Hey everyone! No work done yet on the next update, but I do have an interim!
Basilieus444 - Welcome to joining the other patient people! I'd echo Leviathan, go ahead and get CK. It's inexpensive compared to many other games out there, and even 6 years on the depth is amazing. You'll enjoy it!
So Manuel and Thomas II, eh? I think you're in common company with having Manuel as a favorite emperor, but Thomas II is a little rarer to hear. From my perspective, he was definitely one of the most difficult ones to write because of his madness. It was a challenge to make him seem all things at once because of his disease--spartan, brilliant, vicious, mad, all at the same time.
The pic came from "Willow" actually.
von Sachsen - A purple tushy would be ridiculously expensive, and Albrecht's been clamping down on Tommy's budget... you'll see why...
armoristan - That actually sounds like a good idea for a future interim. Keep reminding me, I'm scatterbrained and I'll likely forget!
Kirsch27 - o.0
That is all I have to say about the mental image you gave me.
AlexanderPrimus - Hopefully soon the treat will be reciprocated! (AP's AAR "Aethellan: A Tale of Kings" will be returning shortly!)
asd21593 - "Friend" might be too strong a term. "Short-term-acquaintance-who-is-buttering-him-up-for-something" is a better one.
Tommy4ever - From Nikephoros' view, it makes total sense. Alexandros is apolitical (unlike Segeo, who has a clear agenda to raise his family and will undoubtedly parade his title around and make a fuss should he get it), and younger (won't need replacement for a long time, a good thing on all fronts). Remains to be seen if Nikky knows to watch his back from his father-in-law or not though.
Christian V - Thank you for the correction, and I'll make a note of the proper spelling, so I don't insert foot into mouth as much.
I'm afraid you'll find my knowledge of Danish is about as sparse as my knowledge of actual Greek, so there's a great deal of "faking it" throughout the story. "Megos" instead of "Megas," now "Krigleder" instead of "Krigsleder."
RGB - I think we can safely say Segeo is going to fail at his goal. But what about Olaf? And how does the incompetent fit into the Danish King's plans?
Enewald -
1) Basil's sons, in order, went David, Manuel, Thomas, Gabriel, Heraklios.
2) In game Sortmark is a big collection of Danish counties, as well as the Danish crown (which moved to the steppe), in southern Russia that is continually waxing and waning. Their core provinces have started to go Orthodox, and I think by 1255 at least one had gone Danish culturewise...
Hannibal X - Sortmark is definitely
trying to take the Muscovy path... picking up the pieces after the Mongols, uniting all the Russias... but Sortmark has a Roman neighbor to the south that is used to partial awe from its northern companion. Anything less might be grounds for Roman intervention (once the Roman army is back up and running)
Qorten - Wanting to tear down the Hagia Sophia is hard to beat, but it happens...
Vesimir - Considering how incompetent Segeo is, its no real wonder why Nikky tends to ignore him. However, Nikky's had his eye on Olaf... Bataczes' posting shows that. The big question is whether two and two will come together before its too late...
4th Dimension - Possibly. Or a Catalan/Ukrainian giftbasket of doom. 50/50.
KlavoHunter - Part of me wonders if the Romans expect 'Steppe-Vikings' to be subtle enough to scheme... so far, Roman encounters with them have usually shown the Sortmarkers are good at beating people up, yelling, and swinging axes while on horseback. Poisoning? That'd be a new addition to their skillset...
Without further ado... some of Thomas III's building projects! (culled from an endless list of building pics taken from his reign... and written in the manner of a 20th century historian trying to find some way to "rehabilitate" the image of a "Mad Emperor Thomas"...)