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@vmarra I too have found myself in my current campaign as the (now) Emperor of Hispania (and all that he sees) Alfonso the 500th (everyone is an Alfonso in my Empire it seems) saving the Zagwe family. They and the family Sennar I have saved from extinction when I crushed the Fatimid Sultanate. Unfortunately, the Zagwe dynasty was down to one 65 year old man (a brilliant strategist Marshall somewhere in Byzantium). By the time I came onto the scene and I had to get him a new wife to start having kids so that I can give him Gondor. The Sennar family I gave Axum. It is good to be an Emperor when you can decide that some obscure noble in a foreign court is indeed the best man to send to exile in Sennar. I mean hell, would you put one of your family members in charge of that place? A hundred years into the game and there is literally no development at all. Ah well, I saved the family, but I still can't get that guy to come to my court so that I can hand him Abyssinia.. I wonder why not? I mean, it's his birthright, right? Why on earth wouldn't he want to claim it? I mean who would want to be a crummy Marshall in some Doux's court when you could be King, King of all Ethiopia and high lord of the Goat Herders.
On a side note, with Reconquista having obliterated the Muslims from Spain in a generation and sacking all of the Holy Lands that I can reach, Sunni and Shia moral authority are somewhere around 4.5% so the Miaphysites (metaphysics according to spell check) have actually spread in old Egypt. Oh yeah, and the Zagwe family are now all dwarfs, so I will now have a hereditary court dwarf kingdom if I can ever lure him to my court with promises of Tej and a generous allotment to destroy the Gondoran baboons that infest his lands and prevent any technological development at the behest of the Ancient and Mystic Goat Herders Cabal.
I was Ill today, so I thought I would read. I got bored and checked the forums, and found this jewel! This is better than any novel that the local library could offer that I do not already own...
...God bless the holy land of Sennar!
Take the time you need mate, we'll all be here when you get back. I keep it open in a tab on my iPad just so I don't miss an episode. We've all come too far to miss out now.
I just wish I had your talent for bringing the carachters to life.
Also I think the rise and fall (and hopefully rise again) of the Zagwe's have left a soft spot in most players hearts cos a lot of people are trying to keep the line going in their own games (myself included) and if that isn't high praise I don't know what is. Well played, well played!
been enjoying this aar for awhile keep up the good work just a thought but you should look into destabalizing the seljuks so you can expand through war decking their rebelling vassals sometime in the future maybe if you get a zealous character for rp reasons
So glad the Zagwe are still kicking, since reading this AAR, whenever I play I try to keep at least one of them alive. It really does take an act of God to keep them alive in the face Fatimid threat.
Thank you! And yes, that would be quite in line for them to do exactly as you say. Who knows, maybe just as they are about to retake Abyssinia, the Mongols will show up and clean Byzantine house.
Ah, I see my bad. I thought that the count you were trying to kill was the leader of the rebellion, which would have ended the rebellion (I think?) and allowed you unmolested passage through Constantinople, not that he was the Count rebelling against your allied Duchess. Well, that happens when your internet connection (and half your city's, apparently ¬¬) goes half to hell on a Sunday and you can't properly load all pictures.
Yes, I tried to redo some things to keep the plot strings separate. I apologize they kind of ran together like that.
And thank you regarding the 1,000th post. I am deeply honored at the attention this AAR has received: over quarter of a million views and over 1,000 posts. Thank you so much everyone for continued to stay involved. I very much appreciate it!
I am also dreading that. In a separate game that I played, starting as Byzantine Basileus, the infidels were not at all shy about making Jihad on Armenia and the other Eastern Byzantine duchies. I am sort of surprised they haven't done so yet in this game. I think the Catholics involvement in the Holy Land is keeping their focus down there, fortunately.
Does your half-brother have any children? If not I fear that your hard work may be about to get harder.
Could we have an update on the state of the dynasty as a whole?
Great idea, I will be happy to provide an update on the state of the dynasty. That will have to be the next post however, but I promise I will share it.
@vmarra I too have found myself in my current campaign as the (now) Emperor of Hispania (and all that he sees) Alfonso the 500th (everyone is an Alfonso in my Empire it seems) saving the Zagwe family. They and the family Sennar I have saved from extinction when I crushed the Fatimid Sultanate. Unfortunately, the Zagwe dynasty was down to one 65 year old man (a brilliant strategist Marshall somewhere in Byzantium). By the time I came onto the scene and I had to get him a new wife to start having kids so that I can give him Gondor. The Sennar family I gave Axum. It is good to be an Emperor when you can decide that some obscure noble in a foreign court is indeed the best man to send to exile in Sennar. I mean hell, would you put one of your family members in charge of that place? A hundred years into the game and there is literally no development at all. Ah well, I saved the family, but I still can't get that guy to come to my court so that I can hand him Abyssinia.. I wonder why not? I mean, it's his birthright, right? Why on earth wouldn't he want to claim it? I mean who would want to be a crummy Marshall in some Doux's court when you could be King, King of all Ethiopia and high lord of the Goat Herders.
On a side note, with Reconquista having obliterated the Muslims from Spain in a generation and sacking all of the Holy Lands that I can reach, Sunni and Shia moral authority are somewhere around 4.5% so the Miaphysites (metaphysics according to spell check) have actually spread in old Egypt. Oh yeah, and the Zagwe family are now all dwarfs, so I will now have a hereditary court dwarf kingdom if I can ever lure him to my court with promises of Tej and a generous allotment to destroy the Gondoran baboons that infest his lands and prevent any technological development at the behest of the Ancient and Mystic Goat Herders Cabal. View attachment 75307View attachment 75308
You realize that your talking about your dwarf Zagwes has probably cursed this AAR's Zagwes to become dwarfs soon, too? Oh well, that would also be fitting.
I was Ill today, so I thought I would read. I got bored and checked the forums, and found this jewel! This is better than any novel that the local library could offer that I do not already own...
...God bless the holy land of Sennar!
Take the time you need mate, we'll all be here when you get back. I keep it open in a tab on my iPad just so I don't miss an episode. We've all come too far to miss out now.
I just wish I had your talent for bringing the carachters to life.
Also I think the rise and fall (and hopefully rise again) of the Zagwe's have left a soft spot in most players hearts cos a lot of people are trying to keep the line going in their own games (myself included) and if that isn't high praise I don't know what is. Well played, well played!
Thank you! Now that you mention it, people do point out how they try to keep the Zagwes alive in their games. Thank you for mentioning it (and keeping them alive in your game)!
been enjoying this aar for awhile keep up the good work just a thought but you should look into destabalizing the seljuks so you can expand through war decking their rebelling vassals sometime in the future maybe if you get a zealous character for rp reasons
Thanks! Yes, the Zagwes really should look into doing some long-term strategic things to soften up the infidels for eventually retaking Abyssinia. Very good idea.
Apollonios of Saint Symeon – The now dead last of the conspirators that successfully plotted to murder Duchess Dionysia’s beloved father. Apollonios fled Dionysia's court to save his life, and his career subsequently took off until his humiliation at the hands of Princess Gyla. He died of grief.
Bartholomaios of Suenik, Count – Duchess Dionysia’s only count vassal. He has always been smitten by his liege. A second-rate steward, he is kept on the job to keep him happy, the only one of her subjects who could in all reality rebel.
Basileios Komnenos, Doux – Shy husband of Duchess Dionysia. His sad attempts to learn to duel put his own life and anyone nearby in peril. Inheriting his own duchy, he no longer needed to spend his nights in Duchess Dionysia’s spare library. Hates his wife for her twisting succession law of Armenia and moving the inheritance of the Duchy of Armenia from their children—not of the Zagwe line—to that of Dionysia’s half-brother Neophytos, a Zagwe.
Dionysia Zagwe, Duchess – Daughter of Count Tesfaye (the one that was assassinated in his carriage in a plot that was started by his wife).
Eugenia of Cyprus, Duchess – Wife by regular marriage of Duchess Dionysia’s half-brother Neophytos Zagwe. On her death Duchess Dionysia’s two duchies will pass to her children, heirs in the Zagwe line.
Eugenia Spartanos – Duchess Dionysia’s half-sister from Count Tesfaye’s adultery. She is obsessed with tales of Africa. She disappeared from Duchess Dionysia’s castle when it was under siege by rebels against Basilissa Ioanna. When she returned she was very mysterious and condescending. She claims she has special powers revealed by a Secret Coptic Order in Sennar.
Ganet Zagwe, “Aunt” – Strange woman who was responsible for several deaths before purportedly dying in an explosion in her quarters. (The body found in her quarters was burned beyond recognition, but of her general height and body type. Anyway, Ganet was never seen again, so it was probably her.)
Gyla, Princess – Swedish widow of Spymaster Innokentios, she is the unofficial marshal of Armenia and the official badass. She has become very reclusive to her quarters of late. Perhaps she is mourning the death-by-explosive-flames of her husband, Innokentios Branas.
Ioanna “the Great”, Duchess – Daughter of The Impaler, granddaughter of The Drunkard, and great-granddaughter of The Lame—truly a line of great nobility. Reduced from Basilissa to Duchess at the conclusion of civil war.
Innokentios Branas – Former spymaster for Duchess Dionysia, he was never really very good at his job, but survived in that role for some time by virtue of his not being on Dionysia's death list of revenge targets. Married to the Swedish princess, Gyla. Died in some kind of flames or explosion in his and Princess Gyla’s quarters.
Maria Doukas, Empress – Aunt of Basilissa Ioanna, her father died when she was very young while he enjoyed the hospitality of Basilissa Ioanna's grandfather in his prison. This did not endear the family relations with each other very well ever since.
Neophytos Zagwe, Duke – Half-brother to Duchess Dionysia Zagwe and heir (by elective succession law) to the Duchy of Armenia upon Dionysia’s death.
Bandits have sprung up around Dnin. If my army wasn’t halfway across the civilized world, I would tell them to deal with it. Shouldn’t Princess Gyla be riding around beheading these bandits? She has still been keeping to her quarters. Come to think of it, since her altercation with Gyla, Eugenia Spartanos has also been keeping to her own quarters. Someone told me that Eugenia has taken ill and is always hacking and coughing. Probably the travel to and back from the island of Cyprus has worn the poor girl out.
My army waits patiently to cross the Constantinople land bridge to reach the Doux of Mesopotamia’s county and make war on him. Fortunately, the Byzantine army is clearing a path through the rebels. I receive reports that I already have an ally making war on the Doux.
My ally turns out to be my husband, the shy and militarily-incompetent Doux Basileios Komnenos. He’s not the only one there, though.
Finally my force reaches the Doux of Mesopotamia’s county and joins my husband’s siege. My husband reports to my general’s army that he—my husband—is not the one in charge of the siege. The Doux of Mesopotamia is at war with someone else, and that person is in charge of the siege. This is bad. Any holdings conquered will be considered held by this new guy, and unfortunately the Doux of Mesopotamia has just this one county.
Sure enough, the siege leader beats me to the punch and steals the Doux of Mesopotamia’s sole remaining county away from him. With no counties remaining, he is no longer a ruler, and so my war with him is now null and void. The Duchy of Mesopotamia now belongs to someone else. My army will have to march the long way home, through rebel-infested lands, empty handed.
Beautiful Cyprus, where liege and vassal siege each other.
Meanwhile, my sister-in-law Duchess Eugenia of Cyprus is sieging her rebellious vassal, Count David while he sieges her holdings. If Count David can complete his siege of Duchess Eugenia’s holdings before she can complete her siege of his holdings, he will strip her of one of her duchies. This would be bad, because my half-brother’s children, Zagwe heirs to also my duchy, would lose the inheritance of Duchy of Cyprus.
My junior Spymaster, the now-sickly Eugenia Spartanos, had put in place a conspiracy to kill Count David. But these amateurs have dilly dallied incessantly, wasting precious time. Finally they come up with a murder plot. Poisonous snake? Certainly—please just try anything!
I receive the excellent news that the poisonous snake plan worked and Count David is now dead. The Zagwe line will not lose the valuable duchy of Duchess Eugenia of Cyprus.
Peace returns to the island of Cyprus.
It’s nice to know that the 0 year old child likes me.
Count David’s heir is a newborn baby. That should take him a while to become dangerous.
Everyone knew she was old, but it is still a surprise when Empress Maria Doukas dies a natural death after ruling only a short time. Granted she got a lot done in her short reign—while it took her predecessor a lifetime to bring the Empire to a state of almost complete collapse, Empress Maria managed to repeat the feat in just a couple of years.
Basilissa Eudokia is now ruler of the Byzantine Empire. She will likely not rule for long. We are starting to lose the war badly. Duchess Ioanna ‘The Great’ is both her heir and also the Pretender whose claim for the throne is the cause of the current civil war. Ioanna must feel her time to renew her rule is close at hand.
I am sick of being kind to everyone. Think how many more I would have killed out of revenge if I had not been so nice all along.
Some Crown Authority is better than none. Let’s be honest, the Zagwes’ strength has never been advancing their dominion through successful military campaigns. A higher Crown Authority is probably better for us.
As she sits in her uncomfortable chair and gazes at the wall that contains her list of doux and counts, Duchess Ioanna can barely contain her excitement from the reports that messengers bring her regularly now. She had been shunned by most before, but now things are different: she stands ready to inherit the Byzantine Empire naturally if the older Basilissa Eudokia is to die. And the faction to force the current Basilissa to abdicate in favor of Duchess Ioanna is rapidly gaining momentum against the Imperial Army. Now many doux and counts curry her favor, sending messages and updates openly and brazenly, in hopes that she will reward them upon release or perhaps simply be merciful if they had acted against her in the past.
Ioanna hears the panel in the prison door draw back, and she stands smiling, ready to take another message or promise of assistance from another doux’ servant. The sun has set outside, and the thin ray of light from her window slit has vanished.
Peering through the door’s open panel, Ioanna is surprised to see Basilissa Eudokia’s face behind the door, lit by a torch in her liege’s hand. Since Empress Maria’s death, she had not heard anything from the new Basilissa. The smile fades from Ioanna’s lips. “Basilissa Eudokia, what brings you to my humble dwelling?”
“Ioanna, it is good to see you,” says Basilissa Eudokia. “I am sorry that the circumstances have led us to meet in this… unpleasant venue.”
Duchess Ioanna nods once. She keeps her face impassive, but she is beginning to get excited. She has always gotten along well with Eudokia. As opposed to with Maria, there had never been any bad blood between Ioanna’s and Eudokia’s sides of the Doukas family. Perhaps Eudokia is going to release her in an attempt to get her backing to stop the civil war. Perhaps Ioanna will be free sooner, perhaps even today.
“I agree completely,” Ioanna says. “I would much rather talk with you in more pleasant surroundings. Why don’t we do that?”
Basilissa Eudokia smiles, and Ioanna notices with some alarm that the smile is a sad one.
“It really does pain me to see you here like this,” Eudokia says. “Please remember that.
Very well, thinks Ioanna, I will be staying here for now. But I will be out as soon as my faction beats your Imperial Army.
“Please also remember that I thought through this long and hard,” says Eudokia, “and I could find no other way. I wanted you to know that this was the last resort.”
“Good Lord,” whispers Ioanna, “are you saying… What are you going to do to me? I am also a Doukas!”
“Yes, that is precisely the problem, isn’t it? But it can never be said that I or anyone in my command lay a finger on you. Hence if you die it will not be my responsibility.”
Why do I not feel relieved at this? thinks Ioanna.
“I also did not place you in prison, so you are technically not my responsibility,” says Eudokia. “In fact, I am here to tell you that on my orders this entire prison tower has been vacated except for your cell. I will have the front doors boarded shut with armed guards patrolling the perimeter carrying orders to kill trespassers on sight. “
Ioanna dreads the answer, but she cannot help asking the question. She steels herself so that she can ask in a dignified voice, “And just how long will you be keeping this tower closed off.”
“Two months. I thought I owed it to you to tell you in person. With you gone the war will end immediately and the senseless spilling Byzantine blood by Byzantine hand will cease. I am sorry.” The door panel slides shut.
Duchess Ioanna turns and walks through her small cell, which will now be her tomb. She faces the window slit. She can see a thin sliver of a waning moon through it. She knows that if she props her chair against the wall she can see the Imperial Palace once more. She also knows that this vision would be the closest she will ever see of it again. She turns back and sits down again, facing the wall by the door, the names of all the doux and counts now hidden by the dark.
Rest in Peace, Duchess Ioanna ‘The Great’, former Basilissa, daughter and grand-daughter of Basileus past.
You lost the chance to grab one duchy but you've managed to keep one in the family for future inheritance so I reckon you've come out even. I've either forgotten or it wasn't mentioned but what is the succession law of the Byzantine Empire?
My, oh my I have quite a bit of catching up to do on this thread. I'm at page 12/51 but the story here is so good I just can't deny myself more. By the way props on your excellent humor Mr. Philo. I liked this AAR so much I had to make an account here and start my own! (yeah that will make it much easier to catch up!)
From a few pages ago, typical Zagwe mistake - "After all that the real tragedy is that I not only lost my page in my book, but I can't even remember which book I had been reading. Oh well, I guess the book could not have been so interesting to worry about. "Whats the betting that the book you were reading is utterly important? Shit, I think at this rate, Zafwe's 'lost book' count is running worringly high! And thats on top of mysteries like the Goat Herder Order and whatever strange occurance is happening between Gyla and Eugonia.
Man, I also feel kinda sad Gyla and the other murder-happy guy, Euphemios never hooked up
Also, what of the Patriarch's overt friendliness? Did that...ahem...go anywhere?
Hell, you seem too worried about the Mongols showing up. Just swear fealty to them! Nothing can go wrong!...r-right?
It almost feels as if your character, she is a chess piece being moved by a million hands. Good luck!
Hi folks, my trip has resulted in my being late on some things I had to do this weekend. So I apologize for this happening the second week in a row, but I will need to aim for this Wednesday for my next update.
One of the things I will include in that update is the requested snapshot of the current Zagwe dynasty. We might also learn why the mysterious Eugenia Spartanos has been stuck in her quarters of late.
During the past few days I have read through your huge AAR. Not even being hit by a bad case of migraine yesterday could stop me from reading. It's a fantastic read! I especially like the way how events for Zagwes in the past become myths and legends for characters later on.
I've never been much of a CK player myself. I tried CK I back when it was released but wasn't hooked. It felt so chaotic to keep track of all these counts, dukes, and whatnots instead of just minding your country as in the other Paradox games. But your AAR shows the fun with the basic concept of CK, so perhaps I'll give it another try.
