The Diaries of Zicenian Royalty (A Random World Narrative AAR)

[Centurial]

Table of Contents:


King Sabr-Ishu, "The Father"

Chapter 1: A Young Man Inherits a Stolen Throne…
Chapter 2: … And Secures It as His Own.

Chapter 3: He Reaches Out as Far as He Can…
Chapter 4: … To Grab His Place in History as The Father of Zicenia.

Chapter 5: A Strange Final Stretch.
_________________________________________________________

King Shahlufa, "The Hammer"

Chapter 6: The Warrior King Ascends
Chapter 7: The Caliphate Descends
Chapter 8: The Hammer

Chapter 9: Slowing Down

Chapter 10: Interregnum
Chapter 11: Waking Dream
___________________________________________________________

King Lazaro, "The Purifier"

Chapter 12: The Man Who Sought to Destroy All Evil

Chapter 13: Sic Semper Demens
Chapter 14: At All Costs
Chapter 15: Letting Go, And Holding On.
Chapter 16: Back to the Start

Chapter 17: Recession

_____________________________________________________________

King Laszio, "The Builder"

Chapter 18: The Crisis Ends
Chapter 19: Back on Top

_____________________________________________________________

King Raca, "The Cruel"

Chapter 20: A Renewal of Power
Chapter 21: Raca’s Will
Chapter 22: A Man of Action
Chapter 23: To Rule is to Be Judged
Chapter 24: Security
Chapter 25: A Final Idea

_____________________________________________________________

King Babai, "The Fool"

Chapter 26: A Crown, and Other Amenities.

_____________________________________________________________

King Sima, "The Magnificent"

Chapter 27: No Time to Sleep
Chapter 28: A Greater Zicenia

​

 

[Centurial]

Sabr-Ishu, King of Zicenia and Head of House Mirza. 16 years old.

Attractive, Master Seducer, Lustful.

Honest, Humble.

Cruel.

​

Chapter 1: A Young Man Inherits a Stolen Throne…



August, 936

Zicenia is finally at rest once again, though there is still work to do. My lovely wife, Talya, has just given birth to our first son, and we plan to make many more as quickly as possible! If House Mirza is to remain the new dynasty, it can’t be led by sickly and weak men incapable of even laying down in a bed without falling asleep!

I never expected to be so lucky as to end up King of Zicenia, particularly this early in my life - I wish the first of our house had been my father. After the sudden, childless death of Zicenia’s former king, war broke out over his succession, which only came to an end a few months ago – mostly, at least, since two rival dukes of the losing side fled to Corsica and Sardinia, which remain out of our control at the moment.



The most important man in the Kingdom is Abaya, Duke of Milan. Alongside my father, he led the armies that secured our victory in the War of Succession, though father did not live to see its end, and Abaya declined the throne on account of his age and lack of children. Instead, the territory of Milan was expanded greatly and Abaya remains heavily involved in the government – he is certainly the most powerful man in the entire Kingdom, even moreso than myself. I will do my best to keep Abaya on my side, though he has been a great friend to my father and seems content with his current status.

For now, we will make sure our hold on Zicenia is strong, so that one day our armies can grow strong again and reclaim Corsica and Sardinia for the throne.

In the meantime, I will make sure my hold on Talya is strong - House Mirza will not be lacking for heirs!

> November

West of Italy, the Raamite heretics encroach on our neighbors in the name of their heretic faith. Instead of fully joining the civilized faithful, these Iberians had claimed some Siorach canon while still keeping many of their tribal beliefs and practices that go directly against that taught in The Grand Story, particularly with their barbaric ritual sacrifices.

In recent decades, they have inched north into Europe, and now the heretic count of Toulouse seeks the land directly bordering our own Kingdom. Upon request, and alongside many of our neighbors, we have pledged our support in holding back the Raamite invasion, although Abaya ensures me that they are already greatly outnumbered. That being said, it is my duty to participate, and perhaps this effort will help unify Zicenia further.





March, 937

The war goes well, and the army Abaya has assembled impresses me with its size. It seems clear this expedition will end quickly.

That being said, I received news of Abaya’s continued attempts to justify claims for the expansion of Milan at the expense of another duke. I will not antagonize him, though a dominant Milan is concerning, particularly whenever Abaya’s chosen successor takes control. In the meantime, there are uses for his surprisingly large army that should hopefully distract.




> April

It seems Abaya is more shrewd than I thought. Mere days after my previous journal, I learned that he was amassing his personal army to launch an incursion against the other heretics to the northwest, the Orevi. The justification is somewhat slim, but the glory of advancing against heretics into the Alps is too great to resist. I expect he will be fine given his talent, and it does relieve me that Abaya is looking outwards.

> August

The barbarians march for my own capital, ignoring their own encroaching defeat. This low blow will not go unpunished – I have split the army to ensure that their leader pays for this even if he tries to retreat.

Word from Abaya’s campaign is positive so far, and the size of his own personal army is apparently equal to the combined Zicenian one under my command. Though I do speak with some concern, I suppose this is only natural given what our country has just gone through – on a personal level, I have no doubt that Abaya himself is loyal, and the amount of men our Kingdom is able to muster actually gives me great hope for what we may accomplish in the future.





> October

The concerns of an attack on Piemonte turned out to be false, as the barbarians continued to march into Nice, where we have cut them off. The journey was not kind to their numbers either – desertion and disease are expectedly harsh for an army marching through such a winter.

June, 938

The campaign has ended in success, and I have made a public show of having our captured enemies executed at home. The wealth brought back from the pillaging of Toulouse was an unexpected reward, but one we will make good use of. Immediately, we will fortify the capital, which is easily justified following the barbarian scare.

In the meantime, I have been corresponding back and forth with Abaya, and I am now certain his intentions are good. Unfortunately, it seems his incursion into the Alps attracted far more Orevi armies than expected due to a nearby war in the north, though Abaya has managed to avoid engaging the massive enemy force directly so far.

> September

One of my lesser vassals has requested an incursion into Modena, land which belonged to him before it was taken during the Succession War. Given the strength of our army, there is no reason to decline, and it would be good for the other vassals to grow. Some day, we will also retake Corsica from the traitors, and then Sardinia; Zicenia will then fully reach the power it once knew under the better days of the previous dynasty.

And speaking of dynasty, Talya is pregnant for the first of what shall be many children.



January, 939

The invasion continues slowly – the Duke of Ferrara, who holds the stolen land, has amassed a surprisingly large army, and I’m in no rush to fight a large battle and lose men if it can be avoided – Abaya has certainly taught me that lesson, as he somehow continues to campaign in the north without losing most of his army to the massive Orevi forces.

Another Duke from neighboring Lucca has also taken advantage of this war to lay claim to Modena, possibly expecting to seize the land while the two armies were fighting. He will be disappointed, and hopefully distracting as well.



> November

Talya gave birth to our second son a few months ago, but absolute dread followed this week as we learned my poor Talya has cancer. How could such a thing could happen to such a lively woman as Talya at just 19 years old?

February, 941

Talya has been doing well, thanks to the great work of our doctor. She is young and strong, he says, and so far it seems to be true. I fear for her ability to bear another child though…

Meanwhile, the war for Modena has been dragging on, but should come to a victorious end soon. We still have avoided engaging in battle, and the invasion from Lucca has actually worked to our advantage as the Ferraran army wastes time chasing them down.



> September

Good news all around this month – the soldiers have taken Modena without much bloodshed, and the war is over.

13

More importantly, it turns out that Talya’s cancer isn’t getting in the way of anything – her energy has been just as passionate as always, and she is now pregnant once again! We can only hope the pregnancy goes as well as the last two, but I have faith in Talya’s strength.



Finally, it seems that invasion of Corsica may come soon – there has been a peasant revolt on the island, and the other Duke of Sardinia has clearly gone back on their alliance by seizing the land of Gallura for himself.

14

Once the revolt is concluded and Corsica’s army is weakened, we will lead our invasion. Abaya himself will be involved as well this time – he finally has returned from his war in defeat, maintaining much of his army but now deeply in debt.




January, 942

Sad news has reached me today – Abaya finally passed away after a long life of 67 years. It seems the stress of his campaign and the debt it incurred finally got to the old man.

His titles are inherited by his adopted son Sabah, a young man who served as a general under Abaya during the Succession War and grew close to the childless duke. I do not know much about this new Duke’s personality, but his military skill is well-proven, so he shall replace Abaya as Zicenia’s marshal.

Historian’s notes: The reign of Sabr-Ishu was initiated by unlikely circumstances – the death of his father at the end of a succession war, and the honorable promise kept by the old and childless Abaya of Milan to watch over the throne while Sabr-Ishu got his footing.​

​

Relatively peaceful at first, the King would find new reasons for tension with the succession in Milan, and throughout the rest of his reign, several events would slowly transform the humble young man into a much more imposing King, obsessed with the dynasty and its protection.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 2: …And Secures It as His Own.









Late January, 942

Talya managed to make it through the birth of our third son, but she is in very bad shape – my doctor doesn’t know if she will manage to survive. The child is in poor shape as well.

> February

Talya’s body seems to be recovering, but her mind is not there. I don’t know if she will survive this month, but if she does, I fear it may be only partially.

The child does seem to fare better though – I believe he will make it, at least.


Meanwhile, the new Duke of Milan, Sabah, had already begun another expedition into the Alps. I assume from his experience in the last war that he knows what he is doing, but it still strikes me as foolish. That being said, it’s good that he focuses his army on outsiders.




> May

My wife’s condition remains weak – she spends most of the day in bed, only able to get up for brief periods, and this has been the case for over a month now. Though she clings onto life, I fear it may be time to accept that death has taken over much of her body already.

As much as I hate to say it, my old wife is gone, and I must look to continue my bloodline.

Meanwhile, matters of state trouble me further. The Duke of Genoa has apparently been plotting to expand his claim to the entire coast, which includes my own personal land. Troublingly, it seems he has the support of Sabah as well – no doubt fearing a crackdown on his power.

Though I will say nothing to Sabah about his support, the count of Genoa will be crushed if he does not submit, and by seizing his title I will gain leverage over the Kingdom as a whole.




> July

As expected, the Genoese duke spouted lies about his innocence and refused to back down. My army will make quick work of him.



And as it turns out, Talya did indeed die this month. I still feel so confused when remembering how full of energy and love she was just a few years ago - at our age, I never thought it would end this soon.

I crave Talya, but with her gone, I must find some way to satisfy this urge.

March, 943

The Genoese insurrection is over, and with Corsica split from its peasant revolt, it will be easy to reclaim.

In the meantime, I managed to find another wife from German territory. She’s no Tayla by any means, but she’s sharp enough.

4


On the side, I’ve also been meeting with a certain Ferraran duchess…

And today, I received a demand from my small-time Count of Aosta, backed up in name by Sabah – they demand that the council has a say on any changes to Zicenian law. I don’t like this grab at power by my own subjects, but there is little that can be done yet besides placate them – I’m certainly not going to plunge this Kingdom into another civil war.

> May

I’ve been meeting women all over, and I can resist none of them. Yet, this is getting a bit out of hand…

Though I do hope to invade the southern islands soon, I must reward the people and soldiers that have brought us this far first – we are one people and must remain as such. Between the fairs and feasts of this year, everyone will remember why Zicenia is better as one, and why we must make sure to finish our promise to those living under the island traitors.

It also is a good opportunity to meet some fine women…



March, 944

Yet another son has been born to my new wife – who knew that growing the dynasty would be so fun? In the meantime, I believe I’ve given another three or four children to some lovely women during the leisures of last year.

> September

The invasion of Corsica has begun, though not as simply as I imagined. The armies have had to deal with raiders in our own territory, and the old Duke of Corsica took advantage of the fighting to invade the peasant half of the island, but our armies are large enough to defeat them all.

There has been a new count of Aosta as well – a much younger man who seems to have a great grasp on rulership. I’m going to try and ally this new count, both for his practical skills and the political concerns at home – though Sabah’s adventure in the Alps has gone even worse than his adoptive father’s, weakening his position in Zicenia for the time being.



January, 945

This newly-empowered council is a pain – self-serving men ask for favors just to support my invasion of Corsica. I did what needed to be done to gain their support, but these men are more focused on their own titles than the good of Zicenia.




March, 946

Corsica is once again under our control! The army did a great job of scraping up the bands of raiders in our own homeland while seizing the two castles of the opposing factions.

I even managed to bed the wife of the peasant count.



Sardinia would be the next target, but upon landing on Corsica we’ve learned that the island is already being invaded by the Dyamarian Empire – a massive force that dominates the entire South Mediterranean. If they take Sardinia, there’s nothing we can do about it.

> September

All these feasts and drinks have taken their toll on me – I fear I’m growing rather fat. I can’t afford to starve myself with so much work to be done though, despite Maud’s pressuring – and I already have enough women to satisfy me regardless…



> December

The Dyamarian Empire is on our doorstep, and Sardinia is out of reach. As much as it saddens me to accept the loss of Zicenian land, there is simply nothing to be done about it.

Still, I look in the mirror, and I look at my throne. I look at our restored kingdom, and I look at all of the women I have seeking my attention. This is my Kingdom, and I am its King. With territorial restoration out of the way, it is time to ensure my rule is respected. Abaya fought alongside my father to put me on the throne, and yet now his successor makes demands hiding behind the backs of others, implying he would split the Kingdom again just to promote his own influence. Now that the Kingdom is as whole as it can be, it is time to restore the honor of the King as well.

May, 947

The Kingdom expands further as one of my vassals pushes into Ferrara, and our own army marches towards Verona to demand tribute. I will need a large treasury to control this Kingdom, and there are plenty of weak Counts to gather it from, in exchange for subjugation.

April, 948

Maud seems to have found out about one of my affairs, and I admitted as much. That woman in particular is ill anyways, and it would have been pretty bad if my vassal had learned about what I’ve been doing with his wife…

We managed to avert an uprising in Corsica this month as well, and the peasant count was blinded. It’s going to be a constant battle to keep these traitors under our control – but if fear of our army won’t stop them, fear of their own punishment should do the trick.

> October

The fight for Verona was easy, but their funds will not be enough. The Duchy of Tuscany to our south is far larger, and after being humbled, they can help give the Crown the funds it needs.

> Late October

Ha! I hadn’t expected to write again this soon, but the Tuscan Duke immediately offered tribute without bloodshed. Now, we shall ask the same of Forcalquier to the west – they should be happy to gain our protection from the barbarians.

Historian’s notes: After the reconquest of lands in Central Italy, as well as Corsica, the King took a much more active role in government than he had as a younger man. His romantic adventures at the time would spread the bloodline discreetly throughout the entire region, though many of these instances remain undocumented. ​

​

This period also marks the beginning of Sabr-Ishu’s tributary network, which would come to be a staple of his reign, just as much as the massive military expansion it funded within his territories to combat the constant threat in his mind of a Milanese takeover.​

 

[HistoryDude]

This idea looks interesting...

I wonder what this Random World is like... “Stolen Throne” is particularly ominous...

 

[Centurial]

This idea looks interesting...

I wonder what this Random World is like... “Stolen Throne” is particularly ominous...

Ha, you caught me formatting the first two chapters. They're up now.

I decided to go with a usurped throne origin, as Sabr-Ishu was indeed the first in the bloodline at the start of the game, and it worked out really well with the state the Kingdom was in. The more devious crown-stealing will likely come later on, given the game this story is based on, and Iqta inheritance in general

 

[Centurial]

This AAR comes as a successor to the dissolved "Diaries of a Damascusite Bloodline", which only had two chapters posted (another another two or three written) before I delayed and ultimately cancelled it due to quality reasons. My idea was to grow my character writing skills, which were almost non-present in the history-book style Baltic Lightning, while also having some fun with the Random World setting in CK2 which I hadn't yet taken the time to really give a try.

This time around I've been writing this AAR using a new method, as opposed to the last one which I struggled with using the same method that I had for Baltic Lightning. It's come out a lot better this time around, and I already have been really enjoying the way this story is evolving as I go through it. This new method also allows me to make these more quickly than before, so there won't be major delays between posts without a good reason.

I've been inspired by a lot of real history I've been reading over the break, and I'm trying to shape this around those accounts - certain events may be included or excluded from a character's autobiography depending on what they are focused on at the time - but the screenshots won't lie to you!

Thanks for reading this far already, and I hope you enjoy the story. Questions and discussions are appreciated

(Also, if you spot any errors, please PM me so I can fix them!)

 

[Nikolai]

Good to see you back.

 

[WeeLittleSpoon]

Nice! I love Random Worlds. Looks like it's all working out for Sabr-Ishu so far.

 

[HistoryDude]

Abaya was a loyal man. His son isn’t.

Is Zicenia northern Italy?

Also, pictures aren’t showing up. I’m on mobile, though, so…

 

[stnylan]

Great to see you return to writing.

Quite a lot going on here, but things do appear to be proceeding in a mostly favourable direction.

 

[Centurial]

Good to see you back.

Thanks, good to see you again as well

Nice! I love Random Worlds. Looks like it's all working out for Sabr-Ishu so far.

It really does add so many new strategic potentials from the start, when you find the right one while cycling through (I think I chose this world out of 5)

Abaya was a loyal man. His son isn’t.

Is Zicenia northern Italy?

Also, pictures aren’t showing up. I’m on mobile, though, so…

Abaya's heir Sabah isn't necessarily disloyal, just ambitious - or at least cautious enough to bide his time until he knows he could best the crown. Hard to say, but Sabr-Ishu is paranoid about him.

Pictures should show up, might want to try again or see if you can see other posts too. It might take a bit to load the images depending on your speeds, though I try to make all the images compact for that very reason. I did just go in and enhance a few of the images which I'd missed before, so that should help a bit. Zicenia is indeed in Northern Italy.

Great to see you return to writing.

Quite a lot going on here, but things do appear to be proceeding in a mostly favourable direction.

The real favorable part about right now is that Ishu never caught a disease from all his female adventures, haha.

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 3: He Reaches Out as Far as He Can…







July, 949

The tributary wars are finished, but a new threat has emerged – the heretic king of Friuli is encroaching west into Ferrara. We’ll show him who is in charge of Northern Italia.

Additionally, word has reached me that a pact is forming against the Dyamarian Empire, which is already suffering from revolt. I agreed to support it – this is the only chance I see of gaining Sardinia any time soon, even if it is a long shot.




> September

I’ve put some effort into expanding my own personal power by strengthening the reliance on larger vassals in general, which grants myself, as a Duke of three lands, more power as well. In the meantime, some minor battles have been fought in defense of our tributaries – it is important to consolidate our hold on them as well, while cowing any greedy outsiders.

The pact against the Dyamarian Empire crumbed quite quickly, so unfortunately Sardinia still remains untouchable.





April, 951

Sabah continues to expand his own power – he recently took control of Bern, and now his invasion of Trent is wrapping up. As far as I’m concerned, a race to expand Zicenia between the two of us is ultimately good for the kingdom, but I still intend to make sure House Mirza remains the dominant power – not that Sabah has even managed to have any children to secure his own house.

In the meantime, we will demand tribute from Augsburg, the Alp nation that Sabah and his father had failed to conquer. By not framing this conquest in religious terms and promising their independence, I should be able to avoid the pitfalls of outraging their heretic neighbors in their defense.

952

All the wars and whatnot go well, but events within the Kingdom are exhausting. All of my vassals seem to be expanding at their own whims, and due to calling in a favor, I was forced to entertain the council’s insistence on having a role in imprisonment decisions. Has the country developed such that the King cannot even rule his own country without asking permission?

I’ve spent the fortunes of recent conquests expanding the army and fortifications in my own realm, which are the only true way to maintain the Kingdom from both within and without.





955

Events continue steadily – the realm of Nice is now subjugated, and the wealth from the various tributaries has helped expand the army and defenses, particularly in Piemonte. I now have seven children, including two daughters – and countless others claimed by other unsuspecting men.

In order to both enhance my own power and secure the island, I had the boy of the peasant count on Corsica drowned – which passes the heirless title onto myself. We also are organizing an excursion into Duka for tribute – soon to be the wealthiest tributary Zicenia has seen.

956

The unexpected death of Modena’s duke suddenly grants another three counties to crown control – between that and the new tributary wealth, Milan is no longer a threat to the crown. Most of these lands will be passed on to my second son, Timai, who seems very capable, while my eldest son Enosh will be given one – I don’t trust Enosh with too much power given his lunacy, but he has done nothing to properly discount him from ruling.

957

The campaign into Duka goes well, though the King of Burgundy to the west has come to the man’s defense. Ultimately, the lands he raids are frontier ones anyways, while we strike at the heart of Duka in the name of simple tribute.

A sickness seems to be spreading through the land closer to the capital as well – both my wife and myself have fallen ill.



959

The war in Duka is almost complete, though it has been more of a struggle than I had expected. Sabah seems to constantly be in a state of conquering new lands, never satisfied with the already immense holdings he has gained.

The plague has passed without any major losses. Meanwhile, more of my sons are coming of age, and more of the old vassals are dying, giving me more opportunity to expand Mirza control over the Kingdom.



961

Initially, I had been skeptical about the Orevi heretics to the east, since the Raamite barbarians had been the ones sacrificing humans and pillaging – but the Orevians have turned out to be much more of a threat. Another invasion tries to enter Eastern Italia, and it has taken a larger force than expected to hold them at bay.

Zicenia and the Siorach faithful as a whole are surrounded on both edges of Italia, and it seems our kingdom has been forced into the role of defending the region, since nobody else is strong enough. I suppose this justifies the tribute, but this is going to be a constant concern unless we eventually manage to do something about it.


Sabah has also blatantly refused to stop supporting the other ambitious vassals who seek to undermine the Crown, giving me a justification to imprison him – however, doing so would require some hefty bribing of the council, and inevitably lead to war. I don’t want to make such a rash move, but the option remains if he gets out of hand.

962

My eldest son, Enosh, has managed to forge an excellent excuse for the imprisonment of Sabah on his own initiative! With no heir, the poor treatment of Milan’s duke in prison will hopefully result in his death, passing the lands on to my other sons and securing our place for good!

Enosh’s initiative here is absolutely impressive, and he will be heavily rewarded for doing something that I was unable to without risking civil war.

With this sudden coup, I have also taken this opportunity to replace two councilors, as well as fill the now-empty position of marshal. In addition to the two already present, another two of my sons now occupy the council. I knew that being fruitful was the key to success, but this has truly paid off much better than I had expected.

This war in the east is taking up all of the army’s effort, but when it eventually finishes, I will be able to mop up the disloyal vassals in Genoa and Corsica.




963

The war in the east has ended, and I have seized Genoa despite the Count’s revolt. As the crown holds the Duchy of Genoa, I’ve decided to keep the territory, and instead transfer Northern Corsica to my third son.

Unfortunately, the count of southern Corsica has managed to maneuver his way out of being caught committing obvious treason, so his lands can’t be seized yet. Milan’s personal territory is immense, but much of the intermediate territory now belongs to my sons, and the tributaries are bringing in a lot of money.





> September

Just as the army was disbanded, peasants in the frontier province of Aosta revolted against the Regency in charge of the territory. The mountains and winter are going to make this an expensive battle, and the army has already been worn down some, but it must be done. I must hope the foreigners remain docile in the coming year.

964

The revolt has been taken care of, and while I was in the prison preparing to bring its leader to his execution, I thought of Sabah in the oubliette. After the execution was finished, I returned and decided to give him a little encouragement to pass on his titles.




> December

Timai has been murdered! I don’t know who has done it, but I’ve lost my heir and most capable son.

970

Not much of note has happened in the last five years – a few minor wars of tribute and defense, and a minor expansion to the west, but nothing noteworthy. The land prospers, and I continue to expand the army whenever possible. Milan has descended into rebellions, infighting among themselves and the regent of their imprisoned Duke, but it is of little consequence. Sabah still lives even after all these years.

972

On behalf of the Duke of Verona, a tributary of mine, I have sent the army to support his invasion eastwards against the Orevi. With peace at home and no real threats, it only makes sense to expand our Siorach foothold in the east.

973

Damn! Sabah’s wife managed to ‘produce’ an heir – the man himself is finally dead, but now the lands go to a regent instead. The amount of territory Sabah managed to seize is staggering, and still strong enough to contest our own even after all that has happened. I’m going to see if we can have the boy killed before he comes of age.

He even had the gall to name the child “Abaya II”, as if there was any blood tie between any of these Milanese Dukes.



> May

And it is done. Milan, heirless, passes onto House Mirza. We now truly control Zicenia, and the kingdom has grown so strong since we first took power. I know my father would be proud. I just passed my 52nd birthday, and it has been a busy life, but as I grow old I know that I have done great.

Historian’s Notes: After decades of struggle, this was the period when Sabr-Ishu finally came out on top if it all – the regular expansion of both of Zicenia’s factions left the King with a dominion greater than any of his Kingdom’s predecessors, both in land and in wealth from his tributary network. ​

​

His patience decreased with age, while his confidence became overwhelming. These two traits – his lack of patience and his abundance of pride – would come to define the last chapter of his life, just as they had brought him to this point through imprisonment, torture, and eventually child assassination. ​

 

[stnylan]

Very useful to finally deal with Milan.

 

[HistoryDude]

Given Sabah was in prison when Abaya II was born, his wife was clearly cheating on him.

Pictures are fine now. Huh.

Zicenia seems to be doing well, even if it’s rulers have to resort to… questionable tactics...

Is the Dyamarian Empire this world’s equivalent of Byzantium?

 

[Centurial]

Very useful to finally deal with Milan.

Certainly makes him not need to worry about another civil war.

Given Sabah was in prison when Abaya II was born, his wife was clearly cheating on him.

Pictures are fine now. Huh.

Zicenia seems to be doing well, even if it’s rulers have to resort to… questionable tactics...

Is the Dyamarian Empire this world’s equivalent of Byzantium?

Given the political importance of Abaya II's birth, one could argue that his wife was in fact being loyal by giving him an heir - though that all depends on her actual character, which is unknown

I'm actually not sure how to classify the Dyamarians - as you can see from earlier, the leader was originally known by the title Basileus, which would obviously imply that - and yet by the next time the Empire attracts any attention, they were led by a Caliph. My only theory is that the original Basileus was of a different religion and the dynasty was overthrown or converted at some point to match the majority.

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 4: … To Grab His Place in History as The Father of Zicenia.








October, 973

Though Milan is now mine, I also inherited the many vassals of the northern frontier, and this month they banded together to demand more council power, led by the bastard in Southern Corsica. With the army wounded by all the battles going on in the east, I’m in no position to refuse. I wish I’d been able to kill him when I had the chance.

974

I got him now. He was caught plotting a murder on someone insignificant, which I used as an excuse to bring him to my cells.

Revenge is sweet.




> November

The Eastern war is finally finished, and our tributary Verona has gained a new chunk of territory right in the middle of Orevi land. The more we can undermine these fools, the better.

976

I’ve been facing small revolts for the last two years – several of the smaller vassals are getting rowdy, and already I know of another plot to undermine the Crown. I’ve been saving money though, and I will assert control over the frontier piece by piece if necessary.

> December

Another one of my sons died, though this time it was cancer rather than murder. My new spymaster is less trustworthy as he is not blood, and already I’ve learned of a plot on my own life.



January, 977

I need to bring the council back on my side, so I can work to undo some of their excesses over the years. Wars will be avoided and money will be accumulated so that I can offer both the carrot and the stick. My first action was to grant my Chaplain, Chuma, control of the other half of Raetia, including the Duchy. As the chaplain, Siorach law doesn’t allow me to fire the man, so he must be given this small amount of power to be appeased.

My spymaster was replaced once again – better to have a mediocre dog than an expert snake by my side.

I’ve reorganized the duchies as well, handing them out to whoever I thought was loyal or weak enough to deserve them.

The one exception to this is the ruler of Provence, a man forced into vassalage years back. I have evidence he’s trying to murder his wife, which I can leverage as scandal to have him arrested and transfer the land to one of my sons.

> February

My fifth son (third surviving) wants me dead. I’m not sure what to feel about this – I just gave the brat Milan, and he’s not in line for the throne, unless he plans to kill Timai’s son too. After the action in Provence is over, I’ll give that land to another one of my sons to strengthen their position, and then I’ll imprison Avira for the time being.

Later though, I need to try and wrangle the council away from having control over my damn right to arrest vassals. Bribing them to support locking up my own son was already expensive enough.




> June

Damnit, my dynasty I worked so hard to expand is shrinking by the day. Some bastard vassal just murdered my third son, leaving only two left – My first, Enosh, and the imprisoned Avira. I still have a handful of grandsons to keep the legacy going, but this can’t be allowed. Count Raziel will be punished.

I’ve granted Enosh the newly-seized Provence, making him my heir by extension. With three sons, he seems the most stable choice, not to mention loyal. Enosh certainly has his issues, but he is talented in politics and I know he can keep this kingdom together.

979

I have taken Raziel’s title, and his leg. Nobody will get away with murdering my family.

Thanks to the loyalty of my blood on the council and some minor bribery, the council has lost their ability to interfere in future arrests as well.



980

A great statue will be built in Piemonte to remind everybody in the future exactly what can be accomplished by a single man, given the drive. Zicenia has grown to its greatest extent during my reign, our bloodline flows through the entire land, and despite the internal plotting, threats, and betrayals, I have overcome every single one of them. This statue should serve as an example and reminder to all who rule after I leave this world.

> October

With the kingdom secured, I have pledged the army to support another one of Fruili’s expansions into the east – their hold on the region is rather small, and the greater it is, the more the Orevi will be threatened into submission.

> November

Another family member murdered, another man to punish. This time, it was the Corsican who was already blinded by my hands, and his target was my grandson. This time, he won’t be left alive.

981

Very sad news today – Enosh is dead too, though this was simply a product of age. It is odd to consider that my firstborn may die of old age while I remain; this is a great loss. His own son was already serving as marshal, an excellent commander as well, so I feel confident with him being my new heir.

982

The war for Ragusa is over. It seems these Orevi are no longer willing to band together in defense; this was a very easy war.

> August

I caught another woman plotting to murder my blood – this time, the target was my grandson, and the plotter, his own wife. She will be blinded.

Historian’s Notes: By this point, the cruelty that tainted Sabr-Ishu's legacy was on full display – an impatient man with a solid grasp of power. The expanse of House Mirza started to become clear by this point: his many children were all adults, and there were several grandchildren between them all. As the dynasty entrenched itself within the many levels of Zicenia, several of them encountered opposition which was swiftly and heavily punished by the King.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 5: A Strange Final Stretch.






December, 982

It is time to begin a war I have wanted for decades now – an invasion of Burgundy, who has always been too strong to risk invasion over our rightfully claimed land on the frontier. With no threats remaining, this injustice can finally be resolved.

983

Some idiot vassal apparently wanted to have me killed. He shall be blinded too.



> April

Last year, I was approached by a beautiful courtier who managed to ignite a passion I thought had burned out long ago with age. Today, a son is born. Even at 62 years old, I’ve managed to not only enjoy the pleasures of a woman once again, but even have a new child!

> June

Rumors about my new child have spread due to his very odd behavior – talks of demonic possession – though even my chaplain tells me it is all nonsense. As if a child of my blood would ever be so tainted.

985

Burgundy has been defeated – our army is truly a force to be feared now, and our commanders are incredible. Once again, as a tribute to the old days, I have marched all of our prisoners through the capital, at the site where my statue is being constructed, and had them all executed in front of a great crowd.


Another insignificant vassal was caught trying to murder one of my sons. He has been blinded.



986

One of my daughters is dead, and continued talk goes around about my new child being related to this. He’s only 3 years old! Superstitious fools.

987

Great feasts have become a regular part of the court tradition every year; I love trying all of the distant foods our great kingdom has access to, particularly those ordered to be delivered as part of our tribute.

989

Yet another one of my daughters has fallen, and once again my child Taddai is blamed. I’m starting to worry.

I’m going to have the child surrounded by priests.



991

I always knew Corsica was bound to revolt, though admittedly I had forgotten about the island after all these decades, short of the bastard count that I had to deal with. Heretics have taken hold of the island, alongside barbarian raiders arriving on boats.

> May

Avira is dead – I have outlived my entire generation of children now, short of young Timai. The dynasty is still strong in numbers, but it is an odd feeling to witness the death of all your children. At 70 years old, I don’t expect I have much longer for this world either.

19 June, 991.

An eerie final diary, Sabr-Ishu died just one month later, shortly after his 71st birthday. He had ruled for an immense 54 years.

​

A complicated man, Sabr-Ishu had begun his reign as a 16-year-old, willing to share rule of Zicenia with his dead father’s comrade in order to maintain the fractured Kingdom, while he spent his days bedding women across the entire region following the death of his first wife – but by his end, he ruled a new Zicenia at its greatest extent ever with a heavy and impatient hand, regularly mutilating or killing anybody who attempted to harm his family.

During his rule, Zicenia not only grew in size - which it did, thanks to both Sabr-Ishu and the two great Dukes of Milan, but the Kingdom also became in many ways the center of the Siorach world in Northern Italy, protecting and expanding its frontiers while collecting its wealth to be spent on what would end up an enormous expansion of the kingdom’s military capability over the course of his long reign.

He managed to have a total of 11 recognized children, along with likely just as many unrecognized ones, and though none of his sons would outlive him (except the scandalous infant Timai), House Mirza would stand with 17 recognized descendants within its ranks at the time of his death.

Sabr-Ishu was succeeded by Shahlufa, Marshall of Zicenia. Shahlufa was the first son of Enosh, Sabr-Ishu’s firstborn and most loyal son, though Enosh was also known for his lunacy and infidelity. Shahlufa would inherit a very powerful kingdom, and the former Marshal’s first task would be the destruction of the Corsican Revolt.

 

[HistoryDude]

Sabr-Ishu lived a long time. Must suck to outlive (almost) all of your kids.

Zicenia's influence expands... good, good.

Is Tamai the Child of Satan? Much could be done with that. Much could be done...

Stupid Corsicans...

Also, revenge is indeed very sweet, and Mirza rule dominates all of Zicenia. I wonder if that's good or bad. Might lead to some very bad succession struggles...

Actually, given Sabr-Ishu's later life, perhaps Tamai got some of his Satanic traits from him...

 

[stnylan]

I don't think it is a good time to be a member of this family.

 

[WeeLittleSpoon]

Wait, is that little monster Taddi dead? How did that happen?