A short update…
The year 800 started with death. Adomnan Leon, son of Concar and Lady Sebdaan, died as a sickly infant despite the best efforts of the court physician. Then, less than a month later, Concar’s Steward Tiernan died. Concar appointed his brother Gradlon to the position; fulfilling Gradlon’s ambition and securing his loyalty, for a time anyway.
Morganne gave Concar another daughter, Moruith Leon. Concar legitimized her as always.
But this was to be the only bright spot of the year. Concar soon received word that raiders from the north known as “Vikings” had started pillaging the coastlines.
But Concar was unable to concentrate on this. The year ended, as it had begun, in death. His former apprentice, friend, lover, and mother of his children Morganne died at the age of 35.
801 dawned with Concar a broken man. He was unable to concentrate due to the loss of his love, falling into a fit of Depression. He began haunting her grave and spending hours, if not days in the taverns, drowning his sorrows. He gained the trait Drunkard.
Finally, after spending half the year grieving, he returned home from visiting Morganne’s grave yet again and found her lucky charm lying on the floor of his chamber. He considered this to be a sign from God. He broke free of his Depression and returned to leading his Kingdom.
The first thing he did was, noticing that his son Morvan and brother Gradlon were not on the best of terms. He invited the two of them out for a night of carousing and, by the end, all of them were friends. Concar was happy to bring his family together.
Then, near the end of the year, Morvan pointed out to him that Hermetic Initiate Wolfari was withholding information from the rest of the Society. He and Concar raided Wolfari’s lab. They found few secrets but came away with gold to help restore the Kingdom’s treasury.
The next year was quiet and Concar concentrated on raising and educating his children. Morvan was promoted to Neophyte within the Hermetic Society and Concar invited his lover Lady Sebdaan to be his new apprentice, perhaps to give him an excuse to spend more time with her. Strangely, her husband Gestin approached him, told him that he admired Concar’s ambition, and asked if Concar would teach him. Concar did, after requesting payment, but it did little to settle the rivalry between the two men. Gestin had even joined his sister (now Queen of East Francia) in her plot against him. ((Seriously Paradox, I think your AI had a hiccup there…))
Despite Concar training him in ambition, or perhaps because of it, Gestin publicly declared Concar and Sebdaan to be adulterers in early 803. This had little effect since it had been common knowledge around the court for some time.
Or, perhaps not too common. Concar was soon approached by an unmarried lady of his court, Lady Rioanon, who showed interest in him. Throwing caution to the winds, Concar reciprocated her interest and they became lovers, this time without an inconvenient husband involved.
Rioanon became pregnant and, before the end of the year, gave birth to another son; Primarhoc Rioanon. As had become his custom, Concar immediately legitimized him.
During that time Mayor Piran, Concar’s Chancellor who had helped him fabricate the claims that allowed him to form his Kingdom, died. Concar replaced him on his Council with Chiyya of Zarechnaya. Chiyya was Jewish and some questioned this decision, but Concar knew Chiyya’s knowledge of Statecraft was unmatched within the Kingdom. Chiyya returned to Domnenea to resume Piran’s work.
Morvan also approached him with Hermetic business. He had received word that a set of lost Hermetic writings had been found and asked Concar to fund an expedition to try to recover them. Concar agreed, but the expedition was delayed as Morvan soon became ill. Concar entrusted him to the aid of his Court Physician.
Early in the next year, Morvan recovered and the expedition set out. Opening the ruins, Concar immediately saw hieroglyphics; their expedition was a success.
Returning to Leon, Concar used this as an opportunity to host a Great Debate among the Hermetic Society. The Debate was a success and Concar was declared the winner. But, he soon had even more exciting news.
Chiyya had formed a claim on Domnonea.
A force of over 20,000 Brittany soldiers fell upon the 400 defenders of Domnonea. The battle was short and bloody but never in doubt. Domnonea’s armies fell almost immediately and a single siege took barely a month.
With the conquest of Domnonea Concar was finally able to form the Duchy of Penthievre. But doing so allowed him to do something else. The Petty Kingdom of Brittany was no more, replaced by the full Kingdom of Breizh!
By becoming a full King, Concar had achieved his ambition and settled down to help his realm prosper. There were no more easy, lone counties for him to take; all of his remaining neighbors were part of West Francia, and he had no desire to fight them even if he didn’t have multiple non-aggression treaties with them.
Finally, at the end of the year, Concar was told by Sebdann that she was once again carrying his child. Concar was content and settled down with his friends, family, and lovers to rule his kingdom.
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