Rome AARisen - a Byzantine AAR

Okay, massive amount of replies time!

Carach – That was one of my favorite scenes to write, though Id’ have to say my personal favorite ‘Manuel moment’ was his poisoning of Christophoros!

Enewald – Yes… I’m not exactly sure who was the one with schizophrenia – at this point, it wasn’t one of the main characters, so I’m assuming it was one of Georgios’ descendants (who have now quite literally overrun Cyrenaica). I’d call 225 living descendants big enough… believe me, down the line it grows into the thousands…

As for your map, it will be included below!

VladAntlerkov – Demetrios Megas was the first, and in-game, Manuel Komnenos was actually the second (!). The second was extremely surprising to me – Manuel in-game had traits like vengeful, cruel, hostile and deceitful, and received numerous ‘ruler commits an act of cruelty’ events, yet he was sainted. Temperate, merciful Basil, despite his enormous prestige and much higher piety, was not! So for the purposes of the AAR, I switched them – Basil became sainted, Manuel did not. Something tells me Manuel wouldn’t have appreciated a sainthood anyway – he’d probably find the notion ridiculous.

Dimmimar – You got your Alexios’ pic! The actor’s the kid who played Herod Agrippa as a child from I Claudius.

Avalanchemike – I shall confirm nor deny anyone’s suspicions as to what’s going on… feel free to debate and try to deduce what’s happening, however! All I’ll say is in the West, Thomas will face enemies that are likely better armored and equipped than the Turks, but likely worse led. So it could go either way… (also, Thomas would be closer to Drogo’s machinations as well) As for the machinations of Christina, Drogo, and Mehtar, I won’t divulge anything, you’ll have to wait and see!

As for Heraklios, in his sixteen year old (and doubtlessly sex crazed) mind that he’s in love with Christina, or in lust? That question could become very important as time goes on… though yes, it’d be one definite way to convince Mehtar she doesn’t love Thomas and is not a threat!

Lord Valentine – Once again, I’m glad my characterization of Manuel was up to par with his great character. Nothing like a poor present to make one long for the leaders of the past, no matter how murderous they might have been. And yes, David made quite a reputation for himself during his short contribution to the Spanish campaign – his unit defeated five Moorish armies, and he got three improvements to his martial skill during that one year. Add to that he became effectively a king, and you have a recipe for high prestige.

Leviathan07 – You’re assuming she returns from Lesbos… Manuel has stayed all these years, despite likely thousands of boats coming and going from Lesbos… the way I conceive it, the other inhabitants of the island likely know that to smuggle someone they don’t know off island might be tantamount to delayed suicide…

As for Heraklios, that indeed is a brilliant insight. He has all the book knowledge in the world on how to run a state, but he hasn’t had anyone around to tell him practical things, like how a pretty woman might use her wiles to take advantage of him… and that all that’s available isn’t necessarily worth dropping one’s trousers…

Servius Magnus – I saw your question and giggled… the update was almost done at that point. As for Alexios, you just got your first peek at him!

As for Heraklios and Christina… *bom chicka wow wow*

kalenderee – Everyone seems to assume Christina is Drogo’s agent in Konstantinopolis. It could just as easily be some field operative I haven’t introduced yet! As for Manuel, I think his rant pretty much sums up his hatred of his relatives – to him, they just don’t get it!

Drogo definitely wants to put Charlemagne to shame, and thinks that his long time goal is within his grasp… and now that his incapable son Louis has a son of his own (whose education is being closely guided by Drogo himself), the French King now thinks he has an heir worthy of his Empire…

As for the wine – I purposefully left that vague, because I’m evil like that. *grin*

And be sure, that in any alliance between Christina and Heraklios, Christina would definitely make sure she was on top!

Deamon – Pro-Thomas defenders seem kind of rare around here. I think Thomas’ behavior is in many ways a product of his hero-worship/hatred of his father. Basil too was a brave warrior, its just Thomas only got that part of what made Basil great, and not the strategic sense part…

Fulcrumvale – Just for that, I should have Thomas fall down the stairs or something! Lol As for Sophie leaving, unless she’s spirited off by some outside group, it’s a lot like the Manuel response I gave above – the locals on Lesbos likely have an idea of who is a political exile, and over hundreds of years have learned that no matter what an exile may promise, it’s a really bad idea to help them escape… it tends to bring the anger and power of the whole state crashing down really quickly…

AlexanderPrimus – Yet another opinion on the scheme that’s going on. I like them apples, I’m not sure those are the right apples. Okay, I do know if they’re right or not, I’m just not going to tell anyone!

As for Sulieman as a savior of Romanion, it would be ironic… though Sulieman is ancient by this point…

asd21593 – Manuel as Yoda… I’m assuming this is bizarre Star Wars, where Manuel is training Sophie in the Dark Side of the Force, planning to destroy the goodie-goodie Republic? Lol

The_Archduke – Yet another potential plot. Once again, I’m not going to say anything about whether them’s the right apples, just that I’m tickled pink people are trying to figure out who is going to backstab who! Ah, life is so much fun in a city filled with untrustworthy, murderous schemers…

And, so you’re rooting for the technically non-Komnenid to come to the Imperial throne, ending the Komnenid dynasty, in effect? And you called Christina and Heraklios – you get a brownie point!

Landwalker – Oh, if Manuel was back in Constantinople at this point, something tells me the end of the Nika Riots would be considered humane compared to what he’d do… They’d probably have to repaint the Hippodrome from all the blood he’d shed “cleaning” everything up…

Nikolai – Christina being an agent of Drogo seems to be the running assumption. I won’t say how accurate the assumption is though. As I said above, I’m glad the Manuel update was sufficiently mind-blowing!

vanin – Manuel is clever and shrewd, true, but he’s also been out of the game for almost thirty years by this point, and things have changed. When he was exiled, the Emperor still held a great deal of absolute power – with the increasing effects of Manuel’s decisions (ex. feudalizing the state), the dynatoi have far more power than he’d be used to. He’d try to right the ship, so to speak, but I don’t know how successful he’d be necessarily.

As for who was watching Christina and Heraklios, we do know Mehtar has a habit of watching people in intimate moments, but would Christina smile at that?

The_Guiscard – Remember, Manuel is assuming that the banishment decree was signed by one of the senior Emperors… he’s been stuck on Lesbos, and he isn’t clairvoyant, so he can’t know for sure (but, given its Manuel and how acute his intuitions can be…). But you’re right – if the senior Emperors made the decision, Sophie’s hope might lie with Alienor and her grandson Alexios…

And yes, Heraklios is well educated, and should know better, but once again that annoying ‘trusting’ trait is coming up – the same one that spoiled the Megas and many others…

canonized – I love the dialogue between Drogo and Saul! Saul’s patterned after perhaps my favorite character from HBO’s Rome – Posca the mouthy and brilliant slave. Even took his picture from there!





So, for this interim, someone asked for a map – so here I thought I’d do something a little different. With the increasing feudalization of the Empire, the themes themselves are rapidly losing importance in lieu of individual families, who (as they did in 12th and 13th century Byzantium) have slowly begun adopting individual family crests. So below is a map of the Empire in 1196, along with the holdings of the Komnenid clans as well as the 12 other greatest families within the Empire:




HOUSE DE TOULOUSE – The newest of the great families within the Empire, House de Toulouse is an offshoot of a much larger French royal family. The Princes of Constantine, however, have completely broken with their kin, for the most part, due to their conversion to Orthodoxy. Jean de Toulous (baptized Ioannis), Prince of Constantine, is one of the most prominent social butterflies within Konstantinopolis. The Prince of Constantine, Raimond de Toulouse, has adopted the ancient symbol of a lion rampant on a red shield as his family’s imperial crest.

HOUSE KOSACA – The rise of Kosaca, formerly an obscure mix of Croatian and Italian blood, can be directly attributed to one man – Clemente Kosaca, Megos Domestikos and the most feared commander alive. Holding three small themes, with Clemente’s support Kosaca’s words usually have immense weight. That said, Clemente Kosaca has shown himself to be rather apolitical, choosing to serve the state rather than advance his, or his family’s, interests. House Kosaca has adopted a silver sword on black as their banner.

HOUSE OF KHOR NUBT – House Khor Nubt likely has the most humble beginnings of any of the Great Houses – Konstantinos Khor Nubt’s grandfather was a Beduoin tribesman, his father a chieftain. If anything, the patriarch of Khor Nubt has proven himself very opportunistic. By marriage, when the Hellas Agyros branch died out in 1192, Konstantinos’ second son, Isaakios, ascended to Prince of Hellas. House Khor Nubt has adopted the heraldric symbol of a camel on gold, with a green fringe.

HOUSE OF DAU – The House of Dau owes is meteoric rise to two factors – one, the richness of their Egyptian lands, which they mercilessly tax farm to obtain immense wealth, and Christina of Dau’s marriage to Emperor Thomas, which her family milks mercilessly for status and power in Konstantinopolis. Dau originally was a native noble family under the Fatimids, who long ago with the first conquest by the Megas saw the winds were shifting, and promptly converted. House Dau has taken as its symbol the lighthouse of Alexandria on blue.

EGYPTIAN KOMNENIDS – This branch of the Komnenid line began with Manuel granting the theme of Damietta to his son Eudoxios shortly before his exile in 1169. Eudoxios did not rule the theme particularly well – this coupled with its small size has meant that this branch of the Komnenid dynasty is among the poorest. However, Damietta, should it get into more fiscally inclined hands, has immense potential – the theme could potentially control all trade coming down the Nile – a bonanza in tolls for someone inclined to collect. Eudoxios has adopted the Komnenid eagle, surmounted by two stars on a green and black field, as his personal standard. This has been adopted by his three sons as well.

HOUSE QASIM – The descendants of the original Megos Domestikos of Demetrios Megas continue to grow in power. Ruling over three themes, House Qasim is the pre-eminent power in the Byzantine Levant. A long line of superb princes, especially of Jaffa-Ascalon and Armenia have provided good subcommanders for Roman armies in the East, and filled the Qasim coffers with gold. House Qasim is perhaps the most respected of the neodynatoi, and other than the Komnenids themselves, likely one of the most powerful families in the empire. House Qasim has adopted the traditional symbol of Konstantinopolis, the crescent moon, coupled with a star on yellow, blue and red.

GALILEAN KOMNENIDS – The descendants of Megas Doux Kosmas Komnenos still reign in Galilee. If it weren’t for Eudoxios’ mismanagement of Damietta, the Galilee Komnenids, under Kosmas’ son Gabriel, would likely be the poorest of the Imperial scions. However, symbolically they hold an immense amount of influence as the trustees of Nazareth, and numerous holy sites. Gabriel Komnenos holds sway as a moral voice among the dynatoi, a tone sorely needed in these times. The descendants of Kosmas have taken the Komnenid eagle on a black field, surmounted by a crown and a white cross, as their banner.

Nobility cont'd -

HOUSE BYRENNIOS – Outside of the various scions of House Komnenos, House Byrennios is likely the most powerful of the dynatoi. Byrennois controls no less than four themes – Pereyslavl, Epieros, Chariasion, and Mosul. Prince Andronikos of Mosul, patriarch of the clan, is known to have the ear of not just Emperor Thomas, but also Emperor Heraklios as well. Byrennios tends to maintain the finest thematakoi outside of the imperial family, and as such are often a crucial part of Imperial armies. Bryennios has taken a golden cross, with alternating fields of red and blue with golden stars as their banner, one of the most feared in the Empire…

ANTIOCHEAN KOMNENIDS – The descendants of Isaakios and Theodoros Komnenos continue to rule in Antioch, and as such are among the more powerful of the Komnenid clans. Georgios Komnenos, Prince of Antioch, is one of the senior-most strategoi in the Imperial army, and the family’s control of the third most populous city in the Empire ensures a huge, steady income. Unlike the Egyptian or Galilean Komnenids, Georgios and his clan routinely immerse themselves in Imperial machinations. The Antiochean Komnenids have adopted the Komnenid eagle, crowned, clutching a pair of swords as their banner.

HOUSE KAUKADENOS – The star of House Kaukadenos has risen as the Komnenids have. Originally, Kaukadenos was one of several comes within Alexios Komnenos’ theme of Kappadokia. Now, Kaukadenos scions rule as princes of Azeribijian and Al Jazira, two provinces that while not materially rich, are strategically importance as frontier marches. As a result Kaukadenos has a long and storied military reputation, stretching back to the days of the Megas himself. Alexios Kaukadenos, Prince of Al Jazira and Patriarch of the clan, is one of the most respected, if rather unheralded, strategoi in the Roman army. House Kaukadenos has adopted the Virgin Mary and Holy Child on blue as their banner.

CHALDEAN KOMNENIDS – After his death, the scions of Christophoros Komnenos were stripped of their father’s theme, yet Christophoros’ son Matthias Komnenos had the last laugh. On the death of Romanos Komnenos, Matthias, as the closest living son of an elder brother, inherited the theme of Edessa, and shortly thereafter by marriage inherited his father’s old territory of Coloneia as well. Now Matthias’ grandson, appropriately named Manuel, rules both themes with a poisonous fist. Rich, feared and capable, Manuel of Coloneia is regarded as a formidable leader amongst the dynatoi. The Chaldean Komnenids have adopted the Komnenid eagler superimposed on a blue cross with stars as their banner.

HOUSE ALANIA – “House Alania” is so named simply because of the origins of the family, in the ancient lands of the Alans. House Alania is perhaps one of the least powerful of the Great Houses, but like Kaukadenos, owns a strategic piece of territory – in this case, guarding the northern border of the Empire. Their social position does not come from their social graces – they are regarded as semi-barbarian and uncouth by much of proper society, but their military reputation trumps these social flaws – on top of their status as ex-royalty. The Alanian royal house adopts the leopard before white mountains as their banner.

KAPPADOKIAN KOMNENIDS – While Demetrios Koutsos may have been a hunchback, had a lisp, and walked with a limp, he did manage to start his own dynasty. His son Alexandros now rules as Prince of Kappadokia, ancestral home to the Komnenids. Symbolically, the Kappadokian Komnenids use the ancient status of their theme for symbolic advantage, yet in practical terms, the other Komnenid branches for the most part have outstripped them. The Kappadokian Komnenids have adopted the Komnenid eagle on green with stars as their banner and symbol.

SAMOS KOMNENIDS – At the end of the Great Rebellion in 1158, the Kantakouzenids of Samos were stripped of their titles, and the land handed to Emperor Manuel’s then young son Theodoros. Theodoros has since proven to be a good steward to these islands, using tolls and the strategic location of his theme to great effect. The Samos Komnenids control many of the key naval ports for the Roman navy, and during the reign of Basil his brother Theodoros served as Megas Doux after Kosmas, commanding the Imperial fleet during the Moorish Wars of the 1180s. The Samos Komnenids have adopted the Komnenid eagle with three stars on a split red and blue field as their banner.

HOUSE PALIALOGOS – The Paleologi are a dynasty that has shifted themes often during the Komnenid reign. During the last days of the Dukas, they controlled Achaea and Epieros, then lost Epieros, then gained Galilee, lost Galilee, and now rule over Achaea and Crete, along with small footholds in Thrace and in the Levant. The ultimate survivors, the Paleologi are gifted at bending whichever way the political winds blow, keeping their authority and dignity no matter where they end up. The Paleologi have adopted a gold cross on crimson as their banner.

HOUSE DUKAS –The former imperial family’s fortunes have waned considerably, yet as rulers of Dorostorum and nominal Princes of Thrace, they still hold a rather large amount of authority, if only due to their proximity to the capital. However, they have never shown themselves friends to the Komnenoi, and Prince Andronikos Dukas is often heard to darkly mutter that the throne is his by right. House Dukas has adopted a white cross on blue as their symbol.

HOUSE KANTAKOUZENOS – Like House Dukas, the star of House Kantakouzenos has fallen far, and soon they might not be considered one of the great families. Their position is more dependent on the respect other dynatoi hold for their head, Nikolaios Kantakouzenos, than any military power or wealth. Nikolaios is old, and likely his death will also sweep away this family’s importance. House Kantakouzenos has the symbol of Konstantinopolis, the moon and star, in gold on a blue background as their banner.

PERESCHEN KOMNENOI – The Pereschen Komnenoi are descendants of Manuel of Sinope who survived Demetrios Megas’ purge of that branch of the family after Manuel’s revolt. While their head, who has adopted the Moldau name of Bolgar (something which undermines his seriousness in the eyes of other dynatoi) has claims to the Imperial throne, these are scoffed at by most of the nobility. Bolgar’s notorious temper does not help him much in making allies, either. The Pereschen Komnenoi have a black eagle with a gold crown on yellow as their banner.

BOSNIAN KOMNENIDS – The Bosnian Komnenids are not true Komnenids – they descend from Malhaz Komnenos, the bastard son of Empress Jacinta and an unknown courtier. While they carry the family name (their claim to fame), they do not carry the family clout. However, the name of Malhaz was highly respected within the ranks of the dynatoi due to his own merits, which has added luster to an otherwise dull family. Once Malhaz was given the Exarchate of Tarraconensis, the Principality passed to his youngest son Yakub. Due to their bastard status, the Bosnian Komnenids cannot use the Komnenid eagle – instead they use gold fleur-de-lis on a field of blue with a white stripe.

HOUSE TRPIMIROVIC – House Trpimirovic once ruled large tracts of the Balkans as Kings of Croatia, until the death of King Peter and the disastrous Cyrenaican War at the start of the 12th century. Now, over 90 years later, the former royal house now are Princes of the Empire, content with their new role in a larger, more powerful entity. Wealthy and aristocratic, the Trpimirovics provide the infantry core of the Imperial Kroatikon Stratos, one of the chief imperial wartime formations in the Balkans. House Trpimirovic uses their old heraldry as Kings of Croatia for their symbol.

LEONID KOMNENOS – So called because of Leo Komnenos’ status as the head of this branch, the Leonic Komnenids and their patriarch have a long history of semi-treacherous activity, especially with the French. Controlling most of the rich provinces of Italy, the Leonids are likely the most powerful family in the Empire after the Imperial Komnenid line itself, blessed with wealth and an immense army of thematakoi from their themes of Apulia, Calabria, Salerno, Spoleto and Benevento. The Leonid Komnenids use the Komnenid eagle with swords on the red and gray colors of Apulia as their banner.

Servius Magnus - The original Manuel, brother of Demetrios Megas, remained Metropolitan of Baalbek until his death (sometime in the 1140s, IIRC), had no children, and likely was insulting and cursing his flock til the end. I'd need to go back to the save to find out exactly when he died.

VladAntlerkov - This AAR is, in many ways, stuck somewhere between vanilla and DV. DV came out when the original game this is based on was just into the 14th century, and I installed DV on my new computer instead of the vanilla and converted it over. However, as I go through the vanilla section, I occasionally need screenies of people I didn't take during the original run through (Heraklios and Christina, for example) - but since the new computer only has DV, the screenies are DV ones, so its a general mixup of styles.

The_Archduke - Which brat? Thomas has two male ones so far, Anteminos and Thomas...

RGB - I too feel sorry for the Bulgarians...

Enewald - Yeah, I wish there was a theme system for the Byzantines, it'd give a better representation of how things worked as opposed to all the generals instead becoming hereditary princes...

AlexanderPrimus - Most of the original flag designs came from actual Byzantine heraldry, which came into vogue around the 12th century (though without the strict rules and guidelines of their western counterparts). Since Manuel actually feudalized the empire, I just took things one step further.


Next update will be started tonight! My goal is to have it done possibly as soon as Friday, perhaps Saturday.

Servius Magnus - Correction. On checking, he did have kids, though they only lasted one more generation in game before fading out. So yes, none of his descendants remain alive.

Delex - I tried to keep at least one save per royal monarch, and during the actual game I took a bunch of screenies. The original screenies tend to guide big, overall developments, like land taken or lost, but screenies of people I often have to go back and take from the save game itself.

As for individual plotting, etc. - I have a general idea of how many characters will be, but I fill in the details once I reach them in the AAR. For example, I had the general idea that Manuel was a devious man, but I made up alot of his plots on the fly as I wrote out his character, using the screenies as a framework to work everything around. Its pretty flexible, which I like...



Next update is coming along slowly. It might be up later tonight, more likely tomorrow sometime.

Next update is here! Oh, and a note, sorry AP that I vanished in the midst of our conversation. MSN Messenger has decided to spit out error messages instead of letting me send messages or even log on. Trying to fix it...




Barcelona… January 28th, 1196

Candles flickered, as an unnervingly cold breeze whispered through the Cathedral of Barcelona. The building had an ancient history – once it’d be a church of the Arian barbarians long before, then a temporary mosque, then a place to store grain, and in the last ten years, a great church once more. Not that the young boy in a sea of adults would have appreciated such historical subtleties – he merely wanted the service to end. It was already into its third hour, with at least two more to go.

Alexios Komnenos silently kicked his feet against the floor as the priests continued to sing their Greek chants, the noise mixing strangely with the sounds of Spanish castenets. While the eyes of everyone else in the massive cathedral were closed in prayer, the Exarch of Lusitania and Mauretania impatiently played with his late father’s overly large ring of office. Try as he might, the eight year old could not help being fidgety. The ceremony was so long. His knees hurt from kneeling so for that time, yet the choir and priests kept droning. Yes, it was cold outside, but the cold was far better than this.

He looked over to the right, where he saw his mother Alienor, resplendent in brilliant silks kneeling next to her husband of four years, the knight Serlo de Hauteville. Alexios smiled slightly – maybe tomorrow, once all the celebrations, feasting and endless ceremonies were finished, Serlo would take him out for sparring yet again. Alexios had memorized all the family histories on his namesake, the Prince of Kappadokia, as well as that of the Megas, as well as his grandfather. Never did he see in any of those writings a mention that the Megas or Megaloprepis had ever bested grown men in a spar.

True, Alexios had not fought in armor, and it was true he had not fought in a ‘normal’ manner. The little boy had used his speed and small size to dodge his step-father’s attacks, and weasel his way in close enough the bigger Serlo couldn’t swing accurately before whacking him in the stomach with all his might. He still remembered Serlo’s look of surprise, and his comment.

“You’re going to be a ferocious eagle someday.”

The compliment held a smile on the Prince’s face for a few moments, till winter’s chill touched him yet again. Bored, the Exarch looked off to his left. Immediately next to him was the whole reason for the enormous ceremony and celebration – his distant cousin Bagrat Komnenos, soon to be Exarch of Tarraconensis. The man had a severe face, like one of Alexios’ tutors, as well as an acidic tongue that could make paper curl from his foul-mouthed insults. Even though mother and Serlo tried to hide it, Alexios knew that Bagrat did not like him that much – the eight year old knew all too well how jealousy could make friends turn into enemies.

Yet Alexios wasn’t afraid, mostly because of the man on the other side of Bagrat, whose brilliant blonde hair turning white, wrinkles now creasing his face. Alexios knew nothing of Rodrigo Jimenez’ rough and tumble past, all he knew the Spaniard for was being Hyperexarch, a friend of Alexios’ grandfather and even now a faithful ally of Alexios’ mother and stepfather. Despite criticism from the old Exarch of Tarraco, Rodrigo had keenly defended Alexios’ claims to Mauretania and Lusitania. If Bagrat started his grumblings about an eight year old controlling two exarchates, Alexios knew Rodrigo would back him.

Even further beyond that was Rodrigo’s wife. Alexios wondered why she was always perpetually sad. Sometimes he felt like he should talk to her, and say her sour, sad looks were probably what made Rodrigo pay so little attention to her. It was dull dealing with someone who was always a grump!

Finally, the choir finished their latest hymn, and the Metropolitan of Barcelona began to administer another set of blessings on the newest Exarch, and Alexios desperately shifted his shoulders, moving the weighty robes of state about. The candles flickered again, as the priests entered yet another monotone, swinging their censers. Desperately, the little boy turned his mind to his other passion – horseback riding. He fantasized about riding the bay courser that Serlo had purchased the day before from one of the horsemaster’s of Barcelona. His mother had promised Alexios that if he sat still and good through the whole ceremony, she’d make sure he got his pick of the family chargers once they returned to Basiliopolis.


Alexios already knew which horse would be his – a two year old black colt that showed all the signs of growing into a great monster of a beast, something that might even put Serlo’s fearsome stallion ‘Longshanks’ to shame. It would be a battle. Alexios knew his mother would try to stop him, and Serlo would complain that the beast was ill-tempered and that Alexios should pick another, but the young prince would merely tell them a promise was a promise. Even when he walked by the stables, he knew the horse saw him, watched him, and he felt a connection. It would learn to trust him, just as he already trusted it. All he needed to do was to pick a name.

He’d thought about naming it ‘Kyriomachos’ after his grandfather’s sword, but decided against it. It’d do no good to have a sword and charger named the same. Alexios couldn’t wait for the day he’d be able to wield the blade now ceremonially held in keeping by his stepfather. His mother had said that Basil’s old blade was the new Sword of State, and that Serlo could keep it so long as he was Knight Commander and the de facto commander of the exarchate’s troops. Once Alexios was sixteen, he’d have Kyriomachos, and he fully intended on using it… if Bagrat opened his mouth, on him first. If not, perhaps his grandfather’s old enemy Drogo would provide a suitable throat.

The prince openly looked up. No one was paying attention, all eyes were on the floor. The winter wings touched Alexios again, and the prince smiled. He had it. He’d name the charger Kataktetenegros,* and demand that the horsemaster made sure it got the best grain and war training. Demetrios rode to battle at Arbela on the bay Kataktetes, and Basil had ridden his Kyriohippeis from Syria to Spain. It’d only be appropriate the next Roman conqueror had his own horse with an imposing name…

As the Prince smiled at this thought and the priestly droning reached a crescendo, Alexios saw something more out of the corner of his eye. The little boy swiveled his head around, and his eyes went wide.

There was a man, clad in white from head to toe, clinging to the ceiling.


The shadow of a man quickly clambered onto the next rafter, edging along as the prince silently watched. Alexios wondered why the man was up there. Was he one of the peasants that had tried to crowd into the building once the great lords from all Spain had arrived? No, he moved too quickly for a peasant or a slave. Already, he’d moved halfway along the length of the church, before finally he precariously perched himself where one of the rafters met the wall. For a moment, it seemed like he was fidgeting with something, before he raised a hand, seemingly pointing at Alexios. The prince blinked, as the priest uttered uttered five words that would remain imprinted in Alexios’ mind forever…

“Písteue eis on thrasúnei se…”**

The twing of the crossbows firing was drowned out by the noise of the priest’s prayers for the safety and sanctity of Bagrat’s soul. Alexios’ first indication something was truly amiss was when he felt a rush of air by his head, just before he heard the sickly wet thud of a bolt hitting flesh and felt something warm and wet splatter the side of his face. The prince instinctively turned towards Bagrat. His cousin was flat on the ground, shaking and gasping, two small bolts sticking from his neck as blood fountained all over Alexios’ robes.

Then, chaos exploded. In the next second, the young boy was flat on the ground, Rodrigo Jimenez’s body covering him. There were screams, shouts, the noise of feet. Shouts from the bodyguards, the noise of swords being drawn. Alexios heard Serlo’s familiar roar, his mother screaming in terror.

“Alexios, are you hurt!?” Rodrigo stood up slightly, still hovering over the Prince. The Spaniard’s old face was one of panic. “Christ’s ass!” Jimenez panicked, touching Alexios’ cheek. The warmth and wetness spread, and instinctively Alexios raised his own hand up. His cheek felt fine, save something wet was on it. The prince pulled his hand into view – it was bright red with fresh blood.

He screamed.

Rodrigo looked over to his left, as Alexios heard his mother screaming something. The Spaniard’s eyes darted back down, and Alexios felt hands roughly grabbing him. “Up boy!” Rodrigo barked, leaping to his feet and yanking the child along with him. While Alexios started trying to rub his cousin’s blood from his face, Rodrigo had already slung him under an arm and was running out of the cathedral, a sea of bodyguards close around them…


Serlo de Hauteville ripped the embroidered gold brooch from its clasp, and felt his heavy, ornate robes lift from his shoulders. Freed of their enormous weight, the Protector of Mauretania and Lusitania broke into a full run, his blade drawn, his eyes focused on the figure on black now clambering from rooftop to rooftop amidst the tightly packed streets of Barcelona.

“He’s there!” Serlo thundered, racing past a brace of guards looking up in confusion. He heard their mailed feet thundering on the pavement behind him as he raced forward, desperately trying to keep pace with the running figure.

The Norman had no idea how the man had gotten into the cathedral, or how he’d made his first impossible run, along the rafters, the screaming crowd below, before clambering out of the one of the cathedral’s high windows. De Hauteville had been too focused on his step-son, young Alexios, covered in blood. Yet once he saw his friend Rodrigo Jimenez covering the boy, the Knight Commander of the Armies of Lusitania and Mauretania knew what he had to do. He saw fingers pointing to the open window, and dashed out a side rectory door, looking up in time to see the black figure landing on the roof of the nearby rectory, then running.

“Catch him! Take him alive!” Serlo barked, even as he felt his legs slowly giving way. Sure, now he was clad in light silks and jerkins with no robe, but the pace the man was keeping was uncanny. The Norman had seen only a few men run with such agility and stamina. He was already at the city walls, clambering up the masonry with some beastly steel blades in his shoes, even as Serlo screamed at the guardsmen manning the walls to catch him!

As the Knight Commander watched, the man in black clambered onto the battlements as two guardsmen charged him. Serlo reached the stairs to the wall, and leapt up them, three at a time, as the noise of swordplay assaulted his ears. Unsteadily, the knight commander gripped the ceremonial sword of state, the long length of Kyriomachos unsteady in his hands. Finally, he reached the top of the battlement, in time to see the man dodge the thrust of the second guardsman before elbowing him in the head, sending him tumbling into the city below.

For a moment the two stared at each other, eyeing their opposite’s strengths and weaknesses, before suddenly the man put a foot onto the parapet. Coins jingled out of his pocket, clattering onto the stone parapet. Serlo saw the man’s eyes narrow for just the briefest moment, then flick to the side. Serlo crouched, eyeing his target. The man hovered, ready to spring. Serlo finally flicked his eyes to wall as well, and noticed the wooden bracers used on the exterior. The Knight Commander’s brow furrowed – he knew what the man was about to do.

Serlo lunged with his blade. The man turned aside so the blow landed on thin air, and with lightning quickness, the man shoved off, leaping into thin air. The Knight Commander stretched out, trying to grab him, his fingers clutching nothing as the man tumbled forwards. The man twisted hard, stretching a hand out for the wooden bracer, something to cling to, something he could use to break his fall, yet as Serlo watched in horror, the man’s hand merely thumped one of the bracers and slipped off. The man cartwheeled, headfirst towards the ground.

He landed with a sickening crack.

“Dammit!” Serlo swore, looking at the broken form thirty feet below. There was no doubt – the man was beyond dead, his head snapped to a wholly unnatural angle by the impact. The Norman ground his teeth – there’d be no one to interrogate, no way to find out who this man was employed by. In frustration, the Knight Commander kicked the stone of the wall parapet.

Distantly, he heard the cling of a coin.

Serlo looked down, and spied four other coins still laying on the parapet where they’d fallen from the man’s grasp. Carefully, he picked one up. The faces of three Emperors, surmounted by a labarum and etched in gold, stared up at him. As the Norman flipped the coin over, he blinked in disbelief at the etching on the sides.

"Minted in the reign of Emperors Thomas, Alexios and Heraklios, in the Year of 1195…"


*Kataktetenegros – Black Conqueror
**“Písteue eis on thrasúnei se.” = Have faith in he who gives you strength


An exarch has been murdered! Rodrigo et al, who have been content to merely hide away in Spain, must now respond to the challenge… the fallout next time, on Rome AARisen!