[Abe Sargent]

5th High King Burchard – 56 years old, won’t last long either – educational background Tough Soldier, Forgiving, Lustful, Temperate, Aspiring Blademaster, Irish, Catholic, stats of 12/13/10/8/6 - prowess is a massive 28.

I have 2146 cash for gifts.

Council:

Archbishop Bruno – 8 learning, relations of +24, doesn’t endorse
Steward Duke Oddr of the Isles, 17 ability, relations of +21
Spymaster Duchess Tangwystl of Gwynedd – ability of +26, relations of -4
Martial Duke Murchad of Connacht – ability of 19, relations of +15
Chancellor Duke Gospatric III of Lothian – 20 DIP, relations of +43

Other Key Vassals:

Duke Farannan of Moray - -15
Duke Elair of Galloway - -27

So I need to make nice with all of them. I offer a gift to Farannan for 150 and relations rise to +13 and then Elair for 176 and +10, and then my Council other than Bruno. I now have 1222 left and new relations in the same order of Steward to Chancellor - +50, +23, +44 and +72.

I choose my Martial Lifestyle Perks

My grandson is 16 years old, Burchard, and we need to marry him now to create an alliance ideally to help with Civil Wars and wars against Norway.

Burchard – 16 years old, Irish Catholic, traits of Temperate, Humble and Cynical, background of Flamboyant Trickster which is Intrigue, inherited trait of Quick which he can pass on, stats of 9/7/8/12/7 – not great.

Like me he has two positive and one negative so that’s +20 for the positive and -10 for negative relations so +10 overall.

Who can I marry into a marriage with? Looks like the best is the Duchy of Turov with a 9 year old Duchess. That’s all the way in Russia probably not what I care about. So we cannot ally with another nation, so let’s just marry the best courtier I can. I look at the best stats to marry into, and, ideally, we’ll get something to inherit like Quick. Ideally someone who won’t lose prestige to marry into.

Here’s my top choice:

Sarrazine de Lorgue – 24 years old, French, Catholic, House Lorque, inheritable trait of Pretty, stats of 20/10/14/1/12 – nasty in everything save Intrigue, but that’s his one strength, Traits of Ambitious, Honest, Temperate so they are Temperate Buddies Then would I lose prestige to marry her? Some noble house filters don’t hold a title. Yup, -300 prestige for my son, but that’s an amazing heir with great stats, inheritable trait, and we could start the children now. He has 489 prestige so he’d take a nice hit. But have a long time to rebuild. All of the Hale and Pretty Courtiers with good traits are all also Prestige hits, so I offer to marry her.

Right now, Independence Faction has Count Svein II with a -54, I offer him a gift of 102 to raise relations to -22. That’s not enough of a military size to make work.

I start to Sway Scheme my lowest Key Vassal Duke Elair.

As a reminder, I can hold court now that I am new. With Mael-Michil it was after a group founded in Wales for Independence and there was a Petitioner that dropped that for five years and gave them better vassal relations. So I’ll wait.

I need to negotiate new alliances for warring on Norway or defensively for a Civil War. The only place I can negotiate an alliance with has just 867 troops.

5 Jan – Duke Morgan of Circinn creates a faction to replace me. We have relations of -49 so I offer a gift of 150 to raise it to -19

11 Jan – We marry our folks together!

14 Jan – The Liberty Faction is created by Count Donncuan of the Orkneys – we have relations of just +4 – I send him cash of 140 to raise it to +50

3 Feb – We become the Head of Irish Culture

14 Feb – Earl Donncuan left the Liberty Faction but Earl Eoganon with relations of -4 joins, I send him a gift of 100 and we are now at +25 – I have 746 cash left

25 Feb - At the age of 65, my Court Musician passes. Is there a good one to hire? Yup, two that are Average! I hire the youngest:

Court Musician Aroc – Age 24, Average

20 Mar – The Liberty Faction disbands

Duchess Gudrun of Gulapingslog has joined the Independence Faction, but they don’t have enough strength, we have relations of -23 so I send a gift of 150 and we are now +6

1 June – I have no factions with enough strength to force through the bad stuff!

I have a Court Event:

Court Event – Daydrinking – The Drunken antics of my new courtier Philippa are known. But lately she has taken them to a whole new level.

I have three options:

1. Philippa Can Sober Up in the Dungeons - I gain 80 stress since I am Forgiving, and then she and her family are at -30 relations.
2. A Stern Talking-To Will Set Her Strait – Dip challenge with her, 64% of success, she loses Drunken trait and we gain +30 relations
3. Let the Others Mock Her – We lose grandeur

I choose the middle one for a strict talking too. We fail and she doesn’t lose Drunken.

I spend 100 prestige to Hold Court:

Petitioner #1 – A Feast Under Your Name – Earl Eoganon approaches me. He wants to spend the cash to hold a Feast under my name but wants compensation.

I just have two options:

1. Very Well, Hold Your Feast – We get +20 relations which are at +24, he pays me 200 cash, hosting a Feast in the near future will give me grandeur, and then we give him a weak hook.
2. I’m Afraid I Cannot Accept – We lose 20 relations

I cannot afford to lose relations right now, and I choose the first. Remind me to Host a Feast.

Petitioner #2 – The Monster of Annandale – We’ve had this before if I recall correctly. A peasant needs help hunting down a Wolf. I give him 140 to hire himself and gain 75 prestige

Petitioner #3 – Public Accusation – We’ve had this one before too where someone accuses a rival of killing their spouse, this time its Countess of Margot of Dubhlinn and Duke Bleddyn III of Powys, I say that malice isn’t proof and then loose relations with her.

I hold a Feast! This costs us 265. This is my first event we’ve hosted. I choose to host it in our capital city of Limerick in Thomond my captial province. Who do I want to be my Honored Guest? King Guy of England? One of my own like Duke Morgan of Circinn? He’s the only Duke with minus relations. I do so!

I invite 32 people from Knights to Guests to Extended Family.

I start getting ready for the Feast! We’ll wait 8 months to begin

It looks like there is a Civil War in the Duchy of Moray which the Duchy is winning

20 Oct – Earl Eoganon and I redo his deal.

10 Nov – Duchess Gudrun arrives to renew her vows and we get that stuff.

13 Dec – King Guy sends us the artifact King William’s Urn

Famed Pedestal Artifact - King William’s Urn – has 86 years left, gives prestige boost of 0.06, grandeur bonus of +3 and then +6 dynasty relations.

31 Dec – Relations boost with Duke Elair to +41, next is Duchess Gudrun.