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>>5665694
Here is the battlefield for oversight

>>5665694
>Hold the line.
Wait until the cavalry is ready, then we can hit them with a triple ambush of the rangers, charge and flanking.

>>5665694
>He came back again.
You truly are the best.
>Hold the line.

>>5665694
While instict may be to wait out for the calvery, we need to open fire so the red's cant attack first.

>>5665694
>Hold the line.
That one unit is too close the rangers.

Welcome back QM!

>>5665694
welcome back, time to teach a lesson to this fools
>Hold the line.

>>5665694
Welcome back OP.

>Hold the line.

Wait until they are fixed fighting our line and our cavalry is in position, then their fate will be sealed.

>>5665746
We ARE the reds.

>>5665694
>>Hold the line.
welcome back

>>5665694
>Order your flanks to begin enveloping the enemy footmen
We should start this, but slowly without following through entirely so that the enemy general commits his reserves. I am not sure how long it would take those men to cross the river to meet us, but I don't want our cavalry to be counter flanked during a charge. They can possible engage our rangers too.

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>>5665739
>>5665741
>>5665751
>>5665771
>>5665776
>>5665850

you conveyed your orders down the chain of command to hold steady and firm, already a bloody melee was beginning to develop. A gory mix of the clashing of steel and the shouts and screaming of the men doing the best to drown each other out.

Nearly all your reserves were now spent; for the most part your men did well against the enemy, their heavy armour preventing many injuries, although some got fatal blows. For now it seemed that you would have to wait out the meat grinder and hope that your morale and discipline would keep them in line.

But then from the flanks, you spotted them. In a perfect arc a barrage of arrows were let loose upon the enemy left flank, they were completely exposed to the barrage and that was not all. Although the soil was far too wet to allow for any dust clouds you did hear, a faint clopping of hoofs was now coming your way.

This is what you have been waiting for, and now it was time to exploit it

Orders?

>Begin pushing the enemy left flank. See if we can start rolling up the enemy line

>See if you can force a breakthrough in the center to encircle the enemy left flank

>>5666161
>>Begin pushing the enemy left flank. See if we can start rolling up the enemy line

>>5666161
>Begin pushing the enemy left flank. See if we can start rolling up the enemy line

They have a unit in the second line near the center, even if it is in danger of being attacked in the rear, meanwhile we are stated to have spent our reserves in the main line. Therefore a breakthrough in the center probably isn't the best idea, but we have the left flank flanked both on the side and the rear.

>>5666161
>>Begin pushing the enemy left flank. See if we can start rolling up the enemy line

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>>5666176
>>5666192
>>5666230
The cavalry crashed into the rear of the enemy formation; at the same time your poleaxemen pressed into the enemy line. For a moment it seems that you have ordered your footmen into something impossible. Are they wavering? Will they break? Will you be routed? In the end though it is that it is they who are beginning to break.

The charge in their rear, combined with the harassment of the rangers and the reinvigorated pressing of the footmen, the enemy left flank has begun breaking down in panic.

Orders?

>Drive them into the river! Press will we still have the momentum

>Give our own flank the time to catch their breath and regroup

>>5666262
>Drive them into the river! Press will we still have the momentum

>>5666262
>Drive them into the river! Press will we still have the momentum
The final push to start a rout.

>>5666262
>>Drive them into the river! Press will we still have the momentum

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>>5666283
>>5666311
>>5666412
They start to waver and when they start to waver they start to panic. Where once the green field was drowned out by the enemies in black and white now the green started to appear again. Only mildly being interrupted by the chasing cavalry who were busy striking down any stragglers.

Unfortunately, the enemy cavalry had foreseen the inevitable and had retreated from the field. Still, the remainder of the enemy force remained stuck on your bank of the river even if you saw some of them ditch their weapons and armour to attempt to swim across the river.

Others were more aware of what exactly was coming their way and were attempting to reorganize the enemy for a last stand.

Orders?

>Run them down! no quarter

>Invite the enemy to surrender

>>5666552
>Invite the enemy to surrender

>>5666552
>>Invite the enemy to surrender
Mercy should always be an option.

>>5666552
>>Run them down! no quarter

>>5666552
>Invite the enemy to surrender
They are the common folk. The footmen.
Better spare them to get the enemies people to turn against them.

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>>5666560
>>5666566
>>5666605
Indeed, in keeping with the traditional rules of warfare you sent out someone under the white banner of truce to invite the enemy to surrender.

After about half an hourof negotiation you managed to persuade the enemy commander to surrender.

As is convention, the common soldiers who aren’t worth ransoming are stripped of their armour and made to formally swear an oath to never take up arms against their victors ever again. The remaining nobles, knights, squires and rich commoners are taken captive to be ransomed for money. Usually poorer nobles get assigned a lot of captives and any potential to help them to refill the treasury. However as the commander of the victors you are entitled to the lions share of the loot and captives about 38% whereas lesser nobles on your side will have to do with about 4% of all the bounty

Still, there was no real time to celebrate or to rest. You had already felt it in the air when you rode out from Rittersbach and now with the fall of the first leaves it was certain. Autumn has come to Greifswald.

This meant of course that you would have to finish your campaign for the year and dismiss a large part of the army to both let them help with the harvest and to ease both the burden on your purse and logistics networks.

(cont)

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>>5666611
With your campaign was successful you have successfully linked up with brother-in-law up north while at the same time isolating the loyalist city of Eisenhaben from the mainland. It would indeed be your next most likely target as soon as the campaign season of 1240 rolled around.

The taste of victory would remain on your tongue for just about the entire autumn and winter. Your victory has made you somewhat famous. Indeed already merchants from the mercantile league have offered to subsidize you in exchange for further privileges with the major cities of Greifswald. Ambitious adventures from the north have landed on the shores both to fight as soldiers of fortune and to take up the places of men no longer able to work.

The most prestigious (and perhaps most shady according to your granduncle) was the envoy sent by King Kazimierz II of Mozolavia. Whos most likely here both to keep an eye on developments and to offer a somewhat vague position on Mozolavia’s stance on the war. Due to the feudal legal technicalities of the day King Kazimierz was technically king over the southern part of the order-state. Yet Greifswald was only conquered afterwards thereby putting it into legal limbo.

Is there anything you would like to do with winter stopping you from campaigning?

>Visit Libau to see your granduncle Albrecht

>Go north, to visit your brother-in-law

>Go visit Libau to negotiate with the mercantile league

>>5666624
>Go visit Libau to negotiate with the mercantile league
And we can visit gruncle afterwards.

>>5666624
>Visit Libau to see your granduncle Albrecht
>Go visit Libau to negotiate with the mercantile league
While in Libau.
There is no reason not to do both while they are in the same location.

>>5666624
This >>5666635

Though if we have to focus our time then I'd focus on negotiations with the mercantile league

>>5666624
>>Go visit Libau to negotiate with the mercantile league

>>5666635
Suplort

>>5666624
>>Go visit Libau to negotiate with the mercantile league

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>>5666627
>>5666635
>>5666695
>>5666757
>>5666779
>>5666999


Shortly after arriving in Libau you sent out to the harbour, there were you had set foot in these lands all those years ago. There was a matter of contention concerning the location of the negotians. A cabin aboard one of their ships would give them the home advantage whereas anything too deep in the city would have given you the homeground. In the end it was decided to hold the conference on relatively neutral ground. A backroom of the high class tavern ‘’Der Fröliche wanderer’’

After the usual pleasantries and introductions you sat down on the opposite end of a trio of welldressed men in their late forties

''It is truly pleasure of course to formally meet the man who so recently has had the laurels of victory placed on his head.'' The first one began

''We represent a group of merchants within the league who have lost a lot of revenue due to a number of factors, most of all the increase on tariffs within the recent years. Everywhere the tariffs seem to be increasing all around our area of operation. Shortsighted kings eager for money gouge the prices of goods we buy, destroying our revenue. Thankfully our pockets are deep enough that we may survive a bad years but it would be a fool who does not understand that something will need done eventually.''

''Which is why we approached you. If you my lord, would be willing to lower the tarrifs on goods produced in the cities of Greifswald so we may recover some of our lost revenue. In exchange we are willing to provide a subsidy to help fund your armies.''

What do you say?

>Agree

>Decline

>Attempt to negotiate for more favourable terms

>>5667021
>>Agree
mone

>>5667021
>>Agree
What could go wrong? More trade via our county plus our army is funded.

>>5667021
>Agree

>>5667021
>Agree
Free trade of goods means a more productive and so also a more tax gving population.

>>5667045
>>5667065
>>5667083
>>5667098

''It would be my pleasure, gentlemen. To accept your offer. It would greatly ease the burden upon my coffers. I shall accept your offer, you shall my assurances that the tariffs will be kept at a fixed level for the coming twenty years in exchange you shall supply me in coin and other such necessities for the duration of the conflict. Deal?'' You asked?

''Deal''

And with that an agreement was achieved after the costumary toasts and breaking of bread of course. Still, securing financial backing for what is in theory a extremly risky investment would mean that these men are either desperate, dumb or that they have a keen sense for business. Whatever their motif it was at least a good feeling that you had been able to secure your financial lifelines for now at least.

Moving on, with duty out of the way it was for pleasure or at least familial duty. From what you had heard your beloved grandunlce had become more and more reclusive in the last few months.

Indeed, when you went to visit him you saw why, for a man in his late eighties, early nineties your grandunlce had always looked at least ten years younger; now it seemed that time was beginning to catch up to him.

He had become thinner, his (remaining) hair had gone from steel-gray to a pale white and his eyes had sunk deep into his face.

’’As you have probably guessed, my mortal coil is beginning to ail.’’ He said as he poked the fire from his chair. ’’I think I will remain around long enough to see you victorious, but I am afraid I won’t be around to see your children grow up.’’

This feels.. macabre, it made an uneasy silence fall across the chamber.

Perhaps it is best if you changed topic

>Discuss politics

>Talk about news from around the world

>Talk about your family

>>5667442
>Talk about your family
Some news about his nephews should make him happy.
Didn't we name our son after him?

>>5667442
>>Talk about your family

>>5667442
>>Talk about your family
It is always terrible to see a family member grow old.

>>5667442
>Talk about your family

We owe our current position to him. The least we can do for him is cheer him up.

>>5667442
>>Talk about your family

>>5667447
>>5667493
>>5667522
>>5667541
>>5667564

And so the conversation turned to the matter of family. For a few hours you talked about your own children, the family in Fluddenmark and the your ancestors.

In particular you got to know a bit more about your father's father: Konrad von Adlershorst, who's main achievement was the fact that he managed to secure enough money to renovate the ancestral castle. Not that it helped much considering how it had begun sinking into the soggy marshland. Your granduncle did say that if his brother could he would have drained the marsh dry with windmills like how he saw after visiting the polders in the west of the empire. But alas no such fortune awaited him. And he died middleaged after catching a nasty swamp fever.

The progenitor of the lineage of Alderhorst had allegedly won the castle as a prize in a tournament, after the margrave of Fluddenmark had been unable to find someone who wanted it. This man allegedly beat everyone in a free-for-all melee battle. And was giving a firm handshake and the deed to the castle. Unfortunately the page of the ’’Chronicle of Fluddenmark’’ was blotted out by an unfortunate spilling of the ink about 130 years ago. And as your family was never of high enough status the scholars did not bother to see if they could recover the lost knowledge

As for the matter of your own children you talked about how your own son also named Albrecht was now old enough to crawl around outside his crib. Your daughter Brünhilde had also found something special. One day you looked at her and you saw that she had a little kitten following her around. You decided to investigate further and as it turned out the pantry cat the chef had brought to eat mice and rats had given birth. Afterwards, you heard that the stableboy, your squire and some kitchen maids had taken the baby cats with them as soon as they could separate from their mother.

You decided to stay over for the rest of the night and leave for Rittersbach the next day

’’There is one last thing Dietrich’’ Your grandunlce said

’’Whatever you do, do not proclaim yourself King. It would anger the holy council and give the Mozolavians pretext to invade

>Why shouldn't i declare myself King?

>Why does the holy council disapprove?

>Why would the Mozolavians invade?

>>5667861
>Why does the holy council disapprove?
>Would declaring myself king under a different title work? With some nominal alternative purpose and less privileges, perhaps?

>>5667861
>>Why shouldn't i declare myself King?
>>Why does the holy council disapprove?

>>5667861
>>Why shouldn't i declare myself King?
>Why would the Mozolavians invade?

>>5667861
>>Why shouldn't i declare myself King?
>>Why does the holy council disapprove?
>>Why would the Mozolavians invade?
Intel.

>>5667861
Would declaring this a principality or grand duchy go over more smoothly?

>>5667861
>>Why shouldn't i declare myself King?
>>Why does the holy council disapprove?
>>Why would the Mozolavians invade?
>Would declaring this a principality or grand duchy go over more smoothly?

>>5667869
>>5667877
>>5667879
>>5667885
>>5667930
>>5667955

''Then tell me, why shouldn't I declare myself King?'' You asked

''Legal technicalities, as per usual, although Greifswald was never under the crown of Mozolavia but Vollingen was and in theory still is. As it was enfeoffed to the order by King Boleslaw III to ensure that someone could tame the land that legally belonged to him. King Kazimierz could interpret that with the conquest of Greifswald that the status of Greifswald as a region apart from Vollingen had ended and that legally speaking he is still the rightful liege lord of all the orderstate. He has not acted upon his ambitions because of the unruly voivodes but you declaring yourself king would give Kazimierz something to rally them around. As he would present it as a threat and an insult to him and his dignity'' He explained

''As for the holy council they consider elavating anyone to the rank of King or above to be a privledge reserved to themselves. This usually means that to proclaim a new kingdom you would have to bring a lot of good arguments to the table, or a lot of money. And I do mean a lot of money. The amount you won’t have until you have plundered multiple dwarf holds. In short, unless you can convince a council that is currently doing its best trying to kill each other and attempting to prevent the three monarchs from purging them from Portemosa. I suppose you might try your luck later when the situation has been stabilized but for I don’t think it would be the best of actions.''

''Perhaps declaring myself as Duke or Prince would be more smooth?'' You asked.

''Yes'' He said, his face deep in thought '' Yes that would in theory work. It wouldn't threaten the legal fiction of the Mozolavian King and the council would most likely not care. The tilte of Duke would be the more safe bet in my opinion, but the title of Prince would also be acceptable I think. Now then we have talked long enough and it is time for bed.''

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>>5668016

You took of the next morning, although you had to walk until you could safely mount up for the frozen cobblestones of the city were extremely slippery. However while the cobblestones might have been slippery the dirt roads were hardened by the cold and it made your journey back to Ritterbach a lot easier. You arrived there after a journey of four days and you decided that for the rest of the winter you would not leave hearth and home until spring had finally come.

In the spring of the year 1240, when the snow was but a wet memory you once more gathered your armies for the campaign of the year. The target this year was obvious: Eisenhaben. If you managed to secure it you would consolidate the entirety of the north and you would only need to watch your southern border for the enemy. Who might just give up if you took Eisenhaben. But that is speculative thinking and for now you must decide upon a strategy to approach Eisenhaben.

>Be bold: March straight upon the city

>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open

>Be cunning: Split up the army and perform a series of raids and quick marches to secure the countryside

>>5668024
>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open

>>5668024
>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open

I'm not certain, but if the city and surrounding environs is a river delta or swamp then taking the direct approach may be unwise. It wouldn't do for us to march on the city only to walk into a prepared battlefield and have to choose between taking an impossible fight on bad terrain against wagon forts or something and choosing to refuse battle and look like a coward.

The brief mention of the weather during winter makes me wonder if a spring thaw will make the roads bad or flood some crucial stream/river crossing.

Of course delaying could allow further reinforcements to arrive to the city via sea, mercenaries and the like.

Splitting our army could allow us to be defeated in detail, though I don't think they'd expect us to do it and could allow us to isolate the city rather quickly if they don't anticipate it. Plus our troops are blooded and probably of high enough quality to win against a divided foe on unprepared battlefields.

>>5668024
>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open
Never split if you don't know it's safe to split.

>Settlerlord is accused of Neocolonialism

>>5668102
Feudal setting.
>Neocolonialism.
nice bait.

>>5668110
It's an anon that has been posting these throw away weird lines in every quest, don't give him attention, it's probably what he wants

>>5668024
>>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open

>>5668024
>>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open

>>5668024
>>Take caution: Perform a series of probes and make certain that the way is open


>>5668045
We could grab some mercs if needed too. The merchants of Libau helping us with money should give us more room to work with if nothing else.

>>5668087
>>5668264
>>5668265
>>5668296


You set up camp in a clearing of a forest nearby Eisenhaben. You yourself and some other higher nobles take up residence in an abandoned hunting lodge. Where, with some applecakes for snack and a map on the central dinner table you discussed your strategy with you commanders

''We shall sent ahead the cavalry in small reconnaissance units of about six men: Two knights or a knight and a squire and four lighter horsemen. The remainder of the army shall be stationed around this forest to remain hidden. Once we have enough information about the terrian surrounding Eisenhaben we shall make our move.'' You explained to the assembled nobles.

''Very good, my lord. We shall begin to inform our men.'' one of the commanders told you

And with that out of the way, it was now time for you to start signing of on paperwork and logistics. As soon as the nobles were gone it was time to bring in the quartermasters and suppliers. You signed off a set of orders and notes that approved the purchase of food, fuel and other such supplies from nearby farmers and traveling merchants with money you provided them out of the provision box.

While the day was spent behind a desk you spent your evenings behind the table, hosting dinners to keep the wellbred members of the army in good spirits. This usually degenerated into a drunken gaggle as the hours progressed. With you all toasting your socalled ''Humpen'' (Beer mug) and singing drinking song deep into the night.

This pattern continued for about the next month or so. Until you had gathered enough information about the defense of Eisenhaben.

There where three main plans for taking Eisenhaben.

The first was a quite simple plan to surround the city, use the navy of some of the coastal lords to blockade the habrour and do the typical thing: Build trebuchets and other siege engines and either starve them out or take the city by force

The second plan was drawn up by the count von Füchsbau, it would involve a shipment of peat that was sent every now and then into the city. A crack unit would be placed inside a hollowed out shipment of peat and would open the gates at night. The army would subsequently rush through the opened gate and take the city. Some described it as a plan so cunning you cloud put a tail on it and call it weasel.

The third plan was one by a Joachim Meltzer, a merchant and former adventurer who's main line of work involved him taking out pirate nests for the league on his ship. His plan would involve loading a part of the army onto the boats, and sail into the harbour while the main army distracts the defenders.

In the end you chose for

>Plan one: the siege

>Plan two: sneaking in a unit of soldiers to open the gate

>Plan three: The amphibious pincer maneuver

>>5668544
>>Plan two: sneaking in a unit of soldiers to open the gate
Lets go

>>5668544
>All three, combine plan 2 and 3, default to plan 1 if we fail.

Why not? Just make sure to coordinate so the special peat operation guys don't get interfered with by the naval landing guys and make sure that it looks like the siege army is preparing siege works but comes back from the woods in time for the assault instead of just staying out in the woods actually preparing for a siege.

Ideally the sneaky guys would go in first, be given some time to work, followed by the naval landing and the army coming in through the gates. The landing and rush through the gates don't have to be perfectly timed, they just need to be in the same ballpark of time to assist one another.

Obviously this comes with a lot of coordination problems and our military isn't fully professional yet. It may be over complicated and the best plans are often simple. That said, it isn't really one big plan with a bunch of things contingent on another so much as just doing each separate plan sequentially. Essentially just doing plan 2 while the distraction from plan 3 is going on, then doing the naval landing part of plan 3 afterwards. The only real coordination is giving a big enough time gap before the landing goes in after the peat mission guys and making sure the naval guys know what the peat mission guys look like in case there is a timing mishap and they end up in the same area during the dark.

>>5668544
>>Plan two: sneaking in a unit of soldiers to open the gate

>>5668544
>Plan one: the siege

>>5668544
>>Plan three: The amphibious pincer maneuver

>>5668544
>>Plan two: sneaking in a unit of soldiers to open the gate

>>5668628
>>5668653
>>5668816

In preparation for the plan you had a group of monks teach the men how to tell the time on the basis of the stance from the sun or moon. Which would be essential for the plan. The convoy of peat barges would leave the last village early in the morning. And arrive at about eight o’clock you would arrive about five hours later to avoid suspicion. You would then set up camp while you would ‘’Set up camp’’ to give the impression that you were going to set up a siege.

At midnight the crack unit would emerge from the hollowed out peat barges and open the main gate for you. Afterwards a unit of knights would ride into the gatehouse and dismount to join up with the unit already in the city. If you were lucky, the gate and the walls adjacent to it would be in your hands. And by the time dawn would come most of your army would be in the city.

This was all of course only in theory of course now it was time to put it into practice.

You arrived an hour from noon at the walls of Eisenhaben. You immediately ordered the men to begin setting up camp for the deception. While you send out a man to ask the locals outside the walls if they saw a shipment of peat had recently arrived. They answered in the positive which gave you a mild reassurance.

Some minor shooting bows between the garrison and your army happened. But nothing too exciting. It seems that, like with a proper siege you would have to wait.

And wait you did, you ate unusually little that night at dinner and you did not sleep. Then the moon stood at its highest point. It was now midnight, still you did become a little nervous as the agreed upon signal did not appear. For what seemed like an eternity you waited; you felt the sweat form up along your hairline.

What if they were caught?

What if the alarm would be raised?

What if you failed?

(1/2)

>>5668960
In the end you worried perhaps too much. The signal was given, half an hour too late but was given. You heard the trample of ironshod hooves trot over the road into the city. Now it was time to begin moving in with the rest of the army. The infantry would march through the opened gates and secure the town square and hall. The archers would use a stairwell present in the gatehouse to climb unto the walls with a vanguard of polaxemen to clear off any guards present on the walls.

For another half hour this went on swingingly columns of the army slowly making their way into the city while a considerable part was already inside the city.

When you suddenly heard the church bells of the city. Dammit! That is the alarm for the city guards. Well it is now or never. They say that when you have breached into the walls and secured that breach you might as well have won. But you might want to go with them to make certain it goes smoothly.
What do you do?

>I shall take part in the storming of the city! Glory calls me!

>I will remain here to keep the columns organized

>Eh, the battle is as good as won, I am going to catch some sleep

>>5668965
>I shall take part in the storming of the city! Glory calls me!

>>5668965
>I will remain here to keep the columns organized

While I eventually do want to start participating in the fighting during our battles, I think it is important we prevent our force from losing cohesion due to the danger of an outbreak of looting. We still have to win the fight and prevent turning the populace against us, which in my mind means preventing a brutal sack or our troops getting ganked while they are busy getting their dicks wet or something.

>I will remain here to keep the columns organized
i support this action, gotta keep the army organized, dont want them sacking the city we want to have as intact as possible

>>5668965
>>I will remain here to keep the columns organized

>>5668965
>>I will remain here to keep the columns organized

>>5669099
>>5669171
>>5669293
>>5669349

While the thought of joining the battle might have been tempting and the comfort of rest would have been welcome you instead did something different.

With the walls effectivly clear of any enemy it was now of great importance to bring the rest of the army into the city. Instead you spend your efforts organizing and ordering columns into the city gate where by now the sound of clashing metal and human screams could be heard. Giving your men reinforcements would hopefully give them the edge they needed to break whatever defenses the city watch and garrison could muster.

At about five o’clock in the morning you too moved into the city, surrounded by an escort of knights. Your subordinates told you that the mayor had struck the colours on the city hall and had ordered the city watch to stand down and surrender.

The garrison of the order meanwhile, had holed themselves up into the former citadel turned barracks. It was an old structure, dour and grey, like an old man awaiting death. They understood there would be no rescue for them now and were probably waiting for an offer to surrender.

The mayor (still in his nightgown) had offered to act as an intermediary.

>Allow the garrison to leave with honour intact

>Starve them out

>Storm the barracks

>>5669603
>>Allow the garrison to leave with honour intact

>>5669603
>>Allow the garrison to leave with honor intact
They are good men.

>>5669603
>Allow the garrison to leave with honour intact
They did their job, they defended their home well.

>>5669603
>>Allow the garrison to leave with honour intact

>>5669607
>>5669643
>>5669658
>>5669666

You told the mayor to get dressed properly and you would allow the garrison to leave freely with the sandarts,banners and other traditional insignia intact. You then subsequently went back to your tent to rest.

The next morning, you formally met with the commander of the garrison. And, after a short exchange of words and a handshake. Formally allowed them to leave through the gates. And so the black-cloaked garrison said goodbye to their posts, perhaps in a time of peace they would be reunited.

Then it was the turn for the city government to surrender. The mayor, his city council and the commander of the city watch as well. In the ceremony the flag with the white star on a black background was lowered and removed and the white griffon on a red flag was hoisted on the flagpole of the city, alongside the city flag. The mayor then overhanded you the key of the city to ceremonially surrender it to its new masters.

Your troops had behaved themselves well. The normal atrocities that would have come from months of sitting out a siege only to then take out one’s frustrations upon the civilian population had been avoided.

There is still one last thing to do here in Eisenhaben before you move on. Aside from stationing a garrison of your own here, would you remove the current administration or not? You of course don’t know how far you can trust either this mayor or his master of the watch.

>Leave the city government intact

>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements

>Order them to resign, and pick some trustworthy locals to form a new council

>>5669677
>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements
Locals can keep their rights of choosing their leaders. We get the benefit from having a more friendly towards us administration (they got a chance to be chosen, because we removed their opposition.

>>5669677
>>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements
A bit worried if they betray us but I suppose we have been to them so far.

>>5669677
>Order them to resign, and pick some trustworthy locals to form a new council

>>5669677
>>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements

>>5669677
>>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements

>>5669677
>>Order them to resign, but let the locals choose their replacements

>>5669692
>>5669697
>>5669800
>>5669809

You ordered the mayor and his council to resign so that a new administration could take it's place.

You stayed in Eisenhaben for about two weeks to both ensure nothing funny would happen with the election process and to make certain that the transition of power happened smoothly. Afterwards you had the men break camp and you set off to plan the rest of the campaign.

From the late spring to early summer you spend your time securing and occupying the countryside surrounding Eisenhaben. Unfortunately you had to send off a part of your army to guard the southern border against raids that the enemy was now conducting. Presumably to buy time to suppress the rebellion in the south before turning their gaze north.

You were riding through the forest to which this land owes its name: The Greifswald (Griffon’s Wood) While being escorted by a small escort of knights and horsemen. There were some affairs back home that needed to be sorted out before you could return to the army.

The shade of the tree leaves helped to relieve some of the heat you got from riding around in full armour. When suddenly you thought you spotted something. A scintillation of something perhaps, or maybe just a reflection of the light.

Roll a 1d100 (DC 50) for perception

>>5669692
>>5669697
>>5669800
>>5669809
>>5670355

you ordered the mayor and his council to resign and that a new administration would take it's place. You stayed in Eisenhaben for two more weeks to make certain that the transition of power happened smoothly. Afterwards you had the men break camp and you set off to plan the rest of the campaign.

From the late spring to early summer you spend your time securing and occupying the countryside surrounding Eisenhaben. Unfortunately you had to send off a part of your army to guard the southern border against raids that the enemy was now conducting. Presumably to buy time to suppress the rebellion in the south before turning their gaze north.

You were riding through the forest to which this land owes its name: The Greifswald (Griffon’s Wood) While being escorted by a small escort of knights and horsemen. There were some affairs back home that needed to be sorted out before you could return to the army.

The shade of the tree leaves helped to relieve some of the heat you got from riding around in full armour. When suddenly you thought you spotted something. A scintillation of something perhaps, or maybe just a reflection of the light.

Roll a 1d100 (DC 50) for perception

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>5670356
>>5670368
Doublepost, Shit happens sometimes.
Also, it will be a 1

Rolled 38 (1d100)

>>5670356
>>5670368
Aww man

>>5670368
Do we want high or low?

>>5670368
Stupid phone

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>5670368
Come on

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>5670368

>>5670372
>>5670375
>>5670399
>>5670412

85+38+35+78= 236 divided by 4 is 59

You succeeded

Your eyes catch the glint once more, and this time you also saw something more disturbing. The white in the eyes of men staying low, with bows in their hands.

For a split second you made eyecontact with one of them. Then you raised the alarm

''Men in the woods, there are men in the woods!'' You shouted

Not a moment later you heard the brushing of the shurb as they got in position to fire. These men are here to kill you!

''After me!'' You shouted and you kicked your spurse in the sides of your horse. About five minutes later and few hundred meters down the road, you orderd a stop to see if someone had been killed by the ambushers. Thankfully, only the horses had some minor wounds to their chests. You had managed to escape iintact.

Now you must decide wether return to see if you could catch them. Or to move on.

>Return to the spot of the ambush

>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670419
>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest
Horseman? Against ambushers in the wood? People who have an advantage in the wood? Who know the local terain? As Sun Tzu would have said: Fuck no, let's get the fuck outa here.

>>5670419
>>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670419
>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670419
>>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670419
>>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670419
>>Ride on, they most likely blended into the forest

>>5670427
>>5670442
>>5670452
>>5670493
>>5670676
>>5671101

You moved on. You arrived at Rittersbach a day or so later.

There you began thinking, who ordered the assasination? The order would be the obvious culprit, but there are other, less likely candidates as well. A jealous or ambitious noble, a foreign power looking to further destabilise the region or perhaps someone entirely else.

For your own safety you decided to stay in Rittersbach for a while to increase your personal security.

You had a locksmith install a new lock on your personal quarters in your castle, as well as glass windows behind iron bars to prevent anyone from coming in by scaling the castle wall.

Lastly you took a measure to ensure that no would-be assassin would resort to using poisonous animals. You needed something to sniff and sense such creatures before they got to you.

As such, you decided to adopt one of the pups from you hunting dogs for personal security. It could bite the neck of a snake or at the very least howl and bark if anyone unwanted entered the room.

Of course, your new dog needed a name

>Lupus
>Hawker
>Karl
>Benno
>Wurst
>Write-in

>>5671110
>Wurst
el
jk aside i hope is a cool dog.

>>5671110
>Wurst
Will be best dog.

>>5671110
>>Wurst
Wurst dog is best dog.

>>5671110
>Wurst
Sausage the dog

>>5671110
>>Wurst

File: Warplans.png (77 KB, 620x620)

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>>5671129
>>5671181
>>5671186
>>5671202
>>5671207

You named your new dog Wurst, or sausage. To be your new pet and guard. Although he was still little you would have to be a real master of persuasion to convice a dog to betray it's owner.

You and your kennelmaster spend some days training him for his future duties. Rewarding him with his namesake, little, dried up sausages. He learned nearly everything a dog would need to learn: Where to sleep, not to scratch or gnaw in furniture and to not only keep you but your family safe as well.

When you could finally return your attention to the war you had noticed that there was a problem. What to do next? A lot of your forces where still tied down laying siege to isolated castles in the countryside, even with your control of both the major cities and the countryside. Your other forces where beginning to be tied down to counter enemy raids into the countryside. Still with the financial support of the mercantile league you could perhaps expand your army to properly go on the offensive and enforce your demands. Or you could remain on the defensive and see if you could open negotiations for peace.

>Start raising a second army to go on the offensive

>Remain on the defensive and open peace negotiations

>>5671282
>>Start raising a second army to go on the offensive

>>5671282
>Start raising a second army to go on the offensive
We do have the money after all.

>>5671282
>>Start raising a second army to go on the offensive

If we want to get a better position to negotiate, go on the offense. If we want to gain information about what the Order is up to: Go on the offense.
If we want a landgrab, Offense!
As long as we're willing and prepared to pull back and don't go to deep it should be alright.

>>5671282
>>Start raising a second army to go on the offensive

>>5671283
>>5671293
>>5671306
>>5671325

Raising a second army would be a complecated task. But not an difficult one. There would be plenty of people more than willing to fight with the proper financial incentives. Over the course of the summer you Assembled a force that was funnily enough only this diverse whenever a crusade was declared. Adventures and mercenaries from all corners of the world: northern infantry with their famed axes, the descendants of the old pagan vikings, horsemen from Lolegel, also descendants from pagans although they were nomads instead of seafarers. Pikemen from the city-states of Castana, the famed kilted highlanders of Abadonia and perhaps the cherry on top: Horsearchers from the Kurthini khanate.

As for non-human combatants there was a warband of half-orcs, about fifty or so dwarfs and twenty elven rangers and scouts. Halflings were also hired as trackers, crossbowmen and cooks. You also added one unit of poleaxemen and your bodyguard of knights to the mix.

You now have to choose an objective for this army to move upon.

>Glaumburg, a big castle overlooking a crossroad, a major thoroughfare for the order

>Inselbrücke, a small castle on an island in a river. Crucial because of its bridges

>Disregard taking a castle or city, launch a chevauchée to render the countryside into a position where it can no longer support enemy armies

>>5671355
>Inselbrücke, a small castle on an island in a river. Crucial because of its bridges
Foothold.

>>5671355
>Glaumburg, a big castle overlooking a crossroad, a major thoroughfare for the order

>>5671355
Ok, so. We have a force of relatively unknown worth, good in theory but best of luck getting the mercenary units to actually do as you like when you like. They are here to get paid, not die, after all.
And most of them are not going to be very useful in storming a castle, as horse and pike are rather stunted by walls. So taking a major fortification like Glaumburg is going to be slow and we have here what seems to be a very cavalry heavy force.
Horses do not take well to starvation and are more difficult to feed then people.

>Inselbrücke, a small castle on an island in a river. Crucial because of its bridges
This is doable, and a very nice price.
Because then we can start leveraging large amounts of light cavalry to raid, burn and pillage. It will keep us more solvent, the Order less solvent and provide incentive to the locals to consider us a much better bet then the Order.

Only problem is that we'l look a right bastard unleashing pagan hordes on the good, wholesome and entirely innocent not-christians of the land. Which would be something of a bloody problem, not gonna lie.

>Captcha is tyFAY
Maybe paganism isn't such a horrible idea?

>>5671355
>>Inselbrücke, a small castle on an island in a river. Crucial because of its bridges
Bridges yes
Grandmaster we are coming for you.....
I wander what will happen to the order of the star when it becomes landless, especially with the current situation of the holy council. Page of history, called back, sent in a holy war ?

>>5671355
>>Inselbrücke, a small castle on an island in a river. Crucial because of its bridges

>>5671358
>>5671428
Relax, the only pagans are the horse-archers. The rest are merely the descendants of pagans, they are good Isidorians now.
>>5671468
>>5671558

You moved south, marching through abandoned and torched villages and fields towards your destination: Inselbrücke a castle which despite it's unimpressive appearance and low profile was still big enough to cover the small island in the middle of the river it was placed upon. The two bridges were connected with each other through the central courtyard.

The main problem for you was that you had no real to block off the castle as long as you did not have a force on the other side off the river. It was too deep to cross on foot or horse and the nearest fording was many day too the south.

You would need to overcome this obstacle. But how?

>Start building a bridge of our own

>Start building river bardges to transport the troops

>Take some fishing boats from the nearby village and infiltrate through the small pier.

>>5671750
>>Start building river bardges to transport the troops
We're going to have to do this anyway. Supplies arn't gonna get across the river on their own

>>5671750
>>Start building river bardges to transport the troops

>>5671750
>>Start building river bardges to transport the troops

>>5671790
>>5671842
>>5671843

You ordered the construction of multiple cargo and ferry barges both for resupplying and of securing the other bank of the river. Within three weeks you had constructed enough barges to comfortably occupy both banks of the river. The only thing left to do now is to crack the walnut, you had already ordered the engineers to build catapults and trebuchets with the leftover logs. And the bombardments were increasing with the day. An unusually dry summer meant that you did not have your time in a potential mud pool. When it was windy a lot of dust could kick up but you would rather squint your eyes than twaddle through mud.

At the height of the summer, in days where one would be fortunate to even have a drop of water, a courier came. He had brought you a message from his employer who told him to recommend you open it as soon as possible.

Righty ho, let’s see it then.

Blablablah some unimportant rubbish

Blablablah some more unimportant rubbish

Oh the grand master died scaling the walls of a city in the south? That is welcome news! Too bad you never got the chance to do battle, oh well, what else?

Wait,

No,

No no no


It isn’t fair!

So the new grandmaster is elected and immediately appeals to the Mozolavian King? AND THAT FUCKER ACCEPTED IT?! Upon further reading it was revealed to you that the grandmaster's sister was the betrothed to an important Mozolavian noble. That was the official reasoning anyway. They only intervened now that you were coming south. By forcing you into a peace the Mozolavians were weakening you both. Even if they would not come for you directly it was clear from the way it was written that if you did not agree to negotiate, you would be punished for ‘’upsetting the delicate balance of power’’, assholes, you cursed internally.

Although, you would be forced into a truce when the autumn would begin, which still left you two and half months to act. Most of the castle’s towers had been destroyed and you could feel the despair in the garrison.

>Send some dwarves and halflings up the latrines at night

>Storm the castle

>Try to dupe them into surrendering with a fake messenger

>>5671973
>>Storm the castle

>>5671973
>Send some dwarves and halflings up the latrines at night
Let's take the shit option.
Do compensate these ones a lot though for going through some shit.

Couldn't we simply.... I don't know... Ask the garrison if they wouldn't rather live?

It would be the fastest and cheapest way. Leaving us with more time to do whatever we fancied, and them with not being killed.

I mean isn't it worth a try?
Nothing prevents us from storming the place if they don't fancy survival.

>>5672017
Sure

>>5672017
Support

>>5672027
>>5672072
Neat. But yea, if they know they're about to die, have been under siege and probably not having the greatest of supplies or chances of being relieved... Simply negotiating a surrender would be the reasonable thing to do.

Wasn't even that uncommon of an occurrence either.

>>5671993
>>5672017
Changing to this.
But do know if things go to shit they will recieve a spear up the shitter.

>>5671973
>>Storm the castle

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>>5672017
>>5672072
>>5672076
>>5672088

You requested a audience with the commander of the garrison, where you explained your intentions and told him that the war would soon be over. You also showed him a slightly modified version of the letter you received as proof. Due to your earlier actions in allowing other garrisons to leave with both honour and lives intact. Within a week you had been able to negotiate a favourable surrender. Your prize was heavily damaged but at least the bridges had been left intact.

Much to your reluctance it was now time to start to negotiate the peace. It was a surprisingly easy matter. In exchange for a cessation of hostilities between the two parties, the order would recognize your new realm as independent, they would also renounce any claim to the lands you had seized. And would throw in Inselbrücke as a goodwill gesture. You would also have to agree to a thirty year truce and to renounce any claim to the remnants of the orderstate.

That was the easy part, now you would spend the rest of the year demobilising and dismissing all non-personal armies and mercenaries to lighten the burden upon your purse and to bring back a significant part of the workforce.

It was the dawn of a new era for this fair land. One which would be sung and written about for years and years to come.

How would you like to call this new state

>Fürstentum Greifswald (Principalty of Greifswald) With you as the first Fürst (Prince)

>Herzogtum Greifswald (Duchy of Greifswald) With you as the first Herzog (Duke)

>>5672350
>>Herzogtum Greifswald (Duchy of Greifswald) With you as the first Herzog (Duke)
sounds better to me

>>5672350
>Herzogtum Greifswald (Duchy of Greifswald) With you as the first Herzog (Duke)
A first among equals, not above them like a prince.

>>5672350
>>Fürstentum Greifswald (Principalty of Greifswald) With you as the first Fürst (Prince)

Ok, here's my logic and it may be really paranoid.
A dukedom is part of the feudal system, it is a title given out by monarchs to affiliated nobles and not independent political entities. I fear that by adopting the title of duke we are inviting the king of Mozolavia to extend his claim on the orders holdings to us, as our title would imply that we serve a king.

Thusly a prince would be a more bold, but safer title (the holy roman princes which I take the furst title is based off were more or less independent but doesn't imply royal blood. That'd be Prinz) Alternatively we could take the sovereign title which would be a Grand Duke, making us a grand duchy. Which were much more generally independent political entities, or at least sovereign vassal states rather then then direct vassals of the king. Important distinction.

>>5672442
Do keep in mind that the title of grand duke is something that will not be in use untill the renaissance era, its equal, archduke is something I am keeping reserved for not!austria

>>5672350
>Fürstentum Greifswald (Principalty of Greifswald) With you as the first Fürst (Prince)

>>5672456
Mid 16th century, grand duchy of tuscany. If memory serves given by the pope.
in the 15th century there was an attempt to create the grand duchy of Burgundy.
technically there was also a grand duke of the Portuguese in the 10th, but he lost so it doesn't count.
I do agree that archdukes is an entirely different thing and we shouldn't get to touch that one.

Dux Magnus Von Adlershorst does sound good tho, don't it?

>>5672478
Isn't the latin rendering of Dietrich Theodericus?

>>5672501
I'm pretty bad at my latin so it very well could be.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5672362
>>5672437
>>5672442
>>5672471
Right there is a tie, time to roll.

1: the title of duke

2: the title of prince

File: Greifswald.png (206 KB, 1229x1372)

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>>5672715
By a new proclamation. Written and signed by your granduncle, yourself and some legal experts you where now his serene highness, the Duke Dietrich I of Greifswald. From now on by courtly custom: Commoners would have to preform a short bow in you presence and nobles would be formally obligated to acknowledge your presence by way of a curt nod.

Although you did not have a coronation the ceremony and celebration surrounding your proclamation still had a trappings of a coronation you, your wife, your daughter and your infant son all clad in the finest red velvet ermine coat lined cloaks that money could buy. You where also given a so called ''Ducal hat'' Which totally wasn't a crown. One by one the clergy, then the nobility and finally the burghers and peasants swore oaths of loyalty to you and some of them also brought gifts to show further loyalty.

All these festivities made an unfortunate reality more present. With you rise in status your castle could no longer support the court you were expected to keep. Nobles had to hire out most of the inns in Rittersbach or had to lodge in quarters normally meant for servants. This also coincided with something that been on your mind for much longer with the construction of the city walls there was no more room for the city to grow.

Perhaps it was not worth the effort, you could simply pack up. Move to Libau and take up residence in the building of the former landtag, converting it into your palace.

Alternately you could built a new castle outside of the city walls and erect a palace upon the site of your current castle with plans to built a high class district to surround it.

So, what will it be?

>I have had enough, Libau here we come

>I shall not abandon dear Rittersbach nor my castle

>I shall not abandon dear Rittersbach, but a palace does sound nice

>>5672739
>I shall not abandon dear Rittersbach, but a palace does sound nice

>>5672739
>I shall not abandon dear Rittersbach, but a palace does sound nice
Better to stay in an area we know and to reshape it into another productive area. It also makes us more flexibility on what to do.

>>5672739
>>I have had enough, Libau here we come
It is good to have a stronghold in the country and conduct business in the city I say.

>>5672739
>>I shall not abandon dear Rittersbach nor my castle

>>5672739
What is the travel time between ritterbach and the city?
Also a map of ritterbach would be appreciated, so as to make a better informed decision.
As it stands i say, let's hold court in the city and live in the country, splitting our time some thing like 33/66. My understanding is that the city is run somewhat autonomously, while we rule directly over our own lands.
Also we should consider installing cadet branches of our house in some of the holdings sized or left empty during the war. Alternately giving holdings to adventures or mercenaries who's talents we would like to poach would be a good idea

File: rittersbach.png (1013 KB, 2968x1856)

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>>5672745
>>5672747

Over the course of the next two years your tore yourcastle gradually torn down to make room for a much mor comfortable residence in the form of a new palace. Unconstrained by the needs of a militarily structure, which meant larger windows, a more open structure and higher more impressive ceilings. Because of course the purpose of palace is to impress and host people, not to keep enemies out.

Your new castle would be built bit further down south close enough to the forest that you can conveniently hunt in it. It also gave you a place to retreat to if the summers became too hot and during the winter you could return to the city for warmth.

A massive effort was being held by people to transform Rittersbach into a city worthy of being a capital. Which meant that a lot prominent people started investing in it. Building new building, quays and guild halls. A number of lords had even bought town houses to live in while attending court. Or for their family to reside in and to represent their interests in the city.

Meanwhile you had more urgent reforms to pass. Mainly the minting of new coins to promote trade and economic independence. As was the case during these day most currency was valued based upon what the metal was it was made out of. The cities of the coast also issued their own coins which were tied to the value of the special currency of the mercantile league. Of course that meant that you still had to issue new coinage to replace the so called ''Ordersmark'' which was the currency issued by the order.

There will of course be lesser valeud coins that will represent fraction of this new coin but this will be the highest value. Within the borders of the realm there shall be no single coin with greater value

How would you like to name your new currency?
>The thaler
>The guilder
>The schilling
>The mark

With what material would you like to make these coins?

>Gold
>Silver

What motto would you like to implement upon them?

>''Silva et sanguis'' (Forest and blood)
>"Silvarum custos et defensor" (Guardian and defender of the forests)
>"Fortis in silvis" (Strong in the woods)
>"In sylvis requies et honor" (Rest and honor in the woods)

>>5673189
We will get to handing out seized lands and titles eventually

>>5673201
>The Hat
Instead of the crown.
>Silver
To give us the option to add bronze or gold coins later on to balance shit out.
>"Silvarum custos et defensor" (Guardian and defender of the forests)
The blood one is too agressive

>>5673201
>The Griff
And then smaller coins are lesser creatures, makes it intuitive for everyone to understand the relative value. Or make the the second largest a lion and then eagle since they are the composite parts of griffons.

With what material would you like to make these coins?
Do we have gold or silver mines in our territories, if so use that metal. Being completely dependand on trade for the basis of our economy is very dangerous. If we have no mines ourselves we need one we can source from reliable allies.

Question, how feasible would it be to employ a mage to place a magical stamp of authenticity on our coins, for easy detektion of forgery. A system where the coins emit a unique or very hard to fake magical signature would be incredible. Then if possible producing some kind of crystal or "scanner" capable of detecting the enchantment, and distributing and or selling them to merchants and those dealing with the flow of money, could potentially be hugely helpful for trade.

>"In sylvis requies et honor" (Rest and honor in the woods)

>>5673219
You have a mountain, that you can probably give to some dwarves to mine in.

Magic safeguards on a scale that you are describing is both too labour intensive and requires a specialised class of educated mages who are also well-versed in metallurgy. But I can throw you a bone concerning magic: IF you manage too somehow marry in someone with magical abilities into the family then there is a chance their children might gain magical powers as well

>>5673201
>>The Griff
>Silver
>"Silvarum custos et defensor" (Guardian and defender of the forests)
It s cool to see the gradual growth of rittersbach from previous maps of old threads to now

>>5673230
Yeah I had simplify it a bit and correct a bit of the scaling

>>5673222
Fair enough

concerning the mint obviously it has to be located somewhere close to our seat of power, and either belong to us directly or someone we can control and easily keep an eye on. And remember always pay the workers of the mint well.

concerning the mountain.
the same sentiment of keeping a tight grip, preferable under our direct control, of any potential supply of ore for coinage seems vital.

>>5673201
>The Griff
>Silver
>Strength and Honor

>>5673201
>Griff
It works and I like it
> Silver
Golds bloody expensive.
>"In sylvis requies et honor" (Rest and honor in the woods)

>>5673230
It really is.
Tho I suspect the locals will be bloody upset as the city will have to expand massively and rampantly. Tho I suspect they will be paid well if they own land, and fairly well if they just do the work.
I suspect the semi-islandy thing between the rivers will become the good part of town so to speak, it already has the beginnings of a palace and the cathedral, with bridges and barges radiating outwards

>>5673368
Gentrification: Now with real gentry!

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5673219
>>5673230
>>5673286
>>5673368
Alright griff (Greif in Tauten) and sivler it is only the motto remains undecided.

1:Silvarum custos et defensor" (Guardian and defender of the forests)

2:"In sylvis requies et honor" (Rest and honor in the woods)

File: Coinage.png (81 KB, 1350x619)

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>>5673377
You had approved the new designs for the silver coins you were going to introduce into the realm and you gave out minting rights to a local silversmith who would become the first master of the mint. Upon the completion of the new castle you would move the mint there.

As for now your ordered a transitory period where people could go to the mint to have their old coins melted down and turned into the new legitimate coins. by 1250 You hoped to completely phase out the old coins. There were still many other thing to do as well.

First and foremost upon the agenda is the matter of seized lands you took from both the order and nobles who had left it behind. You promised a part of it to some of the rebellious knights who had joined you and after they had gotten their fair share you could begin divvying up the remainder of the lands amongst yourself and your peers.

What land would you like to take for yourself?
>The island of Kernheim, an island noticeable for its strategic position to Libau
>The former commandry of Erzburg, one of the local region rich in iron
>The county of Lentenau, a marshy if fertile place

How would you like to divide the land?
>Give an equal share to all the nobles
>Give half of the nobles and give the other half to adventures,knights and mercenaries who have proven themselves
>Sell it off the highest bidder.
>Try something different and start to experiment with independent farmers

>>5673398
>The island of Kernheim, an island noticeable for its strategic position to Libau
>Give half of the nobles and give the other half to adventures,knights and mercenaries who have proven themselves

>>5673398
>The county of Lentenau, a marshy if fertile place
If we are the liege are to remain powerful and/or independent from our vassals then we need economy. Fertile ground means economy.

Before I vote on the second bit I have something of a question: Have there been mercenaries who proved themselves? Because the lads we brought behaved themselves, yea, but we showed up, besieged a fort for a month or so and then walked home. Not exactly worthy of noble titles, and I bet the actual nobles would get rather prissy rather quickly if we started handing out land and titles for foreigners for no good reason.
I'd much rather use the lands to secure alliances, almost exactly like our granduncle did. Even if buying off mercs does secure some presumably professional soldiers.

>>5673405
It is less raising them into proper nobles and more just giving them a estate

>>5673398
>The former commandry of Erzburg, one of the local region rich in iron
>Give half of the nobles and give the other half to adventures,knights and mercenaries who have proven themselves

>>5673398
>>The island of Kernheim, an island noticeable for its strategic position to Libau
>>Give half of the nobles and give the other half to adventures,knights

>>5673398
>The county of Lentenau, a marshy if fertile place
Yes
>Give half of the nobles and give the other half to adventures,knights and mercenaries who have proven themselves

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5673401
>>5673405
>>5673426
>>5673763
>>5674048
Let's see, you have already decided to split the land yet there is a split between Lenteau and Kernheim. So let's roll

1: Kernheim

2: Lentenau

>>5674671
Lentenau was a fertile, yet marshy place unsuited for agriculture thanks to it's swamps and floodplains. It could become a great zone of agricultural production but that would require significant investment. Still that is all more long term planning so you would have to wait for such things to become more urgent.

The seat of the former lord was built upon a especially bult mound to prevent sinking, but in more recent years the castle has been surrounded with an earthwork called a dike and the water in within the dikes was drained and turned into especially fertile farming grounds.

Still that is all for later, what coat of arms does this land hold?

>A hound
>A horse
>A bull
>A goat
>A heron
>A swan
>A pike (the fish species that is)

The colour of the animal
>White
>Black
>Blue
>Red
>purple
>Green
>Yellow

The colour of the field
>White
>Black
>Blue
>Red
>purple
>Green
>Yellow

>>5674682
>A heron
>Green
>Blue

>>5674682
>A heron
>purple
>Yellow

>>5674682
>A heron
>Green
>Blue

>>5674682
>>A swan
>>Black
>>purple

>>5674682
>A bull
>Red
>White

A winged bull flying through the sky

File: The arms of the duke of G(...).png (320 KB, 1229x1372)

320 KB PNG

>>5674752
>>5675145
Indeed the further acquisition of land would help consolidate your hold over the realm a bit further. Your position as it is still a bit precarious, with your popularity over the other nobles being the most important pillar your power rested upon. Perhaps one you or your son or one of your descendants would be able to cement their hold over the duchy.

But let's take a step back from political speculation shall we and focus back upon your personal affairs and life

With the return of peace you, for first time in some years. Had the opportunity to properly spend time with your family and just in time as well. As your son, Albrecht had grown out of the toddler phase of his life and, now four years old would begin his formal education. He was of course a bit too young to learn how to hold a sword or arithmetic. But he could start with learning how to write and read like how your daughter seems to be doing with a curious enthusiasm.

As he is now beginning to take the first steps to adulthood the first signs of a distinct personality began to emerge.

What is your son like?
>He is a quiet, brooding boy, who prefers to wait and think before doing something
>He is rowdy, very loud and full of energy. He is nearly always running through the palace
>He is a tad bit timid, and general attempt to please nearly everyone and everything.
>He is haughty, with a imperious glint from his eyes and nearly always with his chin up

>>5675654
>>He is haughty, with a imperious glint from his eyes and nearly always with his chin up

>>5675654
>He is rowdy, very loud and full of energy. He is nearly always running through the palace

>>5675654
>>He is a quiet, brooding boy, who prefers to wait and think before doing something

>>5675654
>>He is rowdy, very loud and full of energy. He is nearly always running through the palace

File: Greifswald.png (62 KB, 698x577)

62 KB PNG

Right, finished a map

Before you ask, yes the parts marked in blue are part of your domain

File: Greifswald.png (334 KB, 1200x992)

334 KB PNG

>>5675859
a bit bigger

>>5675654
>>He is rowdy, very loud and full of energy. He is nearly always running through the palace

>>5675682
>>5675805
>>5675870
It was early in the morning you already finished your breakfast and you were now sitting behind your desk deep at work; signing of various documents and letter that were necessary to keep the realm afloat. It is a bit of a thankless job, and a job that doesn't really have a end of the day.

You had just signed and handed over a set of documents to one of your servants when your dog came running through the still opened door. Followed shorty by a loud AAAAA-sound that would sound more appropriate upon the battlefield than at court.

The source of the noise soon came running through the door and exclaimed:

''Doggo! Papa, where is the doggo''

Wurst had in fact, crawled under your desk and made some fearful noises when your son began to talk. Cleary Albrecht had been a little to rough when playing with your pet dog. Still, this is less about the dog and more about if you should encourage or discourage such behaviour. You obviously cloud not allow him to do whatever he did to Wurst. But you did see that you probably do something about it

>Ask him why he wants to see the dog
>Reprimand your son for breaking courtly etiquette by running in the palace
>Take your son out for a walk in the palace courtyard

>>5675885
>>Take your son out for a walk in the palace courtyard

>>5675885
>>Take your son out for a walk in the palace courtyard

>>5675885
>Ask him why he wants to see the dog
>Reprimand your son for breaking courtly etiquette by running in the palace

>>5675885
>>Take your son out for a walk in the palace courtyard

>>5675902
>>5675912
>>5675980

''Come on, forget about the dog. Let's go to the courtyard.'' You told him

''Okay papa'' Your son told you

After turning through a few corridors and helping your son down the staircase you restarted the conversation

''So why were you looking for the dog anyways?'' You asked

''Wurst has a long fluffy thingy at his rear, I wanted to see if i cloud take it off.'' He told you

''Don't pull it again, it's his tail and it hurts when you pull it''

''Oh okay''

As you finally walked out of the foyer into internal court garden you walked up to the centre of the courtyard and your son of the leash and what followed was the usual running around through the garden and the arcade of the palace.

He then returned with a twig and exclaimed:

''Papa, when I grow up I want to be just like you, just like the knights in the bedtime stories mama tells us''

Your response?

>That you will be dear boy, that you will be
>There is more to knighthood than simply fighting
>You are indeed, but you most grow taller before you can become a knight

>>5676307
>There is more to knighthood than simply fighting
>You are indeed, but you most grow taller before you can become a knight
Bit of both.
He will become a knight, but boy has to learn some stuff.

>>5676307
>You are indeed, but you most grow taller before you can become a knight

>>5676307
>>There is more to knighthood than simply fighting

>>5676307
>There is more to knighthood than simply fighting
>You are indeed, but you most grow taller before you can become a knight

>>5676307
>That you will be dear boy, that you will be

>>5676307
>There is more to knighthood than simply fighting
>You are indeed, but you most grow taller before you can become a knight

>>5676316
>>5676485
>>5676648

''Well now dear boy there is more to knighthood than simply fighting'' You said

''Like what?'

''Well, to begin with a true knight aside from being gallant upon the battlefield is also capable of protecting the weak and innocent from those who would do them harm. Be that with arms or with words. Remember, you are my eldest and for now only son. One day the dukedom shall be yours. Then you must embody not only the knightly virtues but also the virtues of rulership. And aside from that a knight must learn more than just fighting and riding. He must have knowledge of the law and the land, he must have courtly grace and he must be pious. Our life is not one of tournaments and battles, even if it is a more simple life''

''Aside from all those rules, you are still too young. I mean your sister has barley begun to ride. For now I would recommend you train on the rocking horse in your room in the winter and your hobby horse in the summer.'' You explained further.

''Papa?''

''Yes?''

''Why do I get to be duke? Isn't Hilde the eldest?''

Your answer?
>Because you are a man
>Such is tradition
>You'll understand when your older

>>5676676
>You'll understand when your older

>>5676676
>Because you are a man
>"Women have other duties."

>>5676690
+1

>>5676676
>Such is tradition

>>5676676
>>Such is tradition
>>You'll understand when your older

>>5676679
>>5676690
>>5676752
>>5676924
>>5676992

''That is something quite complicated, you see woman are meant to run the household whereas men as supposed to maintain the estates. And in proper Tauten tradition the man will always inherent his father's position.''

''It is simply because you are a man, but I suppose you shall understand better when you are older. Now, off with you. It's a beautiful day and you should not waste by talking.'

And so he ran off. With the hobby horse in one hand and the twig in the other. Shouting something about slaying dragons and other monsters.

He was of an age where children would start to question everything, but thankfully he was still young enough to take your answers at face value.

Later on the afternoon you received most interesting news from Castana, the unthinkable has happen and the three monarchs have breached and entered the holy city of Portemosa. Declaring their intent to restore order in both the city and church, kaiser Friedrich, king Francois and queen Alienór had declared their joint intent to end the strife between the cardinal-prelates and to save the church from itself.

To this end they had ordered the arrest of all the Cardinal-prelates and forced the remaining clergy of the various gods to sit and talk to each other. Now for the first time in over 430 years a major reform has been enacted in the church. The holy council would be stripped of most of it's powers and the office of pontiff would regain powers it had not held in centuries. With the new reforms the pontiff would be elected by a new college of cardinals who would come from all major parts of the church. The first new pontiff is a Benedict V who was forced to sign away the right to appoint bishops to the temporal lords of the world.

The age of Conciliair Isidorianism is over.

The age of Pontifical Isidorianism has begun.

What did you think of this?

>I cannot in good faith endorse the interference of the worldly monarchs into spiritual affairs.
>This is a step in the right direction I think, it will help the church in the long term.
>This is great! It means I now hold more sway over the church in Greifswald
>This is horrid, an act of sacrilege that borders on heresy

>>5677051
>>This is a step in the right direction I think, it will help the church in the long term.

>>5677051
>>This is a step in the right direction I think, it will help the church in the long term.
uhmmmmm what would our granduncle think...

>>5677051
>This is a step in the right direction I think, it will help the church in the long term.

>>5677056
>>5677059
>>5677070

It is you think, a step in the right direction. After all nearly all social structures you cloud think of: family,business,ships and kingdoms had a single head at the helm. One man who would steer the ship, one man who would decide the course of the ship. There is always still room for the council and other such institutions but it is better that they play a more advisory role in the matter of governing then that they decide for themself. After all even the merchant republics in Castana still had a doge to lead them.

It is a matter that, you cloud perhaps better discuss with your grand uncle who by now was the Primate of Greifswald. The highest ranking bishop in all the realm and the closest you had gotten to kingship, for normally primacy was a right reserved for kingdoms.

But alas, such matters would never be discussed.

Even later that day. A messenger had brought a letter in a black envelope, stamped with a the seal of Libau.

Your grand uncle had taken his last breath after going upstairs for his nap. According to his physician and his scribe it was peaceful and quiet.

''It is a nice day, today'' were his last heard words

You found something to sit upon and for about an hour you sat there in silence, alone with a small pair of tears in your eyes. It is sad, but inevitable. Today then truly is the end of an era. You would get no more advise,no more free connections and no more guaranteed support from the church. The torch had now truly passed from one hand to anthoer, from one generation to the next.

The funeral was a grand affair. All of Libau's and half of Greifswald's high society had shown up to pay their last respects. The cathedral of Libau was packed. You watched the mass, the choirs and rituals in stoic, mourning silence. You had let the children at home, they were too young to understand death.

Afterwards you withdrew to the guest quarters of the episcopal palace where, next morning, the testament and last will of Albrecht von Adlershorst would be read.

The reading of the testament and last will was short. He had left most of his personal money to various charities and the church. He did give you the remainder of his private library, some horses and parts of his art collection.

He had also given you something unique, something that did not know an equal in these parts.
What is it.

>A mithril sword, etched with various small runes. Its crossguard is encrusted with rubies
>A silver ring, encrusted with a massive polished moonstone. It gives off a mysterious glow
>A ivory horn, decorated with bindings of gold, with a note saying only blow in case of emergency

>>5677243
>A ivory horn, decorated with bindings of gold, with a note saying only blow in case of emergency

>>5677243
>A ivory horn, decorated with bindings of gold, with a note saying only blow in case of emergency
Get out of shit card. Hell yes.

>>5677243
>>A mithril sword, etched with various small runes. Its crossguard is encrusted with rubies

>>5677243
>A silver ring, encrusted with a massive polished moonstone. It gives off a mysterious glow
Precious

>>5677243
>>A silver ring, encrusted with a massive polished moonstone. It gives off a mysterious glow
LoTR LETS GOOOOOOOOOO

>>5677243
>>A mithril sword, etched with various small runes. Its crossguard is encrusted with rubies

>>5677243
>A mithril sword, etched with various small runes. Its crossguard is encrusted with rubies
C'mon y'all. How can we not turn down the ancestral blade

>>5677425
>>5677479
>>5677635

It was a remarkably light sword. When you held in your hand you did not feel the weight of the blade at all. You cloud hold it in any position you wanted. Another strange property of it was that when you ordered you squire to draw the sword from the scabbard for you he cloud not draw it.

After you returned to Rittersbach you a variety of people attempt to draw the sword aside from yourself: The cook, the chamberlain, the captain of the guard and some other men with a reputation for strength.

Then, later that day, your daughter came and she drew the sword from the scabbard without an issue. She held it too without as much as dropping it. When asked if it was too heavy for her she replied in the negative, you then passed the sword to you toddler of a son who also held and drew it without issue. It appears that only those of your ancestral lineage may use the sword.

As all things do, your grieving will also pass and after a week or so your are back to your usual pace of work

An most interesting set of plans for infrastructure came to you desk, which you began to look over. With the increase of tax revenue due to your new position as duke you cloud now begin infrastructure projects on a much larger scale

First was the plan to begin mining operations in the mountain near the border of Grünwald from where it would be discerned if there were any minerals worth extracting.

The second was a plan to contruct a bridge over the artery of your realm, the river Seldau. It would need to be built out of stone and would need to be large enough to allow various boats to pass. Much like the cathedral, the change that you might see the bridge finished are slim, although bit better than the cathedral.

Third is a proposal to begin draining the marshes and swamps of Lentenau using a set of dykes and a new variation of the windmill, meant to pump out water.

So, which one is it going to be?
>The mining expedition
>The bridge
>The clearing of the marshes

>>5677657
>The mining expedition
We need it now that we are minting our own coin.

>>5677657
>>The clearing of the marshes

Not only is it good for the people and the realm, but this is direct investment in our personal holdings that could pay back relatively rapidly. The mines are a gamble on resources we don't know and the bridge is a project for generations; draining the marshland may be far more rapid, is more certain to produce worthwhile results of fertile land, and consolidates the benefits more directly to us and the realm.

>>5677657
>The clearing of the marshes

>>5677657
>>The mining expedition

>>5677657
>>The clearing of the marshes

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5677790
>>5677797
>>5677806

You gave out the necessary orders and drew up the drafts and accounts necessary for the construction of such clearing. The draining of the marsh was most likely still going to take a long time.

first, dykes would need to be built high enough to come out of the watery ground and be be properly built as to prevent the dyke from sinking into the soft ground.

Next, pumps using the water screw made from iron would be installed in the inner compartment of the dyke to drain out the water.

To turn the water screws windmills would be built atop the installations as to provide power to drain the marsh. These windmill woud be mechanically complicated to build.

But nevertheless the potential profits from such an undertaking cloud not be underestimated it would most likely be able to reach an agricultural surplus within five or six years of completion.

In the meantime however, fate has smiled upon you once more as your wife was pregnant once more. And in the spring of 1243 she gave birth to a

1:Son

2:Daughter

>>5678216
Congratutlations you now have a second Daughter.

Please file a name:

>Amalia

>Charlotte

>Elisabeth

>Adalheid

>>5678219
>>Charlotte

>>5678219
>>Amalia
Sounds like a lovely name to me.

>>5678219
>>Charlotte

>>5678216
>Amalia

>>5678219
Amalia

>>5678219
>Adalheid

>>5678219
>>Charlotte

>>5678219
>>Charlotte

>>5678282
>>5678346
>>5679777
>>5680192

With your newest member of the family, Charlotte or Lotte for short. You now had three children. Unfortunately, it was not the spare for your heir. But there was still time for that. You and your spouse were still in their mid-thirties and more children would perhaps still come

In the meantime however. It was time to begin further development plans for Rittersbach in particular.

Is there anything you would like to focus on?
>Begin planning the a new district for the city
>Build a new monument in market square
>Expand the harbour
>Build a second curtain wall
>Build a ferry station for the crossing of the river

>>5680538
>>Build a ferry station for the crossing of the river
It is time

>>5680538
>>Build a ferry station for the crossing of the river

>>5680538
>>Build a ferry station for the crossing of the river

>>5680538
>>Begin planning the a new district for the city

>>5680624
>>5680818
>>5680865

The ferry would be a flat bottom boat meant for transporting anything from pedestrians, cattle, carriages and other means of transportation. It would be kept in place through two ropes which would be pulled to bring the ferry from one side to the other. A small fee would be collected to pay for upkeep and the wages of the men operating the ferry.

A few weeks later you got a message from your excavation team who where still hard at work uncovering the secrets of this land had stumbled unto something. The letter itself seemed to ask if you could come with utmost urgency.

You naturally went to the excavation site to see what was the matter with the team for they did not message you until they had fully explored and excavated the site.

As you rode into the camp with your escort you saw something peculiar. A local priest was looking a bunch of bodies who where lying under a white sheet. Presumably they were corpses of either the inhabitants of the ruins or the bodies of workers who had died in various accident around the excavation.

You then dismounted and walked up to the office of the foreman of the place. Who to be seemed nearly collapsing from the stress.

What do you do?

>Ask about the corpses

>Ask why the priest is here

>Ask if things are going well

>>5681432
>Ask about the corpses
>Ask why the priest is here
Don't ask if shit is going well, it clearly is not.

>>5681432
>Ask about the corpses

>>5681432
>>Ask about the corpses

>>5681432
>>Ask about the corpses
erhm

>>5681469
>>5681477
>>5681572
>>5681602

You walked up to the foreman who by now had sat down in his chair, his eyes were sunk deep in his skull. ''Your serene highness'' He uttered.

''Foreman, I would like to know why there are so many corpses. Have the excavations proven to be prone to accidents?" You asked

''Oh the damn excavation went off without a problem. It was easy to dig through the ground and to find it. It's the damn ruins that's the bloody problem. I would recommend you speak with the priest for more information''

You walked to the priest who told you he was asked to give the last rites to these men.

''The curious thing is, that most of these men only started dying after a week constantly working to open the underground antechamber. They start to whisper things in their sleep, their hair and teeth started to fall out and after that they die.'' The priest told you

''I wouldn't go in there if I where you, I went in there once, it felt like a place of malevolence.'' He further told you

Hmm this all sounds very concerning. What should be done?

>I would like to look in there myself.

>Halt this excavation, but keep the site open.

>Halt this excavation, but keep the site closed and guarded.

>This is an evil place, seal it and let it be forgotten.

>Write-in

>>5681875
>>Write-in
Send word of need for holy men, warriors, and priests to purge the evil from this place through out the lands.

>>5681875
>>Halt this excavation, but keep the site closed and guarded.

>>5681885
But also this, we should call for mages and priests to at least figure out whats going on.

>>5681885
>>5681981
Supporting.
Why waste our own men, when there are plenty who are willing to die for gold or in the name of piety

>>5681981
>>5681885
supp
yeah let's figure out this. While keeping safe distance

>>5681885
>>5681981
>>5682126
>>5682232

You where not adequately equipped for this. You had only one mage and he was required at court for a variety of reasons. You would have to look for alternatives if you wished to fully investigate what is in there.

Your first option was to hire a bunch of adventurer bands and see if they cloud find anything, adventurers exist in variety of shapes and forms. From the classic five to six man bands who usually do stuff like monster hunting, bounty hunting and other small things the authorities cloud not deal with, to the bigger two-hundred to eight-hundred men strong compagnies who would usually engage in larger scale jobs and cloud also be used in wars.

The other option is to turn to the church, they are still the largest keepers of knowledge in the area and would be well suited to such a task.

You cloud most likely call on two monastic orders if you would like to. The order of St. Charles or the Carolites. Or the order of St. Ferdinand or the Ferdinandines.


The Carolites are an order specialised in the study of magic and magical objects. Having been founded about 630 years ago to help staff the first universities. They wear robes of blue with white trims.

The Ferdinandines are an order formed to root out old pagan customs and deviation from the holy creed and also are partially responsible for hunting apostates. They were founded about 250 years ago to combat the increasing heterodoxy at was there at the time. They wear white robes with red trims.

What organisation would you like to call upon?

>A band of adventures

>The Carolites

>The Ferdinandins

>>5682269
>The Carolites

>>5682269
>>The Ferdinandins

>>5682269
>>The Carolites
This sounds more like a magical problem rather than a heresy issue.

>>5682269
>>The Carolites