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In Progress Let's Play as 1200s Lithuania in Crusader Kings II: The Hitman Gods, the Teutons and the Mongols

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
I don't think I ever did a Let's Play of any Crusader Kings game, so this will be my first. I'm using @Trash 's Memento Mori Expanded compilation, which means killing relatives not only has the risk to reputation, but also of wiping out an entire dynasty because deadly diseases, child mortality in general and childbirth deaths are much, much more common thanks to that mod. The Old Gods starting date has been done more than once, so I'm doing something different, by starting a game as Lithuania right after the total conquest of Prussia by the Teutonic Order, which makes it exist in-game, by the beginning of 1225.

I know Lithuania is not the weakest independent pagan country in 1225, but really, anything else would most certainly end as short lasted as that famous Wizardry IV Let's Play if done in ironman, as any CKII Let's Play should, the Teutonic Order has a scarily massive retinue, as you'll see in the first update, specially considering technological disparity, the Mongols are most likely coming, still united under a powerful if elderly Temujinn by the game start, and of course, keeping a pagan kingdom surrounded by Christians from falling apart internally will become important later in-game. So, enough descriptions and onto it.

===================

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Index

  1. Only united, those faithful to Dievas and Perkunas shall stand a chance(Right Here)
  2. Wounding the horned beast
  3. Poking the Bear with a short stick
  4. Birth of a Baltic Kingdom
  5. Early reign of the First King
  6. Hitmen of Thrones
  7. Rymvidas II, The Khan of Lithuania
  8. The Second Prussian Crusade and the Rebirth of the Teutonic Order
  9. Russia, Russia never Changes
  10. The Beginning of the End
  11. God have mercy on England, because the Lithuanian Hitmen will have none!
  12. The Defiance of the last Pagans
  13. A New Church Smithed from Stone and Blood
  14. Karijotas the Great and Destroyer of the Rus
  15. Check your Agnatic Privilege
  16. Karijotas' Rising Empire: the march on Greater Potato
  17. One step short of an Empire
  18. Suffer not the Traitor, the Heretic and the Crusader
  19. A Baltic Empire
  20. The Penultimate War
  21. Return of the Teutonic Terror
  22. Apostates of the Norse gods shall meet their fate!
  23. Lithuanian Hitman 2: (Not so) Silent Assassin of Emperors
  24. All Hitmen open roads to Rome
  25. The Ending Medieval Era

====================

A cheesy in-game video from that Expansion of another game about this same age and place for starting this first update, that depicts precisely the odds of Lithuania without resorting to hitmen:



Only united, those faithful to Dievas and Perkunas shall stand a chance

Skyforger - Oh Fog, Oh Dew (Latvian Folk Metal, haters gonna hate)

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Dausprungas I was born and have ruled for most of his life before these grim 1220s in a time Lithuania was isolated, its forests left to their fate, their people still devoted to the old gods, but his relatively peaceful rule over the still fragmented Lithuania was about to change. The Prussian tribes to the west were conquered by zealoust crusaders of the Teutonic Order on request of Poland, tired of their constant raiding, yet Poland's request later would become something they would regret. Meanwhile, to the east and north, a brutal Livonian Crusade nearly exterminated the Finnic Liv peoples, and brought the Latvians to utter subjugation under the zealous rule of the Archbishopric of Livonia that was founded after. The subjugations of the Prussians and Latvians and the extermination of the Livs was a rude wake-up call for the small and fragmented Lithuania, and the Gediminaitis' future was no longer so certain, for, just like they have slaughtered the families that once led the Prussians, sooner or later, these dreaded knights with their horned helmets shall come for Lithuania.

For too long the Lithuanians have been isolated and into inward thinking. The devotion to the old gods shall never end, but this must end. First order of business, of course, was getting Dausprungas married, and there weren't many available choices, so few there were that new dames were invited to the court, at a cost. His wife Gaudimante is Niasvizh, one of those damsels invited to the court, was chosen for being the daughter of a notorious Lithuanian Hitman, who have learned much about intrigue and deceit from her father and could definitively help a lot in this field.

(Note: Forgot to take her screenshots, so : Diplomatic skill - 0, Military -3 , Stewardship and Learning -6 and awesome Intrigue - 18. Slothful, Deceitful, Patient and Proud. Intricate Hitman Webweaver, obviously )

There was only one goal among many for Dausprungas now that he wisely perceived the threat of the Teutonic Order would only increase: to become a grand duke, but not before he is also ready to become a king of all Lithuanians, lest all achievements in his life are broken by the worst shortcoming of Gavelkind: partition of his country into separate realms. He also sent his half-brother Mindaugas, a true Lithuanian Master of Hitmen and Spies, to study technology in lands where it is more advanced than the precariously backwards Lithuania, for that was dearly needed and for now he had not to worry about plots, or putting lives to an end while making it look like an accident for the greater good of Lietuva.

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The Yatvyag tribes were doomed. An offer was presented, but they naturally refused, and thus, as they arrogantly think they can stop the Teutonic Order on their own, they will be brought to the fold of Lithuania before they are conquered by the crusaders. Their armies are small, and this conflict likely won't be particularly noteworthy.

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Dausprungas may not be a very skilled High Chief, but he was a visionary, for he had to be one, and he was determined to attempt unifying the Balts still not subjugated by the Iron Cross. Meanwhile, in Asia, a mighty and likewise pagan Mongol Empire would soon put the towelheads in their place, for they foolishly declared a Jihad against the feared Genghis Khan himself, a Jihad ultimately doomed from the sparse information Lithuania had about that.

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Hopefully, the calls for another of their fanatical Crusades for their"holy city" of Jerusalem lost to the religion of "peace" would drive the heat off the Baltic for a while, as the unification wars raged.

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It was not a totally easy battle, and hundreds of good men died for this step into the birth of a new kingdom to stand against the Teutonic Order, but the Yatvyags were doomed to either fall to Lithuania or worse, to the Teutonic Order. This was the best fate they could have now. However, the subjugation could only be used as a justification for war once in a lifetime, and thus the completion of this bold goal would be something for Dausprungas' heirs to achieve.

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The Teutonic Order however, they were as dangerous as they were arrogant, and eventually, the messengers of such murderous Germans and their false god got what they deserved for their threats of slavery and death, and with huge nails driven to their hats, they were kicked out as Dausprungas stereotypically replied to their accusation this was madness:

"THIS IS LITHUANIA!" and drove a hammer, not unlike that of Perkunas, into their skulls, smashing them open like the heads of a melon.

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Despite his flaws, Dausprungas definitively got balls to send the envoys of the Teutonic Order back with hats nailed to their heads, for the Teutonic Order had a massive retinue that outnumbered their levies and certainly dangerously superior with over a thousand knights and over two thousand strong heavy infantrymen much better equipped than the Lithuanian counterparts. Yet, the crusade for Jerusalem was keeping them occupied, for now.

( Note: if they declare war against Lithuania too soon, rape incoming, for that is a very scary army to face. )

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The powers of the Lithuanian Spies and Hitmen guided by their wise Master Mindaugas may be Lithuania's best, if not only hope of survival.

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So wise he was he advised Dausprungas about how Danish Pommerania was much more advanced than those towelhead regions, and suggested for him to be sent there instead to do the same dangerous, risky and sometimes rewarding and pleasure-ridden work of being a Master of all Hitmen and Spies.

( Note: I forgot that the provinces with best tech level should change a lot from 800s, 1000s to 1200s, and maybe there is another European province with even more advanced techs, but for now that will do for the terribly backwards Lithuania)

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Not all neighbors and close realms who knelt to the cross saw subjugation as the only means to spread their lies. Some sent WCDS missionaries to Lithuania, preaching, speaking their lies about how everyone else in the world but them will go to a Hell and saying Lithuania must abandon their "liberal" ways. What by the scythe of Giltine is liberal even supposed to mean? Their inane and irritating preaching is a source of much butthurt, and answered with their redirection to RPGWatch the Dungeon.

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But besides being a source of butthurt, their mindless and stubborn preaching also is a potential source of profit, from the ransoms collected to send them back. They are more than welcome to return and pay another ransom to keep the treasury of Lithuania well.

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And of course, eventually they conquered all the lands of the Yatvyag, and their Chief agreed to accept the High Chief of Lithuania as his liege. His wife, captured during one of the sieges, was released and returned to him, because he had no heirs, which could threaten this conquest later.

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Lithuania is far from rich, and everyone needs to do a little to help, for the Teutonic menace will never end unless it is crushed one day, and considering they have a over five thousand strong retinue with more than one thousand knights, that day won't be coming any time soon.

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Mindaugas was not the only man helping Lithuania abroad. Algirdas is Kreva, the Chancellor of Lithuania, happened to be a master troll, who knew just the right words to make the Catholic Potato neighbors fight each other so they won't try to conquer Lithuania instead by sowing dissent inside Poland. Perhaps such deeds may lack honour, or even honor, but one does not think of that when survival is hanging on a thin thread.

(Algirdas' Diplomatic skill: 18)

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And more Christ-men came in and paid decent ransoms to be allowed out. Creating titles costs a lot of money and Lithuania is not very rich, so they are more than welcome to return always.

There was one more thing Dausprungas could do to get closer to the complete unification of what is left of the free Baltic Tribes. Lithuania had a long claim over certain lands belonging an almost equal in power Romuva chiefdom of Zemaitija to the east, bordered by the vile Livonian Order. This would be a war with his Great grandfather, Algimantas, a family war, but it had to be done, it was time to take what rightfully belonged the Gediminaitis: Suvalkai, also later known as Suwalki.

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Both armies were almost even in quantity and quality, but Lithuania had superior leadership and the advantage of not crossing a river. It was bloody battle, and there was a small chance of it ending with defeat for the ambitious Dausprungas, but thanks to great heroes, the odds of defeat were small.

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However, while Lithuania and the Gediminaitis dynasty fought for their continued survival, the Teutonic Order was given a part of Estonia, making them even more powerful than they already were. Yet ironically, such gift would end becoming a trojan horse not shortly after this.

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Some wars are decided by one single battle, and this was one of them. Despite numerical parity, the superior warchiefs of Lithuania have shown who the gods favor more in these dark times for all Romuva. Soon they will realize they have no choice but to give in Suvalkai to their rightful owners.

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Denmark, in an act of extreme dishonor, waged war against the Teutonic Order for the very land they donated to the Teutonic Order. Is their king a madman or something? What can they expect from doing something like this? Truly, their religion is one tailored for power-hungry lunatics and fanatics.

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"Impale the worshippers of the Impaled Nazarene!" angrily shouted Dausprungas, whose growing cruelty would make him specially feared and loathed as he perfected a new brutal form of punishment and execution: the impalement. To be feared is all but necessary to buy time for Lithuania now, for a line of Teutonic knights impaled could serve as a vital destroyer of the morale of the crusaders, and it is about time someone think of the Livs and the genocide these worthless krauts did against them. Perhaps it is truly better to be feared than loved.

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And with Suvalki, Dausprungas united Lithuania as far as he could in his lifetime, the rest of the task left to his heir, supposing Zemaitija is not swallowed by the crusaders until then. Fortunately, Algimantas, although not happy at all with losing in this conflict did not say:

"Great grandson, I am disappoint."

And hopefully he will have the wisdom to let one of his great grandsons rule all that is left of free Lithuania, but another war between relatives will most certainly be inevitable, if Zemaitija still stands once the next heir finishes the job of his father, this next heir for now being a 8-year old Tautvilas. Also, to prevent division of the realm, Dausprungas may have to abandon his ambition of becoming a Grand Duke, although unlikely circumstances(or a lot of capable Hitmen) may allow him to become a king without subjugating Zemaitija.

Will Lithuania and the Gediminaitis dynasty survive and remain faithful to the old Baltic gods while the Teutonic threat looms and slowly, from the east, the Mongol Hordes led by the old but widely respected Temujinn encroach into Eastern Europe?Will the Romuva faith ever stand a chance of standing to the test of time?

TO BE CONTINUED
 
Last edited:

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
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Wounding the horned beast


Skyforger - Kurshi

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Problem, kingcomrade? Another ransom paid to enrich the treasury of Lithuania.

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That is a rotten way to die. Hopefully Dausprungas didn't catch the same disease of his cousin because of sodomy, orgies, or anything else it could have originated from..

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The feared Genghis Khan still lives, and the falafel have failed with their petty Jihad. Although Dausprungas may die first, eventually the Mongols might become a direct concern for his small dynasty. And shortly after crushing such a Jihad...

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If, with his last years of lives, Genghis Khan, after successfully transforming the Tengri religion into one as structured, modern and liturgically consistent as those of the one-god worshippers, manages to create clear succession laws in his Empire that could prevent it from falling into pieces, their threat may now become even greater, and with such religious unity and structure, the Mongol Empire, despite relinquishing their chance to subjugate the diminished Cumans now can declare holy wars against all who don't believe in the Altaic old gods.

By reforming the Tengri faith, Genghis Khan has completely changed the course of History for much of the known world, and Islam has found its greatest nemesis.

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There are many only advantages to reforming the Romuva faith after the kingdom of Lithuania is established, but they are much farther from achieving that than the Mongols, because first they must crush Russians and conquer one of their provinces far to the east, Denmark for Cape Arkona and naturally the Teutonic and Livonian Orders that desecrated much of the most holy sites of worship for the Baltic gods. Such is a daunting task ahead for the still relatively small Lithuania that may take generations, if ever, to be achieved.

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Perhaps as a consequence of the Mongol conquests, the pathetic copycats of the Lithuanian Hitmen have been put in their place.

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Dausprungas had a third child, and a particularly intelligent one, clearly strong in Neanderthal genes and way above average, but still no IQ 180 genius. A pity he was not his first son.

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In before Denmark declaring war against the Teutonic Order to take back the land they willingly gave them... for the second time.

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A tragedy happens! Hopefully one of his three children will survive to adulthood.

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His wife wasn't fond of Dausprungas' oldest son at all, for he wasn't her son. Mindaugas discovered that she was plotting to kill him and informed the High Chief, who simply took a risky and arguably dishonorable bid by doing nothing at all to prevent his own son from being assassinated once his wife is ready to commit the vile act, so that his younger and more intelligent son can inherit and that Gavelkind will not split the demesne among them. A cunning if risky plan.

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After reforming their Tengri Faith, the Mongols and Cumans now march together into what could be the greatest threat Hungary has ever faced in their history. Damning the Hungarians for "apostasy", they declared Holy War and were intent on subjugating Hungary to the Hordes. Genghis Khan's armies would soon clash with possibly all of Christendom, which was a convenient distraction for Lithuania.

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:yeah:

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Never change, Denmark, never change.

Meanwhile, Lithuania continues to stockpile wealth, Dausprungas has better uses to it than to waste it right now, and if the Teutonic Order loses again to Denmark, it may be time to strike back.

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Catching up to the West seems more important than some extra troops that will barely make a difference in war. It is a good thing Lithuania has masters of intrigue and hitman jobs to speed up their advances, specially when such spy operations are combined with the research efforts of great advisors in their fields of expertise.

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Mindaugas complained about not being married, and the best option there was, to ensure no prestige loss, was if anything exotice, and too young yet. Time will tell if he will like this unusual bride for a Lithuanian or not.

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The hordes march against Hungary, and great battles were fought across the Carpathians.

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While awaiting for their levies to be at their maximum strength, Dausprungas started a traditional Romuva event.

(Note: this is the only Romuva-exclusive feature in the Norse Old Gods expansion, AFAIK)

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Dausprungas "The Impaler of Christ" would be a nice title, but first he needs enough prestige to deserve one.

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There is not much to say about this.

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Sometimes, it ends like a mess.

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And with the festival over, the spirits are high, and they should be, for soon it will be a time for war.

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Viking Invasion

The treasury could afford swords for hire, if necessary, for the time has come to fight back against the Crusaders, defeated twice by treacherous Denmark. To victory!

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PERKUNAS! PERKUNAS! PERKUNAS! Despite having lost the war to Denmark the Teutonic Order still had a massive army with countless knights after all! There goes a lot of the treasury, for the only hope of victory lies in hiring the nomadic horse archers to bolster the Lithuanian army, else they would be annihilated by the numerically and better equipped Teutonic Order.

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The gods and raiders make the Teutonic Order pay a high price for besieging Lithuania. The mercenaries and the Lithuanian levies are assembled together as they prepare to strike back.

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First, they hunt down isolated enemy forces. The Pechenegs are truly formidable, their horse archers wiping out retreating enemies and leaving none alive. Immediately after, they march to crush the Teutonic Order, but the Order will be far from defeated even now that, thanks to the gold stockpiled, mercenaries have turned the tide of this war, for this will be only one of many wars yet to be fought against the crusaders.

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Tautvilas became a capable, if uninspired military leader. If he lacks the wit to avoid being killed by his stepmother, he does not deserve to live, for he ended barely better than his father. It is with the quick, intelligent youngest son that Lithuania could have a better future.

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Thanks to the Danes for keeping the Teutonic Order too busy to wage crusades while Lithuania was too poor to hire mercenaries!

It was however far from a crushing and total defeat, and the Order would not give up so easily. Most of Prussia remains subjugated, and of the remaining parts of it, most have been converted to their odious religion. Now, while the truce is at hand, with much more limited funds, Dausprungas must tread carefully about further expansionism, lest he pokes a hornet's nest.

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Laws were being enacted to increase the power of Lithuania at the expense of the vassals, for their enemies were all around them, if divided, and the conquest of Samland was very little, far from enough to secure the future sovereignty of Lietuva. Due to the many problems of ruling over those who worship other gods, it was chosen to liberate or unite all who worship Dievas first, to only then attempt to expand through heathen territories within the de Jure kingdom of Lithuania.

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And of the few remaining faithful people spite of constant conversion efforts, the Lettgalians of Daugava have long yearned to be free to worship their gods again. This is a risky bid, but to do nothing is to invite defeat. For whenever people of different faiths meet, there is only war. DEATH TO RUSSIA!

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While the war began, with the Lithuanian armies again bolstered by hired blades, the devious conspiracy of Tautvilas' stepmother succeeded, and now the much more intelligent Rimvydas not only was set to become the new High Chief, but Lithuania would not be divided internally by Gavelkind succession. The hitmen responsible, being truly masters of their craft, were never caught.

JUST AS PLANNED.

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The liege of Daugava has called support from other of the damn Russians, but they remained outnumbered. The conquest of Daugava seemed almost certain, and there would be no division of the inheritance of Dausprungas once he meets the gods thanks to the devious but extremely useful work of the Lithuanian Hitmen. Yet, what if Dausprungas poked a hornet's nest and if there were much, much larger legions of Russian forces marching against Lithuania right now? Will he win the war before the coffers run dry from paying so many mercenaries?

TO BE CONTINUED
 
Last edited:

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
This made me wonder what would be the hitmen matron deity anyway.

Fixed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giltine#Demonic_beings

Giltine - goddess of death, also The Reaper. Other names include Kaulinycia, Maras (black death or the Plague), Maro mergos, Kolera, Pavietre, Kapiniu zmogus. Her sacral bird is the owl. Sometimes she was considered to be a sister of Laima (luck).

DEATH FOR THE DEATH GODDESS*!

*Happily united forever with Phelot Street Lethal

:salute:

====================================

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Poking the Bear with a short stick

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While the most important fortifications in Daugava were conquered by Lithuania, unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the great Tengri holy war for Hungary has failed, in spite of the massive Mongol Empire at their side.

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On the course of this struggle for Daugava, now there would arrive good and bad news. The Good news is:

The Russians now are fighting each other as well.

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As for the bad news... the coffers ran dry, the mercenaries had to be dismissed and the Russians have assembled a massive legion that now marched against Vilnius. Vilnius must hold long enough for the small army of Lithuania to pillage one of the allies of Smolensk in this war for the sake of gathering enough funds to hire more mercenaries, or everything will be lost. The Russians were far more united than it seemed, after all.

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Dausprungas was decided to not give up so easily. Daugava was one of the two last regions with a Romuva majority they have failed to convert to their cross, and that massive Russian horde was suffering heavily to attrition as they besieged Vilnius. There was still hope, no matter how small.

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"Leave nothing of value behind, loot everything from these oppressors of the Lettgalians!" Ordered the aging Dausprungas. And finally, although Vilnius fell, with the newfound gold, more mercenaries were hired and the greatly diminished Russian Legion would soon pay a heavy price.

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A great battle was fought over Podlasie, where one one the Rurikovich was slain. Most of their army paid a high price in lives lost to the winter and to the muddy season, and now they were almost certainly going to lose.

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"I warned you Dausprungas. Pillage the Rus all you want, but never rape their women, for they are all dirty and disease-ridden!" Mindaugas said when Dausprungas told him he got something shortly after the pillaging of that Russian region.

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Although an entire Russian horde was annihilated, the damn Russians refused to cede Daugava. Yet, despite ridden with VD, Dausprungas stubbornly refused to give up Daugava this easily.

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And he was willing to go to any extent to be able to afford the critically needed mercenaries for as long as possible.

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Daugava was once again retaken, but the Russians still refused to cede it, while the veneral disease was getting worse every day, and Dausprungas health became more and more frail.

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And so, with 48 years of age, Dausprungas died because of being a lecherous old man during a pillage and forgetting that Russians, as Vaarna knows pretty well, are all dirty scum. There is a strong symbollism in such an ambitious and power-hungry High Chief dying because of where he placed his phallus, but it does not matter. In spite of his shortcomings and of his now mostly seen as foolish decision of starting a war with the Russians, he was a good ruler, and now one too young but with far more potential succeeds his father. Long Live Rimvydas I!

For now Mindaugas, the Master of Hitmen and Spies of Lithuania assumes the rule as regent.

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Being hitman is in the blood, sometimes it shows in impulsive acts that may be pretty deadly, but Rimvydas had enough self control to not be overtaken by killer instinct, for Mindaugas didn't deserve it, as long as he wasn't plotting to kill such a bright kid. He shouldn't be, considering he has no children.

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While the war against the Russians dragged on and on, Rimvydas began to become very proud of himself, of his legacy and of his superior Neanderthal descent and intellect. Educated by Mindaugas to aspire into becoming a great Lithuanian Hitman King, he was learning the craft pretty fast, perhaps too fast.

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But his training as hitman was suddenly interrupted when his uncle Mindaugas died because of illness. Another relative assumed as regent, while the kid, in a change of mind, has chosen the tutelage of a great Lithuanian general instead.

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The fight for Daugava carries on, while the coffers of Lithuania grow thanks to ransoms charged for the release of captured prisoners of war.

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A new Lithuanian Prussian Hitman, even more skilled than the deceased uncle Mindaugas, is chosen to fill the vacancy as the master of all hitmen and spies. Mindaugas died of illness, right?

Eventually, another massive Russian legion caught an army defending Vilnius by surprise. Mercenaries were hired and marched to save what would otherwise be a lost battle.

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They arrived just in time, defeating the Russians, but at a high price. Yet, after so many defeats, the arrogant Russians still refused to cede Daugava. Would Rimvydas grow up with this war still being fought?

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Rimvydas became a skilled tactician, and immediately, with only 13 years of age, he has chosen to directly lead the Lithuanian forces onto battle for this war which has possibly already costed more than the worth of Daugava, yet, with stubborn determination, he was determined to crush these Russians.

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As soon as there was a large enough army for it...

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In a risky bid, with barely enough wealth, mercenaries were hired to put an end to the enemy siege. Leading such an army Rimvydas gained much experience in the battlefield and proved his worth. His introverted nature, inherited from the Neanderthals, and his significant hostility to "extroverts" had little impact when he was leading men to battle, where his shyness suddenly disappeared, completely overshadowed by his bravery and skill.

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The Russians have lost much, but they still insist on raising levies again, and again, and again... yet Lithuania's coffers again ran dry, and now only a token force was left. The Russians had more than enough men to bleed for their "Dvina", but not all is lost yet for Lithuania.

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Rimvydas got married with a master theologian and had a daughter along this conflict that never ended, and more than once the sieges against Vilnius destroyed valuable infrastructure that won't be cheap to rebuild, arguably the material loss of this war is greater than the worth of Daugava, except for one detail: Daugava is one step closer to the formation of a Kingdom of Lithuania.

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Unfortunately, his first child was born in poor health, and didn't live much longer. Meanwhile, finally a solution was found to the many financial problems Lithuania was facing as they had to keep a balance between having enough manpower to defeat the Russians and not going bankrupt. Although mostly made of light infantry, a band of Lappish mercenaries was exactly what they needed to hopefully finish this war for once and all.

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But the war carried on, for the Russians seemed to be able to send more and more men to this endless sacrifice, and it was hurting Lithuania. At this point though, nothing other than victory would be acceptable.

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Meanwhile, the Yatvyagi chief ambitiously attempted to take over Galindia, the last region of Prussia where the old faith still resists in spite of the Teutonic oppression. However, they were doomed to lose such a war, something that wouldn't help at all with the weak moral authority of the Romuva faith. This also made winning Daugava even more important, after such a long war for a piece of land.

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The defenders of Lithuania are brave men, to whom any odds of victory in this long and bloody conflict are also owed. With the most important fortifications in Daugava again taken, it is time to liberate Vilnius and crush another Russian horde.

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They were, for the nth time, hunted down and crushed, but soon they would raise more levies and again send them to die in Lithuania. Daugava was besieged by the Lithuanian armies and Lappish mercenaries again, but then, a massive Russian horde advanced, that had numerical superiority to make it worse. Yet in their confidence about numbers, they sent a part of such horde with poor morale and organization to the fray, and hopeful, Rimvydas has chosen to stand and fight for Daugava against those near six thousand Russians

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Rymvidas led the central forces in an attempt to quickly break through the demoralized enemy's center and support the outnumbered flanks of his army. His success in though was the best hope of turning the tide of this battle in Lithuania's favor.

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The enemy army, despite their numerical superiority, was crushed, but the good Mayor Minigaila, the marshall of Lithuania, died bravely in this battle, as did many good men. Yet, here, in this August of 1246, after more than ten years of war, a decisive battle was coming to a victorious end.

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The Russians were utterly vanquished at Daugava in spite of their slight numerical superiority, in a truly glorious victory for Lithuania, and yet, after even another defeat, they arrogantly still refused to let Daugava go back to the Baltic peoples to whom it belonged.

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And worse, the bastards continued calling their fellow Russians again and again, but Rimvydas was too stubborn to give up Daugava now that so many sacrifices were made in the fight for it.

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And after so much struggle, in March of 1248, the Russian legions were so utterly vanquished that at last, total victory seemed to be close. Their conquest of Daugava only had to hold long enough now, and all the buildings and infrastructure burned to enemy sieges and all the good men who died in over ten years of total war against near every Russian prince and boyar would not be in vain.

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Then at last, victory!

This was an insanely difficult war, which costs may have been far greater than the real worth of Daugava, but at least, after it lasted for so long, this war was won, and most importantly, the way the Russians were utterly crushed several times gave much prestige to the still young Rimvydas, whose skills as a general were proven in the battlefield. Now Galindia is the last region of the Baltics that still resists the missionaries of the crucified god, but Lithuania is far from being in any financial condition to stand a chance against the still mighty Teutonic Order any time soon, in spite of their lost of part of Prussia to native Prussians, to which they have little justification to wage war, for these natives have acclaimed a Catholic Prussian rather than German count to rule their lands.

There are also internal problems, and big ones, first the fact the demesne is way over what could be optimally ruled, second the fact Rimvydas lost his only child and his very life is in danger because a traitorous uncle plots to kill him so he can rule over Lithuania, something he missed because of being too focused on the long and bloody war fought against the Russians for Daugava, now firmly in Lithuanian hands.

Maybe it would be best to get married with a lustful wife than with a master theologian, but there is no one that fits that requirement among the ever dwindling pagans of the world. If he continues childless for too long, a divorce may be necessary.

TO BE CONTINUED
 

Cassidy

Arcane
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Messages
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I think it is time for a new page.

Also, the increased attrition to enemies besieging pagan provinces is OP as fuck, but eventually they will advance to a point of military organization where such penalty ceases to exist.

As for the Mongols, they are apparently mostly focusing on the middle east, and in spite of Temujinn's death, their empire remains united, and they might have managed to change the succession laws.
 

Cassidy

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The war against the Russians for Daugava was really on the edge between victory and defeat. One mistake or more bad luck and it would have been lost.
 

Ackermanus

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Bump for the Hitman God!

Really liked your strategy of sending the army to loot nearby lands to hire mercenaries in the middle of a war. Wouldn't have come up with it myself especially in a losing battle.

Also, the disease which tragically ended Dausprungas' life was brought upon by failure to provide enough assassinations during the war and the kinslaying. Hoping for more hitmen action against the enemies of potato next update.
 

Cassidy

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the disease which tragically ended Dausprungas' life was brought upon by failure to provide enough assassinations during the war and the kinslaying. Hoping for more hitmen action against the enemies of potato next update.

But Lithuanian Hitman too classy and prestigious to accept potato instead of gold as payment and Lithuania lacks gold and will take time to be rich because Tupac aliv in Serbia not Lithuania.

One more comment to go I'm doing it myself.
 

Cassidy

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Sometimes, the religion of peace will march right onto France, other times the AI will form the Catholic Empire of Hispania. The lack of predictability is fun.
 

Cassidy

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And this should be page 2. You may have noticed I never tried to conquer non Romuva provinces even if there was arguably a very good window of opportunity for doing so, and for a good reason. Non-reformed pagans suck at gaining new converts for obvious reasons, and once they have Catholics or Orthodox under their rule, it won't be long before all sorts of happenings start going on. Besides liberating as many pagan provinces as possible before they are converted will be helpful to ensure a less chaotic Kingdom of Lithuania, but any tries at serious expansion will bring new outside and inside enemies, with the latter being potentially painful to deal with.

=====================

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Birth of a Baltic Kingdom

Skyforger: Deviņvīru Spēks

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With the war over, the High Chief began to take care of threats to his very life inside Lietuva. Traidenis was a traitor, plotting to kill Rimvydas so he could replace him. He was put in his place, but he was not the only one.

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A completely insane Lithuanian woman was Traidenis' accomplice. When questioned about the motivations to attempt killing the High Chief, she simply answered a lot of gibberish from which only a little was understood, as:

HOPW ROEWR NE

And perhaps Rimvydas was as crazy as her, considering he made someone who was plotting to kill him into his bitch. The way she spoke was completely nonsensical, like the words of the mad, but behind such insanity lied an extremely devious and prosperous mind, and Rymvidas knew it. He hoped for his dynasty to inherity the prosperity and wisdom behind the madwoman. And of all possible things, he was turned on by totally insane women, something it didn't took long for the usual suspects to find out.

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The recent conquests expanded the extent of Lithuania beyond what its ruler could effectively rule on his own, and thus he began to distribute some claims, hoping to not be backstabbed by the new vassals, a very foolish hope considering how things work in such day and age, specially in the land of the greatest spies and hitmen.

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The Duchy of Zemaitija attempted to fight against the Livonians, but they have failed, while Lithuania prepared to, once such conflict is over with another unfortunate defeat for the Romuva faith, take another decisive step into uniting the last faithful to the Baltic gods under one and only one ruler.

Also, for reasons beyond his comprehension, he gained the moniker of "The Unready". He appreciated how nonsensical such title was considering he was anything but unready or a failure, having defeated near every Russian before.

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Rymvidas' mother died too young maybe, but such is life.

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Ungrateful Prussian scum! Without Rymvidas he would be neither the master of spies and hitmen nor the chief of those free Prussian lands, instead, he would have nothing, and now he dares to pull such a dishonorable move? Go back to licking kraut boots!

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At least they can't excommunicate anybody. Such an idea is so ridiculous. Rymvidas is a man devoted to the gods, but he sees why there is little future for his faith in its current situation, but changing it for the better won't be easy, and perhaps better left to his future kin, for to wage wars hastily for such a goal could doom Lithuania rather than get them any close to achieving the same the Mongols did with their reformation of the Tengri faith.

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Rymvidas may lack greater ambition, but he will not simply stand idle while the Kingdom of Lithuania is so close to being established.

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Another war among relatives, but for a greater good. It is time to unite all free Baltic peoples for good.

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The traitorous Prussian thinks this war will give him the chance of breaking away. Truly a short-sighted and dumb man that does not deserve even the title of outhouse cleaner, for to declare independence from Lithuania as an insignificant county is to invite the Teutonic Order or other zealots to subjugate them. He will be put in his place.

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Why do you not accept potato as payment, Lithuanian Hitman? Without expendable gold to risk into finishing this the quick if less honorable way, a price will have to be paid in blood for the unity of the last Romuva.

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While wars were waged to ensure the unity of all Baltic peoples in these trying times, Rymvidas had his first son, also named Dausprungas as his grandfather.

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Dausprungas inherited the quite above average smarts of his father, and there was someone perfect to ensure a lineage of Lithuanian rulers that have more to do with Neanderthal 180 IQ geniuses than with spear-chucking manboons. As for the methods to know how an 1-year old baby is a genius... of course the gods grant such valuable knowledge through powers of divination through an obscure method known "Clevemancy". Also, Asians have naturally a larger pool of superhuman heritage, as the gods have spoken.

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Some peasants still faithful to the old gods have tried futilely to challenge the powerful Teutonic Order, and obviously they have failed. A few took refuge in Lithuania. Some have proven to have both courage and military leadership skills, but many will die before they can serve the mightier Lithuanian army against their common foe, their spirits broken by their previous failure.

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Since his previous spymaster betrayed him as soon as he was given a county (Memo: NEVER give landed titles to masters of spies and hitmen for they are too devious to stay loyal after having those, specially if they are Prussian instead of Lithuanian), there was only one person truly capable to assume such a position, and when the news first came in the court, many whispered that Rymvidas was even more insane than his prosperous concubine, considering he just appointed someone who plotted to kill him in the past as a spymaster. They are obvious fools, for they have never seen the enlightenment of the face, the face that never remembered, something that cannot be explained in words. And there was simply nobody else left to be appointed as good in plotting, commanding Lithuanian Hitmen and spies as Prosper's great great great great.... grandmother her, a master in her craft in spite of her deranged mind, capable of gathering secret information through mysterious ways not even the best spies working with her could find out about.

One of her most notorious crazy quirks besides talking mostly gibberish and apparently knowing of secrets through mysterious means without ever getting caught overhearing them, if she even has to do that to discover them, is how she never shows up during daylight

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The war itself for defeating the traitorious Prussian and conquering Zemaitija was far from difficult, and it would soon be won.

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But even "easy" wars bring experience. Funny how this didn't happen while the Russian hordes were driven back.

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Hopefully not all sons of Rymvidas will die, making Svajonc have to assume the throne in spite of the usual hostility every time this happens, of course not as bad as the chauvinism of the Christians, and specially of the turbanheads, but still there, so hopefully she won't have to succeed, and not by dying first than other possible future daughters. Of course, there was one problem with have too many sons... or having a lot of daughters and losing all sons as well.

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That is the problem. There is a solution, but it would cause a waste of all the Lithuanian espionage benefits to Vilnius, for transferring everything to the immediate heir would shift the capital of Lithuania to a more backwards place.

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Rymvidas had two sons, a daughter and now his mind was only focused on the future of his dynasty and of all Balts. Gavelkind would eventually bring disunity again unless a single greater title was created to honor the Gediminaitis, the Kingdom of Lithuania. Rymvidas merely desired to free the last Romuva from oppression and unite them under a kingdom, which was quite "content" for Lithuanian standards.

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Svajone died long before aging did its worst to her. Nobody needs to know the details on how she died creating her masterpiece, painting something truly prosperous and Cyclopean that merely gazing at causes visions of madness, hidden deep in Vilnius beyond the sight of men, for some things are not meant to be seen. Nor people should widely know she painted it using her eviscerated intestine as a tool. Rymvidas was never the same again after witnessing ITZ: he thought himself guilty for her death, because the abuses he have done, because of exploiting her madness to satiate his lust and use her as a tool and as a bitch. He almost forgot all happened because she was plotting to kill him for the sake of hopw roewr ne, whatever that is.

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There is little left of the Romuva true faith, but Rymvidas will rule over all those lands one day, or he hopes to. The Prussian traitor lost and was arrested. Interestingly, in one of the Prussian provinces, slowly Lithuanization happened, in no small part aided by similarities in language, culture and faith among both peoples.

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The way his crazy concubine died changed Rymvidas, and in some ways, it shaped him into a better man.

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A better man capable of refusing to cave in to the desire for sadistic practices of the non consensual kind.

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A better man that finally united all free Romuva peoples in the Baltic under one kingdom. Now, the formation of the Kingdom of Lithuania was not far at all, and it required one more conquest, while conveniently, or perhaps not so conveniently, there was only one region where the old gods of the Balts still are worshipped in spite of German oppression: Galindia.

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Another traitor was starting trouble, foolishly thinking he could survive independently with the Livonian Order right next to his country, while preparations were on the way for defeating the Teutonic Order for a second time and freeing Galindia, and this traitor plotting for independence was Rymvidas' father-in-law.

With a family like this, who needs enemies?

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He foolishly did it, and paid the price for it. He's going to stay locked up until he dies.

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Powerful as it were, against horse archers, the well equipped and armored but slow moving infantry and relatively slow cavalry of the Teutonic Order would stand no chance.

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It was time for the last step, for freeing the last Romuva from oppression. Showing how weak the once proud Teutonic Order has become, peasants have defected to an independent Prussian country, but unfortunately their ruler, in spite of speaking a Baltic language, was a Catholic whose family has long forsaken the gods. The crucified god's religion was much more attractive to most people. Convincing those who have converted to turn back to the old bay would be very difficult, if not borderline impossible, even by the greatest seers and priests of Lithuania.

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How the mighty have fallen... alas, the so called Roman Empire has been in constant decline ever since they abandoned their old gods, and even before, but converting to the religion of the weak sheep, the religion of the unfree, that has only accelerated such decline that reached its apex now, with such "Empire" standing on the verge of death. Now, ironically considering how they fought each other in the Fourth Crusade, the Pope has issued a crusade to attempt fixing their own mistake, for it was only thanks to them, and to Venice in special, that the worst turk have almost completely conquered the Anatolia such arrogant hypocrite now calls a crusade against, for their barely surviving "Latin Empire" is being directly threatened by the "Sultanate of Rum", with Rum being how the Turks call Rome, as they daringly proclaim themselves as the successors and conquerors of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Good, for this will keep their attention away from the Baltic, which is never a bad thing to happen. May Muslims and Christians slaughter each other equally and in great numbers. And there are Mongols too who may see such conflict as an opportunity for pushing their own Empire further to the west. There will definitively be much blood shed in Anatolia, for their false gods in name, but for greed in truth.

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That is funny, considering they could simply declare one of their "holy wars" if they dared instead of going through the effort of fabricating claims. In any case, that is a job for those whose art has its true apex and greatest form in Lithuania.

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No prayers or guards can stop the great Lithuanian Hitmen from doing their job well.

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Eventually, with them heavily devastated by attrition, their welcome party arrived, a welcome party hosted by Giltine, obviously.

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Galindia was freed, and at last, everything was ready for Rymvidas to achieve the dream of his father, and for now, remain content with such achievement because anything further will be fraught with peril and great risk, because there are no more followers of the Baltic gods anywhere Lithuania does not rule over.

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And thus, he became the first King of Lithuania, in no small part thanks to his previous victory against numerically superior Russian armies. Then why did he gain the title of "The Unready", by Perkunas' first hammer? In his own words:

In my spare time
I write a grimoire:
Unready

:yeah:

TO BE CONTINUED

Note: Perkunas is known as "the stone smith", being a both a smith and nature god in Baltic Mythology, and he rides a chariot of fire and stone or red iron wielding a sledgehammer, among other weapons to fight his rival Velnias, so I'm already imagining how the Reformed Romuva religion churches will look like.
 
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