Crusader Kings II: A Game of Thrones (AAR)

[mickilennial]

Not that many people here are familiar or invested, but I think I'll be logging my AAR (after action reports) of my Crusader Kings II game as of current. If you have a passing interest in CK2 or Game of Thrones then you might be a little entertained by this little writing exercise all in the name of good fun! Feel free to comment, blabber, and all that inbetween!

Anyway here it is:

A Game of Thrones: The Charming Stag

This is Westeros as it stands.

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My name is Argilac Durrandon, the second to bear my name and the grandson of the first; I am the King of the Stormlands.

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To reflect upon and chronicle the recent history of my house is a daunting feat indeed, but in the last handful of decades the prestige of my house has become great, so great that we are likely the most powerful force in all of Westeros which is quite the claim itself.

Most would say it began with the taunting of Aegon Targaryen to the point my grandfather damned many lives, but Aegon desired my mother, the then Princess Argella Durrandon. But instead of his hand the Valyrian thought little of my father’s offer and asked for his supposed illegitimate brother to take it instead which from what I have read infuriated my grandfather to land’s end. That was when the war began, though we talk about it more like an invasion or conquest.

Looking to the rivalry with The Reach as fruitless and pointless, it was there the council around my grandfather suggested ending it with a matrilineal marriage between Argella and the unmarried youngest Gardener prince. From here the Maesters say history converges because the following events lack sense given Aegon’s talent for tactics and his holding of several dragons. My grandfather’s words were “if it bleeds, it can die.” – the records of the battles that followed are a mess, but it ended with King Harren ‘the Black’ dead in Harrenhal as Orys Baratheon marched upon The Reach and The Stormlands.

My grandfather soon would perish much like the Ironborn leader due to a battle injury by Orys Baratheon, which given the age difference many found unsurprising. The only heir to my father was my mother, Princess Argella, who declared herself Storm Queen and instead of cowering she stood clear and proud. But instead of throwing my mother to the Targaryen’s in a case for their own lives they followed her and into battle at that. Given the alliance between Lannister, Durrandon, and Gardener things looked up despite the dragons. Perhaps the gods favored us when the first dragon died or when the allied forces used military strategy to misdirect and defeat the manned forces of Aegon’s army. In the end the people of Westeros pushed Aegon Targaryen to Dragonstone where peace was soon sued for.

But, the Targaryen’s despite agreeing would still sit with eyes on Westeros… but for some reason looked to the east instead for a time.

This was where my mother’s reign with Gyles Gardener began.

The land was in chaos in The Trident with the Iron King killed there not too long before. Three Kingdoms offered protection—The Rock, The Vale, and The Stormlands. This was the time where clever expansion was considered as this sort of economic breadbasket was seen by my mother as the best way to recover for losses with The Targaryen invasions beforehand. The Stormlands took the Bay of Claws, The Claw, Southstone and a few others in this bid for vassals. In the end as a mocking gesture to the Ironborn she renamed Harrenhal as Argehal—which was probably the most curious move she made during this time of peace. The reign of the Storm Queen Argella Durrandon would be known as one where repairs and stability of the realm were sought out. During that time me and my five siblings were born, though only four of my kin made it out of infancy.

However my mother could not have expected what happened when illness took her later in life.

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The King of the Reach is dead, and through my father the lands have passed to me.

How could the Gardeners be extinct? The King of the Reach lacked succession after misfortune damned his house. Cousins and Brothers and Sons died throughout this time of peace. A true tragedy, but now I hold the titles of three kingdoms and huge responsibilities. They call me the Storm King of the Reach, Trident, and Stormlands—they call me “the Handsome Stag”, and they assume I have ambitions similar to Aegon’s for I have elected no other successors. They call me greedy and say my youth lacks the wisdom I need to run the kingdoms. It is true, however, that I am only twenty—but the Vale has had children on their throne and survived well. The realm will survive me.

I am not what they say.

I may hold lands, but I am many things—strong, kind, cynical, brave, just, gregarious, and diligent. I have no such ambition or greed. I do need to build alliances and prepare for revolt however.

I am King Argilac the II, and this is where the dynasty of House Durrandon continues to live.

[mickilennial]

The early years of my rule have weighed on me some, and tragedy occurred sooner than I could ever imagine. I may be a cynic, but I did not expect the gods to bestow this upon me.

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My wife, Sirona, is dead. To lose someone like this, so soon after our firstborn fell ill and was taken from us? Damn the gods to their seven hells!

Sirona was not the first to fall to disease or plague in The Stormlands she shan’t be the last, that much I know, but she was so very kind to everyone despite her misgivings—always taking criticism in stride and forgiving all who have wronged her. I… I will miss her a great deal, I don’t know how I am going to manage. For now I will look to my family for support—my sisters have been sent off to their husbands but they still speak to me through the letters they send, it is obvious that they still miss their home and their brothers.

It’s a solace, I need. Perhaps, I will visit Elenei in the west, my parents had betrothed her to Alaric Brax.

Yes, I will leave my brother in charge of the kingdom as my regent for a few months. I imagine the time hunting with the Lord of Hornvale, the conversations with my sister, and the change of scenery will be very good for me—but who is going to tell me the idea is ill after the sorrow I have experienced? I have always controlled my temper well, but that might truly make me want to show what my house words really mean.

It’s time to start preparing.

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I’ve met someone. If you would’ve told me I would recover from my wife’s death this well I would’ve probably thought you naïve and treading dangerous grounds speaking to me as such. But, it happened—and I found a friend and possibly more in the form of Lanna Lannister, the King of the Rock’s sister. She’s a few years my senior, but there’s a glimmer between us; a spark.

I’m not sure why she happened upon Hornvale when I happened to be in the area—perhaps she’s an intricate webweaver of sorts and she desperately wants someone; being thirty years past her namedate and unwed must feel either entirely liberating or suffocating; maybe both. But that’s my cynical mind speaking out, and it would be pointless to keep such a train of thought when the purpose of this “adventure” was anything but.

This woman will be my second Queen.

I just have to talk to the King of the Rock for permission.

After returning to The Stormlands and sending a dowry worthy of the hand of a Lioness, it was a stable and peaceful year—most of the bloody flux had gone the way of the wind and there were no revolts from either vassals or the common folk My wife and I got very close with one another, and it did not surprise me when they told me she was with child not too long after our wedding. This could only mean a blessing by the gods after the injustice they had dared serve me. I am the King of the Stormlands. I deserve better.

The months teetered on and a healthy birth it was. We named her Shierle, after Lanna’s mother.

A light misfortune happened not too long after when the chancellor who serves me as my right hand on my council was taken by old age. I selected my brother as his successor and he came from the long road in Argehal to serve me. “It’s about time, you should’ve retired his position to me when you were crowned. He was mother’s hand, not yours.” – My brother is blunt and honest, but he speaks the truth and while I could explain to him his pride is making him an oaf, I’d rather not recreate an episode from our childhood. I’m probably still the better fighter, though.

A message comes in from The Rock and I feel the need to curse my thoughts.

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I can see why the King of the Rock agreed to the marriage, it gave him military leverage—and he knows I’m just and honorable… he also does know how to make it compelling to me with the right words.

I’m not happy about the decision to go to war, but it is something I must do. But I can’t help but feel apprehensive towards it given the Queen of the Vale is a child not even a decade past her nameday. But my wife assures me he would never harm a woman or a child, telling me that he is as compelled by justice and honor as I. I do wonder however what “claim” he thinks he has on The Vale? My brother calls it an “invasion” and murmurs something about dragons and lions.

“Looks like you are hand of the king and ruling regent as well.”

He looks at me like I’m a damned jester and then asks me why throw myself into the fray.

So it is with this that I travel to The Vale with sword in hand…

I’m a skilled fighter, and apparently it is as if I never stopped sparring with my brother.

They call it the Battle of Bloody Gate—and the overwhelming amount of forces from Rock and Storm make this battle an uphill affair, even with the territorial advantage that the valemen have. However my soldiers are strong and morale is high; especially considering it is I and not some elected general at the front commanding them and telling them to their best.

I’ve never seen so much blood.

I want to get back to my wife, Lanna. In the early stages of the war I received word that our second child together… didn’t make it out of birth. I cannot fathom how that must feel for her without me there to hold her together as she trembles from the tragedy. We were going to name her Melessa. Since that day it has been not two weeks or two months, but two years of war. It seems to conquer the Vale, even with overwhelming task is a challenging one and one that has to be endured. Had I sent a commander instead of I, the casualties probably would be higher than they have been.

A message comes my way after the battle, and I can feel a sigh of relief.

Queen Pia Arryn has completely surrendered and will become a vassal to the King of the Rock.

It’s time to head home. My men are as weary as I am. I can’t wait to see my wife…

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…I should have never left.