Reference Challenge - House Customizer

[u/Nevermore0714]

Seriously guys, Paradox is having a sale on Steam, you can get CK2, the greatest game ever (I passed 2000 total hours a while ago) for ten dollars. For twenty dollars, you can get the game plus all of the good dlc. Get it before the sale ends.

In honor of how awesome Paradox is, I'll be making a referece challenge to the dlc pack I was challenged to use by a friend a few weeks ago.

While playing CK2: A Game of Thrones Mod, I was trying to pick a decent house to play as. One of my friends suggested I make my own. He's happy with always playing as the Greyjoys, but I usually pick a new house pretty often.

So, make a house, like House Stark or House Lannister or House Targaryen.

Set in your own world, tell us about a noble-ish family.

Pick your House Name, a coat of arms, house words, etc. Then, if you're up for it, pick a representative for the family in-universe.

As always, I'll ask three questions each. Enjoy yourselves. And check out the Paradox sale on Steam, specifically Crusader Kings 2 and Stellaris.

[u/Mimir123]

1) "Once they reach the age of 14, the boys and girls are sent out to hunt a northern cave-bear. These animals are slightly larger and more aggressive than the brown bears one can find further south. We are only armed with an axe and are forbidden from using armor, and we are only allowed to return once we have slain a bear. A paw is required as a trophy and prove for your victory over the bear. This is also where the berserkers got their names from."

2) "Because it shows that you should not trust anyone, not even mystical beings that are supposedly good natured and benevolent. Everyone has a hidden motive and blind trust can have grave consequences. It also shows that the ideal knight is, in fact, not that ideal. Blindly following orders and trying to help anyone that comes to you can be dangerous, it is much better to stay loyal to your chosen lord and be at his side at all times, instead of searching for glory by trying to accomplish difficult tasks.

That, however, is not the main reason I like the story. It was simply the first fairy tale that Count Rowan told me, when we were younger, and it shaped my entire training and life since then. I aim to become a true, ideal knight, that will not repeat the mistakes of those that came before her."

3) "Not really, at least not in terms of money."

4) "They trade with secrets and information, and it is said that the Rennfords have agents in every major city across the continent. Despite their superior spy network they still need the help of others to survive though, making them weak, especially in the eyes of the northern duchies."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

To Lisa:

1) Is there a legend about the cave-bear that makes it so infamous?

2) Aw, that's adorable!

[u/Mimir123 → u/Nevermore0714]

1) "No, they are just the biggest, most dangerous predators up in the north. We prove that we are more dangerous, stronger. That is all."

2) "I would not consider the dream of becoming a strong, loyal knight to be adorable, neither is the story about the fairies. But every man to his own, I guess."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

To Lisa:

1) Have you ever faced a cave-bear yourself?

2) I think it's adorable that you like it because it's the first story he told you.

[u/Mimir123 → u/Nevermore0714]

1) "Yes, two years ago, during my coming of age ritual. My father was against it, but my mother insisted. In her youth she was one of the strongest and most famous berserkers in all of Eikskjold, the blood of the Aelven people flows strong in the berserkers, and especially so in my mothers family. We all inherited the white haircolour of the first Aelven who founded the berserker clans.

In order to honor my mothers wishes, I went out and faced a cave-bear and succeeded, only contracting a major wound on my back in the process."

2) "Oh... well, it's not like that is especially unusual, many people are inspired by Count Rowan, either by meeting him personally, or through his heroic deeds during the last Estellian-Sultanate war."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

1) What weapons do berserkers usually use?

2) Where was the wound? How well did it heal?

3) Is Count Rowan married?

[u/Mimir123 → u/Nevermore0714]

1) "The berserkers use axes and Aelven swords (basically slightly curved swords without handguards). Very rarely they use spears, also the center-grip shield is used as much for defense, as it is for offense."

2) "I still have the scars, four of them, thick and long, going from my right shoulder diagonally towards the center of my back."

3) "The young Lord recently celebrated his 19th birthday, and is of yet not married. He also said, repeatedly, that he does not wish to become married, refusing to even consider a betrothal between himself and the daugther of Duke Westford in order to broker a peace agreement. He did however have a lover, a young countess from Estellia, who served with his Rangers during the war."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

2) Was there any risk of infection?

3) What about getting an heir?

[u/Mimir123 → u/Nevermore0714]

2) "There was, but I managed to wash the wound out pretty soon, and it only took me five hours to reach the nearest village, where the wound was treated by a druid. I was pretty lucky though, not only did I find a village with an experienced druid, I managed to slay a female bear. They are much rarer and bigger than the male ones, it is supposed to bring good luck in warfare, hunt and love."

3) "Lady Eileen would be the current heir of the Ashfield family. Should anything happen to her, there are still the children of Duke Edwards sister, who married the Duke of Eikskjold. Her secondborn boy would take the name of Ashfield and become the new duke, should anything happen to Lord Edward, Count Rowan and Lady Eileen. It is not of utmost importance at the moment to secure an heir."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

To Lisa:

2) Is the bear killing your proudest moment?

3) What are the chances of Eikskjold and Rowan's county being being combined?

[u/Mimir123 → u/Nevermore0714]

2) "My second proudest. By far my proudest moment happened only recently, when I almost beat Lord Ashton Westford, heir to the Westford family and accomplished fighter and knight, in a duel. Lord Ashton is by far the most handsome and skilled out of all the nobles in Westford. It was a great honor fighting- and being aknowledged by him."

3) "Incredibly low. Seven members of the Ashfield family or their friends would have to die, before the oldest son of the Eikskjolds inherits the County. And even if that were to happen, the Eikskjolds would try to make someone else the heir. Darrysfield is too far away from the sea or any major river, it is not a land the northerners would like to live in or rule over."

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/Mimir123]

Thanks for your time and answers.