Deus Vult: The First Crusade [OOC]

[Austria and Bavaria]

Deus Vult: The First Crusade



"This land which you inhabit, shut in on all sides by the seas and surrounded by the mountain peaks, is too narrow for your large population; nor does it abound in wealth; and it furnishes scarcely food enough for its cultivators. Hence it is that you murder one another, that you wage war, and that frequently you perish by mutual wounds. Let therefore hatred depart from among you, let your quarrels end, let wars cease, and let all dissensions and controversies slumber. Enter upon the road to the Holy Sepulchre; wrest that land from the wicked race, and subject it to yourselves ... God has conferred upon you above all nations great glory in arms. Accordingly undertake this journey for the remission of your sins, with the assurance of the imperishable glory of the Kingdom of Heaven." - Pope Urban II

It is the year of our lord 1096. His Holiness Pope Urban II has, at the request of the Byzantine Emperor, called for a Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the Infidel. The lords of Europe must now put asides their petty quarrels, take up the cross and reclaim the Holy Land for Christendom! God wills it!

Hello, and welcome to my latest RP. Here, you shall be roleplaying as a Crusading Lord, who has pledged himself to liberate the Holy Land from the Infidel. You have just arrived in Constantinople, capitol of the Byzantine Empire, to meet with Alexios Komemnos, the Byzantine Emperor, at whose request you have been sent to the Holy Land.

~Dramatis Personae~

Player Characters:

Cardinal Mario di Ravenna, Papal Legate - Chan Island

Manluas Hendrikilopos, Duke of Thessaloniki - Military Lands of the Scottish People

Louis, Count of Flanders - Austria and Bavaria

Pol Albrecht - Wessexx

Ylva Eriksdotter - Kinky Bastards

Nicola Alesi - Camelone

Robert Jeffrey Cole - Arlye Austros

Faust Jaques - Wessexx

NPC Characters:
Alexios Komemnos - Byzantine Emperor

Anna Komemna - Daughter of the Byzantine Emperor, future author of the Alexiad

Urban II - Pope

Kilij Arslan I - Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum

Abūl-Qāsim ’Ahmad al-Mustā‘lī bil-Lāh - Fatimid Caliph

Kostandin I - Lord of Armenian Cilicia

Yaghi-Siyan - Seljuk Governor of Antioch

Duqaq - Emir of Damascus

Kerbogha - Seljuk Atabeg of Mosul

Fakhr al-Mulk Radwan - Sultan of Aleppo

Danishmend Gazi - Melik of the Danishmends

Al-Afdal Shahanshah - Vizier to the Fatimid Calpihate

Iftikhar al-Dawla - Fatimid General

Theme Song: https://youtu.be/GvrOlKUUSlI

IC: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=366401

A note on applications:

You need not use a historical lord, but you must play as a Christian Crusader. You cannot play as a lord of a rank any higher than Prince, no Kings or Emperors.

App:

Code: Select all


[b][size=150]Character Info[/size][/b]
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Nationality:
Place of Birth:
Social Status: (Duke, Bishop, Monk, Knight, etc.)
Appearance: (Picture is required)
Character traits:
Biography: (At least 1-2 paragraphs)

[b][size=150]Army Info[/size][/b]
Army Size:
Army Composition: (Please include descriptions of troops, such as morale, quality, etc.)
Army Morale: (On an scale of 1-10)


[Austria and Bavaria]

Character Info
Name: Louis, Count of Flanders.
Age: 25.
Gender: Male.
Nationality: Flemish/French.
Place of Birth: Bruges, Flanders.
Social Status: Count.
Appearance:

Character traits: Zealous, Charismatic, Pious, Bold, Inexperienced.
Biography: Count Louis was born in Bruges, Flanders, in 1071, the eldest son of Count Robert of Flanders. Louis became Count in 1093 after the death of his father. Due to his great piety and zeal for the Catholic Faith, Count Louis was one of the first lords to take up the cross. He has invested much of his personal wealth into the Crusade, and has spared no expense in his quest to free Jerusalem from the Infidel.

Army Info
Army Size: 5,200 Men.
Army Composition: 2,500 Flemish Levy Infantry, 1,300 Men at Arms, 500 Archers, 900 Knights.
Army Morale: 8.

[Greatest Canaan]

WIP
Character Info
Name: Achille Devereaux
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Nationality: French
Place of Birth: Vermandois
Social Status: Knight
Appearance:

Character traits: Strong, tall, short-tempered
Biography: (At least 1-2 paragraphs)

Army Info
Army Size: 150
Army Composition: (Please include descriptions of troops, such as morale, quality, etc.)
Army Morale: 5

[Rudaslavia]

I'll tag this.

[Austria and Bavaria]

Added a Dramatis Personae.

[Austria and Bavaria]

Btw, I will need someone to play the Papal Legate if that is possible.

[Kinky Bastards]

I know it wasn't so historically, but would it be okay to say that the Norwegian crusade happened at the same time as a part of, instead of shortly afterwards, the first crusade, in order to play a Norwegian character?

[Austria and Bavaria]

I know it wasn't so historically, but would it be okay to say that the Norwegian crusade happened at the same time as a part of, instead of shortly afterwards, the first crusade, in order to play a Norwegian character?

You can certainly be a Norwegian Crusader, but The Norwegian Crusade is not going to be part of the First Crusade.

[Raktio]

cool To Glory!

[Greater Liverpool]

Character Info
Name: Alexandr Problesnka
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Nationality: Russian
Place of Birth: Moscow Russia
Social Status: 3rd Heir Prince to the Throne of the Kievian Rus
Appearance:

Character traits:
Biography: (At least 1-2 paragraphs)

Army Info
Army Size:
Army Composition: (Please include descriptions of troops, such as morale, quality, etc.)
Army Morale: (On an scale of 1-10)

[Austria and Bavaria]

Character Info
Name: Alexandr Problesnka
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Nationality: Russian
Place of Birth: Moscow Russia
Social Status: 3rd Heir Prince to the Throne of the Kievian Rus
Appearance:

(Image)

Character traits:
Biography: (At least 1-2 paragraphs)

Army Info
Army Size:
Army Composition: (Please include descriptions of troops, such as morale, quality, etc.)
Army Morale: (On an scale of 1-10)

I am quite interested in how you are going to get the backstory for an Orthodox Russian Crusader.

[Austria and Bavaria]

IC should be up sometime tomorrow.

[Camelone]

Tagged.

[Kinky Bastards]

Character Info
Name: Orm Sigurdsson
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Nationality: Swedish
Place of Birth: Sigtuna
Social Status: Stormannason (Son of a magnate. This is before Sweden had any real nobility, and even less so titles, but they had what was called stormän, "great men", who were powerful, rich, and wealthy.)
Appearance:

Character traits: Bit of a closet pagan. Sure, he was ready to fight for, defend, and even die for Christendom, but his prime motivation for answering the call of the pope was the prospect of glory, adventure, fame, and treasures. Didn’t really mind Saracens.
Biography: Orm was born into one of the most influential and powerful families of Sweden, a family closely allied with the king. A very privilieged background indeed, and Orm recieved the training and education that came with his position. Raised Christian, he still dreamed of the journeys to realms far away that his viking ancestors had ventured on not very long ago. The crusade would later turn out to give him exactly that opportunity. Orm was of course very enthusiastic. However, after a (successfull) raid on the Balearic Islands he was severely wounded, and died later onboard his ship. He never lived to see the Holy Land.

Army Info
Army Size: 1500
Army Composition: 800 foot soldiers, 500 horsemen, 200 archers. Good quality. These are warriors trained from their childhood, the majority of them at least. Some are peasants, but they’re not inexperienced in battle either. The morale is high. So far they have won all of the few battles they’ve had.
Army Morale: 8

Character Info
Name: Ylva Eriksdotter
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Nationality: Swedish
Place of Birth: Sigtuna
Social Status: Orm’s wife (widow), so same status.
Appearance:

Character traits: Like her late husband, bit of a closet pagan, but less so than him. An honourable woman who stands by her word.
Biography: Ylva comes from a background similar to Orm's. Their families were allies, so their love was seen as something good. They married two years ago. Ylva's father, the storman Erik Olofsson, also made sure that she, as his oldest child, would be as proficient in warfare, trade, ship building, and other manly affairs as any man. Not because he was some sort of early feminist, but because he saw to what was most practical. He was of the opinion that all his children should be able to pass on his and the family's legacy and heritage. How else could their power grow?

Anyway. She loved Orm with all her heart, and followed with him on the crusade. She would have followed him to the end of the world, if it had been so. They had both expected that the journey would be more of a pilgrimage for her, but with how things turned out, that's not quite what happpened. After Orm's death, she took up her husband's mantle. She mourned of course, but without a leader it was likely that the whole crusade for their part would end in fiasco. Many of the men were willing to follow Orm, but without him it was far from sure they would want to go to war in an unknown desert. So his death was kept a secret. For the soldiers it would seem as if their leader had recovered from his wounds. In reality, Ylva had taken on his armour. No one saw the difference, at least no one who saw it worth to gossip about. As a stand-in for herself, her own chaimbermaid.

Without the the helmet there's a difference of course, and even more so without the armour, but hopefully she can fool the Byzantine emperor. He doesn't know what Orm looked like anyway, so why not a feminine man? Or she will just have to keep the helmet on.

[Austria and Bavaria]

Just a reminder that the actual fighting has not started. We are starting with a meeting with the Byzantine Emperor.

[Kinky Bastards]

Just a reminder that the actual fighting has not started. We are starting with a meeting with the Byzantine Emperor.

They've encountered pirates along the way, and might have helped a lord along the way in his battles.

[Austria and Bavaria]

Just a reminder that the actual fighting has not started. We are starting with a meeting with the Byzantine Emperor.

They've encountered pirates along the way, and might have helped a lord along the way in his battles.

Ok, that is perfectly fine.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

Oh, taggity tag!

Might be interesting being one of Raymond of Toulouse's followers. Are the historical major leaders from the crusade going to still be there too (Bohemond of taranto, Raymond of Toulouse, Stephen of Blois etc)? And if so will they be NPC or playable?

[Austria and Bavaria]

Oh, taggity tag!

Might be interesting being one of Raymond of Toulouse's followers. Are the historical major leaders from the crusade going to still be there too (Bohemond of Taranto, Raymond of Toulouse, Stephen of Blois etc)? And if so will they be NPC or playable?

The historical leaders will only be there if someone plays as them. The Crusading force will (unless we don't get enough players), be comprised of the player's armies. The NPCs will be Byzantines, Armenians and Turks.

So, if anyone wants to play as Bohemond, Godfrey or Raymond, be my guest.

[Austria and Bavaria]

On that same subject, if someone would please app for someone with a large-ish army, I would appreciate it. At the moment, almost all of the Crusading force if from Flanders.

[Kinky Bastards]

On that same subject, if someone would please app for someone with a large-ish army, I would appreciate it. At the moment, almost all of the Crusading force if from Flanders.

I guess I could increase my army to a couple of thousands. But more than 2000 Swedes might be a bit unrealistic, even if Geates, Danes, and Norwegians also would be included.

[Annihilators of Chan Island]

Oh, taggity tag!

Might be interesting being one of Raymond of Toulouse's followers. Are the historical major leaders from the crusade going to still be there too (Bohemond of Taranto, Raymond of Toulouse, Stephen of Blois etc)? And if so will they be NPC or playable?

The historical leaders will only be there if someone plays as them. The Crusading force will (unless we don't get enough players), be comprised of the player's armies. The NPCs will be Byzantines, Armenians and Turks.

So, if anyone wants to play as Bohemond, Godfrey or Raymond, be my guest.

Alright.

About the large army: sure, I can be a Holy Roman Imperial and bring in a couple thousand zealous Germans.

[Kinky Bastards]

App done.

[Austria and Bavaria]

App done.

Accepted.

[Chan Island]

WIP

Character Info
Name: Mario di Ravenna
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Nationality: Papal States
Place of Birth: Ravenna
Social Status: Cardinal Archbishop
Appearance:

Character traits: Devout, Naive, Planner, Friendly, Charismatic
Biography: Mario was born to a small lord in the papal states, however soon joined the clergy for easier access to God.

He was remarkably suited to the job: genuinely holy and friendly, Mario is a rare priest indeed for refusing to take part in the widespread corruption of the church during this time, holding no real sway in the politicking of the papacy at this time and instead dedicating himself to God.

Urban II's call for crusade electrified this holy man. He immediately set out to raise an army with the intent of liberating Jerusalem. He found the job very easy: zealots from across the Papal States flocked to the good archbishop for the chance of salvation through arms. Most were simple people: peasants, city folk, wandering traders, beggars. The archbishop ensured they were armed, even if simply. Crossbows were issued and those lucky few trained in the use of these weapons. Simple helmets were rushed into the army, ensuring at least one area of protection.

And so it was, that with an army that more resembled Peter the Hermit's army than most of that knights, he set off by land for Constantinople. Being a charismatic archbishop, the king of Hungary was glad to have him come through his lands, and the Byzantines have been accommodating.

Army Info
Army Size: 10000
Army Composition: 5000 peasant soldiers
3000 peasant archers/crossbows
1500 men-at-arms
500 knights.
Most soldiers are attracted to the idea of crusading with a holy archbishop rather than purely the crusade. While the men-at-arms and knights are of good quality (mostly through experience), the peasant soldiery will break if the battle is going badly.
Army Morale: 6