Parmesan Cheese - The Rise (or fall) of the di Parma dynasty

[Konnigratz]

I concur. Death to the Emperor! Long live the drunken, pub-dwelling, blabbermouth Empress!

[Aardvark Bellay]

Another free drink at the bar and another "hello! again" with the emperor.
Nothing's as good as tradition.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

Despite your wife's tendency to be loose-lipped, I think you should still back the plot, if only for story reasons.

[loki100]

good move to send Count Oberto off to stare helpfully at the disease ridden peasantry ... almost as if you wanted rid of him?

despite your current revolting populace, I'd concur, this is a plot you have to go with ... just make sure none of the Princesses are out on the bevvy for a while

[naggy]

Back the plot. She 's just so right for the Empire.

Well, you'd hope an Italian duke could take advantage of a drunken Emperor...

I concur. Death to the Emperor! Long live the drunken, pub-dwelling, blabbermouth Empress!

*hic*

Another free drink at the bar and another "hello! again" with the emperor.
Nothing's as good as tradition.

Happy hour has a whole new meaning...

Despite your wife's tendency to be loose-lipped, I think you should still back the plot, if only for story reasons.

Then I shall!

good move to send Count Oberto off to stare helpfully at the disease ridden peasantry ... almost as if you wanted rid of him?

Yeah. One great thing about CK2 is how event choices are limited by traits and stats. High diplo lieges can flatter people to get out of some events, for example. I often wonder if there's a trait I could have that would help me more with some events.

despite your current revolting populace, I'd concur, this is a plot you have to go with ... just make sure none of the Princesses are out on the bevvy for a while

Courtier: My liege!!! The peasants are revolting!
Oberto: Finally, something we agree on.

[morningSIDEr]

Great updates. Plenty of plotting, title swapping, warfare, rebellion and drinking. Oberto seems to be doing rather well, despite the Emperor doing all he can to vex him! Interesting to see what whether you back this current plot or not. One thing is very clear, I really do think Oberto junior should return to his hooded ways.

[aldriq]

One thing is very clear, I really do think Oberto junior should return to his hooded ways.

Oberto Jr is undoubtedly biding his time, preparing his hood and his clone army in Menorca...

[naggy]

Great updates. Plenty of plotting, title swapping, warfare, rebellion and drinking. Oberto seems to be doing rather well, despite the Emperor doing all he can to vex him! Interesting to see what whether you back this current plot or not. One thing is very clear, I really do think Oberto junior should return to his hooded ways.

Oberto Jr is undoubtedly biding his time, preparing his hood and his clone army in Menorca...

The Trade Federation (Genoa) awaits their orders...

[naggy]

After Oberto joins the plot, Princess Adelheid immediately presses the plot, and Emperor Sieghard I steps down. Sieghard's primary title reverts to Duke of Holland.



Oberto still harbors some harsh feelings over the last plot. Adelheid's opinion of Oberto is mixed due to both plots.





Adelheid makes Oberto the Master of the Hunt as a nod to his support. Meanwhile, Oberto declares war on the Sheikh of Denia so he can take another easy Spanish province.



In September 1116, the revolting peasants take their anger out on one of my bishops in Menorca before I could get there. I swear I will never let this happen again!



After this time...luckily, the Pope doesn't seem to angry at me that I'm getting his bishops killed right and left by rabble.



In February 1118, the King of Sicily wants to raise Crown Authority again. Yes, please raise the authority of my future kingdom...



In September, Denia surrenders, and the province is handed off to Oberto the Hoodless. Meanwhile, Duke Oberto usurps the Duchy of Valencia (7th duchy)



On October 28th, Adelheid passes away. That didn't last very long. Kaiser Gunzel doesn't have such a high opinion of Oberto, sadly. To celebrate the new Kaiser, Oberto declares war on the Emir of Cyrenaica to take Calabria from the heathens.

[Konnigratz]

Wow, the Emperor actually stepped down, rather than let the entire empire fall into civil war? That's insanely rare in my experience, and especially in the HRE! How big was the plot?
Also, will you be able to usurp the Sicilian throne after this war?
A fine update.

[Chief Ragusa]

Oberto III is such a big cheese that almost any plot he joins will succeed. He got gratitude but nothing practical (Master of the Hunt is not Steward, but does sum up Oberto and his quest for the crown of Sicily) and the new Emperor doesn't much care for Oberto III -watch his back,

Shame about those Bishops. Does Rome appoint them or does Oberto.? If it's Oberto, the Pope ought to be upset. If Rome, he's no call to hold Oberto responsible.

On for that 9th Duchy amd Kingship!

[loki100]

does seem that being one of your bishops is incredibly dangerous these days

but overall you're making stunning progress

[Melrick]

I didn't think the emperor would just step down, that's for sure. I can only assume it was a pretty big plot against him.

[Dadarian]

Can you create the Kingdom of Two-Sicilies/Naples/Italy? Because you're on your way right now.

[Tanzhang (譚張)]

Can you create the Kingdom of Two-Sicilies/Naples/Italy? Because you're on your way right now.

Nope, just the Kingdom of Sicily. (technically he can't create it as it already exists, so he'll have to usurp it)

Speaking of, once you take Calabria will you have enough territories to usurp the Kingdom of Sicily?

[aldriq]

That sheikh Yahya was certainly careless to let you snatch the duchy of Valencia... but not as careless as your bishops, it seems.

[morningSIDEr]

That sheikh Yahya was certainly careless to let you snatch the duchy of Valencia... but not as careless as your bishops, it seems.

I was just thinking that as I read the update, he's clearly earned his title!

Quite why Oberto is still not considered brave I truly do not know. His courageously bullying a young boy, the Emir of Cyrenaica, proves beyond doubt what a stupendously brave man he is.

[naggy]

Wow, the Emperor actually stepped down, rather than let the entire empire fall into civil war? That's insanely rare in my experience, and especially in the HRE! How big was the plot?
Also, will you be able to usurp the Sicilian throne after this war?
A fine update.

I don't know how big it was. It fired before I could look. Assuming I don't lose anything, I will be able to usurp the Kingdom of Sicily next.

Oberto III is such a big cheese that almost any plot he joins will succeed. He got gratitude but nothing practical (Master of the Hunt is not Steward, but does sum up Oberto and his quest for the crown of Sicily) and the new Emperor doesn't much care for Oberto III -watch his back,

Shame about those Bishops. Does Rome appoint them or does Oberto.? If it's Oberto, the Pope ought to be upset. If Rome, he's no call to hold Oberto responsible.

On for that 9th Duchy amd Kingship!

The new Emperor will probably have bigger problems than me.

HRE has Free Investiture, but I think you have the upsetness switched around. Getting the Pope's favorites killed generally annoys the Pope.

does seem that being one of your bishops is incredibly dangerous these days

but overall you're making stunning progress

I agree, Bishop Loki. Here are your tickets to Sicily.

I didn't think the emperor would just step down, that's for sure. I can only assume it was a pretty big plot against him.

Larger Empires probably rarely end up in Emperors stepping down, if only because even a weakened Emperor can raise a frightening army.

Can you create the Kingdom of Two-Sicilies/Naples/Italy? Because you're on your way right now.

Nope, just the Kingdom of Sicily. (technically he can't create it as it already exists, so he'll have to usurp it)

Speaking of, once you take Calabria will you have enough territories to usurp the Kingdom of Sicily?

What Tanzhang said. And yes.

That sheikh Yahya was certainly careless to let you snatch the duchy of Valencia... but not as careless as your bishops, it seems.

One cannot thwart the will of God.

I was just thinking that as I read the update, he's clearly earned his title!

Quite why Oberto is still not considered brave I truly do not know. His courageously bullying a young boy, the Emir of Cyrenaica, proves beyond doubt what a stupendously brave man he is.

He is also stupendously brave, fighting the Muslims while knowing that their friends would have to declare war on the Kaiser to try and get revenge.

[naggy]

April 5, 1119: Oberto's armies smash the Emir's army in Palermo. While Oberto did not lead, he showed great heroism.



Unfortunately, the Emir landed 1400 more men in Messina, meaning that Oberto's men were now outnumbered. Luckily, the Swiss Band takes MasterCard.

The Emir's troops attacked Oberto's army outside of Cefalu in June, only to have the Swiss Band leap off the boats and join in the battle. Like all Paradox games, the AI bases its decision whether to attack or not based on what's in front of it, meaning that you can sucker the AI into a battle by looking weak.



While Oberto is off to war, his wife wants something to keep her occupied. Better a falcon than a courtier.



"Guys, have fun out here with this siege....I'm going go paaaaartay!"



This is CK2's subtle way of telling you that your son died if he's on your Council. Because the messages come in order, the death notification of course ends up instantly behind the notification that you need a new councilor. Rumors that his son threw him over a railing into a reactor core are unverified.





I love how he finds out his eldest son dies while he's at the Grand Tournament, and doesn't go home. What a great father! And I probably don't want to know what "covering yourself in glory" looks like.



Girgenti converts to Catholicism in June 1120, which apparently leads to this. The shining light of Christ can be distracting for ship captains. Being a good Christian, Oberto keeps the money.



In June 1121, the new King in Sicily, Botolf, wants to raise crown authority. How thoughtful!



Later that month, the Emir of Cyrenaica finally gives up and cedes Calabria to Oberto.



Long live the King!

[Nordhus]

From king to count, quite the fall for Botolf. What are you going to do with all your duchies? Now that you're king, I believe your vassals will be quite pissed off if you keep them all yourself.