Road of Queens - CKII India AAR
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Six : The Hired Scum
Mercenaries For Hire
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Six : The Hired Scum
Mercenaries For Hire
This chapter opens in late December, of the year 913 AD, while the Christians were celebrating the birth of their Sky God's zombie son the Basileus was reading some Poetry while enjoying a warm pot of peach cider. As he was about to get another fresh pot he was handed a letter from Ram Rai of the Empire's Kamarupanagaran Band.
It seems the Captain of the Emperor's Mercenary Band wanted more soldiers. The Basileus decided to agree to this and sent the Band more men. More out of greed than respect. The Basileus also noticed that the Captain wanted to marry. A perfect chance to increase the man's opinion of his Liege.
There was a problem. None of the single women in the Empire would be acceptable for brides for the man.
Still, it looked like the Band was doing well. And, in fact, it was under Contract.
Their current employer was the Kingdom of Sindh, also known as the Guhilot Kingdom, on the other side of India. The King of Guhilot was spending a lot on Mercenaries. Even more then for his own Levies.
So we end this chapter with more men being sent off to fight for pay. Who were they fighting? Pagans, Muslims, other Buddhists. Nobody bothered to record that information. And it was doubtful even the Emperor cared. As long as he was getting money from it.
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- Whose side are you on?
- I'm on the side of being paid money to fight.
(Terry Pratchett quote)
- I'm on the side of being paid money to fight.
(Terry Pratchett quote)
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The "court chaplain" title depends on religion and the others vary by culture? Fun in South Asia with Tiger Queen Xena!!!
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So no wife for the brave Mercenary band commander? I realise Niphon has been matchmaking a lot lately, but surely he will soon find a way to remedy this terrible situation. The man is making him money after all.
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Titles vary by Culture. Welcome to the AAR! You have many chapters to read!
Yes, but a wife brings children and children demand food. That eats into the profit. Best he stay single.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Seven : Fooling Around With Fire
Medieval Adultery
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Seven : Fooling Around With Fire
Medieval Adultery
This chapter opens in late December, of the year 913 AD, with the Basileus receiving some horrible news from Alexcia of Taktse. The woman was VERY loyal towards the Emperor and, of course, had to pass on something that had happened that he needed to know.
It seems that the Count of Lhatse, the same man who had been the secret lover of his daughter, had tried to recruit Alexcia to seduce one of the Emperor's Concubines!
He was outraged to say the least. The Count Kumudnarayan "The Lecher" had given the Basileus's daughter, the future Ruler, a Bastard son. And everybody knew it! It had damaged her reputation, her marriage, and likely her future rule.
As Basileus pondered what to do the new year came and he received some normal news. Seems the Doux of Yarlung had passed the Tax Shifted Burgher Obligation Law. It seems he preferred money to soldiers from his City Nobles.
But the Emperor's focus was on "The Lecher". "I want him DEAD!" stated the Basileus with a angry frown.
"Are you sure about this?" asked a member of his staff.
"Of course I am!" answered the Basileus. "Have you never heard the old saying? Somebody sends your daughter to the midwives you send that person to the grave!"
"Er....as you wish my Liege," was the confused reply.
The Spy Master, the Bhikkhu of Durjaya, was sent to Lhatse to recruit those who would help murder their own Ruler.
The Treasury was opened as bribes were sent out to the members of Count's Court. The first to be bribed and invited to join the plot were Bhikkhu Vijaysingha and Count Varzak.
The Countess Amrapali was bribed but refused to join in a plot to kill her own husband. This WAS surprising when you take into account how many lovers the Count had been with.
Two other members of the Court did not require bribes to join the plot. The Count Laxminath and Mayor Madanapala were already eager to jump right in.
The last member of the Court, Count Ranjitsingha of Shigatse, did not wish to join. At least without a "gift" to show how much the Basileus wanted him to join.
This meant everybody who could join HAD joined. Till March. When the Count of Shigatse abandoned the plot, changed his face, and his name.
"What the heck?" said the Basileus with confusion. "What's going on?"
"It's a con sire," said one of the staff. "You know, the old switch-face-and-name-so-you-will-pay-him-another-bribe scheme. Happens all the time."
"In the corner!" shouted the Basileus at the staff who said such a stupid thing.
"More likely," pointed out a different staff member, "the old Count died and was replaced by his Heir."
"That makes more sense," replied the Basileus with a nod.
So the chapter ends with the Emperor starting a murder plot against one of his own Counts.
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Thank you for the reply. I seem to be working through the golden year of CK2 AAR writing, 2017. Since April, I have journeyed to Russia with @Bullfilter's Rurikids and to Aquitaine with @JabberJock14's D'Anjou's. I am now in India with @Eurasia's Greek Buddhist Tiger Queen. You use military size to compare powers. My preference is realm size but I am a new player and probably "out to lunch".
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Eight : A Tiger Hunt
"Missed Me! Missed Me!"
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Eight : A Tiger Hunt
"Missed Me! Missed Me!"
This chapter opens in late March, of the year 914 AD, when the Basileus decided it was time for a Tiger Hunt. Nobody knows why. Most historians assume he was just bored.
As the Hunting Party was organized, as the Guides picked a County to hunt and the cooks decided the menu for the Hunt, a member of the Council brought some news to the Basileus.
"My Liege," stated Magistros Eustratios, "I have heard of a rumor of a artifact hidden not too far from the Capital."
"Arrange a search," commanded the Basileus, "and don't fail me!"
By April the Party was ready and hit the road. The Elephants carried the important people while the less important individuals walked along side the pack animals, the Guards, and the porters.
When the Party arrived at the camp site the Guides had selected the tents were put up, the camp fires lit, and the Guards stationed to protect the Emperor.
Between the daily searches for the big cats the Basileus was keeping in touch with his wife, his friends, and the Council. During his exchange of letters he tried to introduce his wife to Nanya Dev Palaka.
But she wasn't interested in making one of her husband's friends a friend of her own. Sad.
A Tiger was spotted by the Guides in the middle of April. The Basileus ordered the Soldiers forward.
But the Soldiers were either too loud or had failed to take baths. The Tiger either heard them or smelt them and ran away! The Hunt was a failure.
Therefore the Basileus was in a bad mood when he returned back to the camp to find a letter waiting for them. News from the Council. Seems Doux of the Bangala Varman Raj had passed the Slightly Levy Focused Noble Obligations Law.
Seems the Doux was planning to cause trouble or protect himself against trouble.
So this chapter ends with a failure as the Hunting Party started to pull down tents and pack up their equipment. And a somewhat grumpy Emperor.
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And here I was wondering all these years why people withdrew their support for my plots
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Nine : So Much News
Going Home!
Chapter Six Hundred-Ninety-Nine : So Much News
Going Home!
It was late April, of the year 914 AD, and the Basileus was heading back home in shame. His Soldiers had failed to bag a tiger. He was pondering designing a new type of barracks with a lot corners so they could all be forced to stand in one of them.
As the Basileus pondered this the Doux Eustratios of Kasi, the Imperial Magistros, appeared next to the Emperor's Imperial Elephant. He was riding a white horse with a escort of Cavalry and a small number of pack mules.
"My Liege!" he shouted up to the Emperor's platform. "I have come to make a request! I need some diplomats to help me find more information dealing with the artifact you have commanded me to find!"
The Basileus agreed to this even though he knew this would hurt the Empire's regular diplomatic efforts. It might hurt the relationships with other Realm but he didn't like his neighbors anyway.
A few days later a duck brought the Basileus a letter attached to its neck. (1)
The letter explained that Dionysios Dysnomia, the Basileus's youngest son, was now a man. And he had turned out to be a great Steward.
The Basileus became cheerful. The son needed to be kicked out of the house....er....get married right away. Don't want unlanded sons just hanging around, complaining about how nobody understood them, joining street gangs, and getting under foot.
"Bring me a list of available brides from the portable archives!" demanded the Basileus. And so the Archives Elephants were marched forward, not to be confused with the Wardrobe Elephants and Dessert Elephants, and the servants brought the Basileus the list he had requested.
The fourth woman down from the top of the list was what the Basileus was looking for. Gundes, Steward of Tarkhan's Khazar Band, was a 30 year old who wanted to get married.
Sadly she was NOT Buddhist. Still, she seemed good enough and the Basileus started to fill out the formal letter to suggest a marriage between the two.
Then the Basileus remembered that he didn't want HER coming to his Court and that he wanted his SON to go to her Court. So he added a word - Matrilineal - to the form. Then the Proposal was sent.
A reply came in May, via carrier duck, and the Basileus's son was sent off.
But there was also bad news that came with the duck. A war had broken out. WITHIN THE EMPIRE.
Doux Bhogishwar of the Bhar Raj had declared war to revoke the Count f Damin-i-koh. So the older brother was attacking his young brother. And it looked like the Doux had the advantages in men and money.
"You mean one of the Douxs knows what he is going?" said Basileus in surprise.
The Basileus tried to cheer himself up by thinking about how his matchmaking skills were still sharp as ever. Not only was his youngest son now freeloading...er...living his best life some place else but one of his other sons was now in the Mongol Empire.
And so we close this chapter with the Basileus still coming back from a failed tiger and wondering what he would do about the war now rocking his Realm.
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Author's End Notes:1. The ducks had replaced the owls who just didn't do well during the daylight hours. And the ducks had a better Guild.
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Why is unimportant people killing unimportant people, a bad thing? If they are worrying about other unimportant people, they are not worrying about important people like you!!
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I sort of agree here. If they're all too busy plotting against each other, they're going to be too busy to plot against you.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred : Wild Boar Hunt
Nom-Nom-Nom!
Chapter Seven Hundred : Wild Boar Hunt
Nom-Nom-Nom!
This chapter opens in May, of the year 914 AD, with the Basileus reviewing his situation. His military was nice and big. His coffers were full. True, some of his Diplomats and Taxes were off helping find a Artifact.
But overall he felt he was doing okay. Until he got to the Capital and found empty streets. Nobody came out to greet the Basileus. Not a Basileus who had totally failed to kill a Tiger. The silent streets, the closed windows, and the shadow of failure seemed to weigh him down.
And as if to kick him while he was down he received VERY bad news. Turns out Count Varzak of Gyantse, who was one of the backers of the Emperor’s plot, was a drunkard. A drunkard who one day, in a local tavern in Lhatse, babbled about the plot.
“Why?!?! I don’t even think he drinks!?!? My reputation!” proclaimed the Basileus. “Oh no. I will go down in history as a murderer!”
“But it is worse than that, my Liege!” pointed out one of the Courtiers.
“How can it be worse?”
“The Count hates you even more!” remarked the Courtier.
“What? I am plotting to kill him! I don’t care about him OR his feelings!” responded the Basileus. “GET in the corner!”
“But...it’s kind of crowded...”
“GET!”
By the ides of May the Basileus thought about inviting his son Prince Raphail to...well...do something. But what? A banquet? A debate about Poetry? A festival? Or maybe...being that Raphail was interesting in hunting at the time....a hunt?
So it was decided that the Emperor would invite his son, the Count, to a hunt. A wild boar HUNT it was!
In the forests surrounding the Capital the two, with their Guards, hunt for days till they finally spot a pig in June. The Basileus and his son decide to be patient and trap it.
As they set up the trap for the pig news came from the Capital. Seems his son, Doux Eustratios of Kasi, was now known as “The Gentle”. This pleased the Basileus. Hopefully it meant the Duchy of Kasi would stay peaceful.
As they continued to set up the trap for the wild pig more news came in from the outside. It seems Doux Kallistos of Naghu had passed the Levy Shifted Noble Obligation Law.
As the Basileus helped his son prepare the VERY complex trap for the wild pig his mind wandered over the future and the name he wished to leave behind. How did he wish to be remembered? What did he wish people to remember him for? (1)
He decided, by early July, he would do his best to bring prosperity and knowledge to the realm.
The boar finally fell for the trap in the middle of July and there was much rejoicing and drinking and cheering and drinking and back slapping and...well...mostly drinking.
In August, as the cooks debated how to prepare the boar meat for the Basileus, his son, and the Guards who helped, there was some interesting news out of the Mongol Empire.
Seems the Countess Parvin was heavy with his son’s kid AND in hiding. Likely worried that she was a slow moving target for her enemies. This made the Prince her Regent. A powerful position of trust. The Basileus was very pleased. Not only was his son proving himself among the Mongols but soon the Dynasty would have a bloodline within the Mongol lands!
After a feast of roasted wild boar, mashed roots (made up of carrots, parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga), and mugs of foamy bear the Basileus and his son parted ways with a much stronger relationship.
So the Basileus was in a better mood after the hunt. And with a Wild Boar Head hanging over the headboard of his bed to boot!
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Author's End Notes:1. This trap, which was taking weeks to create, was a very complex trap. In the end involving but not limited to one piece of cheese, a zigzag slide, a catapult, some shaky stairs, some string, a cream pie, and a cage on a pole.
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Not a tiger, but a boar. I guess the diet is evolving...
Also:
You get a corner, you get a corner, everyone gets a corner. My brain hurts at the thought of a barracks building that has a corner for every single soldier contained within.
Also:
You get a corner, you get a corner, everyone gets a corner. My brain hurts at the thought of a barracks building that has a corner for every single soldier contained within.
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What a glorious game that was! (until one's little brother broke some critical pieces)
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