[X] The First Crusade: The year is 1095. With the Normans, the Pechenegs, and your other foes defeated or quelled, the way is clear to begin the reclamation of the Imperial heartlands in Anatolia. Seeking mercenaries to aid your fatigued armies in the reconquest of your lands, you sent emissaries to Rome to request aid from your Christian brothers to the West against the Turkish enemy. The result was far more than anything you could ever have expected. In a move unprecedented in history, Pope Urban II has declared a Crusade--a mighty holy war in which the lords and knights of Christendom shall march to war to reclaim the lands of Christendom from the Turk and the Arab. He promises that those who give their lives for the Crusade shall be granted remission for their sins in heaven, and as such, a mighty religious zeal has consumed Europe. From the lords of far-away England and France to the Norman lords so recently your enemies, the realms of Christendom have taken up arms, and the battle-cry of the Crusaders sounds across the western world, heralding a new age of religious war with it. Deus Vult!
[X] The Norman Invasion: The year is 1081. You have ascended the throne of the Empire, largely thanks to the machinations of your mother, Anna Dalassena, and your grandfather-in-law, the powerful John Doukas. While your rule is in and of itself stable, a mighty threat looms on the horizon. The Normans, invaders from the West who conquered southern Italy over twenty years ago, prepare to launch a mighty invasion of the Empire's western territories. The Normans support the claim of a monk who claims to be the long-deposed emperor, Micheal Doukas. This is little more than a pretext, however, for the Norman conquest of Greece and the Balkans by the ambitious Duke of the Normans, the legendary Robert Guiscard. If Guiscard and his son, Bohemond, are successful, your reign will end before it even truly begins, and history will remember you only as the last Roman Emperor.
And let our walls be caked in gore. And our seas run red with blood.
[X] The Norman Invasion: The year is 1081. You have ascended the throne of the Empire, largely thanks to the machinations of your mother, Anna Dalassena, and your grandfather-in-law, the powerful John Doukas. While your rule is in and of itself stable, a mighty threat looms on the horizon. The Normans, invaders from the West who conquered southern Italy over twenty years ago, prepare to launch a mighty invasion of the Empire's western territories. The Normans support the claim of a monk who claims to be the long-deposed emperor, Micheal Doukas. This is little more than a pretext, however, for the Norman conquest of Greece and the Balkans by the ambitious Duke of the Normans, the legendary Robert Guiscard. If Guiscard and his son, Bohemond, are successful, your reign will end before it even truly begins, and history will remember you only as the last Roman Emperor.
Adhoc vote count started by Crazy7s1 on Sep 24, 2017 at 2:00 PM, finished with 44 posts and 38 votes.
[X] The Norman Invasion: The year is 1081. You have ascended the throne of the Empire, largely thanks to the machinations of your mother, Anna Dalassena, and your grandfather-in-law, the powerful John Doukas. While your rule is in and of itself stable, a mighty threat looms on the horizon. The Normans, invaders from the West who conquered southern Italy over twenty years ago, prepare to launch a mighty invasion of the Empire's western territories. The Normans support the claim of a monk who claims to be the long-deposed emperor, Micheal Doukas. This is little more than a pretext, however, for the Norman conquest of Greece and the Balkans by the ambitious Duke of the Normans, the legendary Robert Guiscard. If Guiscard and his son, Bohemond, are successful, your reign will end before it even truly begins, and history will remember you only as the last Roman Emperor.
[X] The First Crusade: The year is 1095. With the Normans, the Pechenegs, and your other foes defeated or quelled, the way is clear to begin the reclamation of the Imperial heartlands in Anatolia. Seeking mercenaries to aid your fatigued armies in the reconquest of your lands, you sent emissaries to Rome to request aid from your Christian brothers to the West against the Turkish enemy. The result was far more than anything you could ever have expected. In a move unprecedented in history, Pope Urban II has declared a Crusade--a mighty holy war in which the lords and knights of Christendom shall march to war to reclaim the lands of Christendom from the Turk and the Arab. He promises that those who give their lives for the Crusade shall be granted remission for their sins in heaven, and as such, a mighty religious zeal has consumed Europe. From the lords of far-away England and France to the Norman lords so recently your enemies, the realms of Christendom have taken up arms, and the battle-cry of the Crusaders sounds across the western world, heralding a new age of religious war with it. Deus Vult!
[X] The Emperor in the Aegean: The year is 1090. Taking advantage of the constant warfare in the Empire (and the consequently weakened state of the Imperial navy), a Turkish pirate and raider by the name of Tzachas has seized control of many of the islands in the Aegean Sea, including Lesbos and Rhodes. Armed with a mighty fleet, he has defeated several campaigns against him, and has spent the last decade extorting and raiding Imperial shipping lanes. No longer content in choking Imperial trade, the pirate has declared himself Basileius, Emperor of the Romans, and made made common cause with the Pechenegs, a great and heathen horde of barbaroi hailing from the northern steppes. These Pechenegs have long sought to raid and plunder the heartlands of the Empire, and now, allied with Tzachas, they make for Constantinople herself, seeking to upend your throne.
Name: Alexios I Komnenos Titles and Styles: Baisileus, Emperor of all the Romans Age: 33 (Born 1048) Culture: Greek Faith: Orthodox Christian Prestige: 1500 (+42 yearly) Wealth: 80,000 gold coins (+636 yearly) Claims: Has (Imperial Reconquest) casus belli on the de jure lands of the Anatolian Peninsula.
Education Trait: Brilliant Strategist: This character is a military genius, a master commander renowned for his skill on the field and his mastery of the blade alike.(+3 Military, +2.5 personal combat skill) Character Traits: Diligent: This character is devoted and diligent in their duties, working tirelessly towards everything they seek to accomplish. (+5 Vassal opinion, +1 Diplomacy, Military, Stewardship, Learning and Intrigue)
Brave: This character does not shy from danger. Indeed, they laugh in the face of insurmountable odds, and face death with a roar and a grin. Those under them cannot help but be inspired by such acts of fearless heroism. (+2 Military, +1 personal combat skill)
Proud: This character is proud. They know they are great, they feel it their blood and their bones. They will never back down or bow before any mortal man, and in time, all the world will know their glory--if it does not already.(+0.5 Prestige monthly, -20 Church Relations)
Zealous:God wills it, and so it shall be. This character's devotion and love for their faith is unwavering. They fight with a sort of fervent zeal, trusting in the power of their god, and they tolerate no heresy or sacrilege against their faith. They suffer not the infidel and the unbeliever, bringing only death to foes of the Faith.(+2 military, +10 Church Relations, +10% Morale when commanding against enemies not of your faith)
Patient: Wise, calculating, and measured in all things, this character is impossibly patient. With a practiced ability to outwait both time and tide, this character is able to turn many a situation to their advantage by simply waiting a little.(+1 Stewardship, Intrigue, and Learning)
The House
The Dynasty
The 9 living members of the Imperial House of Komnenos in the Year of Our Lord 1081, their relation to the Emperor, and their titles and styles: *Light grey indicates those married into the family, while white indicates full-blooded members and black indicates bastards.
Alexios I Komnenos, Byzantine Emperor (You) (Age: 33) (Dynastic Head)
Anna Dalassenos, Empress-Mother (Mother) (Age: 56) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
Isaac Komnenos, Sebastokrator of the Empire (Brother) (Age: 35) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
Irene of Georgia, Princess of Georgia (Sister-In-Law) (Age: 32) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Friendly)
John Komnenos (Nephew) (Age: 7) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
Maria Komnenos (Niece) (Age: 5) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
Alexios Komnenos (Nephew) (Age: 1) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: N/A)
Maria Komnenos, Stratigessa of Bononia (Sister) (Age: 36) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Friendly)
Eudokia Komnenos, Stratigessa of Athens (Sister) (Age: 27) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
Adrianos Komnenos, general of the Empire (Brother) (Age: 25) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Loyal)
Zoe Doukas, Princess of Byzantium, Porphyrogénnētos(Sister-in-Law) (Age: 30) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Wary)
Eudokia Komnenos (Niece) (Age: 2) (Opinion of Dynastic Head: Love)
The Realm
Vassals
Byzantine bureaucracy was unlike the feudalism found elsewhere in Medieval Europe. In the early and middle periods of the Byzantine Empire, the Empire was divided into Themata, sections of land given to military divisions which, themselves, were ruled over by appointed military governors. These governors, or the strategoi, roughly corresponded to Western European dukes--they both commanded absolute civilian and military authority over their domains, and usually passed their rule along hereditary lines. However, like any other military post, the office of strategos could be given and revoked at the Emperor's discretion. In practice, however, the strongest of the strategoi were powerful enough to challenge the Emperor himself, and so held their titles until death.
The Imperial Themes:
The Theme of Dyracchion, ruled by Strategos Nikephoros Synadenos.
Military Command: 2,516 Themata
Loyalty: Questionable.
The Theme of Adrianople, ruled by Strategos Andronikos Doukas.
Military Command: 1,485 Themata.
Loyalty: Trustworthy.
The Theme of Epirus, ruled by Strategos Nikephoros Palaiologos
Military Command: 2,330 Themata.
Loyalty: Questionable.
The Theme of Turnovo, ruled by Strategos Mikhael Doukas.
Military Command: 2,112 Themata.
Loyalty: Trustworthy.
The Theme of Bononia, ruled by Strategos Mikhael Taronites.
Military Command: 1,400 Themata.
Loyalty: Loyal.
The Theme of Krounoi, ruled by Strategos Aaron Kometopoulos.
Military Command: 1,291 Themata.
Loyalty: Trustworthy
The Theme of Athens, ruled by Strategos Nikephoros Melissenos.
Military Command: 2, 563 Themata.
Loyalty: Loyal.
The Theme of Achaia, ruled by Strategos Alexios Murzuphlos
Military Command: 2,007 Themata.
Loyalty: Questionable.
The Theme of Naxos, ruled by Strategos Demetrios Makrembolites.
Military Command: 3,325 Themata.
Loyalty: Unsatisfied.
The Theme of Crete, ruled by Strategos Micheal Ouranos.
Military Command: 500 Themata
Naval Command: 58 ships
Loyalty: Loyal.
The Eighth day of Aprilios, a.d. 1081
The Imperial Palace of the Basilea Romaion is one of the crown jewels of the Eastern Roman Empire. Alongside the great Haga Sophia, it's mighty towers and domes dominate the skyline of Constantinople, living monuments to the power of the Emperors. It is extravagant and grand, filled from top to bottom with gleaming chambers and halls of marble and gold, each painted with beautiful mosaics and frescoes telling the grand history of the Empire. But at it's core, it is more than a palace or a series of buildings--it is a living, breathing complex of people and servants and lords, truly and wholly Roman in nature, the very heartbeat of an Empire. And it is here that your reign shall begin. It is from here that you shall make decisions which will affect the fate of the four hundred thousand souls in the City below, and thousands more besides.
The wind ruffles your shoulder-length hair as you gaze through one of the windows of the Palace to the winding streets and gleaming rivers of the City below.
This is Constantinople, the Queen of Cities.
It is the City of the World's Desire, and seven days ago, you marched an army through it's walls. Seven days ago, you were acclaimed as the Basileius and crowned in the Haga Sophia. Seven days ago, this City became yours, and you will not see it fall.
Your heart thus set, you turn around to face the other occupants of the spacious chamber in which you stand. Every Emperor must have a Council to advise and to guide him, and you are no different. You have not taken the official steps of assigning seats and positions yet, but gathered in this room are the handful of people responsible for the throne you now hold. One, in particular, above all others.
From her seat at the head of the grand table that fills the room, the Empress Dowager Anna Dalassenos stares at you, her sharp green eyes piercing your own. It is thanks to her silver tongue and quick wit that the Komnenoi now sit the Imperial Throne. It was she who convinced the emperor Nikephoros Botaniates that your family meant him no harm, and she who convinced him not to raise arms against you--mere days before you marched your troops into the city and deposed him bloodlessly. While you owe her all that you now have, you are no fool: your mother is a master manipulator and controller, and if she decides that she knows what is best for the realm or the House, it will be all you can do to oppose her.
The table is filled with other familiar faces as well, your older brother Isaac Komnenos among them. The two of you marched into the city together, and the selfsame day you were crowned, you named him your Sebastokrator. Essentially meaning "second-in-command", it makes him nearly your equal, with the same authority and power that you now hold. Though on paper the Sebastokrator is limited in a number of ways, in practice, the only difference between he and you is that you have a crown and he does not. A capable commander and the most loyal of brothers, he has pledged you his support in all things.
Opposite Isaac sit the most powerful men in the Empire after Isaac and yourself: your co-Emperor, Constantine Doukas, and his uncle, CaesarJohn Doukas.
Constantine and John are the son and brother, respectively, of the deposed Emperor Micheal VII. In return for John's granddaughter's hand in marriage and the aid of House Doukas in overthrowing Botaniates, you have named Constantine your co-emperor, giving him equal power to yourself throughout the Empire. As well, you have named his grand-uncle your Caesar, or Chief Advisor. He and John represent the interests of his entire family, and you know you must manage their loyalties carefully--the Doukai have overthrown many an Emperor before you.
Next to Isaac, closest to you, sits a man you trust like a brother, and love more than some of your own siblings: Tatikios. The son of a Turkish slave in your father's household, you and he were raised side-by-side. You learned together, grew together, and fought together. He has saved your life on and off the field more times than you can count, and upon becoming Emperor, you made him your megas primikerios, or Chief of Ceremonies. A general every inch your equal and more loyal to you than many of your own blood, you would trust him with your life.
Lastly, at your mother's side stands a man with dark hair and faint green eyes which resemble hers. He is a cousin of yours a handful of times removed, one Constantine Dalassenos. He is but newly arrived in the Imperial Court, and though hearsay holds him to be a capable commander and general, his presence here is largely due to your mother's recommendation. You cannot say his presence here does not make you uneasy, for though your mother has proven her loyalty to her House and her children a dozen times over, least of all by giving you your throne, she was born a Dalassenoi. If she attempts to advance the interests of her native House in court over those of their ancient rivals, the Doukas, the fragile alliance you and your family have built could crumble.
It is a collection of some of the most powerful people in the Empire, and for the last ten minutes, the table has been caught in the middle of a heated discussion. Indeed, as you turn around, your brother Isaac finishes making a sharp point to your Caesar, John Doukas.
"...rally the themata in Dyracchion and Epirus, we can cut them off there and starve them. There's no need to get the Latins involved."
The old man's lip curls as he meets your brother's firm gaze with one of his own. "We have no military forces that can match the Norman host on the ground. To even try is to invite ruin. We must appeal to the Venetians and the other Latins for aid on the sea. If they can defeat Guiscard's fleet before it lands, the threat is averted."
Your co-emperor, Constantine Doukas, furrows his brows and speaks up. "What of the Turks? They have little love for the Normans, either. If we could convince them to side with us--"
"You would ally with the serpent to kill the wolf. A foe defeated, perhaps, but another gains. It is unwise, to say the least." Your mother's voice, soft and gentle yet iron-cold, sounds from across the table.
"It is the only way. Cede ground on one front that we may survive on another."
"And in a year's time, when the Turk is knocking on the gates of Constantinople, what then? Shall we run to the Normans for aid? Shall--"
John Doukas slams a fist on the table, cutting your mother's sentence short."A year is a year. In the now, we need to ensure the survival of the Baisleia Romaion. Whatever the cost may be."
Tatikios speaks up, his voice quiet. "Whatever we decide, we must decide it soon. Even as we quarrel, the Norman fleets launch from Apulia and Sicily. If they gain a foothold in the Balkans, we may never recover. And here in the Empire, we need to assert Komnenian authority, and quickly. With the Turks growing so strong, some of the strategoi could simply defect and swear fealty to them."
There is silence in the room for a long moment, then your mother's voice rings out again, kind and imperious all at once."We may squabble all we want, but of course, there is only one person in this room who can make the final decision. My son. Or rather, I should say..."
All eyes turn towards you.
"...Basileius?"
Here you will make the choices concerning the first half of 1081. Apart from the major choice of how to deal with the Norman Invasion, you will also have to decide upon a course of action for several important spheres of Imperial politics, as well as personal choices affecting the Emperor's own life.
Organize your votes and stick them in a plan. Votes which are not in Plan form will not be accepted.
The Norman Invasion:
With the fleets of the Norman conqueror Robert Guiscard launching from Italy even as you speak, it is imperative that you decide upon a course of action for dealing with the Invasion. A defeat here could mean the end of your reign before it even starts--but the wrong choice could doom it in the future. Pick One.
[] The Latins: The Latins--the Venitians, the Capuans, and the other Italian city-states--rely on the Empire for much of their trade and commerce, as well as the incredibly rare and valuable silk, the secret to which the Romans have guarded jealously for lifetimes. By making trade concessions and making deals which favor their merchants over our own, we could possibly convince them to send aid in the form of ships and mercenaries with which to fight the Normans. Of course, indebting ourselves to the Latins will have consequences in the future, beyond the immediate effect of punishing our own trading routes.
[] The Turks: The Turkish Sultanate of Rum, masters of Anatolia after the Turkish conquests a decade ago, are the Empire's most immediate rival in the east. But the Turkish sultan, Suleyman, is in open secession against the Seljuq Empire in Persia, and a Norman invasion on his western borders might cause his realm to collapse. Allying with him could bring victory against the Norman enemy, but, as your mother says, what of the cost in the future?
[] The Dynatoi: The nobles of the Empire, the Doukai and the Dalassenoi and the other powerful houses of their ilk, have often chafed under the boot of centralized Imperial authority. If you offered to loosen the restrictions placed upon them and offer certain protections and tax exemptions, you could perhaps convince the most powerful of these houses to raise their personal forces and give of their own funds to hire mercenaries to protect the empire. Of course, this would lead to the Empire becoming yet more like the backwards kingdoms of the barbaroi in Europe: a feudal nation dominated by the whims of it's vassals. A large part of the Imperial authority would be eroded by such an act--and who's to say if it could ever be regained?
Military Options:
After the disastrous Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the imperial army, comprised primarily of levied forces from the Themes, or themata, collapsed. Like the Western Roman Empire before us, we had grown too reliant on mercenaries and hired troops from Europe and the Balkans. If the Empire is to survive the invasions of the Normans, the Turks, and more besides, we must begin the reformation of the army. Several options for rebuilding a professional and well-trained force stand before you, and the choice you pick for the first regiment will shape the future of the army. Pick One.
[] The Archontopouloi: Your brother, Isaac, suggests that the source of the problem may also be the cure. During and after the Battle of Manzikert, many of the Empire's finest officers were killed or captured. These soldiers left behind children, many of whom are now orphans taking a heavy toll on the state's resources. By taking these children in, training them, and outfitting them into a new regiment, the Archontopouloi (literally, sons-of-the-leaders), we could kill two birds with a single stone. Similarly, the idea's biggest benefit is it's greatest drawback. The sight of the sons of dead officers marching off to reclaim the empire's glory will do wonders for the Imperial morale, but, conversely, if they are slaughtered to a man by the Normans, morale will plummet.
[] The Vardariotai: Centuries ago, a tribe of nomadic barbaroi entered the Empire and pillaged all the way to the very gates of Constantinople herself. To appease these barbarians, the ruling Basileius granted them the Vardar river valley in Macedonia, where they settled. In the millennia since, these people have become Christianized and Hellenized, and call themselves the Vardariotai. Though nominally subjects of the Empire, they have remained a wild, lawless people. Your grandfather-in-law, John Doukas, suggests that you recruit the first regiment of a new standing army from among them.
[] The Varangians: In 874, during the Viking Age, the Emperor Basil the Macedonian formed an elite Imperial guard from the wild barbaroi who lived in the north of Europe, called the Rus, or the Varangians in our tongue. These northmen, or Norsemen as they called themselves, were savage warriors, and the code of honor that they followed meant that the Emperors could trust them with their lives. The day of the Vikings has come and gone, but the Varangian Guard still survives as the bodyguards of the Emperor. It has come to encompass not only the last of the Norsemen, but Anglo-Saxon and Germanic warriors fleeing the Norman conquests of Europe. According to Tatikios, enough of these exiles exist in the empire to unite them into a fully-fledged fighting unit, the core of a new Imperial army. While they will no doubt be fierce on the battlefield, however, just how loyal they will be is anyone's guess.
Diplomatic Options:
While it is nominally a military post, the office of the Domestic of the Schools is far more than that. The Domestic is the supreme commander of the armies of the Empire, second only to the Emperor himself. It is the highest of titles and honors in an Imperial Court where even the lowest of titles is fought for bitterly, and places the holder (and his family) first and foremost in the Emperor's eye. The empire has many capable generals, but few who are loyal and trustworthy enough to serve in such a capacity--and fewer still who have families of whom the same can be said. Pick One
[] Micheal Doukas: Tall, commanding, and sharp of wit, your brother-in-law Micheal is one of the foremost candidates for the position of Domestic of the Schools. He is a capable and intelligent man, but his true benefit is his name. The Doukai have already inserted themselves into every level of the Imperal hierarchy, and appointing one of their number as Domestic of the Schools would permanently solidify the union between the Houses of Doukas and Komnenos--to the disappointment of your mother and her family, the Dalessenos, who only recently were political rivals of the Doukai.
[] Tatikios: Your oldest friend and finest companion, Tatikios was born the son of a slave in your father's house, and through his friendship with you and your consequent sponsoring of him during your time as a general, he has risen to become one of the Empire's foremost generals. A commander almost your own equal, you and he have worked side-by-side since his youth, and you would trust him with your life above any man now living. However, despite the famous social parity of the Roman military, appointing the son of a slave to the highest position in the Empire over dozens of capable noble-born sons of prestigious houses would surely be a slap in the face to the nobility.
[] Constantine Dalassenos: The dark-haired and green-eyed Constantine Dalassenos shares more than a passing resemblance to your mother and yourself, but despite this familial relation, you know little of him. Though your mother sings praises of his skill on both land and sea, you cannot be certain of either, and picking him over tried and proven commanders is risky, to say the least. Appointing your mother's cousin as chief military officer of the Empire would send a very clear message to the other houses. Lastly, while it would make her work as your regent and chief diplomat easier, it would also mean relinquishing yet more authority to her and her family.
Stewardship Options:
The authority of the Empire has been shrinking, day by day, along with it's borders. The value of it's coins is half of what it was a decade ago, and the finest buildings of the Imperial Palace have begun to fall into disarray. It will take coin to reverse these changes--coin you do not have. There are several options to begin regaining our wealth, but all are risky. Pick One
[] The Church: In a display of remarkable generosity, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople has offered to open up the coffers of the Church in order to combat the Turkish threat on the Imperial borders. Doing so, however, would diminish the authority of the Church itself, while indebting the Emperor to the Patriarch. If the balance of power between the Church and the Empire was tipped in one direction, it might never swing back.
[] The Silk Quarter: The Empire has long relied on the creation and sale of silk as one of it's major sources of income. By increasing funding to the companies and shops producing silk in the venerable Silk Quarter of Constantinople, we could pump life into an industry weakened by years of warfare. The emperors and kings of the barbaros in the west have always clamored for silk in all it's forms, and investing in the silk trade could bring new trade to the City. This would, however, require a personal investment to properly fund the merchants and silk curators--a sum roughly in the neighborhood of 10,000 gold coins.
[] The Doukai: Everything, it seems, flows back to your wife's family. The Doukai are one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Empire. By entrusting members of the family with important positions in the court, and by appeasing those of the strategoi who belong to the House, you could win their favor. The coffers of the Doukai are large, and if your wife's family opened them up to you, it would make many of your future ventures far easier.
Intrigue Options:
Your Caesar, John Doukas, has assumed command of the Skrinion ton Barbaron, or the Bureau of Barbarians. Originally formed to translate, negotiate with, and keep records of dealings with foreign nations (barbaros, all, for to not be Roman is to be barbarous), the Skrinion ton Barbaron has expanded over the centuries to become a proto-intelligence service. Consisting of merchants, diplomats, and even mercenaries scattered across Europe, they report on the day-to-day dealings of the heathen nations of Europe, and take action where needed.
Pick One:
[] The Norman Lords: The Normans, cousins of the Vikings raiders of ancient Europe, have conquered almost all of southern Italy under the command of the great Norman warlord, Robert Guiscard. While Guiscard's strength and infamy is enough to hold the squabbling lords of Italy in line, many of the Norman barbaros in Italy seek to expand their own power and influence at the cost of a united Norman state. By promising select lords our backing and support should they rebel, we can ensure that Guiscard's son, Bohemond, inherits a powder keg instead of an empire. Of course, should we fail, our agents in Italy will be exposed. (Will take one and a half years (two turns), during which the Skrinion ton Barbaron will not be available for use)
[] The Fall of The Rus: The Kievan Rus, the vast and loosely united polity of princedoms of the Varangian barbaroi to the north, is collapsing. The Rus have warred among themselves and their families for the title of Grand Prince for so long that the very realm they fight to rule is beginning to crumble around their ears. While all of the Rus are nominally trading partners of the Empire, members of the Skrinion ton Barbaron could interfere with their decline and support one of the Princes against his brothers, with the end goal of unifying all the states of the Rus under one central ruler. A unified Rus would not only be a powerful ally in the north, but a vastly more useful trading partner. Of course, failure could simply accelerate their collapse, or, worse, create a new enemy in the North. (Will take two years (four turns), during which the Skrinion ton Barbaron will not be available for use.)
[] The Anatolian Lords: Anatolia has fallen to the Turk, but many of the provincial lords and governors of the Turkish sultanate of Rum are still Greeks and Christians, and some even hold some small measure of loyalty for the empire they once served. By sending agents of the Skrinion ton Barbaron across the Anatolian peninsula to agitate these lords into dissatisfaction or open rebellion, we could prepare the false Turks for the coming reconquest. Of course, if we agitate too much, our people within the sultanate will simply be killed or removed, and replaced with Turkish governors, further securing the Turkish hold on the peninsula. (Will take four years (six turns) during which the Skrinion ton Barbaron will not be available for use.)
Learning Options: N/A
In order to gain the support of the Ecumenical Patriarch in deposing the last Emperor, you promised him mastery over church affairs for the first several years of your reign, or until his death--whichever comes first. As such, while you and your mother can curb the Church's most outrageous requests, you can do little but affirm the decisions the Patriarch makes regarding affairs of the faith or the clergy. Once the Norman threat is defeated and your rule solidified, you can see to the Patriarch and his pretensions, but until then, he is supreme over the Church.
Personal Options:
You are the Emperor, and with that comes a whole host of duties, not all of them within the confines of the Council Chambers. On top of this, you also struggle to maintain some form of personal life, including the first and foremost duty of a dynastic head: to make heirs. Pick One
[] The Empress: Your wife, the Empress Irene Doukas, is not fond of you. Your marriage is widely regarded to have been a thing of political convenience, and while her House reaps the benefits of being so closely allied to the Emperor, Irene seems to have chosen to merely lie back and think of Greece. You opt to spend some time with her in the Imperial Palace and around the City, hoping to deepen your relationship and begin the oh-so-important process of creating an heir to the empire.
[] The Army: It was the army that brought you here, and the men that served under you still love you like a father. A dozen Emperors of Rome have been raised up on the shields of their men, and a dozen more have died under their flashing blades. To win the love of the Army is to win the Empire, and so you take special care to walk in the barracks of your Varangians and feast with your bodyguards and the armies stationed within the City. You are not simply their Emperor, you are one of them--the first among equals.
[] The Alexiad: Many of the greatest Roman Emperors have kept a diary or a record of their works and deeds, that in after ages their names might still be known. This practice can be traced all the way back to Gaius Julius Caesar himself, when the future dictator wrote of his own conquests of Gaul. Historians and future Emperors may distort your name and your legacy, but your words will outlast you. You sit down, set pen to paper, and begin the work you shall call the Alexiad. (Shall take up two and a half years (five turns) of personal action. If it results in failure, what you have already written can be used to try again with a higher success chance)
So, I'm going to try something new (for me) here. Welcome to my little experiment.
As of now, I am instituting a TWELVE-HOUR MORATORIUM on all votes.
Use this time to discuss the choices available and create different Plans. As discussed above, any votes not in plan form, or submitted before the moratorium is up, will not be counted. As always, discussion is rewarded.
As of now, I am instituting a TWELVE-HOUR MORATORIUM on all votes.
Use this time to discuss the choices available and create different Plans. As discussed above, any votes not in plan form, or submitted before the moratorium is up, will not be counted.
Mm. I say we should try to unite the Rus so that they can get in the way of pechenegs and, eventually, mongols. But for now united they can bother pechenegs, who otherwise will be our problem, right? That was intrigue.
Next, nobility. We cannot combine granting more autonomy or looking for Dukai cofferz with assigning Tatikos for diplomacy. I tentatively think we should cement loyalty of Dukai family via talking to wife and Stewardship action of ceding them impirtant posts, assign mother's man for diplomacy head to not have high Intrigue character gunning for us, and grant more authority to nobles in martial segment with hopes of being friends with rich dudes being enough.
Alternatively, we can try to use Venice, but we would need to preemptively invest in home industries then, I think, to not lose our own markets to them. And I don't know where will we get money for that.
Huh. @Telamon , how much money do we have now? I cannot seem to find it.
Yeah, ssooo...if we have money to reinvest into industry while inviting venetian help, we can then win loyalty of our soldiers because we are not relying on nobility and thus are not so obliged to win their loyalty immediately.
I do not have any ideas on pros or cons of military options though.
[] The Army: It was the army that brought you here, and the men that served under you still love you like a father. A dozen Emperors of Rome have been raised up on the shields of their men, and a dozen more have died under their flashing blades. To win the love of the Army is to win the Empire, and so you take special care to walk in the barracks of your Varangians and feast with your bodyguards and the armies stationed within the City. You are not simply their Emperor, you are one of them--the first among equals.
This seems to be most useful as we will need the loyalty of our army to get anywhere and haven't a strong loyal army in the early game will be useful as we consolidate our position. The Alexiad is a bit too time-consuming to use right off the bat and should wait until we have more secure position. We could go with our wife, but at the moment, we only need her for kids and she is willing to do that so I say we work on her later and focus on the more useful army right now. Especially with the Norman Invasion incoming.
Speaking of the Norman Invasion, I feel that we should focus on it. For the military, I'm attempted to go with the The Archontopouloi so that our core military is Greek, but I also feel that they may be a bit too green and that The Vardariotai or The Varangians may be more effective in actual battle, which is what we need right now, but I am hesitant to go with the idea of making the core of our military mercs. Still on the subject of the invasion, I wish to use our intrigue option against the Normans. Hopefully this will weaken them and make it harder for them to continue the war and I feel that we ought to avoid trying to split our attention right now.
As for our diplo response to the Norman Invasion, I wish to go for the Turks. I have no desire to weaken us in the long run by eroding Imperial authority by going to the nobles for aid. As for the Latins, it could work, but I don't wish to become indebted to them or weaken our silk trade hold let alone both. Furthermore, by picking this option, we can hopefully secure our eastern flank by turning our neighbour and biggest threat into a tempory ally means that we can fully focus military and intrigue options on the Normans and the west whilst minimising concerns in the east. If we are lucky, we can bleed the Turk in our wars and maybe found some kind of friendship or respect with them.
[] The Turks: The Turkish Sultanate of Rum, masters of Anatolia after the Turkish conquests a decade ago, are the Empire's most immediate rival in the east. But the Turkish sultan, Suleyman, is in open secession against the Seljuq Empire in Persia, and a Norman invasion on his western borders might cause his realm to collapse. Allying with him could bring victory against the Norman enemy, but, as your mother says, what of the cost in the future?
For stewardship, I would rather make an investment and go for Silk Quarter rather than become indebted to the Church or our wife's family. Depending on the money of others is something to be avoided if possible. With Diplomatic Options, I want to go for Tatikios because he is loyal only to us and not another family in addition to being competent at this job. Micheal Doukas is also a good choice as he is also competent and provides counter-balance against our wife's family influence in our court. Constantine Dalassenos should be avoided. I personally favour Tatikios over Micheal because I want to set a precedent of picking a low-born on the basis of their merit and loyalty to an important position early in our reign.
Ooops, did not notice, thanks.
Sooo. We have enough to invest into industry. This makes plan with Venetians more viable, I think.
We are then in lesser rush to placate nobles but have only one slot to do it with.
Two if you count officer sons as general morale booster, which is shaky connection buut.
So so far plans I see are either Venetians+Norse+Doukai+Invest+Rus+Warriors aka plan Army+Trade or
Autonomy+OfficerSons+MothersMan+DoukaiCoffers+Rus+Wife aka plan All-In On Nobles.
Ooops, did not notice, thanks.
Sooo. We have enough to invest into industry. This makes plan with Venetians more viable, I think.
We are then in lesser rush to placate nobles but have only one slot to do it with.
Two if you count officer sons as general morale booster, which is shaky connection buut.
So so far plans I see are either Venetians+Norse+Doukai+Invest+Rus+Warriors aka plan Army+Trade or
Autonomy+OfficerSons+MothersMan+DoukaiCoffers+Rus+Wife aka plan All-In On Nobles.
I personally favour Turks+Norse/Horsemen+Takitos+Silk Quarter+Normans+Army. I want the Turks to keep our eastern borders secure for the time being whilst we deal with the Normans. Military is the one I am unsure about, but the Varangians are a known factor and hopefully good at combat. That said, they are heavy infantry so maybe going with horse archers to counter the knights of the Normans might be a good idea. Tatikos I want to secure that precedent of merit over birth. Silk Quarter because I want to have our financial base be our own and not borrowed from someone else. Norman for intrigue because it is quick and will help destabilise our enemies and hinder the invasion ( which took five or four years before ending IRC). Army because we have one at our gates.
Right now, my priorities are fending off the invasion whilst securing our independent power base without depending on the nobility, the church or the Latins.
@Telamon How do the mechanics you are using work? Is it just a random dice roll to determine how well a chosen options does or are their other factors involved? Should we consider fluff and the narrative to be important or focus more on game mechanics?
I personally favour Turks+Norse/Horsemen+Takitos+Silk Quarter+Normans+Army. I want the Turks to keep our eastern borders secure for the time being whilst we deal with the Normans. Military is the one I am unsure about, but the Varangians are a known factor and hopefully good at combat. That said, they are heavy infantry so maybe going with horse archers to counter the knights of the Normans might be a good idea. Tatikos I want to secure that precedent of merit over birth. Silk Quarter because I want to have our financial base be our own and not borrowed from someone else. Norman for intrigue because it is quick and will help destabilise our enemies and hinder the invasion ( which took five or four years before ending IRC). Army because we have one at our gates.
Right now, my priorities are fending off the invasion whilst securing our independent power base without depending on the nobility, the church or the Latins.
Thing is, we may have a danger from the north too.
Also, we cannot not rely on nobles to a degree imo, we are one of hem and owe throne to them and they have army and money.
Also,
> turks
Absolutely_heathen.jpg
I mean, we *are* zealous, so we won't be good at tolerating heathens I assume, plus since they conquered our lands in Anatolia this move will piss off just about everybody, especially church. I am definitely against turks.
