmen replace the unnecessary scientist. As there isnt much brain-power in Scandinavia after a celebration like this, Kabuki decides that raising taxes is better and none of this spending for research
a genuine waste of time.
Kabuki then orders Stavanger to hold some more parties, grow some more food and generally make sure that more Vikings are available to beat up those wimpy Europeans. Godthab is politely asked to stop training Zerks and figure out how to hold a town meeting so that corruption can be reduced.
Finally the two longships full of armed maniacs hopped up on mushrooms are sailed near Viborg and Hedeby.
As the year 1071 comes to an end the English decide it is time to produce some book on the world ending
how fitting as after the Danes are done, they will be next. The Byzantine fleet decides that they need to sail further into the depths of Skagerak.
The year 1074 starts auspiciously with a bersherker finishing training in Hastings. They are then asked to build a town hall.
With such an auspicious start it can only mean one thing, it is time! The Danes refuse to move their troops from our land and declare war. How rude!
Near Hastings:
V B vs. V B W/-1
The Battle for Viborg:
V B vs. V Sp L/-1
V B vs. R Sp W/-1, Promotion
E B vs. V Sp (-3) W/Leader
In the final attack on the city, Gisle Surson personally accounted for half of the enemy and was given command of the newly formed army. The city is bloody-minded with three resisters, but it comes with barracks.
The Battle for Hedeby Pt. 1
V B vs. V Sp W/-2
V B vs. V Sp W/-2
E B vs. V B W/-1, Barracks destroyed
E B vs. R Sp W/-1
- Regular Spear showing.
The year of the bloody fist ends with the Danish reeling from their losses, and in fear they decide to bring the English into the fight. A Danish longship is also spotted between Ireland and Iceland.
As the year 1077 dawns Godthab decides to riot, and in return are taxed heavily.
The longship off the coast of Ireland is hunted down and sunk by our ferry, which is promoted to veteran.
The Battle of Hedeby Pt. 2
E B(-1) vs. R Sp W/-2, Harbour destroyed
E B(-1) vs. R Sp W/-1
- 2 Bersherks are in the town and one is in the fort south of the city.
E B(-2) vs. R B W
V B(-2) vs. R Sp W/-1, Temple Destroyed
Regular Bersherk showing.
Tall to the Celts and they will beat up the English for Code of Laws (only ones without) and 10g. Done. Amazingly, for the first time in any game Ive played so far the poles have cash! 1g.
The troops in Viborg are healing and reorganizing so that the Army has two bersherks in it (Gisle and a nameless veteran).
As the year closes out the Danes march on Smolensk and send a Longship into Kattegat. The longship is probably bound for the Swedish city that is left empty as the bersherk is playing zone defence. [this will prove to be a bad assumption]
The year is 1080 and the war is still on.
Smolensk and Tmutorohan both produce a warrior not that theyll do much good.
Fred the Imperial captures two slaves outside of Thingvellir.
Kabuki stares at the map long and hard. There are several problems with this war: First the Danes have a ROP with the Germans and can move troops very rapidly to attack Hedeby, secondly any defenders from the other cities can reach Hedeby in one or two turns, and if only held by one defender it will fall. The conclusion is not particularly subtle: All their local defenders must fall before striking home.
The Battle of Hedeby Pt. 3
E B(-2) vs. V Sp W/-1
E B(-2) vs. V Sp W/-2
- Worker showing
The Battle of Ribe Pt. 1
E B vs. V Sp W
Army vs. R Sp W
Army vs. R Sp W/-2
The Danes move on Smolensk and will capture it next year for sure, in less critical news the Poles also decide that the world is ending and want to tell everyone about it in a book.
War rages in Denmark, and the year 1083 starts with more rotting carcasses stinking up the country. However, our food isnt rotting as Skaldholt builds a granary and is ordered to build a town hall.
The Battle of Ribe Pt. 2
E B vs. V B W/-3
Army vs. R Sp W/-4
Army vs. R Sw W
- King Showing
As Smolensk is untenable we decide to send a note to the Abbasids telling them that they now have a new possession on the Baltic. Our slave and warrior are politely dropped off in Borre.
The year ends smashingly with the Danes tossing rocks from their two catapults at our longship in Kattegat. Both of them hit, and rather than hunting Danish shipping it will have to sail back to Hastings for repairs or to work as a ferry. The Danish pull a sneaky tick and land a bersherk next to Tmutorohan, and I thought they were going to play nice and go for the easily recovered target.
1086 is another auspicious year as Stavanger completes a town hall and starts on a longship, Oslo finishes a bersherker and starts training another one. Godthab finishes their town hall and starts on a warrior.
Tumotorohans Warrior decides that 1:2 is better than 6:1.5 and attacks the bersherk. The brave, and insane assault, nearly works as the bersherk is brought to his knees before he smashes his axe through the poor warriors torso. It is a sad day when we have to hand a second city over to the Abbasids. I was really hoping to draw the Danish SOD further East for another three or four turns.
The Battle of Odense
E B vs. R Sp W
E B vs. R Sp W/-2, 2 catapults captured
- City taken, 4 resisters.
The Battle of Ribe Pt. 3
E B vs. R King W/-1
- City taken, 3 resisters.
There is no Danish counter.
Burgundy starts Bayeux tapestry, 4 countries including Denmark have Medieval Combat, so it looks like more pointy-sticking for us.
It is 1089 and Danish beer is flowing into Norwegian hands, now it is time to secure the rest of the Danish homeland.
Hastings completes their Town Hall and starts on a bersherk.
Before going on this second rampage all the units were shipped back to Norway to heal for a turn, and then reorganized and sent back out.
The Battle for Hedeby Pt. 4
E B vs. V Sp W/-2
Army vs. R B W
E B vs. R B W/-3, Barracks destroyed
- Archer Showing
V B vs. V A W/-1
- Worker showing
Army vs. King W
- City Captured, five resisters.
- Capital is moved to the SE, inland.
The ships holding the units are moved into harbour to makes sure the city isnt retaken by the bersherk in the fort.
Godthab is switched to bersherk.
The Danish decide that discretion is the better part of valour and pillage two squares. They also join the Poles and the Abbasids in pining for pretty wall hangings.
In 1092 our Coliseums finish and both Borre and Trondheim switch to bershrks. Reykjavik finishes a granary and starts on a town hall.
Near Ribe
Catapults go 0/2
E B vs. V Sp W/-3
E B vs. V B W/-1
Near Hedeby
Army vs. R Sp (fort) W/-2
Army vs. R B (fort) W/-1
3 wounded bersherks are shipped from Hedeby to Leirje for the assault
The Battle for Leirje
E B(-2) vs. V Sp W/Temple Destroyed
E B(-2) vs. R Sp W/Barracks Destroyed
V B(-2) vs. R. Sp W/Promotes
- City Captured, three resisters.
By accident I move a longship into Hedeby and when Hedeby flips back (no defenders) it is lost. The Danes also attack the army in the fort with a bersherk and redline it at 1 before the Army finally kills the crazed lunatic.
Ribe riots as the new year (1095) comes around, the former resister is unhappy with his lot in life.
The Battle for Hedeby Pt. 5
E B(-2) vs. R Sp W/-2
V B vs. R Sp W
- City Captured, 4 resisters.
Near Lund a Danish longship is caught and sunk by our patrolling ship.
Now that we hold five of their cities we try to talk some sense into these Danish morons. They dont seem to get the fact that they are loosing and do not want to part with any techs. As the battle is still warming our troops the decision is made to not deal with these idiots and talk to some sane people.
The Abbasids are willing to trade us Medieval Combat for 16gpt and 99g
Cordova gives us Map Making for Medieval Combat and 53g
The Bulgars give up a pretty decent map for Heavy Cavalry.
The Fatimids give up their WM from Medieval Combat.
Cordova now gives us WM+53 for WM
Kievan Rus: WM+10g for WM
Turks: WM + 56 for WM
Abbasids: WM + 35 for WM and later 8g
Poles: WM + 5gpt for WM
Burgundy: WM + 26 and later 1g
Byzantine: Will not give either IO or DoE for our entire economy, they do give horses and WM for WM (I try to trade the horses away again, but no takers).
Magyar: 2 workers (Magyar each a 120g value) + Wm for WM + 42g
Sum total: 16 gpt and 195 g out for 2 techs, full world map, 2 workers, 5 gpt and 123g for a net of 11gpt and 72g for 2 techs, map and t workers. We are still short smithing, IO and DoE.
The Gemans, Fatimids, Maguar, Cordovans and English start the Bayeux tapestry.
The Year of 1098 sees us start Divine Right and has Hrafsfjord produce a warrior and start on a granary.
All of our now tried troops rest, heal and try to bring rebellious Danish citizens under control.
The Danish counterattack consists of a bersherk near Thingvillir, a longship near Lund and a longship sailing past Sheep hill. France, the Turks and the Burgundians start the silly wall hanging.
1101 Sees Sheep Hill completes a worker and start another, Fred crush a Danish bersherk, another Danish longship sunk and a longship hurried in Stavanger. The growth of Borre and Hastings are both set to 1 fpt.
World maps are traded around and we make 70g.
Also we capture a Danish worker that we forgot about last turn.
The year ends with Germany and the Magyar making peace, and Cordova offering us Wool for fur and 8gpt. I take it.
The Danish SOD arrives 2 south of Hedeby.
1104 sees Viborg renamed Bjorgvin and a Longship completed in Stavanger.
Kabuki stares at his hands bloody, tired and worn. He declaims a last verse and then heads off into the sunset, tired and lonely.
Hear a great marvel,
Hear of manslaughter,
Hear a great matter,
Hear of a mans death
- Soga om Gisle Surson
And of course:
The Save
, it was still the right call Bede]. Meanwhile, over in the Turk game, I couldn't trade them Seafaring, and they couldn't trade it to me, even though we both had Norse Tradition. So I'm not entirely sure we could trade LRS to the Rus. That means we are going to have a problem obtaining Smithing, since I think only Denmark will research it, unless the Rus go there instead of the Byz tree. 
It has a Viking name, too (Kopingsvik) - did they really conquer that all the way over here?
