Stildawn
Squire
King Timothy - Kingdom of Itova
Current Holdings: Veluca (Capital), Praven, Suno, Uxkhal, Yalen, Jelkala, Tihr, Sargoth, Reyvadin, Dhirim, Halmar - Along with all their accompanying castles.
History:
Started off working as a merc for Swadia... Went on a few campaigns and helped them grow a bit, I became a Count of Swadia and was given Sarimish to start with... Traded alot between Dhirim and Reyvadin also Tulga and Ahmerrad making my coin in which I started to build businesses when ever I could...
My first town was Halmar as reward for my exceptional service with Swadia... At this point Swadia was the power house... With a town to stock pile troops I began an intensive training/trade circuits ultilising my 8 companions with 7 training skills each or higher... Basically what I would do is pick up Recuits from Halmar (using Diplomacy mod I sent out recruiters in droves to stockpile at Halmar) and then take them on a circuit between Dhirim, Reyvadin, Curaw, Tulga and Ahmerrad and then drop of the trained troops at Halmar...
By now I had a sizable army but was slowly loosing money regardless of my extensive trading... In the next war with the Rhodoks I took Veluca and was granted it by the King and also was mad Marshall... However this only being my second game I didnt know that being Marshall made you less likely to get granted land... So after a few turn downs I became annoyed and decleared independence when I was denied Uxkhal after I retook the town...
And so started the Kingdom of Itova... Which in its current state was spread out between Halmar, Veluca and Uxkhal... With no castles to its name and therefore very fagile... I immediately asked for peace with Swadia who at the time were luckily at war on many fronts so agreed dispite the insult... I used this temporaral peace to once again build up forces in all three of my cities... And begin attracting vassels... It was slow progress at first but slowly I built up a core of 10 vassels from the friends I had made in previous months... One smart move was to get Count Klargus to defect to Itova... Taking Suno with him...
Once I was prepared enough... I sent my best companion of to Swadia to demand tribute (a good way to get them to declear war on you without damaging your standings with your vassels), he returned with a declaration of war... But I was prepared as I had gathered my nobles before hand and immediately set out to pick off the castles that separated my cities... First to go was Grunwalder followed by Ergellon and Vyincourt... I then set off on a risky campaign across to Halmar to take Reindi and Unuzdaq and thus sorta link up my Kingdom...
I quickly secured a peace with Swadia there after and thus became my standing military policy... Quick surgical strikes and then peace... That was my new plan from here on out... This policy worked well as it gave my steady growth with limited backlash as the other factions were quick to accept peace after I have rapidly robbed them in a short week or so...
Next on my list was Dhirim which was currently owned by the Rhodoks after taking it from Swadia as Swadia's power began to crumble after I separated... Again I built up my forces and gathered my vassels and then sent of a demand for tribute which again was returned with a declaration of war... It was only a few days later that Dhirim fell to my armies and peace was restored with the Rhodoks... Sadly Senuzgda and Derchios were held by Sarranids who were my greatest supporters (high relations they were devoted lol)... So they were out of the question at the moment...
Hence came a time of peace while I built up my vassels, took on new vassels and trained and traded to keep me in the green... The Swadians in their slow decline eventually broke this peace when they decleared war... Although it was a foolish decision as it just gave me an excuse to pick up two lone castles being Kelredan and Ryibelet in a quick two week campaign... This time however with Swadia down to just Praven with Haringoth and Tevarin Castles I decided against peace and just continued to pray upon any warband they had the courage to leave Praven or the castles... Eventually after defeated each Lord numerous times I was asked for peace... In which I demanded Haringoth and recieved it...
During this time of peace the east had waged war amoung themselves meaning that now both Senuzgda and Derchios castles were owned by Vaegirs... The Vaegirs begin both at war with the Khergits and Sarranids I decided that they were easy pickings and prompt gathered my vassels at a pre war feast (good way to get them all gathered) before setting out on my first war of agression (they didnt declare war after I threatened them so I had to actually do it myself)... Myself at the head of my now 14 vassels promptly took both Senuzgda and Derchios without fuss (they had only recently been taken from the Sarranids so the Vaegirs had yet to garrision them properly) I decided to press the attack by taking Dramug but then stopped at the walls of Reyvadin which was jam packed full of Vaegir lords and hence nigh impossible to take with my current combined army... Luckily for me just after I lead my forces back to Dramug... A lone two Khergit armies galloped close to Reyvadin which in turn drew out most (around 15 or so) of the Vaegir lords... I had to jump at this opportunity of fighting the Vaegirs out on the plains (where my swadian knights dominate)... So I quickly lead my armies back and jumped in to the battle on the side of the Khergits... The battle was long lasting at least 5 separate engagements (I have my battle limit increased to 600) but eventually we defeated the Vaegirs as my whole army (all 155) were Swadian Knights and that combined with my vassels knights proved to much for the mainly infantry forces of the Vaegirs...
As the great battle ended Reyvadin lied open with a mere 300 troops remaining combined with the 10 or 20 troops of each of the escaped Vaegir troops who survived the battle... The city fell shortly after to my men... To complete the campaign I lead my men against the last remaining Vaegir Castle south of the river... Radoghir Castle... A quick victory there lead to the Vaegirs being pushed back to just Khudan and Rivacheg with a few castles (the Nords owned Curaw and the Khergits owned Yuma Castle).
At this point disaster struck... The Nords decleared war... I was totally unprepared and at the end of a long and length campaign... I immediately left only a few souls to defend my new takings and marched my army to Rindyah Castle (Nords) took that quickly and marched onto Tilbaut... I expected any day now to hear of Dhirim or Suno being taken but to my surprise the Nords seem even less prepared than I was as I was quickly able to take Tilbaut followed by Knudarr castles which nicely squared up my Kingdoms boarder... I pressed on to Jelbegi Castle but a request for peace came before I was able to take it... I agreed and finally sent my tired soldiers home...
The peace lasted until I once again got bored of feasting in Veluca... I felt that both the remaining Rhodoks and Swadians were a torn in my Kingdoms side and to make my board only one front I decided they were next on the list... First the Rhodoks... I did the same as before after declearing war I quickly took Jelkala and Ibdeles Castle... Again prefering to stay at war in order to wear them down I dispatched my vassels on their own patrols around the remaining castles of Etrosq, Culmarr and Maras... After a week or so of victories I decided to take Etrosq Castle by myself... After taking it they quickly pleaded for peace... In which I demanded Culmarr Castle and recieved it...
Now with peace and a severly weakened Rhodoks I decided to turn my attention to the remaining Swadia... Only Praven and Tevarin Castle remained... And again I sent my vassels to conduct their own campaigns around Praven and the castle... The goal to wear down their remaining vassels (in recent month there had been a mass exodus from Swadia and they were down on vassels)... I myself took Tevarin Castle and then collected my vassels for a lengthy assualt of the heavily defended Praven... As it was so defended I replaced my Knight army with an all archer army and proceeded over a series of 5 attacks to rain arrows down on the defenders... Retreat then repeat... Eventually I had inflicted enough on the defenders that a final assualt with infantry succeeded... And thus the Swadians were no more...
Later that month I also finished off the Rhodoks in a series of decisive battles outside Yalen, in which I drew out their lords into a trap of my vassels who were all sitting at the village at Reveran waiting for me to lead the enemy to them... Once weakened I then took Yalen and thus the Rhodoks too fell into the ever growing Kingdom of Itova...
Peace again lasted for awhile as I frantically traded to keep in the green... My costs were increasing faster than my income and it was getting harder and harder to stay profitable... I needed more Lords to spread the burden... But none were coming... It was then that I decided to go around and collect companions... Giving each of the ones I could find (other than my set 9 who were in my war party... They were to important to lose) some land... I got three extra lords this way... Taking the hits with my other Lords by putting on feast after feast after feast...
I then turned my sights to the Nords... Who seemed to be collecting vassels like crazy (over half of both the Swadian and Rhodoks had gone to them) and thus had a considerable army... They needed reducing... So I set forth with my army and attacked Jelbegi Castle... Quickly followed by Tihr... It was then that I recieved word of the Nord army seiging Knudarr... I decided that I had to press on with my plan and take the loss of Knudarr if need be... So I continued to take both Hrus and Chalbek castles before turning back towards Knudarr... It seems the Nords were not in a hurry as Knudarr had still not been taken (despite it being a ladder castle) and as soon as my army neared Jelbegi I saw the Nords ahead heading back to Sargoth... I double backed with my combined armies at met them on the bridge just north of the village of Ambean... The Nord infantry caught out in the open by my Knights were lambs to the slaughter... And afterwards I quickly took both Sargoth and Tehlrog Castle... A request for peace came quickly after in which I demanded Ismirala Castle and recieved it...
Current Holdings: Veluca (Capital), Praven, Suno, Uxkhal, Yalen, Jelkala, Tihr, Sargoth, Reyvadin, Dhirim, Halmar - Along with all their accompanying castles.
History:
Started off working as a merc for Swadia... Went on a few campaigns and helped them grow a bit, I became a Count of Swadia and was given Sarimish to start with... Traded alot between Dhirim and Reyvadin also Tulga and Ahmerrad making my coin in which I started to build businesses when ever I could...
My first town was Halmar as reward for my exceptional service with Swadia... At this point Swadia was the power house... With a town to stock pile troops I began an intensive training/trade circuits ultilising my 8 companions with 7 training skills each or higher... Basically what I would do is pick up Recuits from Halmar (using Diplomacy mod I sent out recruiters in droves to stockpile at Halmar) and then take them on a circuit between Dhirim, Reyvadin, Curaw, Tulga and Ahmerrad and then drop of the trained troops at Halmar...
By now I had a sizable army but was slowly loosing money regardless of my extensive trading... In the next war with the Rhodoks I took Veluca and was granted it by the King and also was mad Marshall... However this only being my second game I didnt know that being Marshall made you less likely to get granted land... So after a few turn downs I became annoyed and decleared independence when I was denied Uxkhal after I retook the town...
And so started the Kingdom of Itova... Which in its current state was spread out between Halmar, Veluca and Uxkhal... With no castles to its name and therefore very fagile... I immediately asked for peace with Swadia who at the time were luckily at war on many fronts so agreed dispite the insult... I used this temporaral peace to once again build up forces in all three of my cities... And begin attracting vassels... It was slow progress at first but slowly I built up a core of 10 vassels from the friends I had made in previous months... One smart move was to get Count Klargus to defect to Itova... Taking Suno with him...
Once I was prepared enough... I sent my best companion of to Swadia to demand tribute (a good way to get them to declear war on you without damaging your standings with your vassels), he returned with a declaration of war... But I was prepared as I had gathered my nobles before hand and immediately set out to pick off the castles that separated my cities... First to go was Grunwalder followed by Ergellon and Vyincourt... I then set off on a risky campaign across to Halmar to take Reindi and Unuzdaq and thus sorta link up my Kingdom...
I quickly secured a peace with Swadia there after and thus became my standing military policy... Quick surgical strikes and then peace... That was my new plan from here on out... This policy worked well as it gave my steady growth with limited backlash as the other factions were quick to accept peace after I have rapidly robbed them in a short week or so...
Next on my list was Dhirim which was currently owned by the Rhodoks after taking it from Swadia as Swadia's power began to crumble after I separated... Again I built up my forces and gathered my vassels and then sent of a demand for tribute which again was returned with a declaration of war... It was only a few days later that Dhirim fell to my armies and peace was restored with the Rhodoks... Sadly Senuzgda and Derchios were held by Sarranids who were my greatest supporters (high relations they were devoted lol)... So they were out of the question at the moment...
Hence came a time of peace while I built up my vassels, took on new vassels and trained and traded to keep me in the green... The Swadians in their slow decline eventually broke this peace when they decleared war... Although it was a foolish decision as it just gave me an excuse to pick up two lone castles being Kelredan and Ryibelet in a quick two week campaign... This time however with Swadia down to just Praven with Haringoth and Tevarin Castles I decided against peace and just continued to pray upon any warband they had the courage to leave Praven or the castles... Eventually after defeated each Lord numerous times I was asked for peace... In which I demanded Haringoth and recieved it...
During this time of peace the east had waged war amoung themselves meaning that now both Senuzgda and Derchios castles were owned by Vaegirs... The Vaegirs begin both at war with the Khergits and Sarranids I decided that they were easy pickings and prompt gathered my vassels at a pre war feast (good way to get them all gathered) before setting out on my first war of agression (they didnt declare war after I threatened them so I had to actually do it myself)... Myself at the head of my now 14 vassels promptly took both Senuzgda and Derchios without fuss (they had only recently been taken from the Sarranids so the Vaegirs had yet to garrision them properly) I decided to press the attack by taking Dramug but then stopped at the walls of Reyvadin which was jam packed full of Vaegir lords and hence nigh impossible to take with my current combined army... Luckily for me just after I lead my forces back to Dramug... A lone two Khergit armies galloped close to Reyvadin which in turn drew out most (around 15 or so) of the Vaegir lords... I had to jump at this opportunity of fighting the Vaegirs out on the plains (where my swadian knights dominate)... So I quickly lead my armies back and jumped in to the battle on the side of the Khergits... The battle was long lasting at least 5 separate engagements (I have my battle limit increased to 600) but eventually we defeated the Vaegirs as my whole army (all 155) were Swadian Knights and that combined with my vassels knights proved to much for the mainly infantry forces of the Vaegirs...
As the great battle ended Reyvadin lied open with a mere 300 troops remaining combined with the 10 or 20 troops of each of the escaped Vaegir troops who survived the battle... The city fell shortly after to my men... To complete the campaign I lead my men against the last remaining Vaegir Castle south of the river... Radoghir Castle... A quick victory there lead to the Vaegirs being pushed back to just Khudan and Rivacheg with a few castles (the Nords owned Curaw and the Khergits owned Yuma Castle).
At this point disaster struck... The Nords decleared war... I was totally unprepared and at the end of a long and length campaign... I immediately left only a few souls to defend my new takings and marched my army to Rindyah Castle (Nords) took that quickly and marched onto Tilbaut... I expected any day now to hear of Dhirim or Suno being taken but to my surprise the Nords seem even less prepared than I was as I was quickly able to take Tilbaut followed by Knudarr castles which nicely squared up my Kingdoms boarder... I pressed on to Jelbegi Castle but a request for peace came before I was able to take it... I agreed and finally sent my tired soldiers home...
The peace lasted until I once again got bored of feasting in Veluca... I felt that both the remaining Rhodoks and Swadians were a torn in my Kingdoms side and to make my board only one front I decided they were next on the list... First the Rhodoks... I did the same as before after declearing war I quickly took Jelkala and Ibdeles Castle... Again prefering to stay at war in order to wear them down I dispatched my vassels on their own patrols around the remaining castles of Etrosq, Culmarr and Maras... After a week or so of victories I decided to take Etrosq Castle by myself... After taking it they quickly pleaded for peace... In which I demanded Culmarr Castle and recieved it...
Now with peace and a severly weakened Rhodoks I decided to turn my attention to the remaining Swadia... Only Praven and Tevarin Castle remained... And again I sent my vassels to conduct their own campaigns around Praven and the castle... The goal to wear down their remaining vassels (in recent month there had been a mass exodus from Swadia and they were down on vassels)... I myself took Tevarin Castle and then collected my vassels for a lengthy assualt of the heavily defended Praven... As it was so defended I replaced my Knight army with an all archer army and proceeded over a series of 5 attacks to rain arrows down on the defenders... Retreat then repeat... Eventually I had inflicted enough on the defenders that a final assualt with infantry succeeded... And thus the Swadians were no more...
Later that month I also finished off the Rhodoks in a series of decisive battles outside Yalen, in which I drew out their lords into a trap of my vassels who were all sitting at the village at Reveran waiting for me to lead the enemy to them... Once weakened I then took Yalen and thus the Rhodoks too fell into the ever growing Kingdom of Itova...
Peace again lasted for awhile as I frantically traded to keep in the green... My costs were increasing faster than my income and it was getting harder and harder to stay profitable... I needed more Lords to spread the burden... But none were coming... It was then that I decided to go around and collect companions... Giving each of the ones I could find (other than my set 9 who were in my war party... They were to important to lose) some land... I got three extra lords this way... Taking the hits with my other Lords by putting on feast after feast after feast...
I then turned my sights to the Nords... Who seemed to be collecting vassels like crazy (over half of both the Swadian and Rhodoks had gone to them) and thus had a considerable army... They needed reducing... So I set forth with my army and attacked Jelbegi Castle... Quickly followed by Tihr... It was then that I recieved word of the Nord army seiging Knudarr... I decided that I had to press on with my plan and take the loss of Knudarr if need be... So I continued to take both Hrus and Chalbek castles before turning back towards Knudarr... It seems the Nords were not in a hurry as Knudarr had still not been taken (despite it being a ladder castle) and as soon as my army neared Jelbegi I saw the Nords ahead heading back to Sargoth... I double backed with my combined armies at met them on the bridge just north of the village of Ambean... The Nord infantry caught out in the open by my Knights were lambs to the slaughter... And afterwards I quickly took both Sargoth and Tehlrog Castle... A request for peace came quickly after in which I demanded Ismirala Castle and recieved it...
New Entry
Current Holdings: Veluca, Praven, Suno, Uxkhal, Yalen, Jelkala, Tihr, Sargoth, Reyvadin, Dhirim (Capital), Halmar, Curaw, Wercheg and Rivacheg - Along with all their accompanying castles.
After a month of so of peace I got restless once more (at this point I put in a fix/tweak so that you can talk to Lord even when they are around other lords) so myself and my 150 strong Cavalry force set off to recuit more vassels so I could bolster up my army...
We first set of to the remaining Vaegir and Nord lands where numerous landless Lords were ripe for the pickings, Starting in Curaw and going through Yruma, Slezkh, Jeirbi, Alburq and eventually Wercheq talking to any Lord willing to listen. After this productive journey and some trading on the way I set back to Veluca to assess my new Nobles...
Once there I held a feast (as I generally try to do as much as possible) and sat down with my Minister to go through the options it was now that I remember that I had rewarded my previous vassels at tad to much and there was only a limited amount of land to give to all these new vassels I recently took on (in the trip I managed to sway 12 vassels to my side)... And I learnt soon thereafter that if you promise them land and dont deliver your relationship plumets...
And thus I was left with the need for more fresh unassigned land the logical choice was to finish of the Vaegirs and Nords in one foul swoop... So after the feast ended with a great host of my vassels in Veluca I ordered a new compaign and set off with an army over 2000 strong following me...
I neard Curaw after a long journey (I had to move slowly so that my vassels could keep up) the city was lightly defended and quickly fell to my mass onslaught (tactics at this point had gone out the window as my sheer numbers just simply crushed any resistance) the army moved on to Yruma followed closely by Slezkh castles which fell in quick succesion... We marched to Jeirbi next but I recieved word that some Nord Lords had seiged Curaw which I left barely defended... The army turned around and we marched back and faught more than 5 separate battles outside Curaw against a gather of Nord Jarls who had obviously hurried back from their campaign against the Sarrinads... I had at this point decided to free any captured Lords I came across to improve relations and perhaps get their service in the future...
Once again the massive Itovian War Machine marched across the bridge at Slezkh towards Jeirbi the castle quickly fell along with Alburq caslte soon there after... Pressing on to Wercheq the last Nord stronghold I realed at the gates as every Nord Lord was inside making the city a formatable fortress... I perhaps could have pressed the assualt and won but I didnt want to end the campaign so early after taking the massive amounts of damage I could expect from such an assualt... So I turned the army northwards but to my delight and the Nords stupidity a great host of the Lords chased us... Myself with an all Cavalry force quickly turned and easily outpaced the now fleeing Nord lords (who realising their mistake were now fleeing back to Wercheg) engaging them giving my vassels time to catch up and join the fight...
And thus the last remaining Lords were defeated on the open field in one major battle over serveral engagements... Leaving Wercheq rather unprotected and easily taken the following day... The army once again marched north towards Bulugha Castle my next objective in finishing off the Vaegirs... I meet the castles lord in the field and managed to convince him to join me with that business concluded all that remained was Rivacheg... I found the city rather undefended with only 400 garrisoned troops... I prompty began building a seige tower... In the next few hours a massive horde of Vaegir Lords began circling around outside... To this day I dont know why they didnt attack as Im sure they would have possibly won a great victory over my already damaged armies... But... They didnt and Rivacheg fell shortly there after...
At this point I released my vassels to presue the homeless lords of the Nords and Vaegirs... A few days later I recieved reports that the Vaegirs and Nords were no more...
With peace once again secured and a great host of new land to dish out... I galloped for Veluca... On the way I noticed that my account were almost running dry... Funding this massive Kingdom almost alone (I ruled all the towns I only gave away Castles and Villages) was ruining me and I couldnt keep it up much longer... It was then I decided to finally reward my long serving loyal vassels with rich cities... I went on a tour of all my central cities (Veluca, Suno, Praven, Uxkhal, Dhirim, Reyvadin) and decided I would move my court and capital to Dhirim whos hall and central location attracted me most... I then sent forth orders to all my city garrisons to send their top tier troops to Dhirim (Huscarls, Knights, Vaegir Marksmen - My top teirs of choice) I was going to gift the numerous Nord Vertrans, Vaegir Archers, Rhodok Sharpshooter and the like to the Vassel I would give each city to and keep only my hardened warriors of choice for myself...
Once everything was arranged at Dhirim and my court successfully moved and the garrison filled with all my elites (I distributed the un-elites from Dhirims original garrison out to other cities) I called a great feast the grandest I ever had and made sure (by tirelessly riding around) that all my vassels were there...
The hall was packed and at first moved around talking small talk with my vassels and friends before making the nights major annoucements... For it was this night that I crowned myself Emperor of the Itovian Empire... The crowd cheered and cheered even more as I began dishing out the lands we had recieved... All the new lords got either villages or castles or both... A few of my long time vassels grumbled about this but I told them to wait and see what the night may bring... After I had assigned all my villages and castles... I began to assign out all my cities aside Dhirim which was to be my capital... This greatly pleased my most loyal vassels who each recieved a city which was closest to their already established castles... The lower lords knew now that loyality is greatly rewarded in the Itovian Empire...
The feast and games ended a few days later and my vassels scattered out to over see their new holdings happy and content with the peace for the moment... I sat down with my Finance Minster and went over the accounts... However it was still grim news... Even with my tax inefficiency eliminated and even with my numerous businesses around the known world... I was still running in the red... He explained that my force of 600 Huscarls, 1500 Vaegir Marksmen and over 2000 Swadian Knights were just quite simply running me into the ground... Thus I had to face a grim situation of a massive military reduction in order to stay afloat... But all was not lost as I would gift out troops to my vassels and hopefully they would put them to good use...
I sat down with my constable to nut out a military plan... We agreed to a reduction to 500 Huscalrs and 500 Marksmen for Dhirims defence with a side role of rapid deployment to newly captured castles or cities in the future... And a force of 1000 Swadian Knights of which 500 would be on patrol around the surrounding areas (Dhirim, Derchois, Tilbaut, Senuzgha and Rendi) with 500 remaining in either garrison or with my personal force...
This plan greatly reduce my costs and I began to see profit although small in the weekly budgets... I would have to continue to trade and establish businesses (although theres not many openings left) in order to make money for equipments etc (not that I have much left to buy at this stage of the game)
And thus the Itovian Empire was named... The rest of the world quaked in fear of its massive power and its unmatched and numerous armies (I dont know exactly but I have at least 30 vassels Im sure)
P.S
Might add more... The game is getting a bit boring now as there isnt much challenge to a Empire this strong... The only factions remaining are the Khergits and Sarrinads... Both of which love me lol but still refuse to call me King grrr...
