Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
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!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.