Road of Queens - CKII India AAR

[roverS3]

At last. The rabble has been cleared and the Basileus has been allowed to return to his own Palace. With the Mongols fighting in the west, perhaps he could soon launch the next war of expansion. Or he could decide to fill up his coffers and pass on a peaceful and prosperous realm to his doubtful offspring. Arabian ambitions could also pose a risk, though it only really seems to be a problem for one holding rather far from the main body of Maurya (II).

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Eighty-Nine : Taking Titles

The NEW Despot Of Nepal​

This chapter opens in the middle of September, of the year 925 AD, with the Basileus receiving two pieces of news at the same time.

The first piece of news was that Sonpal “The Ill-Ruler” had usurped the County of Mustang from the, NOW Ex-Count, Jatanpal Kangra.

It turns out he did that so he could have someplace to live. Because at the same time Antonios of the House Dysnomia took the Title of Exarchate of U-Tsang from him!

“You can take a Viceroy from somebody?” remarked the Basileus in confusion. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“The speakers of the law say it is totally legit, Sire,” replied the staff.

“Speakers of the law! What do they know?” grumbled the Basileus. “They say I can’t golf with hedgehogs.”

“The rules of golf only allow real balls or the heads of you enemy, Sire.”

“Blah!” exclaimed the Basileus. “Anyway…back to the issue on hand. If he dies the title goes back to me, right?”

“Yes, Sire,” responded one of the Courtiers. “Viceroys are titles that go back to the Throne. They can’t be passed down to offspring by the holder.”

A few days later the Basileus called the speakers of the law, also known as lawyers, to his throne room.

“Can I revolt the Despot’s Kingdom?” asked the Basileus. “I don’t want it being taken away from him by another idiotic Vassal. And, as the Emperor, I don’t like having anybody under me with such a powerful Title.”

The lawyers said it was perfectly legal AND there was a good chance that the Sonpal would give up the title.

So a request was sent to the Despot Sonpal of Nepal for him to hand over his Crown to the Basileus.

In October Sonpal accepted the request and became the Count of Mustang. And the Basileus now added another Kingdom to his titles.

“Now I am the King of Nepal,” proclaimed the Basileus to his Imperial Court. “Or the Despot. Whatever. But we all know the problem of taking a new Kingdom? The LAWS!”

For the Royal Laws of Nepal only allowed a MALE ruler. And was Gravelkind at that.

“That last part I did,” mumbled the Basileus. “I didn’t know I would be taking the Kingdom when I forced Gravelkind onto the Despot. How short sighted of me. But I know how to correct the issue!”

First, the Kingdom of Nepal was destroyed. Well, the Title was.

Then he recreated the Kingdom of Nepal! It cost him both coins and Karma (if one believed in Karma) but he felt it was worth it.

As a NEWLY formed Kingdom within the Empire its Inheritance Laws were the same as the Imperial Inheritance Laws. And the problem was solved!

With the major changes in titles, and with people moving about, some Minor Titles became empty again. For example the position of Royal Builder was available.

The Basuileus decided to give that title to his Upadhyaya, the Bhikku Evangelos II of the Para-Lauhitya, who was on top of the list.

There was also a space for a Commander. It looks like the Sonpal had been removed when he lost his titles. The Basileus decided to put him back in the military. The man was still loyal and skilled.

And so we close this chapter with the Basileus getting a new Title, a new Viceroy, and a new Count.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Is Count Sonpal's command conveyance a spirited sturdy steed or a classic American sports car? Does the Basileus use the firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe?

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety : The Event

Death In The Family​

This chapter opens in early October, in the year 925 AD, with news coming from the north.

Seems Khagan Usun “The Wolf” was putting people in the dungeons again. This time a harmless 56 year old lowborn.

“This is so depressing,” remarked the Basileus with a sigh. “How many people are in the Mongols’ dungeons?”

So, to cheer himself up he decided to have a feast to celebrate Diwali. So the announcements were sent out by riders and the staff started to prepare the Palace.

He decided that the gift didn’t need to be costly or big. The Basileus decided on a small perfume box would do for his wife.

He was notified, while chatting with the kitchen staff about what wines to serve with which pastries, that the marriage between Aigidia and SataspIrkinzk had been accepted and carried out.

Then there was bad news for the Emperor. Gundes Araslan vanished. Just disappeared. This was bad news because she had been matrilineal married to his son Dionysios.

This meant his son was now landless and bumming around in his court again.

“Damn it,” grumbled the Basileus. “Now I have to find somebody, a Noblewoman, who owns land and wants to marry. Again.”

He also received a message from Exarch Antonios of U-Tsang. The man was refusing to come to the feast.

“Buddha bless his heart,” said the Basileus with a mixture of anger and humor. “He thinks he is somebody.”

Then there was more news from the north. Another man, this time a Noble, had been put into the dungeons by “The Wolf”.

“These dungeons must be a society onto themselves,” chuckled the Basileus. “Blah! Time to find a new wife for Dionysios. The bum.”

The list of available women had the Nomolun of the House Bujakhin as the best choice. A 24 year old Mongol. A little stressed, and sinful, but from a good family.

So a request was sent for a Matrilineal Marriage. The Basileus hoped they would agree to the marriage and take the boy off his hands.

As the Basileus waited for a reply he was given more bad news. Seems Sahtiya of the House Ghosha was plotting to kill Lomapada of House Gupta.

“Tell Sahtiya to behave please,” murmured the Basileus. “I want to enjoy the feast.”

Then there was news from the north of another Noble being put into the Khagan’s dungeons.

“By Buddha they must be overcrowded in those cells,” the Basileus said.

Soon his thoughts were occupied by the arrival of his guests. They were greeted by drum players and dancers and cool drinks.

The Feast had begun. And the Basileus was enjoying it. Till he had to attend a morning prayer meeting.

And while at the meeting his noticed Brother Orestes was started to slip out of his seat. Worrying that the man might be noticed by the others sleeping though the meeting the Basileus tried to wake him.

But something went wrong. His body went slack and his hand failed to reach Brother Orestes’s shoulder. The Basileus slipped out of his chair and seemed to float down to the floor. Time seemed to slow. He hit the floor but there was no pain. The stone was cold and yet somehow comfortable. He heard voices, confused and concerned, but somehow he wasn’t worried.

The Event had come. He had sensed it had been coming. It was time for him to go. To leave the Empire and the Dynasty and this world behind. He needed to move on. This place was no longer his to worry about.

Basileus Niphon died a natural death at the age of 72 and went down in history as a Godly man who was very charitable.

Basilissa Eupraxia was now the Empress. A insane woman who would now rule the Empire.

So we close this chapter with the end of one Ruler’s story and the start of a new one.

 

[Midnite Duke]

A quiet dignified exit for a great, great man. He now walks with the Basilissa and Lord Meow-Meow where the tiger hunts never end. For us, the lunacy now begins. Living as a prisoner with Khagan 'the Wolf' appears to be a sensible alternative. @Eurasia, do you have any idea what chapter Niphon became a child Despot? His reign was one of the longest and greatest in any AAR! Farewell, My Basileus!

 

[roverS3]

What a touching end for the great Niphon. At least he still got to appropriate, destroy, then recreate the title of King of Nepal. He got to do some matchmaking by pairing his son. Oh, and he also had one final party. It's a great illustration of the complex man he was. A partier, and a respected religious man. A lover of peace, prosperity, architecture and also an expansionist war maker, a destroyer of realms. A marriage broker, and a man with several concubines. By the end there was a balance to his life that is seldom achieved, one can only be impressed by his character, not to mention the thriving, sprawling empire he left behind.
The following rulers will have to be really special if they want to even be compared favourably to this man, sadly they seem very flawed and it seems doubtful his daughter or granddaughter will ever achieve the level of spirituality Niphon reached.

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety-One : Welcome To Heaven

“HEY! You! Monkey Boy!”​

The Emperor Niphon of the (Second) Empire of Maurya, of the House of Dysnomia, looked around his surroundings

It was a small cabin in the forest. The chairs and tables had legs that were scratched up. There were stuffed toys all over the floor. The shelves were empty as if all the items has been pushed off. And there was a half-eaten bird on a silver platter on one of the tables.

“Hey! Down here monkey!” said a soft female voice from the area of the floor.

The former Basileus of the Empire looked down and noticed a Tuxedo cat looking up at him.

“Lord Meow-Meow!” exclaimed Niphon with a grin. “You live!”

“No,” replied the female cat. “You died. Well, you moved onto the next stage. Nobody REALLY dies. Anyway, welcome to my heaven.”

“Your heaven? You are Buddha?”

“NO! This is just MY place to relax and think. We figured it was the best place to meet you,” remarked the cat as she turned around and started to walk towards the cabin’s door. “Follow me monkey.”

“I am not a monkey,” stated Niphon as he followed the Queen. “I am a human.”

“True,” replied the cat as the door opened without being touched. “That makes you an ape. Or I should say you WERE an ape. You are no longer flesh.”

Niphon rolled his eyes as he followed the cat outside. The trees were tall and their branches thick of singing birds who seemed too large to fly. Rodents stood about chewing nuts and looking cute.

“Cat Heaven, hm?” said Niphon. “Why are you greeting me? Where is my wife? The Dove?”

“She is still learning the ropes,” answered the cat as she continued to walk away from the cabin. “I have been here longer and, therefore, I will be your guide for the next few days. Or weeks. Or hours.”

“Don’t you know how long you will be my guide?”

“Time isn’t really a line,” explained the cat. “It is more of a point. Like math time really does not exist. Only our mind, trying to put everything into some kind of order, makes it into some kind of organized timeline.”

“Come again?” said Niphon with a blink.

“Everything that has happened has happened. Everything that will happen has happened. You’re life was just a flashback. Your body has moved on to become trees and flowers and sand. And before this it was a star. And then the atoms all got together and gave birth to a new universe. Again and again and again.”

Niphon was silent for the next few minutes. Then asked, “Why do you still eat birds?”

“I have been here a long time but some things I have a hard time shaking off,” remarked the cat as she continued to walk through the trees. “Like a human who feels a itch from a missing limb. But I can help you with some of the first lessons you must learn.”

Niphon pondered this for a few more seconds and then he asked, with some hope in his voice, “Will I meet my mother?”

“Oh yes,” replied the female cat. “After you mind, and your emotional state, settle down.”

“So she is in heaven,” he said with a smile.

“All who die come here,” remarked the cat. “They make it their own Hell or Heaven. As they did in life. Some of us try to help them. Some of us move to other stages. Some of us go back. This is just the first stop after leaving starting point.”

Niphon frowned. “Even murderers and robbers come here?”

“EVERYBODY comes here,” said the cat. She stopped and glared up at Niphon. “Listen to the talking cat! All come here. All learn and grow. Some are slower than others. Some are weighed down by their past deeds. Sinners need the most help of all. Now follow me monkey.”

They had come to a misty wall. It seemed to be the edge of the forest.

Niphon frowned. The mist hurt his eyes. It was more of a LACK of something than a true fog. Like there was nothing there.

“This is where things get weird,” said the cat formally known as Lord Meow-Meow. “Try to keep an open mind.”

And so we close this chapter with the Emperor, and his cat, walking into the mist.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Lord Meow-Meow brings a tear to my eyes. Will we have a wake? Will Khagan Wolf send a captive of love (would he even miss a handful of prisoners) to help Basilla Slut deal with her loss? In her mad, mad world does she even know that the Basileus is gone? What forms do we need to emigrate to a saner realm like the Aztecs?

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety-Two : The New Government

The Forty-Four Year Old Empress​

The chapter opens in late October, of the year 925 AD, and the Basilissa Eupraxia “The Quarreller” of the House Dysnomia entered the Imperial Throne Room encircled with Imperial Guards who had already sworn their lives to the new Empress.

When she sat onto the throne the staff brought her the Treasures that she had inherited from her father. Funny enough one item had seemed to have gone missing. Its space was still there, on the list, but the name had been removed.

“Hmmmm….interesting,” she said one realizing that an item had gone missing. “Interesting.”

Now her eldest daughter, Princess Eulalia “The Unfaithful”, would inherit her titles and crowns if she passed away.

The Basilissa Eupraxia was a interesting figure in history. Slow, insane, and ill she knew more about coins and books than people and war.

She was also known to have cheated on her husband and had one bastard among her offspring. Well, HAD, as the boy had died from illness. Overall there was some worry about her ability to run the Empire.

The Council needed to be…worked on. The position of Protostrator was now empty. It also came to her notice that the Magistros and the Sakellarios didn’t like her.

First she selected the Empress Dowager, Vina, to become the new Protostrator. In other words her Mom now controlled the military. It wasn’t just because her mother was a member of the Loyalist Party. It was also because her mother was a Brilliant Strategist and a Cavalry Leader.

Then she decided to replace Doux Bhogishwar of the Bhar Raj, the current Sakellarios, with Dionysia. Who was the Bhikshuni of Baghabarihat. She was skilled and had a high opinion of the Empress.

Then the Magistros, the Mayor of Sutrapur, was replaced with Rudranarayan Munda. Her Son-In-Law. His opinion of her was, at least, in the positive and he had SOME skill.

So the NEW Council was formed. At least it was a stable one. But there was still a few problems. A son who owned no land and she had more vassals than she should - at least according to her lawyers.

On top of that the Empress was ill. So she decided to seek treatment from the Court Physician.

As she waited for the Physician’s arrival the Empress had to decide what to do with Prince Niphon. The Emperor HAD sent a marriage request but, somehow, that had fallen through with his death.

Of course she decided on the same person to marry her son. Nomolun of the House Bujakhin was asked to marry the Prince. In a matrilineal marriage of course.

As she waited for THAT to kick in the Empress turned to the issue of having too many Vassals. There was many ways to deal with that. The easiest was to hand over a Viceroy, with all the vassals that went with it, to somebody.

So she gave the Viceroyalty of the Kingdom of Bengal to the Princess Eulalia. Which solved her Vassal problem.

But that caused another problem as her NEW Sakellarios was now a Vassal of her daughter and now the position was empty again.

“The Princess caused this problem so the Princess will SOLVE this problem,” said the Empress. So the Princess Eulalia, the NEW Exarchessa of Bengal became the NEW Sakellarios.

Of course a lot of the Minor Titles were also now empty, such as the Designated Regent and the Cupbearer.

So Princess Eulalia became the NEW Regent and Bhikkhu Kyiakos of Durjaya, who was also the Court Physician, became the NEW Cupbearer.

The Empress decided to keep the Crown Focus on the County of Haruppeswara. She saw no reason to remove it. Yet.

And because her father had taken the power away from the Council the Empress now had Complete Power and could change the Administration to that similar to the Roman Empire. Which was passed automatically.

Then she was notified that the Bejeweled Dagger was not in good shape. But she was willing to spend the coins needed to repair the Old Treasure.

Near the end of the month the Court Physician came to see the Empress and offered a selection of treatments for her illness. The Empress told him to pick the one he was most experienced in.

“Do what you know,” she said after listening to the choices.

When November came she was greeted with good news. A letter came agreeing to the marriage request and her son, Niphon Dusnomia, was sent off to the Court of the Bujakhin Clan.

And so the Empress’s rule started out somewhat smoothly.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Big Change in quality of Sakellarios! Does anybody have an idea about the amount income that is lost? When will the Basilissa appoint royal stud muffins for herself and the Duchess? Who is the actress in the opening photo?

 

[Eurasia]

Who is the actress in the opening photo?

That's Angelina Jolie.

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety-Three : A New Trading Post

The Spice Trade​

This chapter opens up early November, of the year 925 AD, the Empress noticed that Exarch Antonios of U-Tsang disliked her. For many reasons.

Including the fact that he didn’t like her father. Luckily she didn’t really have to do anything to him. Once he died she got the Title back to give it to whoever she wanted.

Bhikkhu Kyriakos then came to the Empress and tried out his “cure” on her. It was awkward and embarrassing but afterwards she felt a tad better.

As the Empress entered one of the dining rooms she realized, to her shock, that her father’s feast was still going on. And it was time for the gift exchange.

As it had not been HER party she was totally unprepared when her husband asked for his gift. Having no gift for him he left the party upset and insulted.

“What just happened?” said the slow Empress. A part of her KNEW this wasn’t her fault. Why would her husband expect a gift when it wasn’t even her party?

As the Basilissa tried to recover from her husband’s reaction she was notified that her daughter, Eulalia, was reorganizing her vassals.

“Good,” said the Empress. “Give the trouble makers to somebody else.”

Near the end of the November the Empress received a scroll from the Great King Gangakavilasa of Karnata.

It was a request for one of her daughters’ hand in marriage. The Princess Pelagia. She had no problem with the request. So she agreed. It would, in the short term, likely prove useful.

In early December she realized the Bengal Army was still hanging around her old Capital. The two hundred-fifty troops, mostly cavalry, were ordered to the Imperial Capital. They would join up with the Imperial forces.

Then she received some old news from the western part of the Empire. Seems the Lords of Mustang had passed the Tax Shifted Burgher Obligation Law. Made sense, the City Vassals preferred giving money to their Liege than giving soldiers.

Then the Empress received some GOOD news. Her daughter Exarchessa Eulalia had finished a Trade Post in the County of Kataka.

It was a perfect place for a Trade Post and meant that her daughter, and therefore the tax farmer, would be able to collect a lot of coins from the caravans and ships that visited the county.

So we close this chapter with a NEW Trade Post in the Empire and a dead man's party still going on.

 

[Midnite Duke]

How many times has the empress heard "undress, kneel with buttocks in air and stop clenching"? Unhappy husband will soon learn the path to the dungeon.

 

[Bullfilter]

Doing my catch-up reading and got up to The Event. So I’ll do my batch of comments from the the lead-up episodes here and then read the subsequent ones a little later. The end of such an era should be specially marked!

“Yes, this Satasp Irkinzk will do. He is single and has a kid. Which means his penis works. Send him the request!” And so the marriage proposal was sent.

Had to chuckle at this. Very romantic indeed!

So a request was sent to the Despot Sonpal of Nepal for him to hand over his Crown to the Basileus.

First, the Kingdom of Nepal was destroyed. Well, the Title was.

Nyphon clearly doesn’t mind the cost in terms of all the direct ones and opinion de-buffs. He really must have sensed the coming Event.

As a NEWLY formed Kingdom within the Empire its Inheritance Laws were the same as the Imperial Inheritance Laws. And the problem was solved!

That’s a neat trick!

Basileus Niphon died a natural death at the age of 72 and went down in history as a Godly man who was very charitable.

A mighty reign - he had gone against type by making the Road of Queens into a Highway of Emperors. A very memorable and idiosyncratic character, with some enduring habits around Diwali, tiger hunts, murder plots, marriage arrangements, religious retreats, pastries, wall maps, pugs and all the rest. Lord Meow-Meow not the least among them. Vale indeed.

Basilissa Eupraxia was now the Empress. A insane woman who would now rule the Empire.

Insanity is by no means a disqualifying characteristic for a ruler! Looking forward to an inevitably shorter and more tempestuous reign as we return to the actual road of queens (Basilissas).

 

[Bullfilter]

“Lord Meow-Meow!” exclaimed Niphon with a grin. “You live!”

“No,” replied the female cat. “You died. Well, you moved onto the next stage. Nobody REALLY dies. Anyway, welcome to my heaven.”

A match made in heaven.

“All who die come here,” remarked the cat. “They make it their own Hell or Heaven. As they did in life. Some of us try to help them. Some of us move to other stages. Some of us go back. This is just the first stop after leaving starting point.”

Nicely put by Queen Meow-Meow. BTW, heard something amusing today, in cat language, there are fifty different words to say “I am better than you.”

And so we close this chapter with the Emperor, and his cat, walking into the mist.

A fitting end - into the mists of (artificial, non-linear) time.

Near the end of the month the Court Physician came to see the Empress and offered a selection of treatments for her illness. The Empress told him to pick the one he was most experienced in.

Usually the best or at least safest choice ...

Big Change in quality of Sakellarios! Does anybody have an idea about the amount income that is lost?

I had the same question.

Bhikkhu Kyriakos then came to the Empress and tried out his “cure” on her.

... but in this case, it seems proctology is the Court Physician’s specialisation!

As it had not been HER party she was totally unprepared when her husband asked for his gift. Having no gift for him he left the party upset and insulted.

That makes it twice in quick succession she’s received the same treatment, in different ways. Being Empress gives no immunity to a surprise shafting, it seems.

 

[roverS3]

Lovely to have Niphon be guided into the afterlife by Lord Meow Meow.

I have to say Eupraxia started off with a bang. Not buying her husband a gift? The insolence! But what about the gift Niphon had already purchased for his wife? Did it get lost in the mail?

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety-Four : Too Many Children

Mail Order Brides
​

This chapter opens in early December, of the year 925 AD, with the Basilissa dealing with the 6 year old Antipatra Dysnomia.

Seems the girl had came to visit the Empress during the party and was now about to leave. The girl, grinning, challenged the Empress to a race to her home and shot off. The Empress didn’t even think twice and ran after the girl. The girl’s house wasn’t that far away as she was part of the Imperial Court.

Due to the foot race Antipatra became somewhat playful. Though many just saw this as being spoiled.

By mid December the Empress was still not feeling well. In fact she barely got any sleep. But she brushed it off and forced herself to focus on ruling and not on whining.

Then the Empress got a scroll from the Khan of Guge. Seemed he wanted to arrange a marriage with Princess Demetra. Once she was of age, of course. Once again the Empress saw no problem with this. In the short run it would prove useful.

Realizing the Court still needed a Guru the Empress spend some money to send riders out to search for one. It could take some time before they found anybody worthy of being a Guru to the Imperial Court. Or they might not find anybody at all.

Then, in late January of the year 926 AD, the Empress was alerted to the chance that a title of the Realm might be lost. Seems the Count of Mangyul had no kids yet. Not really his fault, as he had just become a man, but there was still a chance that, if he died, his County would go to a person outside the Empire. A man named Ioannes of the House Kyminas.

“Let’s give the Count time to produce offspring before we get worried about it,” commented the Empress with a shrug of her shoulders. “If in a few years he has no kids we can toss a few Concubines at him. Let’s not upset the warrior who likes me, okay?”

Then she got a scroll from the Great King Rachamalla “The Wise” of Andhra. The House of Talakad Andhra wanted to marry the Princess Eudokia to the young Prince Yachama. Once again the Empress had no problem with this.

So she agreed to it. Spreading the bloodline among the Realms wasn’t a bad idea when it came to survival of the Dynasty.

So we end this chapter with the Empress acting somewhat like the dead Emperor.

 

[Midnite Duke]

The Empress is proving to be more laid back than her father. He would have rejected the marriage proposal and then initiate the same or a less advantageous, so long as he was in control. He would made three moves to clear the remote possibility of losing land rather than give the 16yo a chance. (The land leaving realm alerts is rather bad. The landless Ioannes would join your but you got an alert. But someone can inherit a higher title (ie count inherits a duchy) in a foreign realm and you lose their holding but you would not receive a notification.) Life is good for now, so I will place my application to emigrate to the Aztecs on hold.

 

[Eurasia]

Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Seven Hundred-Ninety-Five : Stabilizing The Empire

Coins Solve All Problems
​

This chapter opens in late January, of the year 926 AD, with the Basilissa trying to decide what to do next. She realized that many of the Religious among her populace, and Vassals, were not that impressed with her. So she was trying to pick which Holy Site to visit.

Should it be Sandhikbarka in the County of Lumbini? Or Saranath in the County of Varanasi? Or Gaya in the County of Gaya?

While pondering this she received news from the north. Seems “The Wolf” had passed the Slightly Tax Focused Tribal Obligations Law.

“Good for him,” murmured the Empress as she tossed the report to one side. “Don’t care.”

In early February the Empress was given news of a plot. Seems the Count of Goalpara was seeking to take the Monastery of Para-Lauhitya.

“Tell him to stop,” remarked the Empress as she tossed the report to one side.

There were three plots currently being schemed at within the Empire. None of them REALLY bothered her that much.

She was more worried about the Political Movements within her Empire. She would have to decide how to deal with the leaders and members of such Factions.

Of course she decided the best way to deal with them was coins.

First she tried to bribe Doux Bhogishwar who was the Leader of the movement to make Prince Rajendranarayan the Ruler of Bihar.

Then she sent money to the Doux of Kasi who had a movement to make himself Emperor. She hoped that would make him think twice about trying to take the Empire from her. Otherwise she would have to kill him. Which would upset people.

Then she sent a bribe to Doux Salasthamba “The Tenacious”. Who was the Leader of a movement to bring Gavelkind Succession to the Realm of Kham.

Then the Basilissa sent money to the Doux of Qamdo because HE wanted independence. Why he would want independence when facing the massive Empire of the Mongols….nobody knew.

The list of Realm Bhikkhus still under her direct authority suggested many of them, while liking her, could of liked her more. A Holy Site visit was needed.

While thinking on it, again, the Empress was given news from the north. Seems “The Wolf” had released a woman from the dungeons and then made her his Concubine. As the woman hated the Khagan this was, likely, not the best choice. Also it seemed she had adopted a rat from the dungeons as her pet.

So we end this chapter with the Empress examining the Wall Map. Where to take her pilgrimage?

 

[Bullfilter]

She was more worried about the Political Movements within her Empire. She would have to decide how to deal with the leaders and members of such Factions.

Of course she decided the best way to deal with them was coins.

Usually an effective approach. Though only one of the factions looked even mildly serious.

Seems “The Wolf” had released a woman from the dungeons and then made her his Concubine. As the woman hated the Khagan this was, likely, not the best choice. Also it seemed she had adopted a rat from the dungeons as her pet.

Khan of Everything and that is his pick for concubine. It would serve him right if the pet was a black rat and, well, you know Bubo, anyone? That should be its name.