The Story of House Dalassenos from 1066 to 1453
Part One : Cherson, an haven of peace in the Empire (1066-1137)
Chapter 1 : Cherson, its theme, and the brief life of Theodoros Dalassenos (1066-1069)
Chapter 2 : Damianos of Cherson, the allegory of decadence (1069-1078)
Chapter 3 : Safer than Anatolia (1078-1088)
Chapter 4 : The failed capture of Taurica (1088-1099)
Chapter 5 : A new strategos and the annexation of Bospor (1099-1108)
Chapter 6 : Consolidating the Dalassenoi holdings : war, diplomacy and trade (1108-1137)
Hello everyone, I’m Attalus, a newbie to CK II AARs but I got some experience in AARland with “Up to the Euphrates and Tigris” and Unione, Forza e Liberta! (not that it really matters after all )
The Reaper’s Due brought me back in CK II (like a lot of people I believe) and since my previous projects are abandoned I thought of a new one set on the northern border of the Roman Empire, from where a family will try to bring civilization, stability and peace in the grazing lands of the Horse lords.
I present you, “Pushing the Border” where we will follow the Dalanessos Family which starts in 1066 as Strategos of Cherson, in the contemporary Crimean peninsula. I know that you might think that it will be just a random Byzantine AAR restoring the Roman Empire, just this time starting in Crimea. Stop right now cause you’re wrong!
The goal of this AAR is to expand the Dalanessos demesnes north in the steppe and convert as much land as possible to Feudal government and see the Greek culture spread along the Tanaïs, Danapris and the Rha.
House rules (list will be updated if the need arises ; if you have suggestions they are welcome) :
- Never become Byzantine Emperor or if I become because of accident then play with the new Crimean leaders
- Expansion south will be severely restricted : outside of Black Sea Coast there should be no Dalassenos holdings in Anatolia or Greece. Wallachia and Georgia don’t count. Meanwhile expansion in the Rus lands will be avoided, no Greek Moscow for example
- The goal of the AAR is to feudalize the Steppe, that should be enough to summarize the goal
- No abuse of marriages : matrilineal will be used in extreme cases and no searching for a lowborn genius if there is a close noble woman with clubfooted available
- Independence must be actively undertaken once I’ll get a Kingdom title. No Byzantine shields to counter Nomadic hordes
Also game rules :
Not ironman cause I like to have pretty borders and a bit of sense in that world
Shattered Retreats: Off
Defensive Pacts: Off
Gender Equality: Historical
Sunset Invasion: Off
Mongol Invasion: Historical
Raiding: Historical
“Supernatural” Events: On
Adventurers: Normal
Provincial Revolts: Normal
Regencies: On
De Jure Drift: Default
Dynamic Kingdoms and Empires: On
Diplomatic Range: Restricted
Shattered Retreats: Off
Defensive Pacts: Off
Gender Equality: Historical
Sunset Invasion: Off
Mongol Invasion: Historical
Raiding: Historical
“Supernatural” Events: On
Adventurers: Normal
Provincial Revolts: Normal
Regencies: On
De Jure Drift: Default
Dynamic Kingdoms and Empires: On
Diplomatic Range: Restricted
It will follow an historic book style, with quite a few pictures (I'm not a great fan of walls of texts without screens from the game ), with maybe a bit of narrative but well I'm not really good at that. Anyway let us hope I can finish this one
NB : Dalassenos is the masculine singular form of the word. The feminine is Dalassana, and the plural is Dalassenoi. So if I use one of the two latter terms, don't worry it's still the same family.
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