Read this all in one go. I love it so far and I'm glad to see that Rome has endured. (Also, thank you for finally fixing Sicily, that was bugging me.)
Ave Roma!
Ave Imperator!
Ave Illuminati!
Ave Roma!
Ave Imperator!
Ave Illuminati!
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All hope lies in Rome -- A science fiction Byzantine AAR
- Thread starter defensedefumer
- Start date
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Chapter 50: The rocky years
"Sire! A neighbouring count recently swore his loyalty to us!"
Emperor Reuben IV allowed himself a small smile. Unlike his predecessors, Emperor Reuben was not as overtly violent in his expansion of the empire. He had utilised his resources in the Brotherhood to blackmail his way to victory.
Emperor Reuben coughed blood again. This made the Illuminati panic. Will the Empire be stable enough to sustain a beating from a future Aztec cape invasion?
Despite the Illuminati having advance medical techniques from the future, their remedies did nothing to remedy his poor constitution. Yet they had an ace up their sleeve.
"Sire, Agent Marco Polo is back," reported an aide.
Marco Polo came arrived, bringing a sage from the East. The Italian agent claimed that the sage held the key to good health. And it was exercise.
"No chance in hell!" said the emperor, but his court officials asked the emperor to reconsider. Reuben IV was without a heir, and it was important to stay healthy in order to avoid a succession crisis. The emperor relented.
On the first day, the sage made Reuben IV paint the walls of the newly renovated Haggia Sophia.
"Paint up, paint down," instructed the sage with his limited knowledge of Greek.
On the second day, the sage made Reuben IV mop the palace courtyard.
"Sweep left, sweep right," the sage commanded.
On the third day, the sage brought Reuben IV fishing and dunked the Emperor into the water, much to the horror of the guards.
"That's it I'm done!" screamed Reuben IV. And he swam towards the shoreline, much to the surprise of everyone.
The emperor who previously could not swim, suddenly had the strength and confidence to make it to shore. The emperor was no longer a weakling.
And just like that, the sage was gone. Little did Reuben IV know, the Illuminati used physical training techniques from the future to toughen the emperor.
Now Emperor Reuben IV looked at the world map with renewed energy. "Where should the Empire hope to expand to next?"
The Empire in 1303
"Sire! A neighbouring count recently swore his loyalty to us!"
Emperor Reuben IV allowed himself a small smile. Unlike his predecessors, Emperor Reuben was not as overtly violent in his expansion of the empire. He had utilised his resources in the Brotherhood to blackmail his way to victory.
Emperor Reuben coughed blood again. This made the Illuminati panic. Will the Empire be stable enough to sustain a beating from a future Aztec cape invasion?
Despite the Illuminati having advance medical techniques from the future, their remedies did nothing to remedy his poor constitution. Yet they had an ace up their sleeve.
"Sire, Agent Marco Polo is back," reported an aide.
Marco Polo came arrived, bringing a sage from the East. The Italian agent claimed that the sage held the key to good health. And it was exercise.
"No chance in hell!" said the emperor, but his court officials asked the emperor to reconsider. Reuben IV was without a heir, and it was important to stay healthy in order to avoid a succession crisis. The emperor relented.
On the first day, the sage made Reuben IV paint the walls of the newly renovated Haggia Sophia.
"Paint up, paint down," instructed the sage with his limited knowledge of Greek.
On the second day, the sage made Reuben IV mop the palace courtyard.
"Sweep left, sweep right," the sage commanded.
On the third day, the sage brought Reuben IV fishing and dunked the Emperor into the water, much to the horror of the guards.
"That's it I'm done!" screamed Reuben IV. And he swam towards the shoreline, much to the surprise of everyone.
The emperor who previously could not swim, suddenly had the strength and confidence to make it to shore. The emperor was no longer a weakling.
And just like that, the sage was gone. Little did Reuben IV know, the Illuminati used physical training techniques from the future to toughen the emperor.
Now Emperor Reuben IV looked at the world map with renewed energy. "Where should the Empire hope to expand to next?"
The Empire in 1303
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For god's sake, take that province in the Balkans! Oh, and connect Crimea to the rest of your empire.
That random province in the Balkans, perhaps? I see I'm not the only one who wants it conquered.
There's just so much border gore. Obviously, that Balkan province should get top priority. After that, Byzantine Crimea + Hungary must be linked up to the main empire. After that, the Empire should move to conquer everything west of the Rhine, only moving east to link up with the Netherlands. After that there's just the rest of Iberia (including the Balearic islands), parts of Germany, and the entirety of the British Isles (I can't even look at them). Once he's finished withe the necessary border changes, then the Empire should choose to expand towards to the Euphrates River, Georgia, and the rest of Hungary. Only then will peace be restored to the world.That random province in the Balkans, perhaps? I see I'm not the only one who wants it conquered.
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Ah this has Returned! I can see only one clear path to victory here. Eliminate the Aztec Empire.
Chapter 51: The Imperial Cult
The Illuminati was worried. Agent Marco Polo recently reported that many nations, both within and without the Empire were facing down many Christian cults. The Emperor was seen as the anti-Christ. After all, the Romans brought in wonders never seen before in the Medieval world. Wonders too big to comprehend, like tanks, bicycles and even the domestication of big mammals.
As accusations of the Roman Empire being a pagan one started surfacing, an alliance of northern nations became to gather in Holland to devise a way to combat the Romans. Soon a large army gathered at the borders, demanding the Romans restore the Papacy, and that Reuben IV stepped down.
Emperor Reuben IV laughed the demands off. He would ride into battle first, closely accompanied by the sole Imperial tank, the Fantasticar. It would be a short war.
Yet the alliance proved to be crafty than expected. Digging a wide trench, the Dutch trapped the Fantasticar before flooding the trench with water, causing Empire to suffer its first ever tank loss. Unknown to this, Emperor Reuben IV engaged the Dutch alliance at Vlaardingen.
Outnumbered by about 10, 000 men, Emperor Reuben IV awaited reinforcements that never arrived. On the first day of the battle, the Romans suffered thousands of casualties.
"Fellow Romans, lend me your ears! Aren't we the Orthodox Christians? The real followers of Jesus? I never once proclaimed myself God, yet these heretics are at the doorstep spreading poison in our ears," Reuben IV rallied. "Fight men! Our reward is heaven! Let them smell what the Empire is cooking!"
The men fought bravely, and eventually overcame their opponents.
Meanwhile the Illuminati discovered there the source of the heretical rumours -- the Aztec British Isles. It was time for reclaim the British Isles.
The Empire in 1311
The Illuminati was worried. Agent Marco Polo recently reported that many nations, both within and without the Empire were facing down many Christian cults. The Emperor was seen as the anti-Christ. After all, the Romans brought in wonders never seen before in the Medieval world. Wonders too big to comprehend, like tanks, bicycles and even the domestication of big mammals.
As accusations of the Roman Empire being a pagan one started surfacing, an alliance of northern nations became to gather in Holland to devise a way to combat the Romans. Soon a large army gathered at the borders, demanding the Romans restore the Papacy, and that Reuben IV stepped down.
Emperor Reuben IV laughed the demands off. He would ride into battle first, closely accompanied by the sole Imperial tank, the Fantasticar. It would be a short war.
Yet the alliance proved to be crafty than expected. Digging a wide trench, the Dutch trapped the Fantasticar before flooding the trench with water, causing Empire to suffer its first ever tank loss. Unknown to this, Emperor Reuben IV engaged the Dutch alliance at Vlaardingen.
Outnumbered by about 10, 000 men, Emperor Reuben IV awaited reinforcements that never arrived. On the first day of the battle, the Romans suffered thousands of casualties.
"Fellow Romans, lend me your ears! Aren't we the Orthodox Christians? The real followers of Jesus? I never once proclaimed myself God, yet these heretics are at the doorstep spreading poison in our ears," Reuben IV rallied. "Fight men! Our reward is heaven! Let them smell what the Empire is cooking!"
The men fought bravely, and eventually overcame their opponents.
Meanwhile the Illuminati discovered there the source of the heretical rumours -- the Aztec British Isles. It was time for reclaim the British Isles.
The Empire in 1311
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I'm surprised your enemies can even gather that many men.
It never fails. My eyes always drift to that lone province in the Balkans.
It never fails. My eyes always drift to that lone province in the Balkans.
Whilst "[the society known as] the Illuminati was worried" would work, I think treating it as a plural noun would sound more idiomatic: "the Illuminati were worried". Just a thought.
Chapter 52: You don't know what you have unleashed.
Emperor Reuben IV finally set foot on British isles. After giving a rousing speech to his men, he encouraged them with a catchphrase:
"Kill the cape! Burn the pagan! Cleanse the unclean!"
With religious devotion on their side, the Roman army rushed into action in with to combat the superhuman Aztecs. For weeks, the war went back and forth. Still reeling from manpower losses from the first Roman-Aztec war, the Aztecs could barely hold off the Roman assault.
The end came when the Romans unveiled their latest weapon -- steam tanks. While not as hardy as the previous Fantasticar flame tank, these models were easy to mass manufacture. The Aztecs retreated.
"I don't get it," Emperor Reuben IV confided in Patriarch Zwingli. The Aztecs seemed to be dedicated to protecting the Lancaster castle for no apparent reason. Once the castle collapsed, the Aztecs fled.
The newly appointed Patriarch agreed. Hailing from Switzerland, Zwingli knew a thing or two about warfare. His tactical prowess led him to be appointed to lead the Illuminati. Ordering a Brotherhood contingent into the now abandoned castle. Nothing could have prepared them for what was in the castle.
In the basement they discovered jars of mysterious biological specimens. Without warning, one of the jars exploded into a giant snake-like hydra. Several brave knights attempted to restrain the specimen, but the hydra swept them aside.
Retreating, the Brotherhood knights quickly ordered the destruction of the Lancaster castle, but it was too late. The creature burst out of the wall.
It took the combined application of force of the steam tanks to finally bring the monster down.
"How? What?" Patriarch Zwingli studied the corpse in horror. None of the future knowledge that had been revealed to them prepared them for this.
Emperor Reuben IV looked unfazed. "We are going to need bigger bombs."
The Empire in 1317
Emperor Reuben IV finally set foot on British isles. After giving a rousing speech to his men, he encouraged them with a catchphrase:
"Kill the cape! Burn the pagan! Cleanse the unclean!"
With religious devotion on their side, the Roman army rushed into action in with to combat the superhuman Aztecs. For weeks, the war went back and forth. Still reeling from manpower losses from the first Roman-Aztec war, the Aztecs could barely hold off the Roman assault.
The end came when the Romans unveiled their latest weapon -- steam tanks. While not as hardy as the previous Fantasticar flame tank, these models were easy to mass manufacture. The Aztecs retreated.
"I don't get it," Emperor Reuben IV confided in Patriarch Zwingli. The Aztecs seemed to be dedicated to protecting the Lancaster castle for no apparent reason. Once the castle collapsed, the Aztecs fled.
The newly appointed Patriarch agreed. Hailing from Switzerland, Zwingli knew a thing or two about warfare. His tactical prowess led him to be appointed to lead the Illuminati. Ordering a Brotherhood contingent into the now abandoned castle. Nothing could have prepared them for what was in the castle.
In the basement they discovered jars of mysterious biological specimens. Without warning, one of the jars exploded into a giant snake-like hydra. Several brave knights attempted to restrain the specimen, but the hydra swept them aside.
Retreating, the Brotherhood knights quickly ordered the destruction of the Lancaster castle, but it was too late. The creature burst out of the wall.
It took the combined application of force of the steam tanks to finally bring the monster down.
"How? What?" Patriarch Zwingli studied the corpse in horror. None of the future knowledge that had been revealed to them prepared them for this.
Emperor Reuben IV looked unfazed. "We are going to need bigger bombs."
The Empire in 1317
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Two updates in a week! I feel spoiled.
You always seem to find such unique collection of pictures for your updates. I'm always trying to figure out what game, movie, etc they're from.
You always seem to find such unique collection of pictures for your updates. I'm always trying to figure out what game, movie, etc they're from.
Sad that the Aztecs still control land in Europe, but they will soon be wiped out. Also I noticed a single Saffarid county.... HOW ARE THEY STILL AROUND?!?
