Road of Queens - CKII India AAR

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Eight Hundred-Nine : A Freeloader

This chapter opens in early September, of the year 932 AD, with a newcomer appearing in the Imperial Court.

A young male lowborn, of the name Arsenios, presented himself to the Empress. The man tried to suggest he was a ‘Great Warrior’ but the Courtiers informed the Basilissa that he was no such thing. The fact was he was Greek Orthodox who had been excommunicated for being accused of apostasy.

“Long time since we have seen a Freeloader around here,” remarked the Empress to her Court. “What is the traditional practice when dealing with them?”

The Imperial Court first suggested he become Buddhist so the Empress demanded he convert to the True Faith.

Then the Courtiers suggested the Freeloader get married to another Greek to help produce more Greek babies.

“There are never enough Greek babies,” the Empress agreed and selected Sergia, a lowborn Greek Buddhist who was available and wanted to get married.

The poor thing was sick and had lost a daughter but she was still 20 years young and could, likely, give birth to many more kids.

So a proposal for a arranged marriage was sent. And accepted! Not that he had any choice. As a subject of the Empress he had to agree.

Shortly after that he agreed to become Buddhist. The Empress was very pleased.

To top if all off she made Arsenios the Court Musician to give him a small income and increase his opinion of his new Empress.

The Empress was so happy that she was shocked one day when she realized she had Great Pox. Due to her old scars from battles and Lover’s pox she had not noticed it at first.

There was no historical evidence of the Empress fooling around so most historians blame her husband for giving her the Great Pox. But we may never know.

She called forth her Court Physician and demanded, due to her bravery, that he try something new.

Which he did. He locked the Empress in a room with angry bees. A confusing treatment but, somehow, it seemed to work!

So we end this chapter with a happier and healthier Empress.

----​

Author’s Notes:

OOC: BEES! NOT THE BEES! BEES! …sorry, had to do it.

 

[Midnite Duke]

The Basilissa's life of wine, men and song has a check that needs to be paid. Will the Physician's bag of coins be enough or will the Reaper want a cut as well?

 

[Surt]

At least there is a heir.

 

[Bullfilter]

Another long catch up, but that’s the way of it.

“I’ve been REPLACED by a HORSE!” he shouted in rage.

***

Indeed, Glitterhoof was released from his duty at being the Empress’s mount and showed up to take his place in the Council that very day.

Priceless!

A very nice horsey. Though it may have been insulted by being labelled with a mule icon!

She decided to send the Duke Jau Wenshunu a letter in which she would share her knowledge of statesmanship with him.

Statesmanship. Er, like have an Equine chancellor?

Well, Lord Meow-Meow never had a Council position. But she did have the ear of the Emperor.

And his lap, on a cold night.

The members of the Imperial Court pointed out, in a letter, that Glitterhoof might be the target of jealous Courtiers or enemies of the Empire. They suggested he needed armour.

oh no! I thought he was going to provide fun for some time yet.

Glitterhoof died due to…well…horsing around.

And they had to go there, didn’t they? Before I could

By mid July she received some bad news. Seems her daughter, Exarchessa Eulalia “The Unfaithful” of Bengal, was suffering from a high fever and it seems she had Slow Fever.

Uh oh.

Due to the Imperial Court Physician, Jahanshah, being such a Renowned Physician he did wonders for Eulalia. In other words she was feeling much better.

Useful.

And so the Court brought her the list of available men skilled in the art of war. And it was a sad list. Even the top pick, the Bhikkhu of Hajo, wasn’t as good as she would have hoped.

Time to invite new courtiers to get better commanders?

Indeed. Once more, I wonder why the Emperors/Empresses don’t either spend a few coins to invite a soldier to court, or search neighbouring realms to invite suitable candidates. 9 martial is pretty mediocre. Do you have a self-imposed rule to only use characters from within the realm?

There was no historical evidence of the Empress fooling around so most historians blame her husband for giving her the Great Pox.

Not good either.

She called forth her Court Physician and demanded, due to her bravery, that he try something new.

I know he’s skilled and the Empress is brave, but … eek.

Which he did. He locked the Empress in a room with angry bees. A confusing treatment but, somehow, it seemed to work!

Better than losing face! I feared she was going to be compelled to adhere to a personal mask mandate!

 

[Superstorm]

I have a lot to catch up on as of yet, but so far I've been enjoying giving this a read! Said before, but nice to see more stories on this side of the map. I look forward to getting all caught up and will be following!

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Eight Hundred-Ten : Missing Commanders?

This chapter opens in late September, in the year 932 AD, it was noticed that another Imperial Commander had gone missing.

“Where are they going?” asked the Empress with confusion. “What happens to them?”

So she decided on her husband as a new Commander. He had been at the top of the list. Too bad his skills with a sword and a axe was pitiful. And his opinion of his wife was in the negative.

In early October there was some good news. The Temple being built in the County of Kataka finished.

No doubt this pleased the Buddhists among the Nobles and populace.

Then there was news of a Hindu uprising in the Mongols Empire to the north.

One of the members of the Uprising had been captured and put in the dungeons. A lowborn 32 year old man of the name Ranjit. He didn’t look like a warrior. Maybe that was why he got caught?

Then another Imperial Commander disappeared. This time the Courtiers had a name to put to the missing person - Bhikkhu Tiberios of Hajo.

“Where did he go?” asked the Empress. “What happened to him?”

“Oh,” said the Courtiers. “We don’t know. We didn’t dig that deep into It.”

“In the corner!” shouted the Empress and the Imperial Court was forced to stand in one of the corners of the throne room for a couple of hours.

The list was not impressive. At the top was Herakleios. The guy who was fooling around with Princess Eudokia.

So of course he was given the position. No doubt the Empress hoped he would die in some future conflict.

In fact he was still fooling around. The Empress also hoped there were no more bastard childhood in the works.

She wondered if the Eudokia’s husband, Civakkoluntan of the House Bana, knew about the affair? It was likely as neither Herakleios or Eudokia seemed to be hiding it very well. And that would also explain why the two men were Rivals.

“Hmmm….I wonder why so many of our family like to fool around?” mumbled the Empress.

“What?” said the Empress as she noticed many in the Court rolled their eyes.

So we close this chapter with two new Commanders. One a grumpy husband and one a naughty widower.

 

[Surt]

So she decided on her husband as a new Commander. He had been at the top of the list. Too bad his skills with a sword and a axe was pitiful. And his opinion of his wife was in the negative.

At least he won't wander off unnoticed.

 

[Midnite Duke]

We need to put Inspector Clouseau on the case of the missing commanders!

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Eight Hundred-Eleven : Sickness And…

War​

This chapter opens in the middle of October, of the year 932 AD, with news coming out of the Mongols Empire.

It seemed Khan Megetu of House Sartaq had joined the Faction planning to overthrow the Great Khan. What was he thinking? Did he wish to die? The Mongols Empire was too fractured. Sooner or later it must fall apart.

In early November the Empress received horrible news. Her other daughter, Princess Pulcheria, had also become ill from Slow Fever. So, of course, she ordered her Doctor to see to her ill daughter.

Exarch Mew of Kham had his Nobles pass the Late Feudal Administration Law which gave him more control over the region of Kham. More power is always a good idea when one was a Ruler.

Once again the Empress’s Doctor proved his worth as news came that her daughter Pulcheria was feeling much better. Of course the Doctor was rewarded with another small purse of gold coins.

Then were was news from the Kingdom of Lanka. Seems the Great King Theophylaktos now had the nickname “The Chaste”. Strange coming from a Ruler who had yet to produce any children.

It also came to be that the Doux of Kathmandu and the Countness of Kathmandu had finally engaged in battle. A one-sided battle which was very much in favor of the Doux

The Countess lost her battle and one of her vassals was captured by the Doux. Why? Nobody knows. If Thoros had been a commander in the battle he would not have been a very good one. He was stupid and had the education of a priest. He would have made a horrible warrior. Also, he wasn’t even Buddhist. He was a follower of Islam!

And so this chapter ends with the Empress wondering if rocks would make better Vassals?

 

[Midnite Duke]

A rock is much less trouble than most vassals and smarter than some.

 

[roverS3]

So, a horse on the council, lots of people getting ill, and annoying vassals. The Empress seems to be slowly getting more deranged, but at least she's got a good doctor. I'm also very curious what happened to all those commanders. Maybe they got slow fever?

 

[Eurasia]

So, a horse on the council, lots of people getting ill, and annoying vassals. The Empress seems to be slowly getting more deranged, but at least she's got a good doctor. I'm also very curious what happened to all those commanders. Maybe they got slow fever?

Or was as simple as they were recalled to their counties to fight in all the revolts and civil wars.

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Eight Hundred-Twelve : Death In The Dynasty!

And A Wedding​

This chapter opens on the 27th of November, of the year 932 AD, when the Empress was given some bad news.

Her husband, Romanos Dysnomia, had died a natural death at the age of 55.

“Oh well,” remarked the Empress on hearing the news, “he didn’t like me anyway.”

So, of course, a new Imperial Commander was now needed. At least Arsenios, the Greek Free Loader, had some military skills. He was picked to fill the empty position.

But the Empress also needed a new husband. Somebody who was Buddhist, wanted to get married, and at least liked her.

She found all this in Lakshminarayan Munda. The problem was his liege, the Count of Zhongba lived in the Kingdom of Guge. Whose liege, the Khan Asalup II, she was trying to kill.

She sent a marriage proposal to Count Vasudeva anyway. A Matrilineal Marriage Proposal, of course. And it looked like the Noble would say yes to it.

In December Lakshminraya arrived in the Capital with a letter from the Count agreeing to the marriage.

The wedding was held at once and the Empress paid fully for it. People respected wealth and it gained her great prestige.

He seemed to like her and that was good. She decided to give him a wedding gift in the form of a minor title.

She made him the Royal Builder which pleased him. At least enough to increase his opinion of her slightly.

And so we end this chapter with a new Imperial Commander for the military and a new husband for the Empress.

 

[Surt]

Hope he likes her stone and children too!

 

[Surt]

The Empress might like this, Pet Rock

 

[Midnite Duke]

1st Qualification for new husband: Greek

New husband: Bengali

Can you imagine the hijinks with #2? A pairing of two lunatics! Monty Python would approve!

(At 51, you could probably went regular marriage and acquired a land owner for an alliance.)

 

[Eurasia]

1st Qualification for new husband: Greek

Oops, I meant Buddhist.

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Eight Hundred-Thirteen : Another Wedding

A Order Of Vikings?
​

This chapter opens in early December, in the year 932 AD, with bad news being received by the Empress.

Slow Fever had spread in all directions and it was becoming dangerous for…well, everybody within the region.

But the Empress was cheered up when she noticed one of her grandsons, Prince Ioannikios of Bengal, was old enough to marry.

The Empress demanded a list of available women be brought to her. She had to look…there seemed to be few female Buddhists of the proper age.

But she found one in the County of Mustang!

Zuqi of the House Bei was older then Ioannikios but she was Greek and a Buddhist. So the Empress sent a proposal to her daughter to bring the two young people together.

Her daughter, sent the proposal back as if it was her idea. The Empress, just wishing for the marriage to go through, agreed.

Zuqi went to marry her husband in the Exarchate of Bengal. No doubt they would be happy together. And if not, who cares, as long as there was kids!

By late December the Empress received news from Europe. Seems a Viking Order had formed. They swore to protect all Norse lands form outsiders, be they Christians or other religions.

This suggested there would soon be a renewed series of religious wars in Europe.

The chapter ends with the Empress matching two young people for marriage while worrying about illness and Vikings.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Will the Jomsvikings protect the Norse of the East?

 

[Surt]

Interesting, are all Norse states not converted yet?