HRE NES II: Der Aufstieg

[Cyclotron]

Your moderator has been stricken with the flu and may be out of action for a while.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Duke Vartislaus I of Bohemia
By all means, do; during your predecessor's reign, I was regularly settling Slavic refugees in Carinthia. Granted, things are a little more chaotic now, but hopefully Vienna can be kept safe enough for settlers.

EDIT: Flu? Very
Further EDIT: How would I go about hiring Byzantine engineers and architects, now that two of my projects would seem to require it? Do I open diplomatic negotiations? Would the Venetians be a good source for this? Or should I just fund a dispatch to go over there and hire some?

[appleciders]

Still the flu? Or is it more schoolwork?

[Cyclotron]

The flu was pretty short, but it ruined my schedule. I'm still dealing with the reprecussions from missing the first few days of school. I am aware of this and the update will continue when I have the time.

[appleciders]

Sounds good.

[Cyclotron]

I can probably answer this

Originally posted by appleciders
Further EDIT: How would I go about hiring Byzantine engineers and architects, now that two of my projects would seem to require it? Do I open diplomatic negotiations? Would the Venetians be a good source for this? Or should I just fund a dispatch to go over there and hire some?

The most straightforward way would be to ask the Byzantines.

Keep in mind that Byzantium is merely the "authority" in the field. You don't need them to build a cathedral; lots of cathedrals were build without their aid. Because Germany has few native architects and quality stonemasons at this time, however, some outsourcing is neccessary. You could try and get the needed professionals from France, Italy, Venice, or Rome; they might not be as good or as cost efficient as their Byzantine counterparts, but it's an option. A more long term solution would be to fund the expansion of native, local scholarship and study of the architectural (and other) arts. Germany is looked at as a cultural backwater by the rest of Christian Europe - for now you need to work around that, but opportunities exist for that to change dramatically in the future with some competent stewardship and investment.

[Cyclotron]

Greetings nobles of our beloved HRE (and associated territories),

As you may have noticed, updates have been rather sparse as of late. There are a variety of reasons for this, but one stands out above all; I have become a caged, sedentary shut-in since day 1 of this semester on account of my senior thesis, which - combined with the hunt for grad schools and post-college employment, has severely limited my free time to do things I enjoy on less academic levels, such as this NES.

I intend to fully keep my promise regarding this NES - that is, to keep it alive. This NES will only die when I run out of players (at least, in the forseeable future - let's be realistic, we won't be here forever ). I enjoy modding here and I find it unfortunate that I don't have the time I'd like to do it on a regular basis.

I'm not suspending this NES, but it's going into "glacial mode" for the next few months to accomodate my schedule. I may be out of contact for a few days at a time, or forced to - as I have done recently - postpone the completion of updates for a while.

I will now deliver the long awaited stat block update. Thank you for your patience.

[Cyclotron]

The Stat Block has been updated!

Ducal Herald to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
My lord, your daughter, Judith, has reached an age where she is considered suitable for marriage into another noble family. Such marriages can promote good relations between countries or increase the loyalty of your generals and retainers, but those married into your family may gain a claim to your lands.

[appleciders]

Fair 'nuff. I've got a really busy schedule this semester too. Back to the orders, I suppose.

[appleciders]

Bavarian Orders (complete):

Rejoice, O Christians! The first of the Holy Nails has been recovered from the heathen, and the Duke, along with an honor guard of Bavarians and Saxons, triumphantly travel to Rome to enshrine the Nail in the Vatican!

For this coming year 922, the Duke has planned a continuation of the ambitious building projects that have characterized Bavarian domestic affairs for the last few years. The chapel at Passau and city walls at Linz will continue the upgrades recently started, while two new projects are ready to begin: a monastery at Regensburg and a long-needed expansion of the old Roman roads and poorly-kept dirt roads in the Duchy.

The monastery at Regensburg is being built in preparation for a later cathedral; the Duke intends that a corps of learned and pious monks may be formed to tend any relics that may be entrusted to Bavaria's care in the immediate future, and to use their mathematical and organizational skills to help house, feed, and supply the stonemasons at the cathedral, and to administer the cathedral once completed. An attempt will be made to populate this monastery with monks from other German monasteries who will be best able to jump-start the process of getting the monastery up and running.

While Saxony has demonstrated that it is indeed possible for a Duchy to overhaul its entire road system in a single year, Bavaria's finances are on a war footing and do not permit such a lofty goal. However, a majority of Bavaria's foreign trade passes between Salzburg and the Brenner Pass through Innsbruck, and so the Duke has decided that developing roads in this area will have the greatest effect.

Finally, Bavaria has to this point been tied down in fighting pagans from the East, and so has neglected the also-important German campaign to liberate Friesland from the Viking invaders. While no Bavarian troops can be immediately spared to fight in this endeavour, the Duke has reasoned that these same Viking invaders regularly hire themselves out as mercenaries, and so Bavaria might serve two ends by hiring peerless Viking footsoldiers to fight Magyar horsemen, who will be severely outclassed in hand-to-hand combat with Viking warriors.

Arrange army as follows:

230 Frankish Chivalry, 120 Norman Adventurers, 75 Dalmatian Cavalry under Markgraf Eberhard
790 Medium Infantry (light, spear, shield, sword), 150 Danish Vikings under von Wein
500 Heavy Infantry (heavy, spear, shield, sword) under von Villach
200 Long Axemen (light, axe, shield, polearm) under von Brenner
500 Seige Archers (light, bow, Magyar bow, pavise) under von Leitbach
400 Thuringian Woodsmen under der Kroat
50 Medium Infantry (light, spear, shield, sword) under my personal command as Nail Guards

Call up 300 more soldiers to serve next year. Keep the mercanaries already hired in service. Hire 150 Danish Vikings.

Produce 60 sets of heavy armor, 30 swords, and 100 bows with 215 d. from iron.

200 d. to Eberhard to continue his spying efforts in Carinthia and to maintain his useful spy and reconnaissance efforts.

100 d. to continue building the chapel at Passau.

100 d. to the Emperor as a tax for using Italy as a by-way for trading with Venice.

200 d. to ship supplies down the Danube to maintain the garrison at Vienna.

115 d. from stone to build a ring wall at Linz, to help further protect this town from any Magyar raids.

225 d. to construct a monastery in Regensburg. Bavaria has been without the benefits of a center of learning for too long, and a monastery will be an excellent place to store the Nail for the time being, and may eventually pay for itself by providing the Church in Bavaria with a useful source of income from pilgrims' gifts and by attracting pilgrims who will stay in Bavarian inns, eat Bavarian food, and purchase Bavarian goods.

200 d. to begin construction of a system of border forts along the Bavarian/Carinthian border. I realize this is not enough to finish the project, but should make a significant start.

275 d. to repair the Roman road through the Brenner Pass and well into the surrounding area. Whatever's leftover should be spent in improving the road towards Salzburg. Don't mindlessly follow the track of the old Roman road, but feel free to skirt around especially steep hills, use switchbacks where nessecary, and keep the grade reasonable for carts and wagons. If any additional money is left, spend it on improving the dirt roads in the area, including the Bavarian holdings south of the Brenner Pass.

Begin trading 100 d. of glass for 100 d. of Saxon lead. I seem to recall that lead is useful for some building projects- if so, feel free to substitute some d. of lead in where appropriate.

Bohemia is encouraging excess population in his lands to settle in Carinthia. I officially saction this, though I can offer no support right now.

I personally will go to the Vatican with the Nail Guards, via the Brenner Pass, then by land from Verona to Ravenna to Perugia to Rome. I will give the Pope the Nail, collect my reward, and return to Bavaria. Even though the Pope has issued a bull for my protection, maintain constant vigilance during this trip, and before leaving Rome, ask the Pope to extend the bull to cover my return to Bavaria. On the way back, if Markgraf Eberhard seems to have the situation in Bavaria and Carinthia well in hand, make a stop in Venice for a few days to call on the Doge- we've had enough correspondence over the years and he's helped me out of the nasty situation with Luitpold, so I think I owe him that if I can spare the time.

OOC: Oh, and a question: the old Roman roads are paved with flagstones, right? So should it be assumed that, being a good half-millenium old, they're in some disrepair, but still mostly usable?

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by appleciders
OOC: Oh, and a question: the old Roman roads are paved with flagstones, right? So should it be assumed that, being a good half-millenium old, they're in some disrepair, but still mostly usable?

Some are better than others. Some parts have been stripped of stones for walls and farmhouses. Roman roads are also mercilessly straight, even if it involves going directly over a steep hill, making them acceptable for marching but not ideal for drawing wagons or carts. They are better than nothing, but in need of substantial work.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Emperor Romanos I and Constantine VII of Byzantium
My friends, through the grace of God I have kept the heathen Magyars from overrunning the Christian lands of Germany. In my deep gratitude for God allowing me to hold these lands, I have decided to build a cathderal, worthy of standing in His grace forever. My architects and engineers have all declined to design such an edifice for me, claiming that only Byzantine craftsmen would be capable of making this cathedral truly worthy. I come to you to ask that you refer me to a properly talented and learned architect and his chosen team of engineers, that I might truly serve God.

Another of my generals, in the quest for new weapons with which to push back the heathen hordes, has also recommended that I seek to hire Byzantine siege engineers, who are well known as Christendom's foremost experts on the subject, being heirs to the knowledge and experience of more than a millenium of Roman warfare.

I come to you to ask for a complement of craftsmen and engineers, for purposes both secular and holy, that I might further God's domain. Will you help me in this quest?

[Cyclotron]

Emperor Romanos I to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
While We are usually inclined to seriously consider such requests, the status of your liege as an ally and vassal of Our archenemy, the Tsar of Bulgaria, makes granting your request impossible. Perhaps you seek Our engineers for the construction of military edifices and devices contrived with Our ruin in mind, or the ruin of Our allies. We cannot in good conscience trade with or provide assistance to those who collude with enemies of the Empire. The very insolence of suggesting that you are "furthering God's domain" while at the same time conspiring against God's domain on Earth, the eternal Roman Empire, is astounding to Us.

We would be moved to reconsider your request if your liege lord, King Heinrich of Germany, renounced the alliance between the German and Bulgarian thrones announced by his predecessor. Anything short of this will not move Us to your assistance.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Doge Orso II Participazio of Venice
My friend, I come to you once again, asking for your help in securing resources that I need. This time, however, what I need is knowledge- specifically, experienced, talented, learned engineers and architects who will help me design both a cathedral to glorify God and house the relic of Our Savior that has passed into my possession and help me to develop small scale siege engines to defend Christendom against the Magyar onslaught. I come to you asking for your assistance in hiring such men from more enlightened domains than the dark frontier that is Germany as we know it. Would you be willing to refer to me such architects and engineers as I will require to complete my project?

[Cyclotron]

Doge Orso II Participazio of Venice to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
We would be happy to assist you with your building efforts. We have some architects and stonemasons skilled enough to be of service, though their services are not cheaply bought.

As far as your research into siege engines, however, we can regrettably be of little assistance. We are not well versed in such technologies; the Byzantines are the masters of those devices. Even were we able to help you, the Emperor would be unlikely to allow the passage of military engineers and weaponry through his territory.