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Description: England in 1066 is a place of pure chaos, with invading armies, a king elected out of convenience by the witan, and the cultural divides of the isles coming to a head anything is possible. There are events and moments in human history where the paths of possibility branch in countless ways and this is one of them. Tostig Godwinson, the King’s brother whose tyranny in Northumbria almost led their family to ruin, has fled to Norway and convinced the Norwegian monarch to set sail across the North sea with a great army. William the bastard is a man as ambitious as he is capable. He was promised the throne by Edward the confessor just like every other man in England, but unlike them he has the army to back it up. And of course there is Herald Godwinson and his brothers who support him. The Godwinsons are a family who, although they are powerful, are very recent. Much like many of the recent nobility they were given their power by King Cnut. These great and powerful men all seek the throne of England and the great power it brings, but only one will sit on it in the end. Their armies are great along, but it is the Dukes and Earls of England who could be that which changes the tide. England is not a centralized country and much of its power does not fall under the king. A promise here, a threat there, who knows what such things could do to this balance of power. Yet the battle for the throne is only the first chapter of this story. Fighting a war is simple, ruling a kingdom is not. When the throne sits firmly upon the new king he must go about gaining the loyalty of his vassals, dealing with the ever turbulent and hostile Scots, and placating the Welsh and the emerald isle. This is a chance to see history follow the route we know or see it branch off in an infinite number of paths. What character will you play in the Fate of England? What deeds will you have and will your family last the test of time as one anointed to rule other men, or be lost to the ancient pages of history? This is a scenario that is as complex as it is iconic.
Setting: The British Isles in 1066 are a complicated place in almost every way. The old Anglo-Saxon culture that has dominated for recent history after the migration of their peoples hundreds of years before is threatened by Viking invaders and their foreign culture and religion. This is not new situation though as vikings raids and invasions have been ongoing for centuries as well, yet despite this England remains entirely Anglo-Saxon having managed to for the most part keep their identity. The Normans to the south are the descendents of Rollo. They traded their history for power and rose to great prominence in France for this choice, but this is not enough for the Bastard. They would bring their own ways and culture, but it is of a much more similar sort than the norse. The Scots are still greatly powerful but are very decentralized having numerous vassals with great power, and a king who rules with their acceptance alone. Ireland and Wales are independent but divided, their own squabbles making them weak to any united force outside. The Western Isles, Northern Isles, and Mann all contain the remnants of the last great viking invaders. There are many cultures, religions, and powers at play here that seek power and domination.
What is my role in this: There are a number of characters to play in this story. You will pick on to play and through their traits, history, and story weave yourself into the fabric of this game. Remember, the greatest stories are often not those of kings but rather, the few who manage to define the paths of their people without holding great power. No matter what level you sit on CK3 provides you much you can do without holding great power. Do not let your preconceptions of the game and its mechanics stop you from doing anything you can imagine within reason.
Groups and Factions:
House Godwin:
The House of Godwin is a noble house that gained power under King Cnut although there is evidence to suggest they held some small power before. They managed to slowly rise after this but their true power was gained under Edward the Confessor whose poor judgment led to him giving the Godwin family control over huge portions of southern England. Currently Herald Godwinson sits on the throne and his brothers control large holdings to back him making their family the strongest in England. Unrooting their power will not be easy.
House Wessex:
The house of Wessex controlled the throne of England for most of its recent history and is a name synonymous with that of England herself. Alfred the great bore their family name and founded the Kingdom. Before that they ruled southern England under the Kingdom of Wessex which was known for its enormous power and connection to mainland Europe. Although they have been ousted from power many in England still hold great respect to their family name and would agree that they are the true heirs to the throne.
House Hwicce:
These are not old nobility, they are the result of hard work and luck leading to their family having been catapulted into being one of the greatest families in England. Mercia became controlled by their family two generations before and the title went to Edwin who controlled the most powerful holding in England. When Tostig Godwinson was chased out of England for his tyranny Edwin and his brother Morcar marched on Northumbria and supported the rebels, gaining the support of the people for Morcar. When peace was negotiated with the king Morcar gained this holding and together their family controls the most men and land in the Isles.They must be careful to guard their new power as wolves circle…
The Catholic Church:
The Church exerts an influence few others can in the form of divine power and the voice of the lord on earth. It is through their blessing and damnation that one's very soul are balanced, if you choose to believe… Regardless of religious belief they control huge amounts of lands and their churches give the leaders of Europe much of their legitimacy. A holy man is always listened to and a wise one given access to places most would not. They are never to be ignored.
The Wittan: The nobles with great titles in England are given voting power over who the next king will be. Although bloodline succession is generally preferred there is no certainty this will happen. Nobles use their votes to secure concessions and power with any would-be king and although it sounds noble in name it is rarely so in reality. To secure a lineage on the throne and a valid heir the Wittan must approve them.
The Crusaders: Although no crusades have begun at the start of this scenario this does not last for long. The crusades provide the chance to prove ones love of God but also to gain great wealth and power as money and titles are always possible. Once the Crusades have begun there will be plenty of young men seeking adventure and glory in the holy land as well as a rising power in the Christian Holy Orders who exert huge power through their granted holdings and capable commanders and knights.
ECONOMY:
England is an entirely agrarian system as the feudal system works as basically lending out land from the King and his edelman to lords who work the land making food to keep the basic economy and needs of the people cared for. Wool is also incredibly valuable as it is used for exports to mainland Europe and to produce the clothing for all of England. There are of course all manner of other professions such as armorers, scribes, tanners, brewers, etc but they make up the small artisan portion of the economy.
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