My new attempt at an AAR, playing a count in the Byzantine Empire. Main goal is to become emperor, of course
Hope you like it!
Chapter 1
It was early march and the snow was still left in the Byzantine province of Constania. It's ruler Roman Cherven, count of Constantia, was standing outside of his wooden castle watching the open plains of his land. He had been married only two months ago with a woman from the neighbouring county Galaz. It was a marrige that was not entirely political; he and Dobrina Kanizsai had met during a visit to Galaz's count Konstantin. He was 27, she was 25 and a very skilled chancellor in the county. They had fallen in love and neither of them had a spouse so marrige was arranged. So far it had been a happy marrige and Roman hoped it would last.
"Sir?" someone asked behind him. Roman turned around and faced his steward, young Vesna Zách.
"Yes, Vesna?" he asked. Vesna was among the finest people he had met; honest and merciful she had been Roman's chancellor untill his marrige with Dobrina. Now she was his steward. Actually Roman didn't think he needed any help with the econmic aspect of governing his county. He was quite skilled in that area himself. But he also felt that it was unfair to reduce the 20-yearold Vesna to a simple courtier just like that.
"A messenger from the Emperor has arrvied and requests that you see him." Vesna said.
"Tell him I'm on my way."
The Emperor's messenger was waiting in the great hall of Roman's castle. Not all people liked the Emperor, but Roman saw a chance to take up that position sometime in the future. It would not be easy to rise from count to Emperor, but the Empire as well as Roman's personal ruler Nestor Tzamplakon elected their heirs from their vassals. So it was not impossible. He had already maken a closing towards Konstantin in Galaz with the marrige, so now his only enemy for the title was the count of Karvuna in the south. But now it was the messenger that was important; the thoughts of advancements had to wait.
"Be greeted, messenger. What news do you bring from Byzantium?"
"Roman Cherven, count of Constantia, I bring orders from the Emperor and the Patriarch, may them live in all eternity."
"Very well, let me hear them."
"The Patriarch requests that you grant an itinerant bishop a place in your court." The message was short and could not be missinterprited.
"I shall consider it. You are allowed to stay in my castle meanwhile."
Roman accepted the order the next morning. He really didn't have any choise: he needed a bishop and his court was at the moment very small. So a few days later an aged priest named Vlad Petenye arrived to Roman's court. He was made diocese bishop immideatly. Months passed and it was now may. A lone guard held the watch, looking out across the distant plains for friends or foes. None had been seen in very long, so Roman was surprised when he heard the lookout's voice.
"Man and horse comming!"
Roman wondered who it might be; he didn't expect anyone. He walked down to the city gates to investigate.
After a while the man had closed in and the gates was opened. Everyone saw to their great surprise that it was a battlescared knight, dressed in colours they did not recognize.
"I wish to speak with the ruler of this city!" the knight called out. Roman liberated himself from the population and walked up to the knight.
"I am he." he said. "What do you want Roman Cherven?"
"I come from the distant lant of Georgia. For long that country has fought the barbarian pagans of the north on their own. I request to stay here for a few nights before continuing to Byzantium and the Emperor."
Roman studied the man. He was very young; probably not even twenty years old. Could what he said be true? Had Georgia fallen to the pagans? If that was the case the Emperor needed to hear the news.
"If I might get your name, you are allowed to stay and rest here in Constania." he said. The knight looked down on him from his horse.
"I am Trajan Dezsõfi, knight in the Georgian court under king Bagrat I."
"Stand still." Kera said. Trajan groaned as she removed his breastplate. He had several cuts from the battle back home and had gotten no time to look over them. This woman, who he had learned was 27 years old and thus eight years older than him, had offered to help him. "Looks like you were in quite some battle."
Trajan thought back on it. "Yes, indeed it was a great battle. The battle of Kartil. Our five hundred Georgians against uncountable muslims from the south. We were very few that made it." Yes, he had fled, but he had to. The northern part of Georgia had been under constant threat from the pagans of the north and now their capital had been taken by the muslims. Something hurt. "Ouch!"
"It's an arrow, or at least parts of it." Kera said and pulled out the remains of the arrow that had struck is shoulder in the battle.
"I thought I got it out."
"Well, not all of it." Kera smiled. "I think we're gonna have to sew some of your slash wounds."
Trajan shivered.
"So, Vlad, how do you like it here?" Roman asked his bishop as they walked down an alley in the castle garden.
"It's different." Vlad answerd. "Byzantium was so big... How many people live here I don't know, but it's not even one thousand. But yes, I like it."
"I am glad to hear it, Vlad. Know that you are appreciated here."
"I am only happy for what I can help with."
"So what do you make of our guest? And the events in Georgia?" Roman asked. Vlad sighed and studied some flowers.
"A fine man, I say. A fighter, and probably a good one too. I spoke with him yesterday, and I must say that I am most pleased. He is a man who puts faith in our religion." he made a short pause.
"And Georgia?" Roman asked again.
"Georgia, the lone outpost protecting the Byzantine Empire. I think the need of them is underestimated. Because I think that the Empire can only handle limited conflict beofre falling apart. The Empire is weak."
"Weak?"
"Yes. The heir to the Roman Empire seems strong on the surface but beneath the discontent is growing. Dissatisfaction with our elderly Emperor. He has maken sure that his son will be the next heir, even when the vassals are supposed to elect the next Emperor. Believe me when I say that if the Dukas family keeps the power, this country is heading towards civil war. And if we loose our only friend in the east..." Vlad left the sentence unfinished.
Roman drew his breath. "Then God knows what will happen."
The following morning a knight and horse left Constania with Byzantium as final destination.
Chapter 1
It was early march and the snow was still left in the Byzantine province of Constania. It's ruler Roman Cherven, count of Constantia, was standing outside of his wooden castle watching the open plains of his land. He had been married only two months ago with a woman from the neighbouring county Galaz. It was a marrige that was not entirely political; he and Dobrina Kanizsai had met during a visit to Galaz's count Konstantin. He was 27, she was 25 and a very skilled chancellor in the county. They had fallen in love and neither of them had a spouse so marrige was arranged. So far it had been a happy marrige and Roman hoped it would last.
"Sir?" someone asked behind him. Roman turned around and faced his steward, young Vesna Zách.
"Yes, Vesna?" he asked. Vesna was among the finest people he had met; honest and merciful she had been Roman's chancellor untill his marrige with Dobrina. Now she was his steward. Actually Roman didn't think he needed any help with the econmic aspect of governing his county. He was quite skilled in that area himself. But he also felt that it was unfair to reduce the 20-yearold Vesna to a simple courtier just like that.
"A messenger from the Emperor has arrvied and requests that you see him." Vesna said.
"Tell him I'm on my way."
The Emperor's messenger was waiting in the great hall of Roman's castle. Not all people liked the Emperor, but Roman saw a chance to take up that position sometime in the future. It would not be easy to rise from count to Emperor, but the Empire as well as Roman's personal ruler Nestor Tzamplakon elected their heirs from their vassals. So it was not impossible. He had already maken a closing towards Konstantin in Galaz with the marrige, so now his only enemy for the title was the count of Karvuna in the south. But now it was the messenger that was important; the thoughts of advancements had to wait.
"Be greeted, messenger. What news do you bring from Byzantium?"
"Roman Cherven, count of Constantia, I bring orders from the Emperor and the Patriarch, may them live in all eternity."
"Very well, let me hear them."
"The Patriarch requests that you grant an itinerant bishop a place in your court." The message was short and could not be missinterprited.
"I shall consider it. You are allowed to stay in my castle meanwhile."
Roman accepted the order the next morning. He really didn't have any choise: he needed a bishop and his court was at the moment very small. So a few days later an aged priest named Vlad Petenye arrived to Roman's court. He was made diocese bishop immideatly. Months passed and it was now may. A lone guard held the watch, looking out across the distant plains for friends or foes. None had been seen in very long, so Roman was surprised when he heard the lookout's voice.
"Man and horse comming!"
Roman wondered who it might be; he didn't expect anyone. He walked down to the city gates to investigate.
After a while the man had closed in and the gates was opened. Everyone saw to their great surprise that it was a battlescared knight, dressed in colours they did not recognize.
"I wish to speak with the ruler of this city!" the knight called out. Roman liberated himself from the population and walked up to the knight.
"I am he." he said. "What do you want Roman Cherven?"
"I come from the distant lant of Georgia. For long that country has fought the barbarian pagans of the north on their own. I request to stay here for a few nights before continuing to Byzantium and the Emperor."
Roman studied the man. He was very young; probably not even twenty years old. Could what he said be true? Had Georgia fallen to the pagans? If that was the case the Emperor needed to hear the news.
"If I might get your name, you are allowed to stay and rest here in Constania." he said. The knight looked down on him from his horse.
"I am Trajan Dezsõfi, knight in the Georgian court under king Bagrat I."
"Stand still." Kera said. Trajan groaned as she removed his breastplate. He had several cuts from the battle back home and had gotten no time to look over them. This woman, who he had learned was 27 years old and thus eight years older than him, had offered to help him. "Looks like you were in quite some battle."
Trajan thought back on it. "Yes, indeed it was a great battle. The battle of Kartil. Our five hundred Georgians against uncountable muslims from the south. We were very few that made it." Yes, he had fled, but he had to. The northern part of Georgia had been under constant threat from the pagans of the north and now their capital had been taken by the muslims. Something hurt. "Ouch!"
"It's an arrow, or at least parts of it." Kera said and pulled out the remains of the arrow that had struck is shoulder in the battle.
"I thought I got it out."
"Well, not all of it." Kera smiled. "I think we're gonna have to sew some of your slash wounds."
Trajan shivered.
"So, Vlad, how do you like it here?" Roman asked his bishop as they walked down an alley in the castle garden.
"It's different." Vlad answerd. "Byzantium was so big... How many people live here I don't know, but it's not even one thousand. But yes, I like it."
"I am glad to hear it, Vlad. Know that you are appreciated here."
"I am only happy for what I can help with."
"So what do you make of our guest? And the events in Georgia?" Roman asked. Vlad sighed and studied some flowers.
"A fine man, I say. A fighter, and probably a good one too. I spoke with him yesterday, and I must say that I am most pleased. He is a man who puts faith in our religion." he made a short pause.
"And Georgia?" Roman asked again.
"Georgia, the lone outpost protecting the Byzantine Empire. I think the need of them is underestimated. Because I think that the Empire can only handle limited conflict beofre falling apart. The Empire is weak."
"Weak?"
"Yes. The heir to the Roman Empire seems strong on the surface but beneath the discontent is growing. Dissatisfaction with our elderly Emperor. He has maken sure that his son will be the next heir, even when the vassals are supposed to elect the next Emperor. Believe me when I say that if the Dukas family keeps the power, this country is heading towards civil war. And if we loose our only friend in the east..." Vlad left the sentence unfinished.
Roman drew his breath. "Then God knows what will happen."
The following morning a knight and horse left Constania with Byzantium as final destination.
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