Empire of the Mediterranean: An Interactive Aragon AAR

[Andre Massena]

To His Majesty and the Court,

Honour Portuguese Call-to-arms: Si

I believe, as a good Christian nation, we should honor our alliance with Portugal. It would also be wise and holy to drive the Granadans out of Iberia so we can cleanse the stench of heathenism from our lands.

I also agree with Bishop Sastre that priests being sent to Greece should be supported with proper materials and that the good Christians of Epirus should be encouraged to accept the suzerainty of the Bishop of Rome. Perhaps Constantinople can be convinced to do the same under our guidance.

Finally, I believe that extra priests should be on hand in Valencia and Barcelona in case another plague breaks out. Only with prayer can the disease be truly eradicated. Let us pray for all the victims of the terrible disease as well as the fallen heroes in the Holy War.

-Cardinal de Vascona

[Clergy; Cardinal]

 

[AvatarOfKhaine]

A herald announces the arrival of a new voice in the court

Herald: Enter Renato Limmona, Viceroy of Naples ((OOC: Unlanded Noble + Viceroy))

Renato: To the King, and his Royal Court,

Honour Portuguese Call-to-Arms : Yes

This is our chance to conquer the emirate and finally complete the Reconquista, those lands will also provide us with the ability to control the trade within the Mare Nostrum, this is our chance to upset Castile and improve our own international prestige.

Also, I have delayed my stay here too long and so I depart for Naples to administer the Kingdom in your name from there.

He turns to face the throne, and pledges his loyalty and fealty anew.

Fiat voluntas tua , thy will be done.

If any of should have need of me in any way, send letters and writing and I shall endeavour to reply when possible.


((OOC: Is it possible for me to be added in as a general for Naples?, also consider me to be in Italy if that's okay))

 

[Michaelangelo]

((Just as a suggestion, why not add retired generals back into the game, and count it as a promotion? Perhaps a 9 pip general who "retires" may, in fact, get a promotion to a 10 or 11 pip general, based on his achievements. This way the whole everyone-dying debacle can be avoided and replaced instead with a stable promotion system which gives experienced commanders more skill. If this were added, I would be fine not asking for my retirement to be retconned, although I'm not really sure that de Agramunt would be so fazed by a limp! Generals who die in battle would genuinely be dead, however.))

((

I like this, but number of pips assigned is already a bit high imo, 12 pips with 20 AT is unrealistic. Perhaps if we reduced the number of pips given in the original roll and then implemented this?))

((I admit, I did not expect our generals to die off so easily. Although it seems strange to give a promotion whenever the game believes the general should be dead. The annoying thing about this is it means that every time a general dies I have to remake them, exit the game, and then rename them in the save file. I can see this being a pain in the ass, unless people are willing to accept having some strange name until I finish a turn. It might be just easier to ignore the death notice, except during a battle of course, and add in the general again right after and pretend nothing happened.))

((OOC: Is it possible for me to be added in as a general for Naples?, also consider me to be in Italy if that's okay))

((I suppose I could track down the existing Neapolitan general and rename him, but we wouldn't really see much of him.))

 

[AvatarOfKhaine]

((I suppose I could track down the existing Neapolitan general and rename him, but we wouldn't really see much of him.))

((It's more about my character potentially leading the Neapolitan troops and dying with them if there is a stackwipe of the Neapolitan army rather than actually expecting to see that army often, would that still be okay?))

 

[Michaelangelo]

((It's more about my character potentially leading the Neapolitan troops and dying with them if there is a stackwipe of the Neapolitan army rather than actually expecting to see that army often, would that still be okay?))

((Lol, you want your character to die in a blaze of glory? Fortunately I had a screenshot with the Neapolitan general's name in it, so I just swapped his name for your character's name.))

 

[EmperorBasilius]

To his most honourable and noble Majesty, Joan II de Trastámara, King of the Crowns of Aragon, Navarra and Naples
​

I wish to congratulate you for the decisive triumph against the heathens. I was truly excited when the local Christian Greeks welcomed my army as I liberated them from their Turkish oppressors, and I have felt great religious satisfaction when I led my army in destroying the Ottoman troops, which are clearly no match for the great Aragonese soldiers. Our nation earned an important victory and it will take years for the Turks to rebuild their armies so that it can possess major threat. I hope I was of good service to His Majesty.

A message was delivered to the officer's quarters in the army camp at Epirus, notifying that the Portuguese have asked our assistance against their Mauritanian enemies. I think His Majesty should accept such a call to arms. Although we just finished fighting another war, the alliance with Portugal is crucial for keeping the balance in the Iberian peninsula and for discouraging any possible Castillian aggression. This would also prove as an opportunity to kill more heathens and improve our position in the Western Mediterranean, now that we have secured land in the Eastern Mediterranean. I hope to serve His Majesty by taking an active role in the war.

Aside from that, as my assistants do not prove very useful I modestly ask His Majesty to update my information on several topics:

- Our diplomats' estimations of our political relationship between our nation and the Byzantines. I expect theme to be grateful for the territory we restored to them.
- Our clergy's estimate to the amount of time it will take to convert the Greeks to the true Catholic faith, and the actions we can do to make the conversion quicker. Although we are all Christians, they still follow a wrong heresy.
- The name of the new province in Aragon. The old Ottoman administration referred to it by the weird name 'Yanya', and I hope that the new administration we installed uses the proper name 'Epirus'.

Signed and Sealed
by
General d'Exèrcit Sebastián de Loarre
Baron of Castillo de Loarre
((unlanded noble, general))

​

((I vote for honouring the call to arms of Portugal
I also ask for some extra information: Our relationship with Byzantium, the modifiers in the conversion of Epirus, and the name of Epirus in-game.

I also support the recent idea about generals' promotions instead of retirenment))

 

[Tzuf]

Your Majesty,
This is a glorious day in history, we have repealed the heathens today.
The portuguese require our assistance with none other then more heathens, we shall crush them in glory together (Yes).

Your Friend and servant,
- Ramiro Vicario Bishop of Barcelona

((I see no problem with the idea of promoting generals. but I think just adding them back in after some time has passed would make more sense IC))

 

[Artistove]

Your Grace Joan II,
I feel it is most wise to answer the Portuguese call-to-arms. That is all.

From yours truly,
Jaume Cristofor, Count of Barcelona

 

[JCan]

((Courtier / Councillor))

Your Grace,

So our Iberian cousins need our assistance against the heathens?

The Kingdom of Aragon should heed their call.


Yours dutifully,
John Kendall
Treasurer of The Kingdom of Aragon

 

[05060403]

My King,
I think we should answer the call of our brothers in faith, but only if that would not put us at risk of a war with the Castillians. How much longer are we going to stay at peace with them? Are they going to support Portuguese in the war ((Castille and Portugal were allied, right?)) ? I've been keeping a close look at the border and recently there was much more troops coming by the border. I fear that they are preparing for a war against us. I also would like to apologize to You my lord for not being present at the court but I was busy preparing the defences of my county for the inevitable war with the Castillians. I also hope the nothing happened to You during the outbreak of the plague, and I hope that You are safe. I also have a small request my King. Could I become a general to lead our armies to victory? I would not want another king murdered by those damned Castillians or even worse those heathens.
Your loyal subject,
Arturo de Valencia, count of Zaragoza [Landed noble]

(( Vote: Honour Portuguese Call-to-arms: Abstain until I can get information about our truce))

 

[SirAlucard]

My King

My vote goes as follows:
Honour Portuguese call to arms: Yes

While the traitorous Castillians could declare war on us in the midst of the war, we would still have the Portuguese on our side instead of theirs. Also, this is pretty much our last chance to take the Moor's lands for ourselfes before the Castillians can grab them.

Your loyal subject
Joseph von Thun
Diplomat​

 

[Marschalk]

"My liege,

I must, first of all, congratulate you on your victories against the vile Saracens and say that you have already won the glory of a great Crusader King, similar to the Coer-de-Lion, Richard of England, or Saint Louis of France. I believe that we should honor Portuguese call to arms (Yes) and humbly ask Your Majesty to allow me participate in this great war either as a captain or as a common knight, for how can a Christian nobleman resist a temptation to accept the Cross and fight for the holy faith, as his ancestors did?"

- En Bernat de Moncada, Lord Count of Girona

 

[Robban204]

Felipé de Alvaro rode back to his home. The victory against the heathens was a sweet one. The vile saracens laid dead, slain by his sword. But the war took a toll aswell. A vile heathen attacked him from behind. He did only survive thanks to another soldier that threw himself in front of the sword. He immediately battled with the heathen, striking him down, but not before taking a nasty cut to his leg. But the enemy was dead.
He took a look at the brave soldier that had sacrificed himself for him. Then tears filled his eyes. It was Alesandre Castelo, his second in command when he was a general.
The allied soldiers routed the heathens as Felipé stood there, watching. He closed his friends eyes and said a prayer. The he continued, striking the fleeing heathens with a fury unlike anything ever before. They had killed his friend. Now he will kill them.

When he cam home he was greeted by more news. The king had arranged an alliance with Portugal, and now they were asking us to join a war against Marocco and Granada.
This is an opportunity we cannot let us slip by.
When he opened the door he was met by his smiling wife. And in her arms, a baby were sleeping.
"You have gotten a new son my love."
He was stunned, how did this happen? Then he remembered, nine months ago he decided to go on leave and visit his family.
He nodded. "Have you decided a name yet?" he asked.
His wife shook her head. "I wanted to wait until you came home."
He began thinking, then a single tear ran down across his cheek. He gave a small smile and said "Alesandre. He will be named Alesandre."

​

My grace,

I have just gotten back from Greece. It was truly a great victory. God was with us and smited the vile heathens.
Regarding the call to arms from Portugal, our new ally I have been told, we should honor their call to arms and drive the heathens off Iberian soil.
We could block the straits of gibraltar and focus on Granada and finish the reconquista. Their navy will be no match for ours.

In other news, my wife have birthed another son. He will be named Alesandre, after my second in command when I was a general.
He sacrificed his life to save mine on the battlefield in anatolia. May God see him safely to the afterlife.

Your loyal servant,

Felipé de Alvaro, count of Sassari [Landed Noble]

((Also, I think the general thing is great, since the generals in this game has a certain tendency to die rather quickly ))

 

[TrueProd]

Ioannes - Courtier

God himself has truly blessed your reign my liege! This victory has ensured that all know of our dominance in the Mediterranean and I must congratulate all of our generals on such a resounding victory! The seizure of the historic province of Epirus fills my heart with joy, and I must surely travel to Greece to visit my family! This brings me to another question sire - I wish to be instated as the Count of Epirus. I have experience with the Greek people, I am one of them, and most importantly I am a Catholic. I will surely be able to convince my countrymen to turn their backs from the Patriarch and join under the true Pontiff.

I'd also like to suggest the conquest of Athens once more, assuming they have no strong diplomatic ties (no big allies). We are no in good position to dispose of them and it would further solidify our position in the Aegean and give us a strategic port there. I'd also like to strength our relationship with the Byzantine Empire whom we have aided by returning their core provinces.

I also vote in favor of supporting Portugal, YES.

((The generals thing is good with me, do whatever is easiest/best for you))

 

[wzhang29]

control the trade within the Mare Nostrum

Speaking of which, I won't be present in the court until the Straits are reopened to Aragon (i.e. Portugal/Aragon has to conquer at least one side). *sigh*

 

[GameHunter5303]

If us and Venice could drive back the Turkish Sultanate so easily, this should be very simple. Yes we should aid Portugal in this to get our trust back from when we dissolved relations during the Aragon-Castile War.
((Portugal Call to Arms: Yes))

~Leonardo de Abruzzi, Grand Admiral of the Realm

 

[Idhrendur]

Your majesty, with the great success in the East, we should continue to press our advantages in the West.

-Esteban Iglesia y Maig ((noble))

(( Honour Portuguese Call-to-arms: Yes ))

 

[alscon]

Your Majesty,

The war against the Turk certainly went better than we could have imagined. Still, it had some repercussions in the realm, most notably leading to a decline in our position as patrons of the arts. I have spoken to the philosopher Bartomeu de Montcada about it, as it caused some upheaval. To correct that, I propose to all nobles to actively support promising artists within your lands. Also, as Bartomeu is writing a political treatise, I encourage you to share your experiences with him, so he can found his work on a sound knowledge of the Aragonese court. I ask Your Majesty to combat this decline as well by giving Your support. ((choose the cultural option in an event giving it))
To keep the new land of Epirus under Your control, I propose two measures: Either retreat the army and increase their autonomy, while installing a local as Count to make them value their new Christian ruler; or keep the army there to suppress any possible uprisings, if You want to conduct further military operations in this area.
As for the Portuguese call to arms, I have a mixed feeling. Sure, it is a noble cause to fight the infidel. And with Granada involved, it would also present an occasion to finish the reconquista. But Portugal doesn't need Aragon. They have Castillian support. We would be allied to our nemesis in this conflict, and help it seize more territory as well. Also, the realm needs to recover fully from the previous wars. As long as Castile fights the infidels, they pose no threat. There is so few to gain for Aragon, but so much to lose. The Portuguese have already betrayed us, they can expect no less from us. I say we must decline the call to arms.

Honour Portuguese Call-to-arms: No

Your humble servant,
Felice Castelozzi, Count of Palermo and Steward of Aragon

 

[zenphoenix]

Honour Portuguese Call-to-arms: Yes

Your Majesty, we have triumphed over the Turks and their heathen armies, returning some lands to the Greeks in the process. I managed to kill several of them with my own hands, and my trusted sword did not fail me. It is only natural that we uphold our image as an honorable kingdom and join our ally in smiting more heathens.

As for a war plan, I plan on providing a similar plan as the previous one, as the Messina fort is nowhere near the front lines. As always, the Valencia fort must be maintained.

((Marshal Plan: Maintain the Valencia Fort is a priority. The Rousillon and Messina forts are secondary.))

That is all.
~Carlos de Leon, Marshal of the Realm

 

[Andre Massena]

To His Majesty and the Court,
​

I am proud to support that your name has gained great esteem here in the Vatican. His Holiness has referred to our kingdom as "the holiest of nations" (behind his native France, of course).

Thanks to your actions I have been able to gain a certain following here in Rome. Many priests and laymen are eager to reform the structures of the Church so that we can better tend to the spiritual needs of our people. I recommend that you continue to support my mission here in Rome so that our kingdom can grow in prestige.

Your humble servant,

Cardinal Fernando de Vascona
Bishop of Pirineo

((Court chaplain plan: continue to invest papal influence to increase our papal controller odds))