Rome AARisen - a Byzantine AAR

Normally I would take 2, as it's been a while sense we saw Sophie last time. But I really wan't to see Basil and the radical decision he's going to take, so let's make it 3!

Hopefully well end up seeing some Sophie in there too.

I'm all for 3.

General_BT said:

Your choices are:

1) Rodrigo - The hyperexarch attempts to throttle the brewing situation in Hispania before it can explode,
2) Sophie Komnenos - the Empress worries about her sons, and a growing situation with Basil,
3) Basil himself - the Emperor makes a radical decision that will change the course of the Empire and the succession, or
4) Heraklios Komnenos - the youngest son of Basil, who seems to be a favorite among several readers.

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1 !

Leviathan07 - I'm actually going to be going to one of those during my visit to Chicago tomorrow, ironically...

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Haha, have fun and don't start a war

I'm gonna drop a big #2.

I go with 3

I'm saying 4 ... but if it's behind and it comes to a tie between 3 and something else, feel free to change it to a 3.

I love the boy and I've never even met him. Look at those stats though! He maybe 50 years early though, if what you imply is right. He could be one of the best things to happen to a dying empire, the perfect man to stabilize it and possibly even make a bit of a small comeback. If he were made heir and was properly raised by Basil (as you tell us he is) then he could even be the man to bring a new infusion of life ... but then again we have to remember the Mongols.

When you remember the Mongols it could mean the real difference for succession. Thomas could be good against them and so could David but poor little Heraklios hasn't much martial prowess in him to be good and the Mongols aren't the kindest of folks, nor do they strike me as the type to play nicely even for a nice fat bribe.

*Sigh* I just want to see him winthegame.

Is there any way you could work two and three into the same update?

1, 2 and 3?

Oh to choose...I'll say 1...but I really want 3...and 2. And 4 would be nice too.

OKay, I'll go with 1

2

We haven't heard anything about Sophie in awhile...



asd

I don't want to hear about what she blundered this time.

If I choose one, would there be a chance that another character will get their time in the spotlight later?

Hard choices, hard choices; for one, we can never have enough of the fan-favorite Spaniard; for two, it's been a while since the perfect empress has been seen in person; for three, a radical decision by the emperor? how exciting!; and for four, an exposition on a new potentially importantly character in his youth is always nice.

And yet there are reservations. Would Rodrigo's chapter show as many new events as other updates could? His motivations are clear so others' might be more interesting (like, say, what made Basil took this particular "radical decision"). And of Sophie's and Basil's chapter, well, let's just say that reading 'bout the couple's melancholy doesn't make me a happy evil mage. And while a youngster's viewpoint on his brothers' feud and his father's melancholy might be an interesting experiment (his stats might create...disagreements...on the virtue of his father's glory, ala Manuel the Younger, or it might not -- depending on how you intend to interpret the character), it would come at a cost of actually being in the center of the maelstrom...

I'm going on a wild guess here and say that having Hera's boy as a choice among four would mean that he plays a big role in this "radical decision" though. Did you just make him heir somehow?

Ah, I'm just bad at decisions.

*tosses a coin*

3 it is! Let's hear what the Emperor has to say about it all!

Fulcrumvale said:

Is there any way you could work two and three into the same update?

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Or he could work in four.

While I'm intrigued by Heraklios' stats and a loyal Sophie fangirl*, I'm going to have to go with Option C. Basil's a fantastic character that's started to get far too little screentime, and in this particular instance I feel his presence would be hilaristurbingly awesome.

Edited to add: I... I don't suppose you could fudge some Sophie presence into a Basil chapter? Please? I'll make cookies?

Just starting on this, General_BT, and commenting to let you know that I'm around . I look forward to seeing how you handle the Byzantine period!

Definitely four! Four!

2!

4

Hmm ALL so interesting!!!

You've given us a truly agonizing choice sir!

But at the end of the day I'll go with option 3, I'd like to hear from the Basileus!

Wonder what poor ol' Baz will have to say this time!

Wow... I go and get married (leaving regular board reading for a few weeks for obvious reasons) and I come back to all of this General_BT you have outdone yourself.

BTW, I love how Manuel the Spider left such an impression on everyone that we all still think he could be involved in world affairs years after he abdicated.

My vote is for 3.

Well we haven't seen Sophie for a while so I vote 2