Constantinople, turn 64.

The King's wife has brought forth a second son for him! Despite her advanced age, the boy is deemed healthy enough to survive and given the name Toraren.

With the building of so many churches Leopold has discovered a seemingly genuine interest in God. Age can cool the fire of any man's heart and set him to contemplating what lies beyond, I know it has done so for me. Watching Prince Emund and my boys playing at war makes me wonder if their fathers will ever have the chance to put down the burden of Odin's quest. These days the hardships of going on campaign weigh heavily on me, and I can feel the same in King Charles. He has declared that we will rest and refit the armies here in Byzantium's old lands, lulling the Turks with our idle hands, until the time is ripe to pluck their capital on our border.

Constantinople, turn 65.

In his ongoing quest to leave Constantinople an even mightier and more beautiful city than when we first arrived, the King accepts a bid from the Merchant's guild to build a guildhouse. News has reached us of a powerful new force out of the east, the Mongols. I confess, it stirs my heart to contemplate battle with an enemy so feared that his name reaches across the world to raise fear over countless miles. Undeservedly King Charles has become known as a merciless mauler, and strangely also as quite merciful. Thessalonica is given to our allies, the Hungarians, in exchange for a paltry thousand florins.

Leopold departs Nicaea and makes camp on the Turkish border, stretching the intent of the King's orders to be watchful of the Turk. To give weight to his command for restraint, the King departs Constantinople in response, and will ride for the border.

Constantinople, turn 66.

So much traffic passes through Constantinople that the merchants there are already demanding a larger guild house, for which permission is granted. The Pope, having clearly seen that no other Catholic nation was willing to take up the crusade effectively, conquers Tunis personally at the head of an army. From there he commends us on our efforts to convert the people of Smyrna, and sends a thousand florin prize. Danish merchants around Constantinople engage in unceasing financial war. The Turkish fortress at Caesarea is warded solely by a general and his bodyguard, according to our spy network. Those spies also report rampant heresy in those Muslim lands, with several heretics wandering openly through the hills unopposed. Norse War Clerics become available for training at Constantinople, and seem only too appropriate to bring the light of God to the heathen Turks.

East of Nicaea, turn 67.

Word reaches us that the Mongols have made for Sarkel, and likely points north. A Papal edict arrives commanding that the people of Nicaea be converted more rapidly. A Turkish Imam calls a jihad against Baghdad. At Constantinople construction of a cathedral is undertaken for the glory of God and the improvement of the city. With Turkish armies heading east on jihad, King Charles relents and sends siege engines to the army Leopold is gathering west of Iconium with orders that the attack proceed at his discretion.

Turkish border, turn 68.

The council of nobles, having abandoned Thessalonica en masse to prevent a repeat of our old delaying trick arrives in Constantinople and are suitably impressed. They instantly begin meddling again, sending a man to beg the hand of former Prince Sweyn's daughter. Though the King has maintained her place in his household, it will likely be her fate to enter a convent after a spinster's life as her husband would have a dangerous claim to press against the throne. This is all the more painful as the noble they send is a brave, loyal, and chivalrous man, with no fault of his own.

One of our merchants loses his shirt, and a replacement merchant is asked for from the guild. Leopold cannot be made to wait for the catapults and ballistae to reach him, he rides on to the outskirts of Iconium and camps in sight of the walls. Our priests execute a Turkish heretic in the borderlands.

Near Iconium, turn 69.

Spain attacks the French, and we dissolve our alliance with them. The Pope rewards us for our efforts to convert the people of Nicaea. Leopold encircles Iconium and begins preparing rams and ladders for the siege, offering an official declaration of war. In a shocking move, Hungary dismisses their alliance with us and sides with the Turk. With Constantinople and Nicaea both held mainly by militia forces it is hoped that this is not a prelude to a war on both fronts. Concerned against an attack on Constantinople King Charles sends Sighvat on to Iconium, but holds his force by the border ready to reinforce the militia.

Siege of Iconium, turn 70.

The ever meddlesome Council has asked that we blockade a Turkish port at Trebizond, far from the line of our advance. They are ignored. The jihad against Baghdad is, unfortunately, cancelled; our diplomats later discover that the Egyptians have captured it ahead of the Turks with conventional forces. In darker news, the Hungarians declare war, and blockade the port east of Sofia.

Our diplomats are commanded to seek peace, and to put the fortress we gained when Hungary sought an alliance up as a bargaining chip. Perhaps they only just now realized how uneven that exchange was, and now seek to recover the fortress?

This happily proves to be the case. Sofia was sold intact, to be a Catholic held bulwark at our backs. If you ask me, this was far too trusting of King Charles, but perhaps someday we will need the place again ourselves. Turkish fleets, obviously acting in concert, blockade the ports of Nicaea and Smyrna, but leave Constantinople open. That choice they will surely come to regret. Another heretic is executed east of Iconium, and we remain the most favored nation of the Papacy. The Turkish garrisons at Adana and Caesarea are evaluated again before Iconium is attacked.


The siege of Iconium is put in Leopold's hands, with Sighvat ready to reinforce him or assume command if he should fall.

This is one of the largest cities we have yet attacked. Fortunately our spies are able to open the gates, and the rams and ladders prove needless. Scouts from the north are the first into the walls, riding down pairs of ballista the enemy had stationed nearby.

To the south swordsmen charge the gates and catch Turkish spearmen abandoning them, and at the main gate in the west Leopold rides through in stately grandeur unopposed.


Spearmen are being butchered at the south gate. So far only the enemy commander and his bodyguard have been allowed to retreat to the square. To keep it that way, a unit of mounted knights is sent through the square to cut off some spearmen that Leopold is intent on riding down. Loathe to leave his rally point, the enemy general watches it happen and does nothing.

Attempting the same trick again, however, forces the Turk general to realize he may have no men left to rally if he doesn't act, and he takes the knights from behind as they beset a ballista unit.

Leopold urges on his Lions as they carve a path through Turkish spearmen, anxious to get to the square.

More mounted knights ride to rescue the men from the second ride by, capturing the square momentarily, but the enemy's bodyguard is hardy and well trained. They have already all but massacred the initial squad of knights, and turning about they lay into the reinforcements viciously. To make matters worse the last enemy spear group from the walls runs up to reinforce them.


Those spearmen are, in turn, taken from behind by the last of our scouts. No doubt exhausted from the long run, they shatter and flee.

Leopold, in a rage at the delay the spearmen caused, rides up and seeks out the enemy commander, who has killed dozens of his men. Before the two can come to grips, a blade guts the Ottoman, and he falls, beheading the knight who spilled out his life on the way down. So passes a mighty champion of the Turkish nation. After the battle Leopold wanted to hang his corpse from the mosque's minaret, but Sighvat has his body wrapped and sent to the Turkish Leader in honor.

One enemy spearman now remains to contest the square, screaming and shaking his spear to show his defiance. Our men run him through, and the Turk's capital is ours!


Losses were unusually heavy due to the exceptional fight put up by the men of the enemy's bodyguard. Over eleven thousand florins are taken in Leopold's sack of Iconium.

Sighvat rides ahead to drive off a small enemy force that was marching up the pass towards Iconium.

The enemy commands the high ground, but Danish horses scale it quickly even under fire.

Taking advantage of the light scout's speed, each enemy cavalry group is surrounded and squeezed in turn. When their commander falls in just such an ambush, the whole force routs, and Sighvat lets them and the prisoners go, though they reinforce Caesarea.


Reassured about the Hungarians at our backs, King Charles takes his army up to Iconium. The Turkish Crown Prince and their faction leader are discovered by a spy skulking about in the hills south of Trebizond, far from the battles.
Besieging Adana, turn 71.

Sighvat rides on down to the castle at Adana, and lays siege despite having an all cavalry force. He can pin the enemy there while Leopold or King Charles rides up to take Caesarea.

Leopold builds a watch tower north of Iconium to aid in ferreting out heretics.

Besieging Adana, turn 72.

The English declare a truce with Portugal, and are reconciled. Constantinople requires an upgrade and expansion of her walls, but the treasury cannot sustain it. Our financial situation has been in constant decline since Thessalonica was given up, and it though it pains King Charles to leave such great work for other hands, we must also realize that Constantinople will not long be under our control. Contact is finally established with Scotland, and trade rights are secured. The King's army moves down by Adana, and Leopold gathers a force to siege the new Turkish capital at Caesarea including our catapults and ballistae.

Besieging Adana and Caesarea, turn 73.

In an demonstration of intelligence I would've deemed quite beyond them, the council has hit upon the strategy of sending young nobility of demonstrable quality as suitors for Prince Sweyn's daughter. The King finds that poor girl's fate lamentable, and I'm certain he still feels something for her long gone, but dashing and heroic father. Still, what's best for the kingdom is a clear line of succession, and so the King condemns Hrefna to her fate and dashes the hopes of brave young men year after year. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. In better news, at last a bishop of Denmark is acknowledged for his pious work among the heathens, and wins a place in the college of Cardinals. One of our new priests fails to denounce a heretic near Iconium, and the Cardinal is asked to oversee his next testimony personally. The Egyptian castle at Aleppo is garrisoned by a single unit of spearmen, as our spy discovers. Prince Leopold, upon reaching Caesarea, launches his assault in all haste.

The enemy is found to be holding none of the walls. With Leopold leading a ballista attack on the south gates, our main force of dismounted knights and catapults begin to work on the wall by the east gate. When the enemy finally commits his archer corps to the south walls, Leopold rides like mad for the east, eager to be the first to race into the breach.

He commands his men to ride under the catapult fire, right up the walls. Showing incredible discipline they hold there with immense stones hurling through the air overhead. Enemy banners reveal that they are sending their forces along the walls to oppose our thrust here.

In a race between catapult thrown stones and pounding feet on walls, the stones eke out a victory. Before the dust can settle Leopold commands his Lion guards forward!

The Lions of Bavaria ride over a brash bunch of peasant archers. Leopold urges them on, bellowing that they must take the gates to the inner keep quickly.


Even riding their hardest, Leopold's heavy cavalry cannot beat the enemy's light horse archers to the inner gate, but perhaps he can still catch their general's own bodyguard!

The Turkish general is aghast, but he masters his shock and calls back the horse archers to pull the odds sharply in his favor. Leopold rides back to where his dismounted knights are slaughtering Ottoman infantry and exhorts them to race for the inner gate!

When the first routers from the engagement behind them reach the Lions of Bavaria a doubt enters their heart as the Guard are beset on all sides and losing ground, but they hold.

Leopold returns to the battle at the gate, determined to hold open the gates until his knights can arrive, and gods take the cost.

At last Viking Raiders reinforce the gate, encircling the enemy general and his bodyguard as they attempted to encircle Leopold.

Leopold opens the throat of a hapless Turk defender, and quite suddenly the whole enemy force but for the heavy cavalry breaks and flees for the square. Caught up in a fury of bloodlust Leopold screams for his Lions to charge the square and crush the frightened enemy.


Behind him knights drag down the enemy commander and he surrenders his sword to them. Unfortunately some of his men have rallied at the square, and carry on the fight. The dismounted knights, worn down by having run all the way from the field, across the castle, and straight into battle nonetheless find the strength and courage to charge into an arrow barrage.

Leopold, bloody but unbowed, with only a handful of men from his Lions still ahorse, completes the encirclement of the remaining enemy forces, and they are soon swept away.


The fortress is sacked and another seven thousand florins go into our coffers. Caesarea is a fortress every bit the equal of old Sofia, and we are pleased to have it holding our current northern border. King Charles takes his army forward, to control the pass between Egypt and Adana, though the Egyptians are technically our allies.
 
Besieging Adana, turn 74

A son is born to Leopold and Vemy, the boy is given the name Ulrik Nevjolvson. The news gets a cool reception from the King. Doubtless the nobility will bend their every effort to wooing this young man to their cause. Even with matters so complicated King Charles sends Vemy and Leopold his official congratulations, and officially recognizes the boy as a member of his household.

We suffer reversals in the ongoing economic warfare around Constantinople, but more merchants are in training. The heretic Abascantus is found guilty and executed outside Iconium. A formerly Byzantine army is discovered to have rebelled, and is blocking the road east of Smyrna. A force of Huscarls is commissioned to deal with them. Leopold departs Caesarea and carries his siege train towards Adana. The Egyptian Sultan, a chivalrous man, is spotted south of Antioch.

King Charles chases some rebels off the bridge north east of Antioch, and asks that the Egyptian Crown Prince Nasir ad Din ride out with him to battle.

Under a gathering storm and intermittent flashes of lightning and rain the two men meet. The Crown Prince is curious why the King has ridden down into his lands, backed by a significant army no less. King Charles says that God has sent him forth, and swears that he will soon have a full explanation for the Egyptians. Nasir ad Din looks thoughtful, and returns "What Allah sends a man to do, he must do, though all the world oppose it."

Smiling his understanding, the King spurs his horse around, and charges the nearest rebel group.


Prince Nasir watches the King's effort, and then rides out to match it.

Under a hail of arrows the Egyptians catch up to the enemy captain, and wipe out his horsemen.


After the battle the two men salute one another, and ride off their seperate ways. Jerusalem is scouted, and found to contain only a general's men as guard. A look at our maps:

Siege of Adana, turn 75.

Sadly this is the appointed year for us to leave Constantinople. Orders are sent to pull all troops into the fort east of the city, but to sell nothing, leave every structure just as it is. Though we are far along the road, and perhaps our final destination is even in sight, King Charles is greatly vexed to be giving up control of this great city. Meanwhile Leopold leads his army down from the high plain at Caesarea to the pass near Adana where he and Sighvat exchange troops to better prepare Sighvat's army for the coming assault. Sighvat sends away most of his cavalry with Leopold, and takes spearmen and siege engines into his force in return. So reinforced, he begins the attack.

This is Sighvat's first major command, but King Charles is determined to prove his trust in the man by allowing him to conduct it without oversight. Sir Sighvat has been present for a number of sieges now, and with Leopold and the King both growing old it is time for him to prove himself. Before the battle he christens his bodyguard the Hart Guard. The men approach the castle walls from two directions, north and west, to discover that the west side where the ballista, Norse War Clerics, and axemen are waiting is covered by archers on the walls, whereas the north gate is not held. Sir Sighvat offers the catapult crews their pick of spoils if they can smash the enemy gate quickly, and they are up to the task, allowing him to ride in unopposed.

To allow his War Clerics and axemen to enter the city, he must first capture the west gates. Rushing past enemy held walls and streets Sighvat's Harts find the west gate undefended, and throw it open before launching into battle against enemy cavalry.

War Clerics and Axemen charge in there to cut off the retreat of the Turks fleeing the walls. Back at the north gate, our spearmen easily rout some enemy peasants, but then meet stiffer resistance as the castle's commander rides out to assail them.

Some of the men from the walls rout and are smashed down by Cleric's maces. The Axemen will have to go up and drag the rest down under heavy arrow fire.

Most of the enemy's men are in retreat, and Sighvat's force is well positioned to issue orders down both streets and to hold the enemy's line of retreat. While two spear units pin the enemy general, a third is sent to relieve the Hart Guard, causing the remaining Turkish cavalry to turn their backs to battle.

The spears do their bloody work, and Adana's commander is trapped under his dying horse before being pierced by a dozen spears. What remains of his guard flee.

As our forces assemble to take the square and end all resistance, the Norse Axemen file into the walls to do butcher's work. After the action Sighvat would come to regret sending them there, on the staircase they were ambushed and took heavy losses before making it into the fight (A pathing bug had them standing at a corner getting shot by the archers until I noticed it).

At the square the Harts and Clerics rapidly destroy the remaining Turkish forces, and then look to the walls to watch the last bit of battle for Adana.

The axes are slower, but more sure than enemy swords. Many is the Turk who finds himself hurtling through the air after an axe blow knocks him from the wall. In the end, the archers break and the castle is ours.


Three thousand florins are taken in the sack of Adana. With Adana taken, we enter a complex negotiation with Egypt for the surrender of Antioch into our hands. King Charles sits outside the walls with an army, while inside the Crown Prince rests alone with his bodyguard, sure that the King will keep the faith of our alliance with them. Finally, after many frustrating days, the King comes to the table himself and asks to speak with the Crown Prince personally. After the pleasantries are exchanged, the men begin a legendary dicker.

'Prince Nasir, I must have Antioch. It is my people's destiny.'

'I recall clearly you saying on the eve of battle that your coming was the will of Allah. I have no wish to stand between a man and his God-given destiny, but my father the Sultan has sheltered the people of Antioch under his care for many years, as his father before him. If God wishes you to have Antioch, surely God has given you the means to purchase it from us.'

'Our coffers are not piled high with plunder, if that is the question you do not wish to speak plainly, but there are many lands in Danish hands.'

'One would expect that conquering your way across the whole of Europe would leave a larger impact on your purse.' The Prince smiled brightly to lessen the offense his statement might give.

King Charles gave a grim look before answering, 'We have not conquered our way across Europe, we have merely followed the road that fate set before us. Where possible, I have left the lands behind us in better shape and trustworthy hands. It will forever be a joy in my heart to recall how many great works were undertaken by the hands of Danes at Constantinople.'

'Constantinople you say? A mighty city, with men of all faiths living within her walls. I have often wished to travel to Constantinople.'

'As I have now a wish to bring my people into Antioch. I am amenable to a land trade, though the city we give up is mightier by far.'

'Would that matters were so simple, great King. If Constantinople were given into our hands, how would we hold it? How would our Imams reach it, so far across your lands. Who would administer the city, and who defend it?'

For a few breaths King Charles merely gazed at the ceiling, before saying, 'I appreciate these concerns, and I am prepared to give my word that no Egyptian priests will be molested crossing my realm. Additionally mercenaries are widely available in the city herself, and could control Constantinople until your people arrived.'

'I am afraid I must have a guarantee for the safety of all men spreading the word of the Prophet in your lands. An end to your war against the Turks would be a sufficient gesture to this effect, in the Sultan's eyes.'

'This will be done, we have no further need of Turkish lands. If the Turks wish a ceasefire, they shall have it.' The King's eyes gleamed as went on, 'Though I suspect that you desire their lands yourself, now that we have weakened them.'

The Prince inclined his head and appeared thoughtful for a moment, 'Perhaps, but there is a further problem with this deal, and it is simply that no facilities are available for training professional soldiers in the city. We will need such men, if Constantinople is truly to be ours.'

At this the King grinned, sensing the end of the haggling, 'Smyrna. We hold a castle at Smyrna that could also be surrendered to your trust. The lands of Egypt will then be mighty indeed, and well held.'

Rising to his feet, the Crown Prince of Egypt smiled widely, openly, and exclaimed, 'So it shall be! Leave the signing of documents to the functionaries, for now let us share sweet dates and dark tea while we watch the sun set from my palace. At sunrise tomorrow, the palace will be yours!'

Turning to me, the King whispered grimly, 'The Pope may well send a letter asking for my head, but his forgiveness will be easier to seek than Odin's. Tell the men to make ready to secure the city, unrest will be high for a time while the priests do their work. Tomorrow I will ride south, to the border, to put up a watch tower. The Prince is an honest man, but this alliance will not long survive such hard bargains as we gave up today.'

Quickly a deal was reached with a Turkish emissary. They were enthusiastic, desperate, but also destitute, and so we asked only a pittance as recompense. If we weren't in need of money, we wouldn't have gouged them for anything, but times being what they are every florin counts.

Just as quickly we invite the Hungarians to resume their alliance with us for a price, making certain of a two front war should the Egyptians prove unfaithful.

At the end of the year a deputation arrives from the Papacy with a private rebuke for King Charles, and a demand that he repudiate his deal with the Egyptians that gave mighty Constantinople into their hands. Mindful of the Code, and of keeping his nation's reputation intact, King Charles was then offered a path that all involved would understand. A Crusade. In the end our people's faith and destiny must trump the King's and even the country's honor. The Egyptians would know that we had manipulated them, perhaps they may even see a vast Christian conspiracy in it, but the Catholic nations of Europe would hear a different tale from Papal messengers; one of Muslim treachery and cunning that must be repaid with Muslim blood. Constantinople would be the target of the second Crusade.
Antioch, turn 76.

We are asked to answer the call to crusade, but as before it is forbidden for us. Still, three nations come to the Pope's war banners; Venice, The Holy Roman Empire, and Hungary. This puts us in the position of choosing between our alliance with Hungary and our alliance with Egypt. Looking south to Jerusalem, there is only one possible choice. Egypt sends their Sultan and a small force to block the pass out of the mountains around Adana, but the rest of their armies draw back from our borders rather than cross them. Perhaps they still hope for peace since we did not declare for the Crusade. Leopold sends men to hold the path down out of the pass, while Sighvat sits atop it. The Sultan is trapped, but has also cleverly trapped a large part of our forces including our siege engines.

An aging member of the noble council puts himself forth as a suitor for Hrefna. One of Leopold's original conspirators, this Sigurd of Dragor is one of the men King Charles has had watched since Thessalonica, and he is known to be actively disloyal. Though his claim on her hand is rejected, the King invites him to dinner before he departs back to Iconium. Afterward, when I voice my concern at this change in tacks, the King says 'Better to have such men here, in my camp with my soldiers when they get bad news, than away behind my back surrounded by their own petty suck-ups.'

Vemy bears Leopold another son, who is given the name Lars Eigod by his mother.

Across our lands heretics are being burned, which encourages the locals to convert to Christianity. Our priests report excellent results from their efforts in the hinterlands around Ceasarea and Adana, though Iconium is still home to a number of Turkish and Egyptian Imams. Spies report Edessa and Acre are weakly held.

Near Antioch, turn 77.

A spy from Nicaea discovers Constantinople is still held solely by mercenaries. It looks as though the city will suffer another siege soon, as a Hungarian crusader army is spotted not too far to the north by one of our diplomats.

More heretics go to the stake, inside Egypt and our borders. We've almost cleared the whole area of them at last. While King Charles is pinning the former garrison of Antioch by the sea to the south, Sighvat is trapped on the far side of the mountains by the Egyptian Sultan. Leopold was ordered to find a peaceful solution to this matter as messeges couldn't get through to Sir Sighvat and there was no one else. Unfortunately after months of snide remarks and sly insults from Sultan Moussa at the negotiating table, Leopold hears the translator snicker through saying '...the flighty kittens of beer-area,' one time too many. He snaps, and nearly assaults the Sultan across the table before regaining control of himself. Snatching up a butter knife from the remains of breakfast, he slams it into the table and says simply 'We're coming.' Hearing Leopold's trumpets, Sighvat marches down into the pass as well.

Sultan Moussa arrays his men on a high hill nearby, but they are vastly outnumbered. Leopold screams at his cavalrymen to ride faster, seeking battle with all his heart. As they ride in, immense catapult stones hurtle overhead and slam into the ground behind them. Blind with rage, Leopold turns his Lions to end that threat once and for all while the rest of his cavalry go to meet the enemy horse archers. The Sultan's guard first moves indecisively to save the archers, then moves back towards the catapult just as the last of it's crew are killed. Finally a squad of Feudal Knights ride down to engage them as they ride somewhat aimlessly.


More and more forces pour in to surround the Sultan, and Sighvat rides up with his Hart Guard exhorting the men to capture him alive.

Alas for Egypt, it is too late. Leopold rides down to Moussa still in a frothing rage, and his well trained horse dances back to dodge the Sultan's first strike. Leopold's counter insures there will be no second, and the Sultan of all Egypt pitches forward, face first into the blood stained dirt. His personal guard fights to the death, taking many Danes with them.

Sighvat and Leopold ride down onto the plain east of Antioch, sending two seperate letters to King Charles about the battle in the pass. Dismayed, the King is nonetheless confronted by a now enemy army just southwest of his newest, least Christian city. He resolves to bring them to battle that very evening, before they hear of their Sultan's heroic last stand.

Under storm swept skies we few, proud Gray Wolves rode forth once more to battle. Once before, in France, in the first battle after I came under his command, we were ambushed by a similar number of men. What then we could accomplish by mere strength and hardiness, now we must get done with cleverness and hard earned battle wisdom.

First we scatter the enemy archers, who set their arrows alight in the vain hope that it would aid their aim. Taking advantage of the darkness and confusion, King Charles routs their second unit of archers singlehandedly.


Riding quietly out of the darkness, we surprise a small cluster of spearmen as they chat casually.

When we charge the main body of spearmen, we find them also milling about purposelessly. I line up the enemy captain with my lance, but he ducks the blow (He is bent over behind the second nearest horse in the 2nd shot). Despite this, his line is smashed, and his force flees in terror.



Clearly King Charles is an expert at night fighting. The further south we go, the better fighting in the cool of the evening seems to me. After the battle we march south, to the plain east of Acre. We can see the walls of Jerusalem from here. Our spies still report that fabled city to be lightly held. In our camp the mood is high, and by striking so deep into enemy territory it would even appear that we've outrun the reach of the Council. Were it not for the brewing conflict between Sighvat and Leopold all would seem well with the world. King Charles, though wroth with Leopold, can nearly smell the city of his dreams on the horizon. Leopold's second reckoning will have to wait.
Besieging Jerusalem, turn 78.

Our spy in the city continues to report that Jerusalem is held by a small force, and so the King approaches with only a few Huscarls to make ready the siege. Our fate is here, in our hands, waiting only to be seized, but a note of caution must slow us. The fortress of Acre behind us must be taken first, to maintain our borders with the rest of our lands and in accordance with the mandate of Odin. For now, we sit 'round the city and prevent it from being reinforced.

On the diplomatic front, the Turks have called a truce with the Egyptians. Though we sit at the gates of our goal, still King Charles prudently orders priests and scouts to be sent out around Caesarea to watch for Turkish forces. Most of our armies are on the march south and the Turk has an opportunity to split our nation in half if he strikes boldly. I suspect their people are still cowed by our rapid advance, however, and any declaration of war would meet fear and riots in the enemy streets. Hours ahead of the Hungarian Crusaders, Egypt reinforces Constantinople with mercenary horse archers and light cavalry. Seeing this, the Hungarians lose heart, and do not lay siege.

A small force of Feudal Knights is sent out of Antioch to pin the new Sultan, Nasir ad Din, at Aleppo, and the new Crown Prince is spotted near Damascus. The young man's name is Camona the Ugly. Leopold moves south with his siege train, making for Acre at best speed.

Sieges of Aleppo and Acre, turn 79.

King Charles' son, Prince Emund, has come of age! My first born, Aethelwulf, heads his bodyguard while his slightly younger twin Magnus awaits Toraren's maturity. The boys have ridden against bandits, and watched major engagements all their lives, but for the first time Emund will have a command of his own. Having been raised on the road, with no set home and only Odin's all consuming quest as a guide, the boy has grown up with some silly beliefs, and a skewed view of the world. Only to be expected, I suppose, but I hope it does not interfere with his ability to command. Diplomats in Europe are given orders to find him a suitable princess from among our allies.

King Charles does not wish our armies to intercede in matters at Constantinople, feeling that his deal with the Egyptians has already stained his honor. A priest discovers a small force of Turkish rebels on the high plain north east of Adana, and cavalry are dispatched to deal with them.

Emund is given charge of the siege of Aleppo, and he sends a messenger with a demand that Sultan Nasir ad Din surrender the town and depart. My son reports that the Sultan's reponse was straightforward, 'Not your ears alone hear the voice of Allah. I am called to defend these lands to my last breath. Allah willing, the victor's hand will be a merciful one.'

Emund's pre-battle speech is odd, but effective, 'Today we turn another page in the book of time! I have read ahead, and on the last page are the names of our honored dead inscribed! If you fall today, know that all mankind will revere your sacrifice in the times to come!'

King Charles is not known as The Watcher for nothing, and his spy network proves itself again by opening the gates of Aleppo for us. The men drop their ladders and make for the gates as Prince Emund rides in unopposed. The Egyptians have only a unit of militia spearmen and the Sultan's bodyguard in the town, so the walls are unguarded.

Our men begin to surround the square where Sultan Nasir has massed his defenders. The militia look terrified at the prospect of a hopeless battle.

As our knights move to complete the encirclement, Sultan Nasir orders his men to attack. Instantly Prince Emund orders a charge into their flank, lancing some of their hardiest fighters from behind.

As our foot knights charge, the spearmen run to the Sultan's side as though he can protect them.

Prince Emund's years of training show as he clears a space around himself in the melee. No enemy can stand before the Prince when a joyous bloodlust comes over him.

The Egyptian spearmen are quickly taken by our Knights, and the Sultan's guard is pressed in around him on all sides. When a pause occurs in the battle, Emund calls out a challenge to Sultan Nasir to end this pointless slaughter with a personal duel. The Sultan nods his head, and quickly Prince Emund spurs his mount forward. Two swords flash as the horses pass, Emund's armor resists the Sultan's swing while Emund's punching motion takes Sultan Nasir in the leg. To hear my son tell it, the matter was already decided at that point, as the Egyptian leader could no longer guide his horse properly. Emund made five more passes, cutting Nasir ad Din again each time, before the Sultan fell from his horse. Emund came down from his saddle as well, and began to approach his enemy when the few remaining members of the Sultan's guard lost their discipline and attacked.

Knights surrounded Emund and held him safe while the dishonored bodyguard was killed, but in the melee the body of Sultan Nasir ad Din was crushed beyond recognition. In the end Aleppo was ours, and Emund's first command was a success.

Having word of Emund's victory, King Charles met Leopold east of Acre as Leopold's army was setting up to siege the castle there.

Setting aside any ceremony, King Charles says, 'A mighty Egyptian warrior commands that castle, the new Crown Prince Saladin. He is all that stands between my people and the end of Odin's burden.'

Leopold snorted, 'My army is far superior. This man will die like every other if he stands in my way.'

'Like the old Sultan did, in the pass east of Adana? You recall that attack, do you not Leopold?'

Shifting uneasily, Leopold merely nods.

'Of course Saladin is not negotiating with us across a peace table, is he Leopold? Very much unlike the old Sultan Moussa. I'm sure you recall those negotiations as well, do you not Leopold?'

Grimly, Leopold nods again.

Appearing to change tacks, the King says, 'Do you still imagine the Council can put you upon my throne if I fall?'

White faced, but forced to speak, Leopold sputters, 'Of course not my liege! I am sworn to you, loyalty unto death. I have no other place in the world but by your side.'

Nodding, the King continues, 'Even so sworn, even so outcast from your homeland, and even if you have abandoned all hope of ruling the Danes, even given all that you still see fit to defy my orders and launch what may have been a needless war with a mighty people who have in their grasp the lands we desperately need? You have dishonored me Leopold! You have forced my hand, the hand of your King, on a terrible choice! Here I have word that my own son fought a death duel with a man who not so long ago rode at my side into battle!'

Dropping his voice, King Charles went on, 'I am a fair king Leopold, even handed and just, but it seems to me that I am twice betrayed by you, and my whole people bear a certain stain on their honor because of your actions.'

Ashen, hands balled into bloodless fists, Leopold cannot look away from the King, though he must be worried that he will leave this tent in irons.

Pausing thoughtfully, King Charles appears to be struck by an idea, 'But you have proven yourself in battle, time and again. You have done much to advance our cause, and led our ever victorious armies forward for many years. I do not wish to break that spirit which is so useful to our cause. Perhaps I should give you another chance to prove yourself in battle. Perhaps I should overlook your faults and send you out to redeem yourself. Would you like that Leopold? Do you think you could scrub away the stain?'

Surging to his feet, Leopold shouts, 'With my own blood if you need it my Lord!'

'Then go Leopold, go to Acre and bring me the head of Saladin. Go quickly, for I would have Jerusalem in my grasp before Odin's heavy hand takes another of our cities from us.'

Leaping up, Leopold races for his horse and rides for Acre as though the King had fired him at it like a bolt from a crossbow. Turning away I hear King Charles mutter, '...and if he comes back, the real trouble begins.'

Our spy network shows it's worth again, and as Leopold rushes his men to the walls Egypt's archers abandon them.

The two meet, and archers flee for the inner keep while horsemen cut them down. Leopold's fury is boundless.

That mad battle lust is infectious, even veteran Huscarls ride along the lines of cowering peasant archers splitting open their heads with mighty hews of their axes.

With the enemy walls taken, and their foot soldiers all cut down, the battle roars into place at the castle's square. Leopold drives his Lions against Saladin's bodyguard.

Inevitably as Leopold cuts his way through one side of the battle line, and Saladin slaughters his way along the other, the two men move towards a meeting.

Exchanging blows, with neither proving superior, they are quickly forced apart by Saladin's guard driving themselves between their lord and the madman Leopold appears to have become.

Isolated, outnumbered, and surrounded Leopold nonetheless cuts down man after man, relentlessly making his way back to Saladin one gut spilling blow after another. None can stand against him.


At last the fight between the two commanders resumes, and Saladin gets the worst of it. Leaning far out of his saddle, with no caution or care for his own defense, Leopold strikes Saladin down.

With the fight surging around him, Leopold slides down out of his saddle and approaches the corpse of the mighty Egyptian general with his sword held ready. Beyond any thought of risk, he grabs the plume on Saladin's helm and draws it off so that he can thrust a hand into the man's hair and lift his head to one side. Raising his sword, Leopold begins to hack his way through Saladin's neck, not noticing as the last of his now leaderless Lions of Bavaria is run through by one of the seven remaining Egyptian bodyguards.

Turning back to look on the spot where their leader fell, the Egyptians see Leopold hewing demonically at Saladin's neck. As one they charge, and mighty Leopold is pierced many times by their swords. Staggering back to his horse to attempt to remount he is heard to roar 'Avenge me!' before he falls into the final darkness.

Grim spearmen catch the enemy's last cavalry, and Huscarls ride behind them. The Danes have not lost heart, for Leopold died well exhorting them to carry on the battle.

At the last two great men from two fate crossed lands lie dead in the mud, filth, and blood. Acre is taken, and Leopold leaves a powerful legacy for his young sons.


Seven thousand florins are gained from the sack of Acre. The Council of Nobles is forced to acknowledge Prince Emund as the true heir following the fall of Leopold. In honor of his long service, King Charles orders the construction of a tall tomb at Acre. Princess Vemy is invited to bring her children to live in the King's household, if for no other reason to try to keep them clear of the council's machinations. A spy is sent from Acre to scout Gaza, and finds it loosely held.

Before the siege of Jerusalem can begin a small force north of the city must be cleared away. Men from Leopold's command are ordered to march south and make ready for battle.
Siege of Jerusalem, turn 80.

At last, the city of our hopes and dreams, the end goal of Odin's quest. If King Knud's visions were true, capturing this city will lift the debt of the old gods from the Danes for good. Perhaps we could even put to sea again, here on these strange shores with their warm, blue waters. All my war wounds ache with the tension I feel as we move inevitably towards our destiny. At least this much I know to be true, the Gray Wolves will ride into battle once more.

First, however, more practical matters. The King accepts an offer from the Merchant's guild to put a guild house in Nicaea, on the presumption that the city won't be lost this year though it's turn is up. The Council demands that we capture Damascus, which is on the trade roads between Jerusalem and all points north. No doubt they seek a comfortable city closer to the King, so as to improve their ability to meddle. Spain joins the Crusade against Constantinople. Antioch is becoming a huge city. Sultan Camona the Ugly holds the bridge east of Aleppo with only his bodyguard to protect him. Baghdad is found to have a single unit of spearmen holding it, and Turkish Mosul is held only by a general and some dismounted lancers. The whole area is ripe for plucking by our mighty armies.

For the siege of Jerusalem King Charles sends away all of his men but one veteran unit of Norse Swordsmen to push a ram to the gates, should our spies fail to open them. He vows to send those men away, and capture the city with the Wolves alone, as it is protected by only an Egyptian general named al Mutawakkil and his retinue.

Word reaches us that our spies have thrown open the gates, and with the sun rising beautifully over the city we ride for the undefended entrance. The Norse Swordsmen are sent away from the battle, and withdraw quickly.


The King leads us in a near perfect parade formation into the quiet city. The air itself feels pensive. There are no peasants on the roads, and the markets are shut. Even the morning call to prayer seems have been suspended until the matter of control of the city is decided. King Charles rides ahead of us, before turning back to shout, 'Here! Here, by all the gods new and old, here is our destiny! Reach out with me and take it!'

Leading us up the silent streets, the King is ebullient. He launches into an ancient sailing song which hails Odin as the source of all favorable winds.

Reaching the town square, we find our enemy neatly arrayed in the center, awaiting us. We make our line too, slightly longer than theirs at both ends.

There is no negotiation now. Reaching up King Charles slashes at an Egyptian flag and commands us to charge!

Heedless of his own safety, the King attacks with short, precise strokes, and fells every enemy that comes before him.

When I spot the enemy commander riding down the line, intent on attacking King Charles despite the fact that the King is already engaged with two other Egyptians, I goad my horse to slam it's shoulder into his mount's side, trapping the general's leg so that I can reach back and run him through from behind. His dead, slumping weight carries his horse to the ground with him as I move on to relieve the King.

The King fights coldly, slaying his opponents quickly with powerful strokes so that he can move on to the next. No mere man will slow him today.


We surrounded the last few Egyptians, and cut them down. When the last enemy falls, the Gray Wolves stand in their stirrups to shout and raise bloodied swords heavenward! Jerusalem is ours!


Veteran swordsmen, huscarls, and raiders, sons and the sons of sons of the mighty men who first enlisted on this quest with King Knud are brought forward to take spoils from our sack of the city. This will go far to guarantee loyalty in the locals and the suddenly unburdened Norsemen who may wonder what is left to fight for. Eleven thousand florins go into the coffers.

King Charles' first act as governor of Jerusalem, of course, is to commission the construction of a church in the city, and to order the destruction of the resident theives' guild. A week of feasting is declared, though troops in the field keep a close watch on the countryside. That night King Charles delivers a brilliant speech, one long in the coming, about a destiny and a duty fulfilled. Odin's burden can now be laid down, and cities taken by Danes are free to remain in the hands of Danes. No longer are we a wandering, homeless people. Now we are a people of one God, and one purpose, undivided and no longer indebted to the old ways. Heralds are sent with copies of the speech to every land and army we control. Back in Jerusalem, we celebrate! Many days later, when the last barrel of drink we brought with us is tapped, business resumes nearly as usual. A spy sends a report that a handsome Egyptian has a small force protecting Edessa.

Some knights and axemen out of Acre catch an Egyptian general and his reinforcements north of Jerusalem, and rapidly put him to flight.