Forging ahead
Énna is not the captain of my fan club. When he was born, Ireland was under gavelkind succession, which would have divided my holdings among all of my legitimate sons when I died. Since that's a recipe for infinite civil war, I changed to Primogeniture succession, which means my oldest son inherits everything. That stripped Énna of his inheritance, and he was not thrilled.
In an effort to alleviate his hatred, I send him three gifts for his birthday. First, I make him my cupbearer, the most important honorary title I can bestow. Second, I send him a large gift of gold. Finally, I grant him the County of Connacht, where he will rule in my name. His opinion of me is now at least marginally positive.
August 2, 1087: Dromahair falls, leaving 74 Munsterian attackers dead. Der-Lugdach is nowhere to be found.
September 7, 1087: A great man who served three generations of House ua Brian, Chancellor Toirrdelbach macTadg, dies a natural death at the astonishing age of 78. He is given the grandest funeral seen in Munster since the death of Duke Murchad I, attended by his three surviving sons and hundreds of others.
Toirrdelbach's legacy can't be understated. Without the claims he fabricated, House ua Brian wouldn't be nearly as close as it is to ruling all of Ireland. The daunting task of filling his shoes goes to my half-cousin, Cennétig macLorcán.
October 14, 1087: The Munsterian army is ambushed trying to sack a lesser holding in Breifne, losing a staggering 148 men to the rebels. When the dust clears, however, Der-Lugdach is found among the survivors and surrenders immediately. Duke Brian claims County Breifne, and is reinstated as Duke of Munster and Connacht.
Der-Lugdach hates me with a fiery vengeance. Her opinion of me is the absolute lowest it can go, -100, meaning she would probably give up her life just to see me suffer. Her husband, my half-brother Amalgaid, is coming back around to my side, however.
Since We were the aggressors in the Munsterian-Breifnean War, I can't yet strip her of her titles without pissing off my other vassals. So she will remain Countess of Breifne under me.
March, 1088: Duke Brian's half-uncle, Conchobar, dies of depression at 68. He is survived only by his 11-year-old son, Fáelán Conchobarsson, who styles himself a Norwegian after his mother rather than an Irishman.
June 27, 1088: Duke Brian's third son, Énri, grows old enough to be educated. He is sent to his brother Énna, Earl of Connacht, in the hopes that the two will grow closer.
August 15, 1088: Pope Pius II dies of an illness at 43. He is succeeded by Pope Celestine II. The new Pope insists that Celestine is a man's name, while a majority of the known world quietly remains skeptical.
I had the option to go through with this or not, so obviously, I chose the more interesting and potentially disastrous option. I'm curious to see how bastard children work in this game. Plus, according to her stats at least, Gormlaith is the most attractive woman in my realm.
