Stranded - A Nuova Italia AAR

[blklizard]

Ah, it was Sunda. I knew they'd be targeted sooner or later. Just forgot when.

I seem to remember this as one of the in-game events. Much more entertaining when written out in narrative.

True, the event itself isn't satisfying enough.

The Guild faction's attempted coup is really no surprise. Previous Doges failed to maintain the balance for a long time.

The only question is how this will all develop. Let's just say we're going to have a tyrant of a Doge rising to power.

Chapter 395

Tried as he did, Bassiano was unable to find any leads to the murderer of Ferma before the end of his term. He would need to run for a second term if he hoped to continue his investigation but he never got the chance. On the night before his first term ended, Bassiano was in his office when he heard shouting outside his study. The sound of clashing metals told him that he was attacked so he retrieved his sword in the corner. He was no swordsman by any stretch but he wasn't about to go down without a fight. He waited nervously as he heard the fighting move closer to his door.

His door was suddenly rammed open with a stranger entering the Doge's study. The man was quite enormous and his sword was already covered in blood. He didn't hesitate at all as he pounced onto Bassiano who raised his sword in futility. Seconds later, the Doge was lying in his pool of blood while the attackers withdrew into the shadows. Reinforcing soldiers arrived too late as they were greeted by the aftermath of the brutal attack. All of Bassiano's bodyguards were killed while the Doge himself was breathing his last breath in his study. With his dying breath, he ordered the soldiers to protect his wife and son.

The soldiers rushed to the quarters of Zhou and her child but they discovered they had arrived too late. The place was already trashed indicating that someone else had already been there. There was no sign of Zhou or her son but that didn't meant they were safe. The soldiers spread out in the palace to locate her and her child. More soldiers were being called in for the search as they raced against time to find the mother and child before the assassins. The news of Bassiano's death had already reached all parts of the capital while a special team was assembled to find the assassins responsible.

Hours after the attack, the soldiers reported they had found Zhou's corpse. Witnesses reported that they saw a boat lit on fire on the river and the jewelry found later on the corpse was verified to be those of Zhou. Her son was never found but no one expected the young infant to survive the blaze aboard the ship. This was a truly tragic day in Nuova Italian history with the Doge and his entire family slaughtered in cold blood. Top officials promised to find the culprits responsible and give them the punishment they deserved. Meanwhile, the Doge and his wife were given a proper burial with thousands attending the funeral.

 

[Cityracer]

I hope the Doge's son did survive and after years of tyranny, saves Nuova Italia.

 

[blklizard]

I hope the Doge's son did survive and after years of tyranny, saves Nuova Italia.

That's the ideal case. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.

Anyways, here's a bonus update that I wanted to do for today. It's definitely a lot of fun.

Chapter 396

While the people grieved for the death of their Doge, a man was smiling in the shadows. He hadn't expected the attack to go that well with no one suspecting him at all. His hand picked men proved their worth by executing the plan to near perfection. The only issue they had was the unexpected escape of Zhou and her child. The woman somehow evaded capture and managed to sneak out of the palace. Had he not posted a few men at the river, she would have escaped. She wouldn't know who had killed her husband but she could be a thorn by his side. As the next Doge of Nuova Italia, the man wanted all the loose ends to be tied up before his rise to power.

One of his closest advisers did remind him that the body of the infant was never found. The man didn't really care much for a young infant. Even if the boy managed to miraculously survive this entire ordeal and was adopted by kind parents, he would know nothing of his past. The boy would grow up as an ordinary boy with no knowledge of his parents or what happened that night. Of course, the man didn't expect the boy to grow to be a problem to him. He was in control of the Republic and all those who opposed him would be eliminated without prejudice. The man was about to show the people that a strong leader like him was what they needed. Bassiano was a mistake of theirs.

This man had always looked up to Alboino as his idol. He was in awe of what the man was capable of and how much he did for the Republic. He planned to surpass Alboino and be remembered as the greatest leader of the Republic. The history books would remember him and no one would stand in his way to his fame. In terms of wealth, the man had more than he could ever have. As a very influential member of the Guilds faction, the man acquired wealth far more than more people in Nuova Italia believed was possible. His shrewd methods and lack of morals made making profits a rather easy task. He was also not afraid to get his hands dirty.

As soon as the funeral ended, the man returned to his home where he awaited the announcement of his rise to power. He was the only real opposition of Bassiano so, with his counterpart eliminated in a terrible tragedy, the man could take the position of Doge with no opposition. He could see radical changes sweeping across Nuova Italia. The people would finally get a chance to see what a true Doge could accomplish. If they were amazed by Alboino's achievements, then they would be in for a surprise of what he had in store. The expected messenger arrived and shared the news of the man's first term. Michelangelo Senni was a very happy man upon hearing the official news.

 

[Cityracer]

Anyone with the name Michelangelo surely can't be trusted. I would keep a close eye on him.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Clearly Michelangelo Senni will be the greatest doge that ever lived.

 

[zenphoenix]

I was expecting him to be named Renato.

 

[blklizard]

Anyone with the name Michelangelo surely can't be trusted. I would keep a close eye on him.

With him as Doge, I fear there's few who could really challenge him, if anyone at all.

Clearly Michelangelo Senni will be the greatest doge that ever lived.

Well, we'll see.

I was expecting him to be named Renato.

Welcome! Michelangelo was actually the in-game name which I have no control over. I do have control over what type of Doge he is though.

Chapter 397

Michelangelo sat down in his new office and studied the room. The room hadn't been changed much since the first Doge of Nuova Italia took office but his successors did add small touches during their terms. The new Doge wasn't quite bothered with the decorations knowing that this was only a minor issue he could deal with later in his term. For now, he had matters he wished to attend to so he summoned two brothers into the room. The two brothers had unwavering loyalty towards him and they would do just about anything humanly possible for him. Michelangelo had a few people he wanted to disappear.

Ayu and Wati entered the study soon after they were summoned. The two brothers once slaughtered an entire village of people because the villagers insulted their religion. They were eventually tracked down and captured before they were given a trial. They were ruled guilty and an execution was meant to occur the very next day but the brothers were saved by Michelangelo who happened to be in the town where they were on trial. The man met with the brothers in their cell and gave them a proposition. The two brother would work under him and he could grant them a second chance at life.

Michelangelo was present at the trial and listened to the story of the brutal massacre. He was already quite wealthy by then and was hungering for power. He could see the two brothers as valuable assets if he could get them to align with him. Entering the cell with two bodyguards, Michelangelo spoke with the brothers and learned that, while the two men were cruel and merciless, they had intense loyalty to what they believed in. He gambled they they would remain loyal to him if he freed them and that gamble paid off in the long run. With him as the new Doge, the two brothers had became his best tools in eliminating his oppositions.

At the execution, a few large bribes saw two unfortunate locals take the place of the two brothers. The two men were gagged before they were burned alive. This left no evidence that the brothers went free and Michelangelo left the town that day with two additional followers. The man didn't wait long before he gave orders to the two brothers. He had them pave the way for him to rise to the top of the Guilds Faction by eliminating those who were more senior than him. The unfortunate accidents were suspicious but the two brothers had done well covering their tracks thanks to the mentoring of a man called Aris.

 

[blklizard]

Chapter 398

Aris was half Italian and proved to be a prodigy within the spy network. However, the man wasn't content with the situation within the Republic, especially with the Doge who he viewed as too weak. Bassiano was never a suitable candidate for the position but Aris mostly kept his opinion to himself. He knew better than to offend the strongest man in Nuova Italia, even if this man happened to be weak. Then, Aris had a fateful meeting with Michelangelo and, after an entire day of discuss domestic affairs, he knew he found a person worthy of the position Doge. He then proceeded to convincing Michelangelo that he should take that position for himself.

A month later, Michelangelo returned with the two brothers and had Aris mentor them in their quest for the Doge position. The two brothers might have never feared anyone but they learned to respect Aris who seemed far more dangerous. While the two of them could handle things with brute force, they quickly learned that brute force alone wasn't enough. Under the teachings of Aris, the two brothers quickly learned stealth and how to not leave any loose ends. Aris told Michelangelo that the brothers were naturals and they were ready to remove any of the political obstacles standing between Michelangelo and his dream.

While Aris operated in the shadows by providing valuable intelligence and occasionally advices, the two brothers went out and removed people Michelangelo wanted gone. They began with some of the more influential members in the Guilds Faction seeing numerous accidents happen within a single month. While these all seemed suspicious, the brothers left no evidence of their involvement and Michelangelo benefited as a result. With his position within the Guilds faction rising steadily, Michelangelo soon had the financial power to bribe certain people to make his life easier within getting his hands dirty.

Michelangelo then proceeded to order the brothers removing people of other factions. He didn't care whether the rumors were true or not as he removed anyone from another faction that had any chances of getting an office in the government. He knew the key to his success would be make the Guilds Faction so powerful in the government that no one dared to challenge them. Once he took office as Doge, he would keep it that way and his hold on the position would be guaranteed. Those foolish enough to cross his path would either encounter an unfortunate accident or simply ousted due to some fabricated scandal.

 

[zenphoenix]

Such Doge, much stealth, many assassins.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Of course you're going to make Michelangelo corrupt and ruthless. The joys of narrative and its ability to be shaped into almost anything.

I wonder if anyone has caught on to the pattern I take with doges and how long they serve.

 

[Cityracer]

This kind of corruption is almost impossible to stop. I fear dark times are ahead.

 

[blklizard]

Such Doge, much stealth, many assassins.

And more deaths!

Of course you're going to make Michelangelo corrupt and ruthless. The joys of narrative and its ability to be shaped into almost anything.

I wonder if anyone has caught on to the pattern I take with doges and how long they serve.

Everyone wants to be a villain sometimes. Enjoy this rare occasion.

6 years, 12 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, TBA. Don't know what pattern you're talking about. I thought you picked them based on their names.

This kind of corruption is almost impossible to stop. I fear dark times are ahead.

With Michelangelo in power, dark times will indeed arrive. However, we must have hope a glimmer of light will shine during these daunting times.

Chapter 399

Michelangelo didn't feel quite safe until he had a few political opponents eliminated. Those unfortunate souls would not only lose their lives but their deaths should put the others in their place. When Michelangelo learned that Ferma spoke with Bassiano regarding his faction's growing party, he knew he should have eliminated this insect before things got out of hand. As soon as Ferma was eliminated, Michelangelo took the advice of one of his advisers and remained passive until the investigation ended due to no progress. He just needed to wait until the last day of Bassiano before eliminating this foe. Killing Bassiano before then could complicate the process to determine the next Doge of Nuova Italia.

With him finally in office, Michelangelo could complete his little killing spree by eliminating the closest friends and allies of Ferma. These men were quite influential in their factions so, with them gone, the real leaders of those factions were eliminated and no one could really challenge him. He sent the two brothers to eliminate those men and they returned a week later. The bodies of their targets were found much later and the investigations of those deaths had as much progress as the one involving Ferma. Satisfied with the current situation, Michelangelo could begin introducing a number of reforms he thought was vital to the future of the Republic.

Before new reforms were introduced, Michelangelo learned that there was news about the war in Sunda. The recent events in the capital actually made people forget a war was happening. Given how the soldiers were progressing there, it was no wonder that no one give the war a second thought. The sneak attack on Sunda worked splendidly with a large portion of Sunda occupied before the Sunda army could even respond. According to the latest letter, friendly forces were engaged with the Sunda army and the outcome was likely decided in a few days. Michelangelo had no doubt his side would win so he discarded the letter knowing one with news of victory would eventually arrive.

Several days later, Michelangelo was walking the city walls when one of the brothers arrived with news from Aris. Michelangelo listened intently and nearly lost his temper upon hearing the news. One of Aris' agents claimed to have spotted a woman with traits surprisingly similar to those of Zhou. The new Doge didn't like loose ends and the idea that this woman somehow outsmarted him was infuriating. He ordered the brother to return to Aris to pass the word that he wanted their best men sent out to track down and eliminate Zhou. He wanted the woman gone and he wanted no one to know of this. The sooner he could see her corpse, the sooner he could leave behind this chapter.

 

[Cityracer]

I doubt Zhou is still alive, but just maybe...

 

[blklizard]

I doubt Zhou is still alive, but just maybe...

Well, you will find out below. As the 400th chapter, this will be longer than usual and, hopefully, more action packed.

Chapter 400

Moving in the shadows, a person arrived hastily outside a building. The person looked around and, after confirming that there were no pursuers, the person knocked on the door. Moments later, a man opened the door and admitted the person inside. The doorman then quickly closed the door and the street outside was silent once again. The person took over the hood of the cloak revealing stunning features that would attract the attention of any men. She spoke a few words to the doorway before walking deeper into the building. She had some news to deliver regarding the rumors involving the Doge's spy network.

The woman soon arrived in a room where Zhou was tending to her infant who had finally fell asleep. Zhou looked up and, upon seeing the woman, gestured that they should speak next door. Zhou had her assistant remain with her child while she and the new arrival walked to the room next door. They closed the door behind them and sat down in the two stools inside. The first thing Zhou asked was about the woman's sister who was supposed to lure the assassins while she and her son got away. The woman hesitated before sharing her sister's demise when her boat was lit aflame and her corpse was later recovered.

Before Zhou had a chance to express her grievances, the woman stopped her telling her that this was not the time to grieve. The woman, by the name of Rashaa, shared with Zhou the new information she dug up from her contacts in the spy network. Rashaa had a few friends who, while being in the bottom of the food chain within the spy network, still got bits and pieces of information that could be helpful. They were the reason Zhou and her child managed to get away from their assassins. Sadly, their information arrived too late to save Bassiano as the assassin attacked the former Doge ahead of schedule.

Zhou listened intently as Rashaa shared about the rumors that someone similar to Zhou was spotted and discovered the movement of agents to track her down. While the intent seemed good on the surface as they were trying to protect Zhou, Rashaa shared her concern that there were people who wished Zhou harm. To this day, they still didn't know who was responsible for Bassiano's death or, at the very least, they had no clue leading to anyone. Until they knew who they were facing, they couldn't make their moves and had to remain in the shadows. Zhou was greatly saddened by the death of her husband but she was relieved her two children would survive.

Many of those sheltering Zhou only knew about her infant who was given birth awhile back. Zhou only shared with a selected few like Rashaa about her recent pregnancy. She was going to share this with Bassiano the day of the election but she never got a chance. Wishing to find who was responsible and avenge her husband, Zhou was determined to live on and continue fighting to her dying breath. First, she needed a safe place to give birth to her second child. Once both of them were capable of traveling, Zhou wanted them sent to another part of Sumatra where they would be safe from the politics in the capital.

The assassination of a Doge wasn't a small thing and Zhou believed that whoever responsible was likely in the capital where he or she had the most to gain. Unlike the men she was working with, Zhou was under no presumption that the mastermind was a man. She knew a woman could be equally dangerous and she was about to show her allies that she, like a tigress, would fight back against anyone wishing her family harm. With blood already spilled, Zhou was about to use all her resources and her wits to bring down whoever killed her husband. Meanwhile, her children would be in another part of the Republic where they could grow up like children with no burden.

The news of agents moving around the capital was somewhat worrying but Zhou wasn't as worried. She realized after the escape that, with her enemies not knowing about her pregnancy, they wouldn't be searching a pregnant woman. As a result, she could move to a safer location quite easily once she shows signs of having a child and the agents wouldn't be any wiser. However, she didn't feel suffice with such a passive stance. Zhou wanted to make progress at the same time and discussed her carefully thought out plan with Rashaa who listened carefully. After hearing the plan, Rashaa said she didn't regret following Zhou and would put the plan in motion immediately.

Two weeks later, the intricate trap caught its first and final victim. Rashaa purposely had a reliable friend leak some information to the spy network. The spy network promised rewards to those who provided valuable information so it didn't seem too absurd for a person to volunteer some intelligence. An agent took action at once and, thinking this was an easy task, went alone so he could get the credit for locating Zhou. What Rashaa and the others part of the plan didn't know was that this agent happened to know quite a bit about the spy network and his capture would aid them greatly.

The agent arrived at the address provided by Rashaa's friend and, after asking around, located the exact building where Zhou was said to be at. He entered the courtyard and, upon entering the building, he was captured after being knocked unconscious. Blindfolded and gagged, the agent was brought to one of Zhou's hideouts where he was interrogated. Zhou was present at the interrogation and caught a number of slip ups from the agent. This slip ups made Zhou suspicious so she approved the use to force to get more information from the man. She wasn't present when two torturers went to work.

The two torturers were effective at their work as they made the agent talk within two days. Zhou returned and what she learned shocked her. The agent happened to know a lot of the top secrets within the spy network and he knew who was responsible for Bassiano's death along with those who aided the mastermind. Zhou suspected the new Doge to be a culprit but learning this information from the agent still shocked her. She could see how, with Aris siding with Michelangelo, her husband was killed without him being notified at all about the attempt on his life.

The agent also provided a number of names including two brothers who carried out Michelangelo's every move. He also suspected one of them to have killed Michelangelo personally while the other was assigned to eliminate Zhou and her child. Once Zhou was certain she got every bit of intelligence from the agent, she had the torturers end the agent's life and dispose his body in the outskirts to tie up the loose ends. She had what she needed and, once her second child was born, she could start plotting the downfall of the new Doge and free Nuova Italia from his tyranny.

Few months later, Zhou headed to a safer location where she would remain until her second child came to this world. As she suspected, her pregnancy made it so the patrols didn't even give her a second look, not that they would see much with her cloak covering her face. While she prepared for her second child, Zhou assigned Rashaa to find allies who could aid them despite not knowing her existence. She was certain a man like Michelangelo would have enemies and his enemies were her allies. Soon, Zhou would gain another valuable ally who would have never crossed her mind.

 

[Cityracer]

Intrigue chapters are my favorite. The downfall of Michelangelo must happen.

 

[Michaelangelo]

6 years, 12 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, 4 years, TBA. Don't know what pattern you're talking about. I thought you picked them based on their names.

More like electing new doges until republican tradition is high and then having the same doge rule until his death.

Good luck getting rid of Michelangelo. He's sure to put Alboino Spinolo to shame.

 

[blklizard]

Intrigue chapters are my favorite. The downfall of Michelangelo must happen.

A long fight awaits those who are resisting the tyranny of Michelangelo.

More like electing new doges until republican tradition is high and then having the same doge rule until his death.

Good luck getting rid of Michelangelo. He's sure to put Alboino Spinolo to shame.

Yup, Michelangelo is a cruel man who would do anything to stay in power.

Chapter 401

The Nuova Italian soldiers finally returned home after a very successful campaign against the treacherous Sunda nation. After occupying much of Sunda, an engagement between the main Sunda army and the First Army took place with the attackers winning very decisively. The Sunda army was later annihilated and the entire Hindu nation was under occupation. Michelangelo saw only one fate fitting for Sunda and that was annexation. Bassiano might have declared war to conquer a single province and give the Sunda government a warning but Michelangelo wasn't going to show weakness in this regard.

During the siege of the Sunda capital, the royal family surrendered hoping to be spared deaths but Michelangelo ordered their execution the moment the First Army entered the city. The royal family members were herded to the public execution grounds where they were killed before their people. The executions brought outrage that saw some people rebelling but the soldiers quickly dispatched those who were hostile. Michelangelo wished to use this as an example to all those who dared to oppose Nuova Italia. He cared little about the reputation of the Republic as long as no one dared to oppose Nuova Italia.

The new Doge then sent the Brunei nation the order of becoming a protectorate of Nuova Italia. He timed it so the Brunei royal family knew about the fate of the Sunda royal family. He anticipated that the message would be received and, if the Brunei government was to reject the order, they would suffer the same fate. The Brunei government agreed without hesitation knowing the consequences of saying no. In addition, they were forced to divert all their trade to Nuova Italia to show their loyalty to the Republic. Anything less would be considered rebellion in Michelangelo's view.

Then, explorer Sini returned from the waters of Girin to resupply his ship and recruit new sailors. Learning that a new Doge had risen to power, it was only natural for him to meet Michelangelo. The new Doge admired the explorer for his contributions to the Republic and ordered a feast to celebrate the man's achievements. While Sini tried to politely decline, he was eventually persuaded to participate. Many top Nuova Italian officials would be present and he could share many of his findings in foreign lands during the feast. Before he left for the feast, Camilia told her husband that she had a feeling he shouldn't attend. At this time, SIni replied it was too late to decline.

 

[Cityracer]

Sini better be careful, Michelangelo is a dangerous man.

 

[blklizard]

Sini better be careful, Michelangelo is a dangerous man.

He doesn't know that yet.

Chapter 402

When Sini arrived outside the palace, he immediately got a bad feeling about this feast. He felt he was being watched the moment he stepped onto the palace grounds. Even the guards were different from those he saw last time he was at the capital. They seemed more like mercenaries than professional soldiers. The explorer held no illusion that these men would cut him down if he gave them any excuse to do so. Trying to avoid making eye contact with the guards, Sini headed towards the palace to participate in the feast. He hoped the feast was a short one so he could leave for the seas once again.

Upon learning about the unfortunate demise of Bassiano, Sini wondered what storm was brewing in the capital. This was supposed to be a time when Nuova Italia had fewer enemies. Few, if any, nations dared to antagonize the Republic knowing the consequences. Yet, the assassins openly attacked and killed the Doge and his personal bodyguards. Camilia was convinced that these were dark omens for the Republic which was partly why she tried to convince SIni to decline the feast. Having already arrived, Sini couldn't exactly just tell the new Doge he was leaving. Their first encounter told Sini that such an action could end poorly for him.

Entering the feast hall, Sini was greeted by officials who were praising him as a hero. The explorer knew he had left the capital for awhile but he hardly recognized any of these officials. To him, they were strangers who might have risen to their ranks after Bassiano's death. The officials brought him to the Doge who was speaking with a dangerous looking man. The man wasn't exactly large and intimidating but there was something about his aura. Michelangelo smiled upon seeing Sini and introduced him to the man called Aris. The two men exchanged greetings but it was clear that they wouldn't be getting along.

The Doge then allowed Sini to share a few of his stories in India and the officials listened intently. Once Sini finished, Michelangelo chatted with him a bit more before asking him for his opinion regarding a policy he had in mind. The explorer was shocked that the Doge even considered such a policy and was completely opposed to it. While he apologized claiming he was merely joking, Michelangelo had already labeled Sini as a problem. He was worried the explorer might be a threat so he intended on keeping Sini far from the capital where he couldn't influence the politics. Thus, he sent him further west towards Persia.

 

[Cityracer]

At least he just sent Sini further away. That means he's safe, for now.