The Unification of Britain (CK2, Original) [Dead due to a RL event]

[X] Continue the search and reject the advisor.
[X] Drust of Londinium
[X] Merlin of Avalon

[X] Allannia Greentree, Niece of the Morrigan
[X] Antonia Fabius, Daughter of Governor Fabius of Lugdunensis



Voting is by Plan

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Turn 2 - Summer 410 CE, Diplomacy, Rumors, and Intelligence

Diplomatic Overtures

Your Majesty Arthur Pendragon,

We are in desperate need of your aid against the Warboss Skorcha. His raiders have penetrated deep into our lands and stolen much of our livestock. We will likely starve by winter if this raiding continues. I doubt Eburacum will be a free city come Spring if the situation remains as it is. The Horde has not marched on us yet, but surely, these raids are a harbinger of invasion.

We beseech you to send us food and silver so that we might defend all of Britain against our mutual foe. Your Legions would be welcome aid as well but I doubt you would send them so far and leave yourself defenseless.

His Grace Marcellus Lindum, Lord of Eburacum

Check all that apply. If they have enough support, multiple choices will be used. You do not believe you can win with any of these options, the goal is simply to bleed Skorcha far from Londinium. You doubt any Legions you sent North would be a total loss although it might take a couple seasons to rebuild them to full strength.

[ ] [Eburacum] Send no aid. You need all of your resources to build a real coalition against the Warboss Skorcha. (-5 Relationship with all British cities)

[ ] [Eburacum] Send token aid. You send 500 men and a shipment of food. Resources that are easily replaced. (Lock one Diplomacy action to sending aid)

[ ] [Eburacum] Send 300 Silver Bars. It should be enough for Eburacum to hire mercenaries and bleeding Skorcha's Horde is cheap at that price. (+2 Relationship with all British cities)

[ ] [Eburacum] Send a proper Legion to support them. Skorcha will go this far and no further. Surely, the Segontium Pact will support Eburacum and with your aid it should be sufficient to turn the tide! (+2 Relationship with all British cities, Commits a Martial action to support the logistics needed to send a Legion off to war.)

[ ] [Eburacum] Send both Legions! It would leave you vulnerable and open to attack by literally anyone but Skorcha needed to be stopped immediately. Surely your fellow Britons would leave you be while you dealt with the greater threat. (+5 Relationship with all British cities, Commits a Martial action to support the logistics needed to send a Legion off to war.)

[ ] [Eburacum] Send food! No man, woman, or child will starve on your watch and Eburacum will likely be besieged before Winter. They will need your aid to bleed Skorcha white as the Orcs assault the city's walls. (-100 Silver Bars, +1 Relationship with all British cities)

Your Majesty Arthur Pendragon,

I wish our first communique could be a pleasant one but alas the rise of piracy along the Channel has left me in the awkward position of requesting your aid. I know you no longer see yourselves as Roman subjects but this piracy affects us both. I would normally appeal to the Emperor to send Roman ships to deal with this problem but alas he is occupied with the Visigoths in Italy at present. My own forces, in turn, are occupied with preventing raids by barbarians that have been allowed to settle too close to Roman territory.

If you could see to the creation of a navy and its employment in dealing with the piracy problem I would be forever indebted to you. My merchants are calling for my head over the matter even tho they know as well as I there is nothing I can do.

Governor Fabius Mercia of Lugdunensis

[ ] [Piracy] Agree to build a fleet and tackle the piracy problem. (+10 to relationships with Lugdunensis, Locks one die into Build Naval Cohort and locks future actions into Anti-Piracy Patrols until the piracy situation is resolved.)

[ ] [Piracy] Refuse. You have a better use of resources at this time.

Your Majesty Arthur Pendragon,

The Invasion by Warboss Skorcha must be met blow for blow and driven back to the tribal lands of the orcs from which he came. We have sent this agreement in the hopes you will join our growing alliance against the Orcs and other foreign aggressors.

It is our hope our missive finds you healthy and happy.

His Grace Harold Medved, Lord of Segontium and the Elves.

The attached Pact itself was a standard mutual defense agreement but there were a few key details that struck you as unusual:

• The liberation of all territory conquered by non-British powers and the addition of such territories to the signatories of the Pact.
• This Pact is a mutual defense agreement that protects all members against non-British aggression.
• Command of the combined forces were to rest in the hands of a general appointed by Lord Harold Medved.
• Aggression against Human or Elven controlled territory is prohibited without a casus belli approved by Lord Harold Medved.
• All parties acknowledge Segontium as first among equals.

[ ] [PACT] Join the Pact. You can always turn against them later. ( +10 to your relationship with Segontium.) (Note: A large global diplomatic penalty would be applied if you break with the Pact without just cause. )

[ ] [PACT] Decline. Segontium's conditions for a unified front against the Orcs is far too much.

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The Western Empire
Honorius the Coward - As the Visigoth King Alaric ravishes the cities of Italy, Honorius cowers in Sicily as he marshals the Western Empire's fighting men to form new legions. It is said the Roman Army intends to cleanse Italy of the Visigoth scourge in the fall. But with a coward for an Emperor, who knows if they will actually march. Or if Honorius's reign will last another month.

Constantine the Warrior - The people of the Western Roman Empire have begun to turn to the rebel-turned-co-emperor Constantine III for leadership. His armies hold all of Gaul in their grip and some are calling for him to march on Rome to save it from the filthy barbarian horde. Many are claiming if he cleanses Italy of the Visigoth scourge, he should crown himself sole Emperor and move the capital back to Rome where it belongs. It is said Constantine is weakening the defenses along the Rhine to gather a force large enough to succeed at the task.

Piracy Problems - Saxon barbarians have used their ill gotten gains to expand their pirate fleet. Their attacks now stretch from the northern ports of Gaul to the southernmost ports of Hispania. With the Empire engaged on land, there is no one to check their power and it will only get worse from here. Merchants from Londinium to Rome are clamoring for the local leaders to do something about this problem. Petitions that have gone unheeded. It is feared if this problem is allowed to fester, seaborne trade might slow as losses mount.

Raiders along the Rhine - Barbarian raids into the Rhineland have become a fact of life along the northern border of Gaul. The Goths, Franks, Saxons, and other undesirables have been carrying off women and silver every summer for years now. When will someone do something to secure the Empire's borders? With Constantine drawing upon the Rhine's defenses for his own army, it looks like the answer is "not soon".

Vandals in the Mediterranean - Vandal pirates are plying their trade along the coasts of the Mediteranean, a plague upon the Empire's trade with North Africa. While they hold no lands, one fears what they might do if they are allowed to grow in power. However, please for intervention by the merchants of Rome fall on deaf ears as the Emperor Honorius finds himself focused on the war with the Goths. Between this and the Saxons, the Empire's seaborne trade is in serious danger of being crippled.

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Britain

The Horde Grows - Warboss Skorcha's numbers swell by the day. His rivals to the North have squabbled among themselves, unable to provide a real counterweight to plundering the South. Your spies report that his horde numbers nearly 30,000 Orcs and at this rate it will be 40,000 by Winter. It is an ungodly sum and Eburacum's 6,000 men are completely outmatched. Eburacum is expected to fall within a couple seasons even with the massive fortifications that surround the northern city. Of course, your spies caution you, that the raids on Eburacum might be a feint and the real target might be Mamucium.

Skirmishes in Eburacum - Warboss Skorcha's horde has begun to raid the farms of Eburacum for supplies for his army. This assault on British sovereignty must be answered but none have yet come to Eburacum's aid. Without aid, Eburacum will undoubtedly fall to the Orc Warboss and so far even the Segontium Pact is unable to effectively challenge the Horde. An unfortunate state of affairs.

Eburacum demands to know why it is excluded from the Segontium Pact - The most vulnerable city, the one that will undoubtedly be attacked first ... received no invite to the "Anti-Orc" Pact founded by Segontium. They have sent emissaries to Segontium to seek an audience but so far, those messengers have been denied one. Is Segontium just leaving Eburacum to the wolves to buy time to grow their numbers? A rational, if cold-blooded, move. Even with Eburacum in the Pact, Segontium would still be outnumbered. Eburacum's livestock being depleted complicates matters as it is begging the entire Isle for foodstuffs. What game is Segontium playing at?

Deva joined the Segontium Pact - With the Warboss Skorcha on the move, Deva has accepted Segontium's mutual defense agreement to provide a counterweight to the marauders. This adds 8,000 men to Segontium's 6,000. A powerful force, particularly given the large number of Segontium battle mages that will support the force. Most are not alarmed by this as it is a purely defensive alliance intended to combat Saxon raiders and Orc hordes. Two threats that have given much of Britain pause over the past year with Rome's confirmation that the Empire is leaving Britain to her own devices.

Mamucium joined the Segontium Pact - The northern city is in a vulnerable position with no real obstacles to Skorcha's advance. They have sought allies in less vulnerable positions, allies that will hopefully support them when the Warboss advances on their city. While the leaders of Mamucium are convinced Eburacum will fall first, they are not complacent and are actively recruiting soldiers for their army. Their 6,000 man force when combined with Segontium's other allies provides nearly 20,000 men. They would be badly outnumbered if Skorcha was to march on Mamucium first, but they would have a chance.

Saxons raid Dubris - Saxon raiders penetrated the port's defenses in the dead of night and raided the farming villages that surround the city. Villages that store the city's food supplies. Livestock, alcohol, and grain were all taken in large quantities before the raiders were driven back by Dubris's army. This raid has left Dubris short on food and they have plead poverty to Eburacum's requests for aid. Your spies report they are vulnerable to attack and would be unable to resist a siege. It is doubtful their 6,000 man army would also be unable to stop you from bringing them to heel. A good place to start, if you plan to conqueror your neighbors.

A Marriage between Calleva and Noviomagus - The leading Houses in Calleva and Noviomagus have forged a marriage alliance. This alliance will serve as a counterweight to your ambitions and likely the first major obstacle to your reign. They have 15,000 men in their combined army and they effectively block military expansion to the West as they would be able to cut your supply lines with ease. Any sign of vulnerability risks them moving against you, much as Dubris's vulnerability has provided you with an opportunity to conquer them relatively painlessly. Noviomagus's port and Calleva's iron also provides an economic powerhouse that can supply its military with ease. A truly dangerous combination.

Lindum commits aid to Eburacum - Lindum has sent 500 men and a substantial shipment of food to Eburacum as a token of support. It is token support but ever bit helps. They are undoubtedly saving their resources for when Eburacum falls...much like Mamucium. However, they seem uninterested in the Segontium Pact but that is probably due to the terms. They also seem to be conserving cash to hire mercenaries for when their turn comes, their economy is virtually inactive outside of military endeavors.

Moridunum commits aid to Eburacum - Moridunum has sent sorcerers who are out of favor with the Morrigan and a substantial shipment of food to Eburacum as a token of support. They expect Eburacum to fall in the end but they want to bleed Warboss Skorcha in the process.

Venta commits aid to Eburacum - Venta has sent 500 men and a substantial shipment of food to Eburacum as a token of support. They clearly expect Eburacum to fall but they don't want it to fall too easily.

Noviomagus commits substantial aid to Eburacum - Eburacum is sending 2,000 of its 8,000 men to the vulnerable city along with a substantial supply of food. It is rumored the famous general Marcus Aurelius is accompanying the force although your spies were unable to confirm his presence among the caravan headed north.

Red Rock Fall from the Sky and Vanish? - A great shower of red stones lit up the night sky in June 6th 410 CE. These objects, described as jewels by Segontium farmers, landed in the fields outside of Segontium during the witching hour. An ominous sign. They said the jewels were in fact clear stone which pulsated with an inner red light. They were quite disturbed by the sight and reported it to the local authorities. However, by the time your spies investigated all the jewels had vanished. Just farmers telling tales? Perhaps, but it was odd enough they thought it merited a mention.

Dragons spotted? - Farmers have made rumblings about the great beasts flying from West to East. Drunken farmers have ranted about livestock going missing in the dead of night. It was an unfortunate turn of events, particularly if the beasts start to nest in Britain. Their voracious appetites can strip the countryside bare and their presence in Eire is a large part of the reason the human population is so sparse on the isle. Perhaps you should commission some dragon hunters to deal with this problem before it starts? Or perhaps you should just write it off as drunken farmers losing animals and coming up with excuses?

Witches in the Woods? - Rumors of dark, satanic rituals in the woods of Britain have begun to circulate among the taverns of Londinium. Animals dismembered, their bits and blood used to form pentagrams in the soft forest floor. A dark omen of fell sorcery. It is said that the witches who have drawn such pentagrams likely engage in carnal acts with Hell's demons during the witching hour and give birth to shape-shifting half-demon infants. A few god-fearing farmers demand swift action but against whom and where? Perhaps you should hire Witch Hunters to investigate these tall tales. Of course, Witch Hunters always claim to have found witches and try to run up the price!

Irishmen raid Southern Isca - The infamous Irish launched multiple small scale raids against Southern Isca while the common people were at Mass. A truly heinous attack against the faithful. However, the raids were relatively small in scale and the true tally of the damages were a rounding error on Southern Isca's accounts. However, there is always the risk the Irish might see an opportunity to do more than a little light raiding.

The Order of Saint Narcissus - A new religious order has built a church in Londinium and is proselytizing to all who come near. They appear to be a proper Christian order but it is clear they seek to convert other Christians to their interpretations of the gospels. You might want to write to Pope Innocent I to determine if these men are legitimate Catholics or if they are such rogue religious order. Then again, if they are not bothering anyone is it really a problem worth serious investigation?

An Order of Warriors - An organization that calls themselves the "Order of the Shining Eagle" have established themselves in Londinium and as mercenaries-for-hire. They are providing guards for merchant caravans as their sole source of income but there are rumors they do "other jobs" for cash as well. Assassinations, intimidation, robbery, and other such crimes. Muscle for hire, really. However, your spies have not spent enough time to verify or refute the muscle-for-hire rumor. They just know someone is engaged in that sort of racket and these people seem like likely suspects given the rumors about them and the fact they are basically mercenaries.

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