Thy Serpentine Glorious

The major POD for this TL is that Rhodri Mawr aka Roderick The Great survives fighting Alfred The Great. His Son Anarawd becomes King later and through a series of deaths becomes Monarch of all Wales save a few regions in the south.
Alfred also suffers the blight of impotence and as such has no heir. We will see a different alfred but also a more determined King.
Smaller POD's such as King Dungarth/Doniert of Cornwall survives etc shall also occur, keep your eyes peeled and I hope you enjoy




Chapter One: For God & For Rhodri



Autumn 876, Unknown Location on the border between Mercia & Gwynedd.


"Quickly. Fetch a healer. The King is wounded badly, fetch one now!"

The day had started badly and finished badly. Alfred of Mercia had won the battle againt the armies of Rhodri Mawr & his son Gwriad. Tactically outclassed in this battle, both father and son nearly ended through by the Saxons. Late into the night the news broke, a death, a singular death. Gwriad ap Rhodri, son of Rhodri Mawr had passed away, his wounds unhealable and infection took hold ending his life at a young age.


"My boy. What news of my boy?! Does he live?" begged Rhodri, his strength sapping away with each moment but his life was not over, Rhodri Mawr, King of Gwynedd had survived but his son had not, the loss to the Mercians had strengthened his resolve but the loss of his eldest son had weakened it greatly. The next few weeks were spent contemplating, the king's thoughts muddled and confused. He knew that his death had deprived the cunning and young Alfred of Mercia of a great victory and as such knew that a repeat performance between the two kings was inevitable.

More weeks passed, the bitter cold winds and the snow fell and lashed the hills and valleys of Gwynedd. The court of the king had received many reports of Alfred and his armies becoming strong once more, hios forces ready for another incursion into Cymry[1] lands.


"Anarawd will lead the assault. He will conduct the strategy and lead from the front, if any of you have a problem with this then speak up now?" asked Rhodri of his court. the dissenters fearful of the King remained silent and kept their tongues firmly in their mouths.


"The Mercian forces number in their hundreds, possibly much more, Alfred leads them personally and to make matters worse the Norse are striking once more at Ynys Mon[2] attempting to take the isle once more. We will engage the heathens at Ynys Mon where my father will take the fight to them at Aber Conwy whilst myself and my brothers will exact the punishment of the lord onto Alfred and show him he faces more than a rabble of backwards hill folk. Gods vengeance for Rhodri will be done soon, our father shall have his name restored to its glory"


The River conwy, that day divided between the Saesaneg[3] & the Cymry. Alfred, King of Mercia stood on one side whilst Anarawd the young upstart and prince of Gwynedd on the other.

The two regents although bitter enemies shared a common interest, both sought to be learned men, scholar kings and thus a mutual bond was forged but that bond could easily be torn, the two and their forces engaged. The outocme was a victorious Cymry victory with the young prince Anarawd screeching at the top of his lungs as the Mercians routed.


"Dduw's ddial achos Rhodri! Dduw's ddial achos Rhodri cyflawnedig!"[4]


Not soon after this victory did Anarawd receive a messenger from the court of Alfred arrived, simply put, he congratulate dthe young Prince but warned him that the Mercians were not to forget this battle and it would spur them onto greater deeds in the future. The hand of friendship extended over a candle flame it seemed. But for now a period of quiet and mourning would ring throughout the valleys and lands of Cymry Gwynedd, Rhodri Mawr, King of the Britons and of Gwynedd passed away in his sleep in the year of our lord 877 succeed by Anarawd, the age of the Dragon of Cymry was starting. That same year Cadell ap Rhodri & Merfyn ap Rhodri, brothers of Anarawd and rulers of Powys & Deheubarth passed away fighting the Norse of Dublin. Cymry was united under Anarawd for now. His banners flew high and beside him the banners of his family now gone. He was King, and at the young age of 18[5] he had become ruler over Cymry.


Alfred of Mercia. His problems were many. On the outside Mercia was strong, incursions by the Cornish Kingdom and the Norse of York were repelled with relative ease and his power was growing, skirmishes with the welsh and defeat and victory came and went but he was worried. His kingdom required an heir and he had failed to produce one. His reforms of the land and military were heralded as a major success but internal politics were slowly eating away at the man, he could not produce an heir[6].
The bickering between nobles and the Royal court would later prove to be their downfall, the vile rumours started by many who sought the King's throne spread quick and fast even reaching the Kingdom of York and Anarawd in Gwynedd. Anarawd dispelled these rumours as mere fantasy but, they were true. Alfred was indeed impotent and unable to produce a child, his only success ended with the infant dying soon after birth and with that Alfred threw himself into battles and making sure Mercia expanded at any cost.
Alfred began his own plan for the future of Mercia, not in line and without the 'supervision' of the Saxon nobles. He knew what must be done to fulfil Mercia's potential and he had to do it alone. Forward thinking and bold ideas had made Alfred into the man he was and this course of action would be of a similar design but far grander and far riskier than any he would undertake in his lifetime.







[1] Welsh, as in Welshman/woman
[2] OTL Anglesey
[3] Saxons
[4] God's vengeance for Rhodri. God's vengeance for Rhodri fulfilled
[5] D.O.B. u nknown so for TL sake I will have him be 18
[6] Alfred The Great is childless. A major POD
 
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(So far I have the basic idea set up, just wondering if people think this is any good?)

It is Spring 878 in the year of our lord. March to be precise.

A year had passed since the ascension of Anarawd ap Rhodri to the throne of Gwynedd, Powys & Deheubarth now united as the Kingdom of Cymru and plans were afoot to expand. But the matter of the Norse was to come.
The Norse had begun expanding southwards and encroaching into Mercia and even sailing to the southern shores of Cymru to the Gower peninsula setting up small towns whilst raiding and burning others. The small outpost of Sveinsey[1] was the only real fortified outpost of the Norse within the Cymry realm.
Anarawd regarded this as a true act of war and sent a small host of men numbering five hundred to disptach and seize the town for the realm, unfortuantely things would not go to plan, all but fifteen men at arms would return alive, the tales woven about the 'demons' they encountered.
The year was a harsh one, with Norse incursions across the Isles increasing and add to that, the Cornish King Dungarth who narrowly avoided drowning during battle[2] with the Mercians continued to ally with the Norse in an attempt to expand the Kingdom of Kernow.

May 878.

"The Norse know no fear, or at least are conditoned to show none. It makes them an enemy worth fighting and worth fearing, but respect can overcome this. They will try to break your spirits many times over but despite their embracing of the Lord Christ they remain savages who need to be struck down." declared the King before he and his men set off to capture the port of Sveinsey.
It was perfect timing too that the Mercians did not attack, their lands also being overrun by the Viking hordes, the eastern shores of Anglia were now occupied whilst the kingdom of Jorvik expanded further and further until its borders clashed with Mercia and Cymru.

Late May 878

The port city of Sveinsey became the sight of a fierce and intense skirmishes between the Norse who numbered a mere two thousand strong whilst Cymry numbers amassed three thousand, drawing in local men and soldiers from the independent principalities of southern Cymru.
For six days and six nights the port was besieged, the forces of King Anarawd moved to secure the port before any Norse reinforcements coming from Dublin. His plan was to use this port as part of further plans to secure the southern realm and possibly expand into Kernow in part to the refusal of Dungarth to cancel his alliance with the Norse.
Eventually fter much bloodshed on both sides a truce was called with the Norse of Sveinsey accepting defeat and Cymry rule, the Norse would be allowed to remain in the city and alongside native Cymry men at arms.
A fragile accord was set up with King Anarawd allowing the Norse freedom to leave and come to the city at their own behest whilst the Norse would offer their services militarily and also industrial with the sharing of technology and culture.
It was this treaty between these Norse and their brethren which enraged the various Norse kingdoms and settlements, they were regarded as traitors and weaklings and now the Kingdom of Cymru
had further stoked the flames of war between the various Norse factions intent on creating a 'Ragnarok' for the people of Cymru.

July 878. A Warm Summer.

Following the succesful capture of Sveinsey and the 'conscription' of sorts of the Gower and the Norse of Sveinsey, Anarawd became focused on his old foe, Alfred of Mercia who during the King's campaign in the south had succesfully fought many battles against the Jorvik Norse but as a result was being pushed too thin as the armies of Dungarth of Kernow had swiftly capitalised on the growing Mercian shortcomings.
On a hot and balmy summers evening the Mercian & Cymry kingdoms would begin a new chapter, not of war, but of co-operation. A herald of Alfred arrived in the court of the king in Gwynedd where Anarawd had returned to, his message was spoken to not just Anarawd but also to the entire court.

"The King of Mercia, Alfred sens a request and also a message to the 'High King of The Britons & of Wales" spoke the herald with aplomb... but he had made one grave error amidst the pomp and display of his announcement.

"What did you say? Wales? Correct yourself naive before your tongue is torn from your mouth and the only food you will be able to consume is of the same quality as the food the swine of Jorvik consume. King of where my boy?"

Shaken and now fearing for his life, the herald quickly corrected himself, forgeting he was one Saxon in a room full of Cymry warriors and nobles who had not killed a saxon in quite some time.

"King of Britons and...and King of Cymru and its peoples... I bring a request... from... Alfred of Mercia. He asks of a possible alliance between yourselves and Mercias against the growing threat of Jorvik & Cornwall... I mean Kernow. Alfred asks for a meeting between your highness Anarawd, son of Rhodri & himself at the march of Gloucester...in six days time"

The room filled with laughter, to many the though of an alliance with the people whom had tken their ancestors lands and pushed them into the wild north was laughable yet their next tone of voice was not of frivolity and amusement, but of anger and amazment.
The reply of the king was not to be expected and yet who wpuld dare stand up to the king after it, only a fool.

"Tell your lord that I will meet with him to discuss terms of an alliance, now go before these men find an excuse to harm you in some way."






[1] OTL Swansea, UK
[2] OTL he drowned in battle, here he survives
 

"There is no darkness, only a lack of light. There is no cold, only a lack of heat. There is no peace, only a lack of war" - unknown source

878 Anno Domini.
Late July.

The kings arrived, King Anarawd of Cymru & King Alfred of Mercia. And with them a host of men, as far as talks of alliances and truces went, the two would rather have a great number of men around them than fall prey to deceit and treachery.

The two regents approached one another whilst their men watched on respectively for the first sign of any treachery.

"Oni a 'n ogoneddus ddiwrnod? ddiolch 'ch achos yn cwrdd chen"[1] spoke Alfred, it seemed he had made the effort to further his own understanding of his 'enemy', his 'neighbour'.

"Good, very good your majesty. I have come only to hear what you have to offer, I have not come here to yield nor pay homage to you is this understood

"Perhaps a year or two ago things would be different, you would be kneeling before me maybe, but you would have defineitly paid me homage had your father passed away sooner, the cunning devil he was. No. I did not ask of you to meet with me only to demand fealty or anything else besides the offer of an alliance."

"I must admit. When your foolish messenger boy arrived and insulted us without knowing, i must have thought you were trying to provoke me into forcing my hand. But anyway. You ask of us, to be allies, in what? Some 'crusade' against the Norse."

"Yes. To be simple and straight forward, yes. We must finish this beast before it is too late, they surround us all, raiding, pillaging, killing our people and for what? They still hold true to their darkest urges and that is why we must not allow them to advance any further. I ask of you, to be a friend to Mercia and at the same time strengthen your kingdom. What say you?"

"A friend to Mercia, whom time and time again saw fit to take what wasn't theirs and still see US as the villain. Alfred, you are wise, learned, but a fool if you think that..."

"I offer you this alliance one more time Anarawd, once and if you refuse me again I shall make sure that even your ancestors will know what I am capable of!"

"Do not threaten me old man, we're not the simple hill folk you make us out to be. I will agree to an alliance on several terms. You relinquish any and all claims on Kernow, in return I will make sure Dungarth does not bother you anymore, that I can guarantee. And secondly. You tell me why you seriously want an alliance, Mercia is by no stretch of the imagination a weak state, and you are no fool of a king. What is the real reason for this 'alliance'"

"I agree. And the second request. There will be a time. You just need to prove to me you are worth trusting for me to reveal it. So, are we agreed on this alliance then my friend?"

"You have your ally... friend"




[1] "Is it not a glorious day? Thank you for meeting with me"

 
As one of the desendents of the land of the Welsh Dragon, I salute this effort.

However, how are you going to deal with the tradition of splitting land between sons?
 
As one of the desendents of the land of the Welsh Dragon, I salute this effort.

However, how are you going to deal with the tradition of splitting land between sons?

That is a concern, whereas so far I have made Anarawd the only son of Rhodri as all others have died fighting. But any future sons of the king will suffer this.
Possibly having Anarawd rethink the succession rights or continue with tradition will play a major factor in the future as I plan on having at least two sons being born to Anarawd.

Hope you like this TL so far. I plan on writing Chapter Two now, the Cornish Campaigns.
 
Chapter Two: The Cornish Campaigns pt 1


Christmas Eve, 878 Anno Domini.

The port of Sveinsey was the launching point for Anarawd's plan of taking Kernow and teaching King Dungarth a well deserved lesson.

The port had grown quickly in the past few months since its capture by forces of Anarawd with more and more settlers and many more Norse merchants arriving also, to establish his power base within the south Anarawd raised this small village to 'second citadel' status. The pacification of Cymru was nowhere near complete and with many lords still yet to fall in line with the new Kingdom it seemed inevitable conflict would re-enter the domain.

"Send a message to the Norse, I want four hundred of their best warriors on the boats with us to Kernow is that understood? I doubt Dungarth will remain so friendly with the Norse when he sees what they can do," Anarawd chimed as he oversaw the finishing touches to his invasion fleet.

"Sire, the messengers have returned, they have completed their duty.The Cornish do believe we intend to pass through Mercia and down Dumnonia to attack them at Tintagel, the Norse already have sent a small raiding party to divert attention away from the main party and are trying to cast aspersions over their Jorvik Norse allies. We will arrive on the day of Christ's birth in Upper Kernow. There we will begin our assault whilst our ships draw attention away from the main forces and confuse Dungarth... that is the plan at least my lord"

"Tis a very good plan, an exceptional one at that I must add, I applaud you Siôn. We leave immediately. I trust you will lead the first contingent well and strong"

3am. The waters of the Afon Cymru[1] smashed upon the boats of the Cymry & Norse, the combined forces heading towards Kernow and then to Tintagel to take Dungarth by force.

News hours earlier of Dungarth's successful raid on Mercia had dented Cymry spirits but nevertheless they remained on course to take Kernow and make an example of their King,

Christmas Day had arrived, the landing party quickly stormed up the beachhead and scouts were sent far and wide. They feared the worst, three of the five scouting parties had not returned for a few hours and they could not wait any longer, the decision was made, march on Tintagel quickly before Dungarth realises what is happening and attempts to cut off.

Hours passed and the rain lashed down fast, the missing scouts hadn't returned to join up with the travelling army. Anarawd knew they had met with a most misfortunate end. The armed Cymry-Norse numbered four thousand strong, the best of the best they had been dubbed by Anarawd, unfortunately this would backfire upon him greatly in the events yet to come.

Tintagel, mythical and supposed home to King Arthur, High King of the Old Britons & now site of a massacre. They had been lied to, Dungarth wasn't racing back to Tintagel with his men, he was already here, waiting. It began,

A great host of Cornish & Norse ambushed the Cymry and the day was lost before it began. Four several hours they fought in vain, a number of Cymry turned on their own men and king. They had been bought. And bought by Dungarth himself, he was older and much more ruthless than Anarawd had been led to believe and now he was paying for this misinformation.

Then from the ancient stone walls of Tintagel rode Dungarth, the King had waited patiently for Anarawd to arrive, they had marched faster than any army could possibly march and arrived there in less than a day and now were fighting for their own lives whilst their own brethren betrayed them, leaving them a third of the power they were.

"Anarawd! You will NEVER take Kernow!" screeched Dungarth as his men and his turnocat allies made a mockery of Anarawd and his leadership.

"...Fall back! Back to the ships, to Afon Cymru!" Ordered Anarawd, the abject misery entwined with bitterness and anger, his first true campaign of conquest ended with defeat, retreat, betrayal and almost death.

"Læremester[2], get back to the ships and back to Sveinsey. We will hold them back, let christ be with you now, as we abandon him for bloodlust" grunted a Norse soldier loyal to Anarawd, his disbelief that a man whom a year previosu had defeated and forced to pay fealty to him now chose to risk his life in order to protect his own. His belief in many things changed that bitter, rain sodden night, one of them being 'Do not trust anyone save yourself'

As the boats waited by the shore, only a mere five hundred Norse & Cymry had survived the onslaught by the wily old Dungarth, it emerged that the advisor and tactician to the king Siôn ap Mihangel was the culprit and chief conspirator behind the defection and ambush. A punishment worse than the old tales of the Britons and their old ways awaited men like him, and King Anarawd would be no exception, the sheer delight of revenge filled him with purpose and drive.

Anarawd returned to Sveinsey broken but not beaten, he now knew what he must do and how he must achieve victory and at any cost. From his makeshift camp he made his way to the marshes of Aber Tawe[4] and towards the Cornish Kingdom he would let out a ferocious yell declaring,

"Hun brwydra ar goll ydy ddim , namyn hun actia chan brad ydy bopeth. Fi Anarawd ap Rhodri , ab chan Rhodri Mawr ewyllysia mo bwyso dan 'ch enaid ddragir ar wahân at 'r 'n fawaidd chreaduresau i mewn annwfn ag whom chyfunionaist 'ch eneidiau ag"[3]

The first Cornish campaign was an utter failure caused only by traitorous men who would rather let coins rest in their palms and pockets than attain glory. The second Cornish campaign was just about to begin, and next time, Anarawd would not run away. For he would use a secret weapon. Something despite Dungarth's victories and cockiness, he would use something even Dungarth truly feared... Alfred The Great.

It was New Years Morning when the herald arrived. The pact was sealed, Æthelswith, Alfred's only sister and only family member to survive birth[5] would be betrothed to Anarawd who had yet to take a bride, she would take on the Cymraeg[6] name Ffion yr Sais[7], this marriage though gave Anarawd the chane for a bride and heir but did not allow him to claim Mercia upon Alfred's death. But that is another story for another time...



"'Vi ha medlidenhet med du. For du ikke vite hva ville snart komme til være" - Sveinsey Norse inscription at Tintagel following the Second Cornish campaign[8]


[1] OTL Bristol Channel
[2] Norwegian for master
[3]One battle lost is nothing, but one act of betrayal is everything. I Anarawd ap Rhodri, son of Rhodri Mawr will not rest until your soul is torn apart by the vile creatures in hell with whom you have aligned your souls with.
[4] OTL Swansea again. Except for this purpose it will be used to describe the actual mouth of the River Tawe wherein our port and dockyards are situated.
[7] Ffion the Saxon
[5] I've killed off EVERYONE in Alfred's family save him and his sister and had her basically not marry Burged of Mercia and with no date of her birth I can only guess her age, So again for storytelling arguments sake, I shall have her aged 32,
[6]Another term for Welsh, specifically Language.
[7] Ffion the Saxon
[8] We pity you. For you do not know what will soon come to be, in Norwegian

 
Two queries

An interesting concept, but I have two queries. First, where is Wessex in this TL? One of Alfred's advantages was that the Cerdingas were the only Saxon royal house to survive. They could trace their ancestry to the founding king, and by and large, did'nt fight each other.
Two - Kernow. I was under the impression OTL that Kernow had been part of Wessex since Alfred's grandfather defeated a coalition of Cornish and Vikings.
Just curious.
 
An interesting concept, but I have two queries. First, where is Wessex in this TL? One of Alfred's advantages was that the Cerdingas were the only Saxon royal house to survive. They could trace their ancestry to the founding king, and by and large, did'nt fight each other.
Two - Kernow. I was under the impression OTL that Kernow had been part of Wessex since Alfred's grandfather defeated a coalition of Cornish and Vikings.
Just curious.


Wessex at this time was incorporated into the Mercian realm but I plan on having it become basically secede in a way from Mercia and by using the Cerdingas line. Just need to choose THE right Saxon for Wessex lordship.

The Cornish are independent and have been for a while and Wessex is the buffer region between the two Kingdoms.
 
Hang on, Wasn't alfred of the line of the Kings of Wessex.


Yes he is/was. But I plan on using another noble family of Mercia basically be based in Wessex and set up shop to oppose Alfred. Possibly creating a new Wessex Kingdom opposed to the union of Alfred's sister & Anarawd.

Hope that answers your question:)
 
The Cornish Campaigns-Part 2


Late April 879 Anno Domini.

The defeat at the hands of Dungarth at Tintagel in southern Kernow had a massive effect upon the morale and the spirits of the soldiers of Cymry and indeed the King himself.

It had been four months since the betrayal by the King's own advisor and his own men and many in the service of Anarawd, if not all, were itching for some form of payback. It would come sooner than anticipated.


For a few years now Anarawd had expanded his realm and his control over the outlying regions in Cymru, further strengthening his claim on the three kingdoms of Powys, Gwynedd & Dyfed, uniting them under the Cymru name. Few princes of the southern kingdoms had not acknowledged him as their King but payed homage and fealty to the would be High King of the Britons. Yet from time to time a few would foolishly 'rise up' and challenge Anarawd, these men would not be remembered by history.


But it was in the southern most reaches of Dyfed[1] that would stir up the passions of Anarawd and further stoke the flames of war. Dungarth of Kernow & his son Margh heb Kernow[2] had landed on the southern shores and with a great host of men too, containing a huge amount of Norse from Dublin. The landing army led by Margh and his advisor, the treacherous Siôn ap Mihangel.


"A great host, they've been there for days now. Nobody knows how many of them there are, but their numbers grow each day, reinforced by the Norse-Gaels. We need to move swiftly otherwise we'll be overrun by these bastards!"


The King had heard of his enemy's arrival in Dyfed and his rallying of the dsigruntled nobles to his cause. All his enemies were gathering to one spot, the perfect chance to eradicate his troubles there and then.

To him he gathered 15, 000 men at arms and 2, 000 cavalry with a further 200 Norse & Cymry guard at his side.
After the failed Tintagel attack , thos emen regardless of descent, be it Norse or Cymry were given the task of being the Royal bodyguards of Anarawd, paid handsomely and being the most trusted of Anarawd's soldiers they were given titles and privileges beyond most nobles even.
The Royal Guard's duty was to lead the attack and provide leadership in areas that Anarawd was unable to lead. They were the elite and after Tintagel they and the King shared a bond that money nor love could break.


"Gather the men, supplies and anything else we can muster, I want to leave Sveinsey as fast as our feet can carry us. Have the Norse travel by ship, scput ahead and see if any of the Kernowak[3] have moved up closer to us. The rest of us shall travel by foot, as soon as we cross the Afon Llwchwr[4] we must head full hilt towards Dyfed.
Make no mistake. When we get there. I wan't Dungarth taken alive, and I want his son shackled too. I will extend the same courtesy they extended to me when we paid them a visit last. And as for Siôn... I want him made an example of. Understood." spoke the King as he washed his face, the King professed a liking of cleanliness, seeing himself as an instrument of God and asuch aimed for purity of mind, body and soul at all times, save when throwing himself headfirst into battle.


A blessing of the King's personal priest followed. Thousands of men had begun their march to Dyfed and the remainder would follow on soon after. The aim of this war was to bring Kernow under the heel of Anarawd but it had taken a turn for the worse, Dungarth was here, on Cymry shores and there was a serious threat now to the future of Cymru, if the three kingdoms of Cymru were to be disunited somehow or that Anarawd would die then the nation would be ripe for the pickings. This would not come to pass if Anarawd could turn the last battle on its head and use it to spur his men on.

The Cornish had come to Cymru. The Cornish Campaigns continued.






[1] I have named a region in previous posts as Deheubarth, when incorrectly stated it should be Dyfed. I will aim to correct these mistakes asap.

[2]Mark of Cornwall. Named for the legendary King of Cornwall. I am supposing if he had survived then Dungarth would have had an heir and so I have crafted one for the purpose of this story.

[3] Kernowak=Cornish Kernow=Cornwall
 
Very good. I had noticed Dyfed, but there is a bit of a distinction to be made here:

Dyfed is the name of the region, the Kingdom was known as Deheubarth. You could use either, but Dyfed can be looked up on a map.

Here's a quick one I knocked up. Glamorgan is the small Kingdoms, some of which follow Anarawd

Wales.png
 
Thank you AR.
Any chance of a map of The rest of the british isles at this point?
And so youre saying Dyfed & Deheubarth are interchangeable?
I'm thinking of the route I want to take next foir this story, looking up world events from 890 onwards. Any ideas or paths you think I should take or consider?
 
Quick Update, for those who follow this.
I plan on having this chapter completed by Saturday, with the second Cornish campaign coming to its start and end and also an update on the Mercian civil strife that is brewing up.

Also interesting things will be happening with regards to the British Isles.
 
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