Rome AARisen - a Byzantine AAR

[Vesimir]

I like Alexandros the Younger. I have a feeling he'll end up being the emperor, having been educated as 'both genders'. It'd be nice to have an over the top character, actually. I can imagine a bisexual scholarly, lustful conqueror.

The world needs a proper Prince of Persia!

[Kirsch27]

Well, Alexandros seems like he's doing as well as can be expected given the deliberate sabotaging of his upbringing, he still manages to enjoy swordfighting, isn't dresing up in makeup, and is only a bit more petulant than your average 8 year old, especially an Imperial Heir. (We have some well raised heirs so far, but when you start having nannies raise your heirs, it tends to all go down the drain.) Of course, he's 8, and we have no real idea what he's going to end up like, but hopefully he manages to grow up without being a total layabout or a catamite.

Romanos IS loyal, good, but hopefully that Angelos? fellow isn't working for whoever that shady guy at the end was. (the Angelids are in Anatolia, unless they've been shuttled around somewhere else.)

As for the mysterious messenger, Konstantinos calls him an Easterner, and a Barbarian, but what does Konstantinos the Italian considers a barbaric easterner? It could be someone from Sinope or Trebizon, it could even be a Bulgarian, most anything is east of Konstantinos, all we know is he isn't a Spaniard or a Frenchman at this point. Alternatively, it could be as far afield as the Mongolian Empire, or a Russian state of some variety, Sortmark or 'Rus' proper. I seem to think he is either a Persian or a Mongol/Russian, though.

Hopefully Albrecht can manage to get out of this one, or at least keep things going somehow, while Andronikos gets his bearings and enacts whatever scheme he's playing at. Romanos escaping would be a boon to Andronikos as well, hopefully he can be saved before he's executed or whatever awful stuff these evil cats are playing at.

[RGB]

Konstantinos should ride out the bluff and not commit. I doubt they're half as tough as they say. And the assassin-horse was Konstantinos', then?

Alexandros sounds like a delight, and good at getting those prices reduced. I look forward to his future adulthood. Although raising like a girl sounds like a very hilarious idea, unless one is actually involved in such a traumatic situation personally.

The Patriarch, wow. Overstepping his bounds much, or acting on the Emperor's behalf?

[Hawkeye1489]

I know I haven't posted in a little bit, but this update was fantastic, irregardless of the aesthetics. I for one, did not see the Patriarch charging head-first into the breach that is the power vacuum. In hindsight, it would make perfect sense. The Emperor is for all intents and purposes near death and the Lord Regent has been jailed. There isn't anyone else with the respect or authority of the Patriarch left in the city. Although, I have to say, the Dowager of Mesopotamia has been rather quiet as of late. I wonder what Anastasia has been up to in the recent weeks, what with Andronikos laid up and the Hounds of the Patriarch arresting everyone with the smallest bit of prestige. Much to ponder, and methinks that this update just added more questions. Amazing as always BT.

Cheers,
~Hawk

[Enewald]

Who is the main architect behind this?
Fantastic narrative as always.

[cezar87]

I think I just figured out how that dagger Ioannis has will become infamous . The Angelids are making their move and we will be seeing Ioannis eliminate his own father in the service of the Emperor. Ioannis might not be the nicest guy but I get the feeling that loyalty to Andi is one of his better traits.

I hope Konstantinos decides to join Andi instead of the conspirators, but it's just to hard to tell at the moment. He is in a bit of a tight spot at the moment though.

Also, nice to see Eleutherios is still out and about the dungeons.

Alexandros is also turning out quite nicely, despite the sabotage. A very smart little boy that would make his ancient namesake proud.

[Panjer]

Wasn't there supposed to be another Alexandros Megas down the road? If so we may just be witnessing a start to greatness!

[Tommy4ever]

An ... 'interesting' upringing for that child.

Meanwhile I'm quite excited about Rome next Civil War which looks like it will feature a minimum of 3 sides (including Persians) and probably more.

[asd21593]

You know its a great update when I read it so carefully and slowly that I time out and have to resign in

[Vesimir]

You know its a great update when I read it so carefully and slowly that I time out and have to resign in

Or you're just a slow reader.

[Nikolai]

Never heard of "always logged in"?

[armonistan]

OH MY F***ING GOD!!!
This is just wrong!
The spider is caught in his own web, the priest is playing OTL's pope, the Italians are plotting against the "Greeks", the old East vs West conflict is reheating up, and ON TOP OF THAT we have a heir being raised as a HERMAPHRODITE!!!




EDIT: Nikolai, where did you get that snazy avatar? Same question with you, Vesimir. I WANT IT!!!

[humancalculator]

EDIT: Nikolai, where did you get that snazy avatar? Same question with you, Vesimir. I WANT IT!!!

You have to preorder Vicky 2 in order to get them.

[Vesimir]

You have to preorder Vicky 2 in order to get them.

Yep. Those are the Victoria II avatars. There's 1040. Each country in the world gets a commie, fascist, normal, monarchist and republican flag.

We're that elitist.

[Laur]

It was thus that the two empresses came to their accord, an accord made with the grudging consent of their husbands. Šahrzād’s eldest would be made ‘ineligible’ by his education, while her next son, Isaakios, was trained normally ‘just in case’ Theophano failed to bear an heir. Theophano had even graciously agreed that Agnes, a lady-in-waiting in her court, be made the boy’s nursemaid. It was thus that in the name of perpetual peace between the two Gabrieline branches, that Alexandros the Younger needed to be raised in the least regal way they could imagine.

As a girl.

Heh, are you a neo-'mod,' BT? for the tragicomical childhood of Alexandros the Younger reminds me of a very old "The Who" song...
"One girl was called Jean Marie
Another little girl was called Felicity
Another little girl was Sally Joy
The other was me, and I'm a boy..." :-)

...and Catherine Hepburn as a nanny! Priceless!

[Zzzzz...]

those damn Persians! Who else?

[Saithis]

The negative reaction to the boy's new upbringing suprises me - I think it's brilliant. xD

[Kirsch27]

The negative reaction to the boy's new upbringing suprises me - I think it's brilliant. xD

How's it brilliant to raise a boy as a girl? Do you want them raising their girls as boys too, and having gender-switched societies where women do jobs (usually) best left to men, like battle or unloading ships at the harbor, and men do jobs (usually) best left to women, like child-rearing and dressmaking?

[Saithis]

Because it's a story, it's funny, and the general negativity to it is beyond me. It's not real life, so why get so worked up over it?

[Vesimir]

Because it's a story, it's funny, and the general negativity to it is beyond me. It's not real life, so why get so worked up over it?

As long as there are no lightsabers, I'm cool with 'enriching' the story.

And it would be cool seeing the Roman Empire in a drow-like society. Women ruling and men serving. Only in alternative reality though.