HOUSE OF PALAIOLOGOS – ANDRONIKOS THE KINSLAYER
ACT ONE
SCENE ONE
January 1337 C.E. - Throne room in the palace of Blachernae; it is early morning, and ANDRONIKOS is accompanied only by two GUARDS.
ANDRONIKOS
What curse of fate hath fallen on our times
That lament of despairs and sorrows fallen
And tearing at my kingdom all the same
All vicissitudes brought on by hands of brothers
In colder glow of morn that’s yet unbroken
And whispering of innocence forgotten
Unknowing of disparities brought forth
As rot that sets upon the fertile soil
The sin of Cain weighs heavy on my shoulders
And yet for all the semblance of atonement
Will not forbear illusions and those hopes
That perpetrate the solace of forgiveness
FIRST GUARD
My liege, the city walls still stand defiant
With strength and wisdom gathered herein
ANDRONIKOS
And yet the eagle banner waves no more
Upon the proud walls of Nicomedia
SECOND GUARD
But for the treason and its foul repute
And for the wiles of slithering reptile
The heathen and the heretic alike
Would not have touched upon our sacred soil
FIRST GUARD
And have you doubts of sons of proud Achaia
That held the tide of infidel and Latin
Whose steeds are fleet as wind, devout and faithful,
Whose arrows blacken sky as yonder ashes?
ANDRONIKOS
Then shall we loose again the hawks of war
And let the harvest yield but rust and bones?
Or shall we turn the cheek towards misfortune
And ponder on the fineries of failure?
Enter IOANNES KANTAKOUZENOS and PATRIARCH IOANNES KALEKAS
KANTAKOUZENOS
I bear grave news, my friend and liege
The Turk again devoured our spoils
And took the flower of all Greece
To toil in wastes of Abydos
Pray tell me friend, of what dark crimes
That lay unspoken in disgrace
Are these indignities a sign
And how much more our sons shall face?
ANDRONIKOS
Then make amends and sharpen blades
For one last time let arrows sing
And we shall plant the eagles of Rome
Upon the shore that once was ours
In these dark times of blood and strife
When honor is reduced and raped
Upon the heathen’s thieving horde
Crusade of eagle now shall feast
PATRIARCH
Let it be known that laymen’s sins
Forgiven when crusade begins
FIRST GUARD
At last reborn is Roman pride
ANDRONIKOS (muttering to himself)
My penance for the fratricide
The Empire of Byzantium in 1337 C.E. (now with much smaller file size)
P.S. While I've been a semi-lurker on this site for a very long time, this is my first attempt at AAR. It is played as the Palaiologi of Byzantium in 1337 scenario on Normal/Weakling with the latest beta patch, and, if the end result is anything of interest, I'll carry it over to EUII and, eventually, Victoria.
P.P.S. This is also my first attempt at writing a pseudo-theatrical play style AAR or alternate history timeline (the latter I have written a number of in the recent past, albeit they are on this site. Any comments, suggestions, etc on the style of writing, characters, etc are always welcome as long as they are constructive.
P.P.P.S. Over the course of this AAR, historicity and even strict adherence to the game may and will be sacrificed when needed for the purpose of storytelling - although I will attempt to stick to the latter as close as possible.
ACT ONE
SCENE ONE
January 1337 C.E. - Throne room in the palace of Blachernae; it is early morning, and ANDRONIKOS is accompanied only by two GUARDS.
ANDRONIKOS
What curse of fate hath fallen on our times
That lament of despairs and sorrows fallen
And tearing at my kingdom all the same
All vicissitudes brought on by hands of brothers
In colder glow of morn that’s yet unbroken
And whispering of innocence forgotten
Unknowing of disparities brought forth
As rot that sets upon the fertile soil
The sin of Cain weighs heavy on my shoulders
And yet for all the semblance of atonement
Will not forbear illusions and those hopes
That perpetrate the solace of forgiveness
FIRST GUARD
My liege, the city walls still stand defiant
With strength and wisdom gathered herein
ANDRONIKOS
And yet the eagle banner waves no more
Upon the proud walls of Nicomedia
SECOND GUARD
But for the treason and its foul repute
And for the wiles of slithering reptile
The heathen and the heretic alike
Would not have touched upon our sacred soil
FIRST GUARD
And have you doubts of sons of proud Achaia
That held the tide of infidel and Latin
Whose steeds are fleet as wind, devout and faithful,
Whose arrows blacken sky as yonder ashes?
ANDRONIKOS
Then shall we loose again the hawks of war
And let the harvest yield but rust and bones?
Or shall we turn the cheek towards misfortune
And ponder on the fineries of failure?
Enter IOANNES KANTAKOUZENOS and PATRIARCH IOANNES KALEKAS
KANTAKOUZENOS
I bear grave news, my friend and liege
The Turk again devoured our spoils
And took the flower of all Greece
To toil in wastes of Abydos
Pray tell me friend, of what dark crimes
That lay unspoken in disgrace
Are these indignities a sign
And how much more our sons shall face?
ANDRONIKOS
Then make amends and sharpen blades
For one last time let arrows sing
And we shall plant the eagles of Rome
Upon the shore that once was ours
In these dark times of blood and strife
When honor is reduced and raped
Upon the heathen’s thieving horde
Crusade of eagle now shall feast
PATRIARCH
Let it be known that laymen’s sins
Forgiven when crusade begins
FIRST GUARD
At last reborn is Roman pride
ANDRONIKOS (muttering to himself)
My penance for the fratricide
The Empire of Byzantium in 1337 C.E. (now with much smaller file size)
P.S. While I've been a semi-lurker on this site for a very long time, this is my first attempt at AAR. It is played as the Palaiologi of Byzantium in 1337 scenario on Normal/Weakling with the latest beta patch, and, if the end result is anything of interest, I'll carry it over to EUII and, eventually, Victoria.
P.P.S. This is also my first attempt at writing a pseudo-theatrical play style AAR or alternate history timeline (the latter I have written a number of in the recent past, albeit they are on this site. Any comments, suggestions, etc on the style of writing, characters, etc are always welcome as long as they are constructive.
P.P.P.S. Over the course of this AAR, historicity and even strict adherence to the game may and will be sacrificed when needed for the purpose of storytelling - although I will attempt to stick to the latter as close as possible.
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