Pain in the Neck - A Wallachian AAR

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Uh... How did that happen?

Marriage? John's fief in Ireland? or conquest? He's wearing the Norman robes...

I can't explain the clothing, but it was conquest... the Duke of Leinster successfully invaded England, and took the throne. I have no idea how it went, but I think it was because England was fighting some crazed war with France, and alliances tied Leinster into the war. England ignored the Irish minor, which came and took the one provence the English King controlled, Essex, Leinster is actually pretty big... it took Ulster, so it has some man power, enough to defeat a defenseless England...

 

[phargle]

What does the vampiric trait do?

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

What does the vampiric trait do?

Several things:

Changes relationships; friendly with heretics, excommunicated, great bonuses with other vampires, unfriendly toward any pro-religion modifier.

Allows vampiric events; Groom child, vampire hunter etc...

Character cannot die from disease, nor can catch one

Character infertile, + to martial and I believe intrigue

Character cannot die from old age.

 

[phargle]

Where did you get this mod? I'd like to check it out.

 

[LlywelynII]

Where did you get this mod? I'd like to check it out.

Phargle, he's got a link to a thread for it, but I'll save you the time: the creator pulled down all his links until he comes up with a new version and Cappy doesn't want to post his own.

Look for it after 1.06 becomes official and the original creator's got some free time.

j.

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

If I could program events in CK without the hit-and-miss efficency that I currently have, I'd have my own mod... I have a few ideas for events myself...

 

[LlywelynII]

If I could program events in CK without the hit-and-miss efficency that I currently have, I'd have my own mod... I have a few ideas for events myself...

Well, please do share them with Byka when he gets back to work

And, of course, good job here in the meantime - Phargle's right: it does look fun,
j.

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

It is... though the Byzantines constantly keep DoW on me... unrealistically so... usually I 'Byzantine' a white peace, but a recent one really PO'ed me... so that is the basis for chapter four... I should be done soon, and then I will take a break...

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Pain in the Neck


The Chronicals of the von Henneberg Vampires


Chapter Four:
The Third Vampiric Wars


Part One
Pest; Wallachia; June, 1161


"Father, I am ready for the tasks ahead of me."

"Of course you are," Heinrich's voice radiated out from the black throne. In front of him, on his knees was Heinrich's fourth son, Bernhard von Henneberg. Many said he was the spitting image of his father, both physically and mentally. Heinrich's three other major sons; Walram, Dietrich and Theodoros; still had no idea of Bernhard's existance. The young man was kept away from the lime light, Heinrich's apparent sucessor. Wars with the Christians were becoming more frequent, their need to drive the Vampires out was high... but Heinrich knew not only would he have a sucessor, but they'd have places to run... Russia, Bohemia, Croatia... all were prime locations, where anarchy was more common than law, the Vampires could hide and build a new Empire. But as of now, Wallachia was strong, stronger than any country but Byzantium. No one could tell who was stronger there... Byzantium or Wallachia... Byzantium could easily overwhelm Wallachia in the short run, but Heinrich's undead armies would prevail if the war was dragged out.

Bernhard von Henneberg

Heinrich stood up, and so did Bernhard. The two were an almost literal mirror image. Heinrich led his son over to his collections of maps. Thousands carefully drawn in blood on human flesh. Bernhard took one down and unrolled it for his father. It was of the small Duchy of Serbia. Centered on the port at Zeta, Serbia could not hope to stand up against Wallachia. Next to the Duchy of Serbian was the Italian trading republic of Ragusa, which would also have to fall to Wallachia... "These ports will do us well, Father. We will not have to fight any serious power... and I doubt if they could last more than a few weeks against the largest nation in Europe."

"Yes, that is why I have singled them out. They are isolated... without allies. They will quickly fall... so we must get moving, they are also targets of Rome and Venice... those two are always contesting the whole region, but now that we have moved into the scene they must move quickly to secure the areas."

"Will Rome interfer?"

"Probably... I know Venice will not... it is not worth the investment, they will pull out first, and we will move in." Bernhard studied the maps looking at the details drawn out for his father.

"When shall we move out?"

"Soon, very soon... we will move out of Belgrade."

"Understandable."

"And we will quickly push down through Serbia... and then we shall attack Ragusa... and crush them."

"What about Rome?"

"When they attack, we will be ready... for only one of our armies will be away... and we can call up the rest and try to crush the Constantinople army quickly." Bernhard nodded, it would be a very difficult war if Byzantium got involved.

Behind them a door opened and Dietrich stepped into the room. Bernhard quickly melted into the shadows to avoid detection.

"Serbia?" Dietrich asked. "I cannot keep explaining to all the monarchs of Europe why you constantly feel the urge to rape and pillage."

"Quiet boy! This is my Kingdom, and frankly this whole continent is slowly falling into my grasp. Now, do you have something intelligent to say or are you going to continue critizing my rule right in front of my face?"

"Yes, father... France is falling apart, Thomas cannot keep rule there..."

"I don't care... it was a poor investment anyways..."

"Okay..."

"Anything else smart ass?"

"No, father..." Dietrich looked down to avoid the blood-boiling stare of his father.

"Then get out."

"Yes, father... right away, father..." Dietrich left the room quickly, and Bernhard rematerialized.

"I cannot believe I am related to that," Bernhard said glancing over at his father.

"I cannot believe I spawned him..." Heinrich rubbed his forehead and looked back down at the maps. "I am leaving tomorrow for Belgrade. Keep an eye out up here... I am leaving Dietrich and Theodoros here... Theodoros has lost it completely... He believes the messiah is returning."

"Why do we keep him around?"

"He is still a competent leader, just insane... you have to tell him that the enemy army does not believe the messiah is returning, and within a few hours there is no enemy army left..."

"Walram helping you with Serbia?"

"Yes, he is a strong fighter... I need him."

"I will remain here, and make sure than my two lesser brothers do not do anything stupid."

"Thank you, Bernhard."



Part Two
Belgrade; Walachia; August 1161


Walram sat in a corner of Heinrich's Belgrade castle. He chattered about with himself. He went through catatonic fits, when he could not do anything more than talk to himself. Other times he was perfectly fine, you couldn't tell he was absolutely insane. Heinrich stood in front of two men, one was the Duke of Serbia, the other the Magistrate of Ragusa. Within a month they had both been caputured and their respective lands occupied. Both were there to surrender their titles, in order to survive. The two men watched Walram cautiously as Heinrich went over the paper they had handed to him. When Wallachia moved in, both nations put away their religious differences to try to unite and fight off the Wallachian armies. But it had been to no avail. Thousands were left dead, and Ragusa was burnt to the ground.

"Kills the... mortals... smelly mortals... they bother... Walram..." The Vampire watched the two men from its corner. He ticked around, teeth chattering and neck twitching. But his eyes never left them.

"Walram, quiet!"

"Father speaks... Walram listen..."

"Gentlemen," Heinrich said ironically, "It seems we have a good deal here... there is only one problem..."

"And what is that, O King of Wallachia?"

"This part here, where it says I let you live... I'm not too happy about that..." Heinrich smiled cruely as Walram stood up and approached the two men.

"The whole reason we are here.... You wouldn't! Decietful bastard!"

"You Europeans need to learn, your ideas of honor, and honorable war are falicious, they are fake, they are oxymoronic... and I don't bother with them. You are not giving me the titles because the land is tied to them... no... you are giving me the titles because I took the land, and the land is what counts... Now... on with business." Heinrich sat down in his large chair. Walram licked his lips as his ticks ended and he regained control of his body. The King of the Dead pulled out a quill and a bottle of ink, he dipped the pen into the bottle and began writing, but the ink had dried up and the paper was left as it was. "Walram... I need ink!" Walram nodded, grabbed the hair of the Ragusan and bashed it into the edge of the table. The man's head bobbled around as he tried to regain consciousness. Heinrich dipped the quill into the fresh blood and drew a large X through the section talking about sparing their lives. Then, after re-dipping the pen, he wrote his name large at the bottom of the paper.

"Now you sign!" Walram hissed. Heinrich handed the quill to the Serbian, who carefully dipped it into his partner's blood and signed his own death warrant. The Ragusan moaned and moved uncontrolably.

"Who was his heir?!" Heinrich shouted.

"I don't know..."

"Well, you are it now... sign for him too!" Walram broke the Ragusan's neck and his dead body flopped on the table. Then the Vampire began drinking from the body, draining it in its esctacy. The Serbian signed the Ragusan's name, and was subsequently kill and fed off of.

Heinrich left Belgrade the Duke of Serbia as well as having ports on the Adriatic. He could now threaten Italy and the Pope himself. Europe died a little when Ragusa fell to the Wallachians, but the problems were only beginning, Heinrich had a larger problem in the near future.



Part Three
Pest; Wallachia; April, 1163


Once again the Vampires met in Heinrich's halls. He had many children, they carried out the daily tasks of running his Empire. But they were no more than Thralls, weak Vampires who lacked many of the powers of true Vampire Lords. Heinrich had four sons, and was the eldest of ten Vampire Lords. He also had many Thralls, hundreds if not thousands. They ranged from Counts who ruled in Heinrich's sted, such as in several Hungarian provences. His accountants, personal guards and the such were all weak Vampires, created to serve a very specific service for their father. Now they were all together, arranged down a long table according to rank. Bernhard hid in the shadows, watching the festivities with the patients of a saint. He knew his time for the lime light would show itself soon enough. He had his own plans. On the table the plates were covered with human bodies, and the goblets with human blood. Heinrich didn't need a reason to throw these feasts, he just did from time to time... making sure his Thralls were still loyal, making sure they realized that he was still in control.

His dominating figure sat at one head of the table, raised up so he could look down at everyone. On his left was his wife then Dietrich. To his right Walram and then Theodoros. Bernhard was behind him. After those four were his Vampire Counts, then everyone else after them was ranked. He watched them all, with a fake smile over his lips, pretended he cared for them, but he didn't... they were all expendable to him.

A knock rang on the door. The wooden divider was slowly drawn open by Bernhard's invisible hand, and a man stood there proud and silent. Heinrich recognized him as the Prince of Nicaea, the Byzantine Emperor's right hand and heir.

"What sends the mouth of Rome to Wallachia to-night?" Heinrich asked across the room. The Prince was not disturbed or moved, he had met the Vamprie before in battle, a meeting that left his right arm without anything below the elbow. He walked over to Heinrich without a word and handed him a partchment. At the top was the Byzantine seal, intricate and without a missing detail... the fine lines of the words betrayed the bruntness of the statement.

"This world will be rid of your kind!" the Prince said. Everyone heard, and the Vampires laughed, including Bernhard. Heinrich remained silent, outside the red clouds were already gathering. This time he would not lose, Constantinople would be his prize, even if it was the only prize. Heinrich took the declaration of war, rolled it up and lit it on fire using one of the table candles in from of him.

"Prince, your Emperor has made a very serious mistake... Luckily, when I meet him in battle, I will kill him and then he will not have to live through the shame of ruining the Roman Empire," Heinrich said quietly. He took his carving knife and put it into the Prince's chest, and ate him along with the rest of his meal.



Part Four
Thrake; Byzantium; June 1163


Heinrich had sent Walram and Dietrich to conquer the Moldau region to the north. They had an Army of 10,000... now Heinrich stood with an army of 20,000 ready to fend off the Byzantine Army. Heinrich and Theodoros marched south toward Thrake, a city that had fallen to the Vampires twice before. They found the defenses much larger than before, built up in preparation for this war. Outside, and in front of Heinrich, was the Army of Thrake; 3,000 strong. The tiny army was to hold Heinrich back while the Army of Constantinople and Nicaea raced northward to crush Heinrich before he could even take Thrake.

"Father, the heretics stand before us with a tiny army, let me crush them myself!"

"No, Theodoros... we cannot risk you to these men. They are not worth it." Above the Vampires the red clouds swirled in anger and the green lightning crashed down on Heinrich's enemies, smiting them with the accuracy of a Longbow. The Byzantines had enough and ran inside to the safety of their castle. Heinrich sighed, a siege was not what he was hoping for. "Bring the catapults, we begin our siege!"

The large catapults were brought up and the zombies worked on loading them and pulling them back. Heinrich left the front lines as he returned to his pavilion, and looked down at the maps of Thake he used the last time he was there. The country side had not changed, but the city was now vastly different, much more heavily defended.

"Father, is this your master plan?"

"Yes, I cannot risk too much so early... the Byzantines have a huge advantage in numbers rightnow... I cannot afford to lose too many men..."

"Crush this city in one assault!"

"I'd like to, yes... but I cannot... we must take this city the way armies are meant to."

"I cannot stand this calm."

"It will be over soon enough, the Constantinople Army is probably marching toward us right this moment."

"So?"

"We cannot be caught weak when they arrive..."

"Take the town!"

"Quiet you maniac! Do not defy me!" Heinrich's voice didn't even waver, but Theodoros was taken back anyways. "Now, relax... take a break... the enemy will be upon us soon enough."



Part Five
Thrake Outskirts; Byzantium; June 1163


Alexios stood amongst the rank and file troops that were his comrades. He was a citizen of Constantinople, and his parents had witnessed the sieging of Constantinople in horror. They told him stories of the Vampire's cruelty and their lack of compasion for the living. With that bogging down his mind, the Emperor had called up his faithful, and they were marching toward the fortress of Thrake, to try and save the city before it is smothered by the Vampires and their undead empire.

"Alexios, wake up... you need to stay alert..." a voice said in a hushed yell. Alexios turned and saw Gabriel, his close friend and neighbor.

"I'm sorry, I am just remembering the stories my father told me, of the first siege..."

"Well, forget them... this is a new day... the Vampires are prone to change... aren't they?"

"I'm no expert!" Their conversation attracted the attention of other soldiers.

"I doubt it... you'd think after enough time they'd lose all emotions..." One soldier said.

"They are probably just as indiviualistic as humans," said another.

"Captain... you've fought the Vampires, correct?"

The commanding officer looked back toward the soldier from atop his horse, "Yes... long ago... All the books say that the undead are easy to stop... but something in your soul just twists when you see the dead lerching toward you... something unreal..."

"But we'll win, right... we've won before..." Alexios asked.

"Just pray we do... it is all we mortals can do..." the commander said. Up in front of the army, Alexios saw red clouds and green lightning above the city of Thrake. Fires were burning inside the walls, they weren't big... but in the darkness the glow spread out into the frontier around the city.

30,000 men of Constantinople were going to try to lodge the Vampires from Thrake. Every man was aprehensive of the pending battle, but the morale remained cautiously optimistic. They knew the Vampiric armies were not invincible, it would take time to fight them off... but if they could win here, they might be able to gain enough of an advantage that they could crush Heinrich once and for all.

In front of the army was Emperor Heraklios, whoes father was the one to dispose of Heinrich during the first siege. He came with all the frills and popous aura that befitted the Byzantine Emperor. His armor was ornate, his sword made from gold, it was all useless. Heinrich wore cheap armor, and carried a sword bewitched by himself. The two were on oposite sides of the spectrum.

"We are almost there, troops!" The word was shouted back. Alexios looked at Gabriel for support, and found very little. All the men were scared, there was little they could do to hide it. They were marching with a good portion of the Empire's troops... a loss here would scar any hope of victory later... especially if Heraklios' army was destroyed outright.

"Get into your formations!" The army spread out on the battlefield, attrachting the Vampire's attention away from Thrake itself. Alexios held his shield and pike close, he'd need them later. His sword was hanging from his belt, and rattled on his chain armor. He tried to stay calm... he tried to convince himself they day was won, but he couldn't. Heinrich turned the artillery against the Byzantine troops, leaving Thrake to burn. Alexios held his breath as flaming balls fell from the skies and landed amongst the men, crushing or killing them in the fiery explosions.

"FORWARD!" shouted Heraklios. It was the first time many of the heard the Emperor speak. It was nothing spectacular... nothing to be amazed by. And suddenly, Alexios realized, he was fighting alongside a human, against a monster. The Emperor's sword would bend and break, made from maluable gold... his armour would split, covered with gold and silver, it was too heavy to do anything, and too weak to stop even the most novice swordsman.

"Gabriel, we are going to die!" Alexios said.

"Don't say that, Alexi... you are too much of a pessimist!" Gabriel grabbed his cross and kissed it lightly, and then returned it under his shirt.

"Don't be a fool, Gabriel! The Emperor cannot do anything!"

"Alexios! Stop it! You speak of treason!"

"Why should we have to die?!"

"For the glory of Rome, Alexi... for our mothers and fathers..."

"Gabriel, they've been lost already..."

"We'll win Alexi... believe in the Emperor!"

By this time, the two armies were within shouting distance. The Byzantines cheered, jeered and taunted their enemies, who stood silent and brain dead. Heinrich rode amongst his troops with Theodoros.

"Who do you call to?" he asked the Byzantines. A hush fell amongst the Byzantines, who stood in awe. "Do you seriously call to my men? They cannot hear you... they wouldn't have understood you, even in life... They were Magyars... Huns... if you will. So... my question stands, to whom do you taunt? To whom do you jeer? It cannot possibly be me... is it?"

The silence remained, even Heraklios was too scared to say anything. Alexios stood in awe at Heinrich's power. The vampire, with absolutely no fear rode up to the Byzantines, knowing they would not budge.

"Who amongst you have ever been to the cultist meeting? Who of you know my power?" No one raised their hand, but Alexios knew many have, he himself had been to several meetings.

"Heinrich, enough!" Heraklios called.

"Says who? You men have taunted me, for there is no one else here to have heard their calls... I am allowed to taunt them too. You men, Romans, who amongst you actually believe this man, your Emperor, will be able to save you?" Many Byzantines raised their hands. Alexios was not amongst them, he held his breath as the Vampire's eyes locked on him. "You, soldier... you have not risen your hand... come forth..." Alexios panicked, but his legs listened to the Vampire and walked forward, he dropped his pike and shield and walk in front of his former friends, who now booed and taunted him. Heinrich smiled at him as Alexios stood next to the undead horse. "Tell us, soldier, why your Emperor cannot help them..."

Alexios took a breath, he realized if he played the Vampire's game... he would not be torn to shreds by the zombies... his death would be quick at the hands of the Vampire... "Well, your blackness... Heraklios wears gold and silver... his armor is too heavy to fight in... his sword is gold, it will bend under the slightest preasure... his shield is too heavy, and it will not stop even a wooden pike..."

"Very good, soldier... and what is your name?"

"Alexios."

"Well, Alexios... today is your lucky day... you have brains... and I like that in my comrades... You will come with me, and I will spare someone who is an obvious ally." The Vampire whistled and another horse trotted up. Heinrich grabbed Alexios by the nape of the neck and placed him on the back of the horse.

"Your soul is lost, boy!" Heraklios cried.

"I doubt that very much," Heinrich said, "But I know yours is. It has been a nice chat, Romans!" Heinrich returned behind his lines, with his undead horsemen and Alexios. The Zombies reanimated, and began the slow lerch toward the Byzantine lines.

As they rode away, Alexios turned toward Heinrich and asked, "Why did you spare me?"

"Why did you switch sides? Something are better not explained, and are best left to the imagination." The Vampire never turned to look at Alexios, instead he pointed to a pavilion, "You will stay there, and then I will get to you eventually. I have plans for you..." Alexios gulped.

Heinrich turned around and joined his cavalry, who were lined up in a strait line. Below him his zombies were doing their job, wasting the Byzantine lines. The dead Byzantines rose to continue the fight of their former enemies. No one was exempt, commanders and officers who died would all stand back up to fight with Heinrich. The Vampire just watched. He knew even if this battle was won, there would be more... and he'd have to win them too...

Alexios found his way to the pavilion and sat down uncomfortably. The tent was dark, and there was only one candle glowing in the center. It was filled with Heinrich's unearthly needs, his coffin, his black books. And the whole time, he felt watched, someone was in the shadows, yet there was nothing there. Alexios took a deep breath, and in the corner of his eye noticed a wavering in the light. As if something was bending the image infront of him. He saw it again, and again, moving around intelligently.

"Father sent you here, didn't he?" a voice asked. From the shadows emerged a man, and Alexios could have sworn it was Heinrich himself, toying with him.

"Heinrich?"

"Close... Bernhard." The man offered Alexios his hand, and the greek took it. It was cold and dry, the skin pale to the point of lacking color. This was one of Heinrich's Vampires. "If father has sent you here, it means he likes you... and thus I like you. You see, I am in need of allies of my own... like any royal family, we have intrigue, competitors to the throne."

"Obviously."

"And thus we need alliances. Don't get me wrong, I would never kill my father, nor would I wish he dead... but my brothers are less than satisfactory..."

"Where are they?"

"Well... you passed one already, Theodoros... totally mad... the definition of insane..."

"And the others?"

"There's Walram, who is also mad... and a ruthless killer of the innocent... and there is Dietrich, Walram's anthesis."

"Ahh..."

"See, when it comes to Vampires, several things are necessary... Class, balance, magic, and calm... That is why father has chosen me, his youngest, to be his heir."

"And thus, I must support you, it is my lord's will."

"I like you even more, you have a head, and honor." Bernhard placed his hand of Alexios' shoulder. "Have you ever been to Wallachia?"

"No..."

"It is not like the stories... the fields are full, the people are happy... and the sun shines regularly... escept on the Black sea... a very depressing place."

"We are told differently..."

"And those who tell you these things, your teachers, your priests, your Emperor... they have never been to Wallachia either." They tell you these things, because if everyone knew... they wouldn't fight so hard against our armies... we would peacefully remove all the monarchs of Europe."

"And the Europeans don't want that."

"Exactly, they want to live just as badly as we want them to die." Bernhard sat down across from Alexios and wacthed him carefully. He drew a quick breath before continuing, "Alexios, do you have a loved one in Constantinople, one who would not kick and scream if I brought her here?"

"Why?"

"I cannot expect to only recieve from a friend..."

"No, I don't..."

"That is sad... But don't worry... once father bites you, there are thousands of women who'd gladly do anything for you." Bernhard laughed slightly. Alexios got up and looked out of the tent flap, the Byzantine army was retreating, but still mostly intact. The battle would continue later, there would be more death and destruction. Heinrich's horse rode up to the pavilion and the Vampire got off and entered the tent. He noticed Bernhard, and greeted his son with a swift bow of the head. He turned his attention to Alexios, who remained standing as he would have for his Emperor.

"There is no need for that kind of honor here, Alexios... please sit." Heinrich motioned toward a chair. Alexios saw that the Vampire's mouth was smeared with blood, and his clothing reaked, and leaked, of it. The Vampire licked his lips and seemed to enjoy the liquid's taste on his tongue.

"The trick is, Alexios, to drink it while it is still warm, otherwise it gels, and then dries up completely... it isn't any good at that point," Bernhard said. Heinrich nodded in agreement as he took off his armor and stretched out on his own, moveable throne. Alexios could see that matieral posesions did not fit well with the Vampire. The tent was rather spartan, there was no need for that obscure wealth that drove the European monarchs. "Where is Theodoros, father?"

"I don't care... I am sick of listening to him." Alexios was scared by how easily Heinrich cast of even his eldest of children.

"So will he be a Thrall, or a true Vampire?"

"I don't know, I haven't decided..."

"I could use a powerful ally."

"Well there you go..." Heinrich seemd aloof of Bernhard's true message. He was more content with swishing the blood around in his mouth. Bernhard rolled his eyes, but did not say anything. "The Byzantines will be back before any major damage can be done to Thrake... though we must continue hitting those walls. They have, in twenty year's time, built some massive walls. But it will fall like the rest. We have taken Constantinople before, and so shall Thrake fall."



Part Six
Mesembria; Wallachia; June 1166


The campaign to take Thrake had failed dismally. But, as Heinrich saw it, it was a victory... Byzantium had exhausted nearly its entire army trying to lodge the Vampires from Thrake. The campaign to the north, in Moldau, was going well, and Serbia had been totally occupied. Byzantium had attempted to occupy Bulgaria and southern Wallachia proper. Heinrich's armies held strong, though Messembria had fallen to the Byzantines. Now Heinrich's armies marched south, into the Byzantine half of Bulgaria. Heinrich himself was going to retake Mesembria, and then use his army to batter his way south back to Thrake and eventually to Constantinople.

"Father," asked Alexios, who was still human, but refered to Heinrich as his future brothers did.

"Yes?"

"It seems that Bulgaria is very poorly defended. Wouldn't it be wise to attack there with another army, and force the Roman flank to roll up? They will devert some of their troops here in Rumelia to defend Bulgaria, and thus leave Thrace open to us."

"A good plan, and similar to the one already started. My plan is instead to attack Bulgaria, and then once the troops start moving out attack here too... that way the moving troops never get where they are headed, and are too unorganized to fight." Alexios nodded, it was obvious the Heinrich was far more experienced than he.

"When shall our attack begin?"

"When we see that the enemy is up and moving."

"And if they do not move?"

"Bulgaria will fall that much easier, leaving Hellas proper to fall to us."

"He learns quickly, Father," Bernhard said, "A good choice, if I do say so myself." Heinrich nodded. Outside Theodoros watched for the tell-tale movement of Byzantine troops. Retaking Mesembria was high on the Vampire's priority list.

"If this works we'll be outside of Constantinople in no time..." Heinrich laughed slightly, and took out his maps of Constantinople. The three layers of walls had been by-passed last time by the hasty retreat of the Byzantines. Bernhard returned to the shadows as Theodoros burst into the room.

"Father! Half the Roman army is moving! You were right! Come see!" Heinrich walked out of the tent with Theodoros and saw the movement of troops.

"Prepare to march forward, Theodoros... I'll command the ambush waiting for our moving friends." Theodoros nodded. Heinrich returned to the tent, and Alexios helped him put his armor back on. "Alexios, go with Bernhard... he will be commanding the center army."

"Yes, father!" Alexios was proud that the Vampire put so much trust in him.


The battle quickly swung into the Vampire's favor. Alexios watched as Bernhard leveled fifteen men with one swing of his sword. The Byzantine troops panicked under the swiftness of the Vampire's attack. Off to the right, the Vampiric cavalry was destroying the unorganized, confused and demoralized Byzantine troops. In the distance, Mesembria revolted against the occupiers, and in a swift instant, the Third Vampiric War swung entirely into Heinrich's favor.



Part Seven
Thrake; Byzantium; August 1167


The Armies of Heinrich and Theodoros split up. Theodoros headed south-west toward Adrianople; Heinrich, Bernhard and Alexios headed south-east toward Constantinople. Bulgaria was quickly folding to the undead armies, and Moldau saw only minor setbacks that were quickly being countered by Dietrich and Walram.

Thrake had fallen quickly to the Vampires. The Byzantine's retreat was not just back to the nearest friendly town, but back to Constantinople. They were surrendering Thrake and Adrianople to secure southern Thrace and the supplies from Antolia. It wouldn't make a difference. Most of Nicaea and Nikosia's troops had been used up already, and instability in the east meant that troops from Armenia were already busy. Hellas was under attack, and the troops had to be sailed to Thrace or fear getting captured by raiding undead armies. Antolia was being divided from Hellas, and Constantinople was the key to that final cut between the two.

The pace was urgent, Heinrich wished to start sieging Constantinople soon, it would put tremendous amounts of pressure on the Empire, and make taking the rest of Bulgaria and Moldau much easier. He'd get his wish. By September, an undead army of 25,000 stood outside Constantinople, harbouring a small army of 8,000 with more troops planning to be shiped from Antolia. The siege began. The catapults of Heinrich's army gean the tedious process of knocking down the first wall defending the city.

"The New Rome will fall to this Army!" Heinrich said to his fellow Vampires. It would be the first time Constantiople had ever truely been breached. Heinrich would not have his prize stolen from him.

"What shall we do with the city's riches?"

"I have no idea... We'll get to that later..."

The Third Vampiric War


Part Eight
Constantinople; Byzantium; May 1171


The Third Vampiric Wars lasted for eight grueling years. The different monarchs of Europe each had their own hopes for the outcome, but none saw what was coming. In May, 1171 Heinrich entered Constantinople for the second time. His victorious army plundered the Byzantine capital after waging a two-year siege on the city. Inside was the new Emperor, it was a tradition in all Vampiric wars for the Vampires to seek out the enemy monarch and slay them. Heinrich explained to Alexios that in Vampiric tradition, the leader was the most powerful Vampire on the field of battle, and they applied that to wars with the mortals too. "Of course," Heinrich continued, "The mortal monarchs are very poor warriors... especially to a Vampire." In the Third Vampiric War, Heinrich slain 4 Emperors. Now he searched the city for the fifth, the living Emperor, who needed to sign a treaty.

Alexios found him hiding in an inn on the edge of the city. "The Vampires are here for you," the ex-Byzantine said. The Emperor turned around slowly, expecting to find Heinrich himself, but was relieved to find a plain human. Of course Bernhard had followed his aprentice in the shadows. Bernhard contacted his father, who headed toward the Inn.

"Boy! Watch your tongue," the Emperor said.

"I said, the Vampries are here for you... we are in charge now!"

"You are no Vampire!"

"Doesn't matter, I am here representing them, and they want you to shut up, and know your place!"

"I don't see them!" And on that cue Heinrich burst through the door, drunk with power and enraged at the Emperor's cowdice and hiding amongst the commoners.

"COWARD!" Heinrich shouted, his eyes ablaze and the sickening sound of the lightning outside crashing. The Emperor shrunk back and tried to run out the back door. He was stopped by Bernhard who materialized in front of him.

"Not planning on leaving so soon?" Bernhard asked with a laugh. The Emperor turned around and saw Heinrich steaming in anger, his lips curled up revealing the inch-long fangs in his mouth.

"SIT!... Alexios! No man leaves this inn!" Alexios bowed and stood guard at the front door.

"What do you want, Vampire?"

"Here is what I want!" Heinrich handed the Emperor a treaty, writen in blood on human flesh by Heinrich's own hand. It demanded Moldau, Bulgaria and Thrace all to be ceded to Wallachia, and it also demanded that Byzantium give up its futile quest to reconquer Wallachia proper.

"You want me to surrender Constantinople?!"

"You read the paper... and you aren't in much of a barganing position." The people in the inn became tense, they realized that the city was forever a part of Wallachia.

"I have no pen to sign," the Emperor stammered, buying a few more second for his city. Heinrich growled in his throat, grabbed the Emperor's head and smashed it where his signature would have normally gone. The resulting bloody face print served well-enough to Heinrich as a signature. The Emperor tried to lift his head, but the pain swirled around in this mind and he was unable to do so.

"Alexios," Heinrich said, much calmer, "Take the Emperor to the edge of the walls, find him a boat, and see that he is taken across the sea to Antolia..."

"Thessali..." croaked the Emperor.

"And make sure the Nikaeans recieve him..."

"Send... me... to Thessali!" Heinrich looked down and the bleeding man, trying to stand upright.

"Thessali? You want to go to Thessali? Well you can sail there after you get to Nikaea!" Heinrich nodded to Alexios, who grabbed the young man, no older than himself, and dragged him to the port.

Heinrich sat down in the Emperor's bar-stool. The entire room remained tense. The Vampire leaned down to the counter and licked the blood off the wood. "Bitter," Heinrich noted to Bernhard who laughed slightly.

The bar tender took a step away from the two Vampires as they conversed in German, making sure that the patrons could not understand them. Everyone was scared, the black flags flew over all of Constantinople, a city that had been mostly free of cultists since the first siege. The Vampires returned to Pest, to brood some more. The new territories were divided up amongst Heinrich's lesser sons. Bernhard also took a slice. He told Alexios to remain with Heinrich, and keep track of his older brothers while he was away.



Part Nine
Pest; Wallachia; November, 1171


Alexios woke from his slumber and walked over to a near-by water source to wash himself off. He looked down at his ivory hands and their cold, hard features. He smiled slightly, enjoying his new powers. His new brothers were not happy about him, but he soon made sure they realized he was not there to usurp them of anything. Even so, Heinrich appriciated a more balanced mind like his own and Bernhard's. As Bernhard had said, Dietrich was a bleeding heart, and the other two, Walram and Theodoros, were totally insane. Even so, Walram remained an enimga. Theodoros was always insane... but Walram was different, he knew he was insane. Alexios took note of this and sent it to Bernhard, who replied that he thought the same thing. Alexios kept track of all the Vampires, including Heinrich, for Bernhard. Heinrich's heir did not want to be left out of the loop for long.

Wallachia after the Third Vampiric War

 

[Khaosliege]

No worries, I have Bykahiam's Vampire mod (which I neglected to mention) and vampires will, for the most part, remain in Wallachia.

Wow just found this AAR and it's great!

Even if I prefer more refined vampires

BTW, were do I find the mod you are mentioning?

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Wow just found this AAR and it's great!

Even if I prefer more refined vampires

BTW, were do I find the mod you are mentioning?

Why thank you, and there is plenty of chance for more refined Vampires once Heinrich is dead... if he dies...

The mod is currently unavalible, sorry.

I haven't touched this in a while, CK tends to get on my nerves... but I will return to it in time... school is winding down (it is my senior year), and I am enjoying the blosoming of my social life... much to my computer's angst. This AAR is not dead, but simply brooding.