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  1. asking about having a son is that possible at eny mod

    There's a fellow on YouTube who makes brilliant Let's Plays called Arcade Knight. In many of his LPs, he includes a son, brother or sister of his character. This is possible with a bit of editing in certain mods.

    You can find a tutorial here.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIOlDjbS1ew&list=PL9akOu68bLWUewsX2QNq6Jdf9lAaMjSOf

    It's not the same as actually... having children with your wife, but that's as close as you can get with Warband.

  2. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Heya folks.

    I apologize if anyone has been let down by the lack of regular entries lately. To make a long story short, I'm kind of burnt out on Mount and Blade for the time being. Back when I was playing regularly I was clocking over 30 hours a week according to Steam... needless to say, I need a break. So King Charles' story is anything but over (in fact it's only just begun), but for now I need a break. However, I will definitely return to writing soon enough.

    Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my AAR. It's been a lot of fun writing it thus far and hopefully will continue to be interesting as I write more in the future.

  3. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Sorry for the silence these past couple of days. I haven't had a lot of motivation to play 1257, and what little I did play didn't yield much content worthy of writing about. However, I managed to piece together a new entry today. Enjoy!

    Entry Thirteen

    England is a crumbling nation. From the south, France invades at full force. From the north, I march south with my armies. Day by day, their once-proud kingdom slowly fades away as the opposing forces claim their old lands.

    The war is going well, as in the past week we have taken two fortresses from England. Meanwhile, France has taken three of their major cities in the south - London included - leaving them with Ireland and a few scattered castles to call a kingdom. They are scattering and wavering and I can tell their time is coming to an end. This was my plan, however it hasn’t come without a hitch: France stands in my way of total domination.

    Ask anyone who knows anything about this land and they’ll tell you France is the most dominant nation in Europe. They have the most territory and, more importantly, the most men willing to wield a spear in their name. For now we are considered allies for we share a common foe in England, but we both know that won’t last. Once England has been dealt with, Britannia will still be a contested land and the two of us will surely come to blows.

    For now it’s best to worry about taking Henry’s crown away from him. We’ve been fighting for months now and we’ve yet to face a significant defeat. Nearly half of England is under my control now; the other half is owned mostly by the French, and Henry still retains all of Ireland.

    I’ve earned the loyalty of even more lords now, all of which came from the now extinct original Scotland and the Gaelic Kingdoms. One of them claimed to have ownership of Jerusalem, which I believed to be preposterous. However, his claim was proven true when I received a declaration of war from the Il Khanate, a barbaric clan of heathens at best, who are besieging the city as we speak. Unfortunately, I cannot spare men to defend the Holy Land. My focus is in England for now.

    My kingdom is really coming together as of late. We have enough vassals to assemble an army large enough to rival most nations, and many fear and respect me as a monarch. This is what I’ve wanted for so long: power, prestige and wealth beyond measure. Actually, that last part bears mentioning.

    The treasury is running dry. For months we had vast riches in silver and gold, but after hiring countless sellswords to fight and die in my name, we’ve nearly run out of money. Wars are expensive and I fear the war machine of Scotland will stop running if we don’t come up with some money soon. The rents and tarrifs from my fiefs generate solid income, but the expenses of maintaining an army are too much to bear. My Master of Coin insists that all is well, but I know he only tells me what I want to hear. In reality, Scotland will be in serious danger if we can’t come up with some cash.

    For now, I need to address my men. We’ve won a major battle today at Lancaster Castle and I must give a victory speech to raise their spirits. Many men died taking this fort, and I must make it known that their sacrifices weren’t for nought.

  4. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    King Richard 说:
    Jerusalem , probably a Crusade ? but the other two , I have no idea  :razz:
    点击展开...

    It's just a weird glitch. I'm pretty sure I know the reason. I had some lords come to my hall hoping to win vassalage from me and they owned those territories. However, the fiefs were considered part of my kingdom even before I accepted them for some reason. Now they're under my command so the fiefs are definitely part of my kingdom.

    It's strange how they acquired the fiefs though. All of the lords were from the now extinct Scottish (the original one) and Gaelic kingdoms... how a Scotsman managed to acquire Jerusalem on his own is beyond me haha.

  5. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Funny story: I opened Mount and Blade today to find that I owned Jerusalem, a city in Poland and a castle in Russia. Not sure how I'm going to incorporate those acquisitions into the AAR XD

  6. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    No new entry today, I'm afraid. I've been far too busy to play enough Mount and Blade to write up anything interesting.

  7. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    King Richard 说:
    FromanSK 说:
    I won’t stop until I sit on the English throne in London and all of Britannia is ruled in my name.
    点击展开...
    Will you end the AAR once you conquer all Britannia ? or will you keep going ?
    点击展开...
    I'll keep going until I find a comfortable stopping point or until I get sick of Mount and Blade, both of which probably won't happen for a while.

  8. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Twelve

    I have returned to my hall after weeks of fighting England. Though I had no doubt we would succeed, I’m happy to report that Henry and his lackeys have been humiliated once more.

    After assembling an army large enough to rival our friends to the south, I sent Henry an ultimatum: abandon his throne and claim to England in favor of myself, or face me on the battlefield. I never expected him to actually take the threat seriously, of course, but rather I simply wanted to infuriate him. So he retaliated as I knew he would, eager to reclaim his lost lands. Most of his men marched north, while many stayed behind in case I decided to sneak attack his cities and castles.

    At what historians will likely call the Battle of Urquhart, our two armies faced in a bloody and epic battle. Massive amounts of men, evenly matched on both sides faced each other, though Henry of course failed to make it while I led my men from the front. He’s such a coward, and his vassals know it, but they refuse to swear fealty to me. It is frustrating, but no matter; they will fall, just like he will, in due time.

    Our two great armies engaged one another and the battle seemed to be over before it began. Countless bodies littered the ground of both man and horse, but in the end we rode away victorious. A significant piece of the English fighting force was dead, and the rest were scattered and scared.

    Seeing an opportunity that I wouldn’t have again for quite some time, I ordered my forces to siege the city of York, a massive and strategic English town that would benefit my kingdom greatly. Within a week the city was ours, along with Lancaster Castle which we besieged as well.

    Now with the a significant chunk of the English north under my command, Henry was practically begging for peace, especially after the French declared war on him. We might have taken more land if not for the retaliation force that nearly took Stirling. By then we were short on good men and I believed it would be best to sue for peace. Though we won no further territories in the negotiations, we did walk away with York and Lancaster.

    The ownership of York was a prestigious and important title, and thus I deferred awarding it until the war’s conclusion. After significant debate within my small council, I decided to grant it and its surrounding lands to my son, Prince Robert. This, of course, voided his membership of the kingsguard and therefore I must find a suitable replacement. However, it is in the kingdom’s best interest that I groom Robert for rulership as he will one day inherit my legacy.

    The rest of the spoils were divided evenly amongst my other lords. I neglected to award myself any fiefs, namely because I already have significant estates within the kingdom and it's best not to make my men think I’m a selfish ruler.

    For now, we celebrate peace and prosperity within my hall, but we all know what’s coming. I won’t stop until I sit on the English throne in London and all of Britannia is ruled in my name.

    Until then, I have an ale with my name on it, if you’ll excuse me.

  9. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    King Richard 说:
    The lack of action saddens me , but soon there will be bloodshed
    点击展开...
    Yeah, I'm afraid today's entry is a bit lackluster. There hasn't been a whole lot of action lately with preparations for war with England, but I promise tomorrow's entry will be much more intense :smile:

  10. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Eleven

    As a king, my life is in danger all hours of the day. Countless people want me dead, and therefore I must be protected with constant vigil. With the assistance of my small council, I’ve assembled a kingsguard of the greatest knights in all of Britannia.

    A Knight of the Kingsguard must abandon all claims to land and nobility and serve their monarch for life. This is the custom, and I have no intentions of changing it. Their loyalty is without question as is their strength of arms. After quite some time to screen potential recruits and consider the best options, my kingsguard is officially created.

    The first to be dubbed knight was Sir Christopher Compton, a long-time soldier of my armies. He has served me since my earliest days as an English lord as one of my chief lieutenants and has a reputation for honor and bravery on the battlefield. It’s only fitting that his service is rewarded with not only a spot in my household guard, but the chance to be captain of it as well. I have no doubt that he will protect my life until I take my last breath.

    Sir Leonard Rede and Sir Humphrey Draper were two of my favorites and thus were chosen to join the guard next. Both were originally knights of King Henry but saw the opportunity to win a slot in my kingsguard after I rebelled against him. Regardless of their personal ambitions, they’re good men and will serve me well.

    Sir Jonathon Gardyner joined next. I was skeptical at first, I must admit. The lad was a sellsword who travelled the land joining up with the highest bidder. He has fought for countless nations and has slain plenty of my men I’d wager. However, his skill with a blade is unmatched and his loyalty appears to be solid, as he seems to value the prestige of the kingsguard more than the glimmer of gold. So long as I let him don the armor, he’ll fight by my side.

    Finally, I believed it was only appropriate to give the last spot to my son and prince, Robert. I will have to make an exception to tradition, however: his claim to the throne will still be valid as I have no other suitable heirs. Many will take offense to this, but I want him to serve as a kingsguard as well as a king in due time.

    I’m satisfied with the five men that have been chosen to protect my life with their own. Moreover, having a personal guard will only afford me further prestige and make would-be assassins think twice before trying to silence me.

  11. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Ten

    I’m still alive, and still wearing a crown. In fact, things could not be going any better.

    The treasury is quite full, so I did a great deal of recruiting of mercenary and sellsword companies in England and Ireland to fill up my garrisons with. My lords have been equally busy and have mustered up some fairly impressive armies. We’re a small kingdom, but not one to be dismissed.

    I have a cabinet of advisors currently, mostly my vassals and some of my closest friends. Visigratis, one of my oldest friends and a trader from the Baltic Sea area, is now my chief diplomat. He handles most foreign affairs and often spends time overseas. Helge, another good friend and trusted advisor, handles most of my troop movements and scouting. My son Robert, now Prince of Scotland, is in training to be Lord Marshal some day, though for now I have determined I should handle that task. My wife Isabel, who I dare say is a genius, is Chief Minister and handles most of the internal affairs of the kingdom. Together, I have a very skilled council, and they have so far not led me astray.

    It was a bold move, but we collectively decided that we could take on England. My son pointed out that they were currently occupied with a full-scale invasion of Norway, and that we could surprise attack them and take their army out piece by piece. It was a good plan, albeit a risky one. The armies and lords were ready and itching for action, and therefore I made the call to send Henry a declaration of war.

    I had my doubts and feared that we would lose and I’d spend the rest of my days in a cell. However, Robert’s plan worked. We took the English by surprise and managed to systematically eliminate their army in several key battles. Within a month, we had gained so much ground that I was able to dictate the peace terms. Along with Kildrummy castle which we had already captured, I demanded that Henry hand over Edinburgh (which you may recall was lost in our war of independence). He reluctantly agreed, hoping to avoid further bloodshed.

    Our next move was to consolidate the realm of Scotland: the original Scottish kingdom still technically remained, though they only retained a single fortress. Their army was strong, however, and therefore they were still a threat. Moreover, there could only be one king of Scotland, and a disputed claim to the throne makes me look weak. I called the banners once more and invaded the northern territories.

    They had numbers, but we had strength and courage. It was hardly difficult to defeat the remnants of the once-proud Scottish. After eliminating their entire force on the battlefield, we sieged their last remaining sanctuary and officially eliminated them.

    There is one Kingdom of Scotland and one Scottish king, and that is me. I’ve received multiple letters of recognition from other rulers who name me “king” and at this point there’s little question of my legitimacy. Right now, I’m reaping the benefits of being a ruler: sitting in my castle surrounded by servants and food with the ability to demand anything that can come to my imagination. Everyone bows to me and everyone does what I say. This is what I have worked so hard for, and yet it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.

    I’m preparing for a second war against England. I hear rumors: Henry mocks me in the south, calling me a pretender and a turncloak. I plan on teaching him a lesson about rulership and showing him who the true king is.

    Soon.

  12. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Nine

    The king has been busy. These past few weeks have been very trying, but ultimately I believe I have come out on top.

    I currently have three vassals, all lords of other realms around Europe who believe they’ve been mistreated in some way or another. They came to me seeking a new chance at riches, and I intend to give it to them. Unfortunately, there’s only three of them, so my army composition isn’t up to par.

    The coronation wasn’t exactly a grand affair. All of my vassals and their wives were there, but compared to the feasts I used to hold as a vassal of England it was a rather dull event. Still, I now have my own crown and wear it into battle proudly. I’ve received no word from Pope Alexander yet, but I had a priest crown me anyway; hopefully he’ll recognize me as legitimate, and not a rebellious pretender.

    King Henry, of course, was not pleased with my decision to split from England, and dedicated his entire strength to crushing my impromptu kingdom. Unfortunately, London was lost, but it was a necessary sacrifice as it would have been impossible to maintain troop movements and caravans with all of England between my kingdom. I do, however, hold almost all of the north, and thus have declared myself King Charles I of Scotland. The actual king of Scotland (if you want to call him that, what with one fortress left to his name) was not pleased, but he doesn’t have the strength to do anything about it.

    The war with England was quick and brutal, and it was a struggle. We lost the castle of Edinburgh along with London, but in the end we held the line and pushed them away until Henry would accept a peace agreement.

    Every day since has been spent in fear. I’d never admit it to anyone, but I’m afraid my little rebellion is about to come to an end. I have great wealth and power, but it pales in comparison to that of Europe’s great kingdoms. For the time being, however, I am a monarch of questionable legitimacy.

    Now that I am in open rebellion, I have nothing to lose by discussing the rift with my old friends who still serve the English crown. I had wooed so many of them that I believed several would split off and join me in my conquest, but each and every one of them claims absolute loyalty to their king. I’d say there’s no chance of any of them turning to my side… not unless I give them a good reason. Therefore, they are enemies of the Kingdom of Scotland and will be treated as such.

    Being a king isn’t quite what I’d imagine, though it’s hardly fair to give myself that title. I’m a rebel leader, nothing more. There is a chance, however, that one day soon I will take Henry’s throne and rule all of Britannia. That chance… that’s what keeps me going.

  13. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    King Richard 说:
    I love your writing  :iamamoron:
    点击展开...

    Thank you. I've really enjoyed doing this AAR thus far. Things should be much more interesting now that Sir Charles is King Charles.

  14. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Eight

    The time has come.

    I have been called many things. Rebel. Traitor. Rogue. Turncoat. King… unfortunately that is not one of them. But soon, they will recognize me for what I am: Brittania’s one true monarch, for I now serve no man.

    Allow me to back up a bit.

    With England waging war with what seemed to be half of Europe, I believed it was my time to strike. Failing to fabricate a legitimate claim, I decided that the best course of action would be to cause a rebellion upon being denied a fief or two from King Henry; a childish act, perhaps, but enough to give me genuine cause for a civil war. I whispered enough poison into the king’s ear to convince him to go to war with both Scotland and Norway at the same time, giving me an opening that I’d likely never see again.

    After being appointed marshal of the realm, I assembled our massive host and marched north to Scotland. After splitting our forces, I captured both the Scottish capital of Stirling and the Isle of Mann (which had recently been taken back by the Norwegians), as well as the castle of Edinburgh. By right of conquest, all of the fiefs technically belonged to me as was tradition within feudal societies. However, the king must have begun to fear my growing power as he denied them all save Edinburgh. That was my one and only chance to strike.

    It was not an easy decision, I must admit. High treason against your king is punishable by death, and not a quick or painless one. But my desire to be a king is stronger than my fear of being captured, and for the sake of myself and my dynasty I decided to act.

    There is much to be done. A coronation feast must take place and I must be crowned, but first we must convince England to recognize my status and grant me at least a few weeks peace to gather my strength and prepare to conquer the entirety of Britannia.

    Whether I fail or succeed will be written in the history books for scholars to study for years to come. I have no intentions of failing, however. I will rule England, and all will bow to me.

  15. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Seven

    I’m currently in Venezia as I write this. We’ve been afforded a week of peace and I’m spending it in luxury in the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Unfortunately I received a message from the marshal summoning me back to England for yet another war with the French. It seems our friends to the south just can’t quite come to terms with our superiority.

    We spent three weeks at war with Scotland, hoping to expand our territory to the snowy north. It was a short war, but a successful one. We conquered one of their cities and multiple fortresses, and ultimately the enemy king was more than relieved to surrender and keep what little land he had left.

    My power has expanded even further with the acquisition of the Scottish city Glasgow. I led the siege of the city and the king - who now considers me among his most trusted advisors and friends - happily offered it to me. I almost feel bad for plotting to overthrow him now.

    There was little time to plot and scheme, however, as news arrived of a war declaration from Norway. The Scandinavians must have been mad to view us as weak enough for an invasion, but they arrived on our shores anyway and attempted to fight us. They failed miserably, of course, as we drove them back to their frozen wastes they call home. Meanwhile, we captured their fortress at the Isle of Mann, an easy and effortless task.

    It wasn’t long before the Norwegians realized they’d made a terrible mistake, and therfore scrambled for peace. King Henry must have sympathized with them for he offered a fair agreement. Hopefully it will be quite some time before we see the likes of them sailing to the English coast.

    With the wars concluded and our nation at peace, I returned to my home in London to prepare my rebellion. I am still in the earliest stages, but I am confident that I might just be able to pull this off.

    The only massive disadvantage I have is that my would-be kingdom is split in two. My capital would lie in London, in the southernmost part of England. My secondary seat of Glasgow is on the opposite end of the isle, in de jure Scotland. Keeping effective supply lines and troop movements would be difficult, but not impossible.

    Other potential obstacles include my claim to the throne. I am married to the king’s niece and perhaps my children might have some distant claim, but I personally have no such thing. Many outside of England will view me as a usurper or pretender, and will likely take up arms against me. The worst case scenario would be the Pope himself excommunicating me for my treason, as he is no fan of upstart kings and monarchs. It might be worth it to get him on my side first, and to perhaps fabricate an illegitimate claim on the throne.

    As far as my army, I believe it is mostly sufficient. I have more than 1000 men in my garrisons, and although the English military is larger I may be able to eliminate the individual pieces before the whole assembles into one giant force. Moreover, many of the lords consider me a close friend, and might just come to my side.

    Finances are good, as I am perhaps the richest man in England behind the king himself. It wouldn’t hurt to gather more coin before I start waging wars across the land though.

    It’s not time yet, but I believe that soon I might just be lucky enough to press my claim. I will have to wait for the proper opportunity, however; it would help immensely if England were to be involved in multiple wars, or if they military could be severely weakened by an enemy force. Or, in the best case scenario, both.

    Only my most trusted advisors are aware of this plot, as I have yet to notify any fellow vassals until I am confident that my plan will succeed. For now, I will bide my time and attempt to garner more resources. When the time comes, however, I will strike mercilessly and fearlessly.

  16. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Six

    We are still at war with France, and the fighting is best described as a stalemate. However, my personal progress has reached new heights. I will explain.

    For nearly two months now we’ve been locked in a bitter struggle with our neighbors to the south. It seems the war will never end, with each step being made by one army being matched with an equal one from the other. They seemed hell bent on capturing our capital, London, which I personally intended to ensure would never happen. I failed in that regard; however, I made sure they couldn’t keep it.

    The first time London was seized, I led the force to retake it. No other lords assisted me as they were busy fighting a campaign near Normandy. This was the main reason why they managed to capture it in the first place. I’m not exactly known for following the herd and often fight my own battles as I have the resource to field massive armies. To make a long story short, the city was ours again, though it didn’t last as the French returned to take it back. I waited for them to leave and captured the city once more, only to find that the king felt it more appropriate to give it to another lord, which outraged me and some of my close friends who believed it was rightfully mine.

    It was no shock to find that the French invasion forced returned to take the city yet again, and this time I saw yet another opportunity to take it back in the name of King Henry. This time, however, the king saw my determination to own the city and decided it would be for the best to give it to me for good. Thus, I became the Earl of London and won the most prosperous and important city in Britannia.

    I had no time to celebrate, however; every wall, battlement and post in the city had to be filled with men to dissuade the French from ever taking it again. I transferred the entire garrison of Sligo to London and recruited hundreds of sellswords from the neighboring cities. By the time I was finished, nearly 1000 men adorned the city walls and I believed I could comfortably defend it should France be bold enough to try and capture it a fourth time.

    With London as my seat, I am now among the most powerful and influential lords in England. I have massive amounts of wealth (though admittedly much of it was depleted in hiring the London defense force) and power, and have a massive army at my command. My ancestors would be proud.

    It has come to my attention that perhaps my place in England lies not as an Earl, but on the English throne. A bold and treasonous thought to say the least; however, it must not be denied that many look at the king as a weak and ineffective ruler, and equally treasonous accusations are often spewed from other lords behind his back. Perhaps it is time for a rebellion…

    I still have much to do before I even begin to entertain the thought of overthrowing the king. I have to ensure that many of his men take sides against him, and I have to accrue much more denars than I already have. I have to obtain more fiefs to expand my holdings, and I must also get the king on my side to ensure that I can obtain more power.

    For now, I must do my part as a loyal vassal of the crown. There’s still a war to win, and no matter how many men I stockpile into London it still remains in danger as the biggest target on the isles.

  17. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Five

    Things have taken a turn in my favor. The war with Ireland as over and their lands are completely under our occupation. Fiefs have been handed out and titles awarded, and I am no longer landless and penniless.

    I raised every man I could muster and returned to the Gaelic Kingdoms, where I began to raise all kinds of hell for the lords there. I captured several of them and the ones who got away had a visit paid to their villages. In the end, a tidy profit was made, and my thirst for revenge has been partially fueled.

    Meanwhile, it seems like everyone is taking notice of me these days. Even the king considers me a powerful friend to have and often asks for favors. In an attempt to become more influential, I requested that I join houses with Prince Edward, the king’s brother. His daughter Lady Isabel has been mentioned in previous entries, and after months of courting her I decided it was time to seal the deal. He was elated to hear my request, and so was she. Within a few weeks, a grand feast was held in Bristol and the two of us became husband and wife.

    I am also a lord of a castle now. The fief of Sligo was captured by my army, and it was determined that I should be its rightful owner. Unlike all of the other times I’ve captured forts, this time there was no enemy army to take it back as I crushed the Irish military as well. The king was impressed by my endeavors and gladly offered the fief to me; I graciously accepted.

    For now, we are at peace. The English crown has grown larger and richer with the conquest of Ireland, but we still have much to do. The entirety of the north is still ruled by Scotland who refuses to bend the knee, and therefore they must be crushed for their insolence. The Welsh still exist, although they’re scarcely to be called a kingdom at this point. To the south, France no doubt plans for a retaliation against us. We are the envy of Europe, and our enemies are countless. But in the end, England will prevail, for we are the true chosen few.

  18. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Four

    I’m sickened. Sickened by how cruel God can be. War is a cruel, cruel thing, and it can take away everything you hold dear in one fell swoop. My lands, my money, and enough my son have been taken from me. Allow me to explain.

    As I mentioned in the previous entry, Henry III declared war against the Gaelic Kingdoms of Ireland, a weak nation by all accounts. Confident that I could find success and wealth this time, I raised a massive host and set sail for the western island.

    My target was Blarney Castle, a relatively undefended fort in the center of Ireland. My men could easily take it, but holding it was a different situation entirely. We began the siege shortly after our arrival and took the fort within a day. The king received word of my endeavors shortly after and granted the castle to me out of appreciation for my enthusiasm. Immediately I traveled back to England and began to purchase the loyalty of every mercenary band who would follow me and sent them to reinforce the castle’s garrison. At the time, it appeared that I would finally be able to own and hold my own fortress - a dream come true.

    Yet once again, my greed overshadowed my good judgment. A northern city named Donegal stood tall, and while it would hold far more men that I could match, I believed with the right tactics I could take it for myself along with Blarney. Meanwhile, the French declared war on us once again, leaving the English army divided between two conflicts. I, however, was on my own. I’ve developed quite the reputation of being a lone wolf, although lately I’ve become known more as an unfit general than an alpha wolf. I’ll get to that later.
    I led my host to Donegal and began preparing ladders and a siege tower. With my son’s assistance, the siege equipment was in place and the city was mine within a few days. Unfortunately, my men were stretched thin between my new city and fort, meaning I could scarcely garrison them both sufficiently. Seeing Donegal as the highest priority, I ordered as many men as I could cram into it to hold the walls in preparation for the inevitable Irish retaliation.

    Surely enough, the might of the high king’s armies returned to take back their city. They outnumbered us two to one, but we had the advantage of actually owning the city. They prepared their counterattack and within a week their ladders donned my walls. Meanwhile, a messenger arrived to bring even more bad news: Blarney Castle had been taken by the French, and Guildford had been razed to the ground. If I lost Donegal to the hands of the Gaelics, I would have no lands left to my name. Moreover, I would likely spend the rest of my days rotting in a cell. The stakes were high.

    The battle lasted nearly three days, with multiple waves of attackers. It was close: both sides took massive casualties, but in the end the Irish simply outnumbered us and won the siege. The city was lost, and so was my legacy as a conqueror.

    For two weeks, I was stuck in a dirty cell; there was no sign of my son, who I presumed to be dead. Finally, the king of Connacht offered a ransom for my freedom: 20,000 denars. My money was no use to me in a prison, so I reluctantly agreed to pay. The only good news I’ve received since is that my son is indeed alive, but also imprisoned. I’ve agreed to pay his ransom as well.

    My village is razed, my castles are taken and most of my money is gone. My son’s life is threatened and I am likely the laughing stock of the English nobility. All because I was too confident in my own abilities.

    I have almost nothing left, though my manor is thankfully left untouched. I have never felt this much rage before, however, and I can promise you this: there will be revenge. I will spill the blood of all who dare oppose me, and my house will become the envy of all Britannia. I don’t know how, or when, but I will crush all who dare oppose me. The world will pay for its crimes against House Rook.

  19. The Rook Dynasty - A 1257 AD AAR

    Entry Three

    I can say that the campaign has been a success. France made a mistake invading us that they won’t soon forget.

    After a few of my men returned from scouting northern France, I saw an opportunity. The fortress of Boulogne, a relatively isolated castle, was mostly undefended. With all of my strength, I could possibly capture it. From there, King Henry would surely reward my vigilance and grant me the castle as my new seat.

    It took most of the peasants from my manor, multiple mercenary companies and a few lances of my most trusted knights, but I had enough men to take Boulogne for England. We set sail shortly afterward and arrived on the shorelines of France a day later. With no enemy parties in sight, we began preparations for the siege. Before he came of age, I sent my son Robert off to university to study engineering and architecture, and he had a number of ideas to lay siege to the fortress. He’s a smart boy, if not a bit headstrong. He’ll make a good heir some day.

    The ladders were raised and the siege began. My men took some serious hits in the beginning; the French archers were incredibly talented, and our shieldwall just wasn’t enough to counter them. Once the men were on the walls, however, things took a turn for the better. We cut down every Frenchman we saw until none remained, and though we took a great many casualties, the battle was won and my banner flew over the walls.

    The only problem was that the French don’t appreciate having their castles taken from them. Within a week, the might of their armies rode towards my new castle and demanded that I surrender it to them. Seeing little choice but to flee, I gathered my best men, left the peasants in the garrison and rode away silently in the night. A cold hearted move to be sure, but my own self-preservation is what matters most here.

    The following weeks were spent fighting skirmishes against French lords; once the armies were gathered we stood a much greater chance. It was foolish to march off on my own to Boulogne. I was greedy. I wanted a castle of my own, and my greed blinded my judgment. If I had waited for the marshal to assemble the grand host, we could have held it, but it would have been granted to a more important lord. I’m simply not significant enough to earn favors from the king, which is infuriating at the very least. My house has served England for generations, yet all we have to show for it is a simple village. One day we’ll show the world just how mighty House Rook really is.

    The war ended with two massive battles. The first was the Siege of Paris, which required the entirety of the crown’s armies. With the French host marching to take London, the king believed we could sneak attack the enemy capital and take it from them. Meanwhile, London burned and the enemy nearly stole it from our grasp; however, we were quick enough to take Paris and break the siege of London in time. We sent the enemy running fast back home, and with King Louis IX in our grasp we forced him to sign a peace treaty in exchange for his life. He agreed, seeing little choice in the matter.

    Many men died in the fighting, but ultimately the war ended in our favor. We now control Paris, France’s most important city, and therefore have a beachhead for future invasions. This must have made the king more confident than usual, as he saw no need for peace; he quickly declared war against the Gaelic Kingdoms to the west in Ireland, and so I must march once more to war.

    It is a shame that I could not hold Boulogne, but this war gave me a chance to prove my worth as a vassal. I aided the king directly in the fighting and he took notice of my work. Moreover, my armies played a pivotal role in turning the tide in the combat. I am becoming more prominent within the kingdom, though I must admit it’s happening slower than I would have liked.

  20. M&B LibrAARy - After Action Report Listings

    I realize this thread has been dead for a year, but if it's still worth mentioning I recently started a new AAR for my playthrough of 1257 AD titled "The Rook Dynasty." It can be found here. https://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,353653.0.html
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