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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Six : More Stories!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Six : More Stories!
Hades went out early in the morning to greet the waiting crowd of grumpy, yet eager, listeners.
They wanted the rumors and information he had. Even if it was old.
“Well, as you know the Imperials defeated the Host and was now giving chase,” he said as he started on a new grave.
“As that was happening the Empress was notified that there was a murder plot in the works,” he added as he dug deeper. “Seems a Rameshwar of the House of Gupta wanted to kill Kale of the House Gupta. The daughter of his Liege. Which made her his niece.”
The crowd booed.
“Yes, yes,” remarked Hades. “But as you know it was the norm at the times.”
“You mean the norm now!” shouted out one of the listeners.
“Shut up!”
“Where was I?” he said as he leaned on his shovel. “Oh yes, the Exarch Danujmadhava was plotting to claim the County of Samtho. Which was held by the Doux of Nadia.”
“Then in May there was another plotter,” he exclaimed, “as it turned out that the Count of Lhatse wished to become the Doux of Shigatse. A title held by his Liege.”
“We can’t hear you!”
“What?” he shouted at the crowd.
“We can’t hear you! You dug yourself into a hole!”
“Oh,” said the grave digger looking at the deep grave he had made. “So I have.”
After climbing out he continued.
“Then the Count of Suvaragram plotted to kill the Empress,” he said. “Which would have made his Liege the NEW Empress.”
“But he didn’t!”
“Yes,” remarked the grave digger, “but at the time nobody knew he wasn’t going to kill her.”
“But that was back in July,” remarked the listener. “We deserve better, newer, news.”
“No you don’t,” pointed out Hades. “You’re peasants. Scum of the Earth. Poor farmers and herders and fishermen. You’ll listen to my outdated news and like it!”
The crowd nodded. It was true, they were scum. They were so poor that other poor people pitied them. They wore hand-me-downs and used second hand farming equipment. Their huts were made out of mud and they had to share them with the farm animals. Sometimes they had to dress up and pretend to be oxen to get the plowing done.
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Author’s Notes:
These events, and the following few chapters, would have happened between Chapter 939 and Chapter 940. These images got lost among the others. My fault.
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Definition of poor - getting your news from a grave digger rather than sitting around the local store sipping a cup of tea. Is Count Bosporios suicidal? Why is Exarch Pala plotting for a county that is not in his realm and will be badly outnumbered (Count has more and not included count's liege? Digging a grave by hand is hard work. Modern graves in US go four feet, how deep is Hades digging? Thank you @Eurasia for your throughness.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Seven : More Grave Tales!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Seven : More Grave Tales!
“So…where was I?” said the Hades as he showed up the next morning. “Oh yes. The EVIL one-eyed Count Bosporios of Suvarnagram was plotting to kill the Empress-”
“Which never happened!”
“Shut up!” shouted back the grave digger. “Ahem. He was plotting to kill the Empress. So she ordered her Spymaster to stay in the Capital and counter-plot. You know, keep an eye on things. Put his nose to the grinding stone. Keep his ears open. And any other saying you can think of.”
“Putting one’s nose to the grinding stone only makes sense if you don’t want the grain to burn,” pointed out one of the peasants.
“Shut up!”
The grave digger dug a fresh grave and ignored the crowd for a few minutes just to get his mind into some kind of order.
“Now, as you know the Imperial forces were chasing down the Host of Kuntuvdi,” he finally said as he rested for a second. "As this was happening the Empress was notified that the County of Kamarupanagara was prospering.”
“By mid August the Host had escaped across the border,” added Hades. “Much to the annoyance of the Imperial Commanders.”
“Finally!” shouted one of the listeners. “We know what happened after this! You slow poke!”
At this point the grave digger hit the person on the head with his shovel.
He was arrested and was sent to the town’s courthouse to be put on trial. But since a jury of his peers could not be found, as he was superior to most of the peasants who lived in the region, the Mayor had to release him.
Next chapter back to the present! In other words we return to December 937 AD.
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Author’s Notes:
These events, and the chapters before, would have happened between Chapter 939 and Chapter 940. These images got lost among the others. My fault.
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An apt punishment would be for Hades to dig the grave with a spoon and a cup instead of a shovel and wheelbarrow. Thank you
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Eight : Back To The Present!
And Boring Politics!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Eight : Back To The Present!
And Boring Politics!
This chapter opened in late December, of the year 937 AD, with a few events happening at once.
First, the Capital was under siege. By Todogen’s Host. (1)
But even under siege life moved on. For example Agathe of House Turnu was just a baby and needed the first stage of her education selected. The father asked the Empress to decide for them.
He acted like it was an honor but the Empress just thought he were being a lazy dead beat dad. She decided that the girl should attend the school of hard knocks.
Near the end of December news came out of the Mongol Empire. Pujari Jaipal of Jai Chandra had been imprisoned by the Khagan. It was likely due to him going there to either spread Hinduism. Or he was there as a spy.
Sent by the Great King Vidurathpala III of the Ayudha Kingdom the man was luckily the Mongols hadn’t just killed him.
In fact another man, Alp Yurek, had also been imprisoned. As he was a Sunni Muslim it could be he had been arrested for the same reasons?
The new year came with news of a murder plot. Seemed Hira of the House Bhar was scheming to kill a lowborn Tortogul. A nobody. Why was she planning to kill him? Maybe because she was Possessed and Stressed out? Nobody knew.
But she was told to stop.
By late January the Queen Mother of the Ruler of Lanka died. Which really didn’t change anything.
Then the Empress decided to send her ex-lover and former husband a letter to try to improve their relationship.
Interesting enough the Empress got a request from the Leader of her mercenary band. Which was funny because Karunandan was dead. He must have sent it before dying.
She decided to turn down the request for more money.
This upset the new Leader of the Kamarupanagran Band. A Commander named Gangakavilasa.
By late January the Empress got a reply from the Bhikkhu of Dhauli. Which suggested he was willing to strengthen their friendship.
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Author’s Notes:
1. First seen in Chapter 943.
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The Hindu prisoner of the Mongols's liege was at war with the Mongols, thus probably a POW. With the overcrowding in Mongol prisons, it may be better to be dead than a Mongol prisoner. What happened to Agathe's mother? Thank You
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Suspicious circumstances get white skull as do the murder with no murderer named (I have only seen with emperors and popes). I was curious because mother died before babe's first birthday.
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She could have died at childbirth. That sometimes seems to happen also. I didn't check at the time I took the image.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Nine : Dealing With The Host
Chapter Nine Hundred-Forty-Nine : Dealing With The Host
This chapter opens in late January, of the year 938 AD, with the Mauryan Army heading back to the Capital.
“They better hurry up,” complained the Empress as she peeked over the balcony at the landscape outside her Castle/Palace. “We’re running out of the wine I like...wait...where is the Host?”
"They're attacking the Fort," pointed out one of her Imperial Guards. "Not us."
The Empress also sent out a duck with a letter for the Alan Riders. She, in other words, rehired them. They could not assemble at the Capital so did so across the river where the Raiders could not attack them.
Of course this meant they had to march east to where the river could be crossed.
As this was happening the young Duchess of Tirabhukti was tossing people into her dungeons.
“Interesting,” said the Empress. “But I do have more important things to do. Like plan my escape to the caves in the surrounding hills when the Raiders break into my home.”
"They're not attacking us," pointed out one of the Imperial Guards. "We keep telling you they are attacking the Fort. Not us."
Sadly, she did have to flee when the Host overwhelmed the defenses of her Fort in February. The Imperial Guards kept telling her she didn't have to flee but she had a plan and she was damned if she was going to go against the 'Plan'.
The Raiders only lost eighteen men while the all the defenders were wiped out. The Host found nothing of worth because it was a Fort.
Now living in the caves, which had been used before by past Rulers to hide from Hosts, the Empress decided now wasn’t the time to write a letter to Ajmal. Even though the Guards kept telling her she was in no danger.
But as the Host moved on to the next siege, which WAS the Castle/Palace, it failed to notice the two military groups approaching. Alan’s Riders, for example, had crossed the river in April and was already moving onto the Capital.
But it was the Mauryan Imperial Army who hit the Host first. Of course missiles and insults were exchanged. The Host received the worst of it as had already been running low of supplies and many of its soldiers had died from starvation.
In May the Riders hit the Host from the East and this put more weight on their lines. As the Host was all Cavalry fighting on a flat plains it helped them a tad. But they were outnumbered and the Imperial Commanders were either better skilled or were just having better luck.
Join us next time when the Battle of Madan Kamdev comes to an end!
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Will the Empress be bitten by a bat? Will she contract a bat-borne disease? Where will she find a decent cask of wine? Thank You
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Fifty : Battle of Madan Kamdev
Chapter Nine Hundred-Fifty : Battle of Madan Kamdev
This chapters opens in early May, of the year 938 AD, with the battle with Todogen’s Host already in progress.
In fact the Host’s left flank was being hit by the Infantry of the Imperial forces. As the Archers continued to hit the rest of the Host’s lines. The left flank soon fell apart and was chased by the Imperial Cavalry.
Then the middle of the Host also collapsed under the weight of the Imperial arrows, darts, and other missiles. Soon the Host was in complete chaos and fleeing the Imperial Cavalry.
Imperial victory was soon announced. The Imperial Commanders lost four hundred sixteen men while the Host lost one thousand two hundred eighty men.
With the Host fleeing the Empress was able to return to her Castle/Palace. Which had been completely untouched. The carpets were totally undamaged and the kitchen staff were waiting to serve her the beat of meals. And let’s not even talk how the wine cellars were totally stocked.
She also dismissed the Alan Riders who were not needed anymore.
Of course the Imperial Commanders were ordered to chase the Host down.
"Whew!" said the Empress. "That was a close call."
The Imperial Guards just glared at her.
And next chapter the Top Seven Powers of the KNOWN World!
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Me stupid. It was the Fort the Host took not the Castle/Palace. Both chapters rewritten. I wish the Forts were given different names than the Provinces. It can get confusing when the Forts, first Castles, and Provinces all have the same name.
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Just curious, was the castle garrison so small because it was recovering from some previous siege, or is it just not heavily fortified (I assumed it would be by now)?
Huzzah!
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To be honest I mis-read that. They took the Fort and not the Castle. I forgot the Fort was even there. Now I have to edit the two chapters.
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Easy enough to do. Didn’t realise you could build a siege fort in your own county.To be honest I mis-read that. They took the Fort and not the Castle. I forgot the Fort was even there. Now I have to edit the two chapters.
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The Fort is in the same side bar with hospitals and trading posts.
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Must have seen it frequently but it never really registered as something to build defensively. You learn something new every day
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Home, Sweet Home. Castle gates unstormed. Pantry and wine cellar untouched. Beds undefiled. I still wonder why a Host would be raiding instead of conquering. Thank You.
Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Fifty-One : The Top Seven Powers!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Fifty-One : The Top Seven Powers!
This chapter opens on the 25th of May, of the year 938 AD, and it will be listing the Top Seven Powers of the KNOWN World! And, no, we won’t be counting any Duck Kingdoms.
The top of the list, Number One, was the Mongol Empire! Who’s Ruler was Khagan Yokhuman “The Scourge of Ukko”.
At the moment he was engaged in a war, again, with the Khangan Tuzniq “The Tyant” of Khazaria. Which he was losing. For the simple reason.
He was outnumbered. Seems everybody was willing to defend Khazaria. Or anyplace else the Mongols invaded.
Bilge’s Host also pissed him off because the Host keeps raiding him while his forces were busy in the west.
The Khagan seemed to be born for war. He had a Impressive Warhorse, he was a Strategist, and was also a Prince of the Chinese Imperial Family.
This explained why, at the time, he was at the top of the list.
The Second Realm on the list was on the other side of Eurasia. The Aztec Empire Ruled by Huetlatoani Ueman “Bloodaxe”.
“Bloodaxe” was not doing so well. Hosts swarmed over the Empire like lice on a unwashed dog. And he was just recovering from debt. And the Vicious Rumors against him didn’t help him much either. He was also a Craven Coward and didn’t know which end of a sword to hold onto.
The Third Realm on the list was in the Middle East. The new eleven year old Caliph Qawurd was Ruler of Abbasid. Also known as the Arabian Empire.
Its hard to tell if he was a good or bad Ruler. As his Regent and Council were in charge of the Realm till he was of age. But the Arabs had liberated much of Northern Africa from the Aztec. Which was a good sign.
He was Clubfooted which was not a good sign. Would he learn how to fight and plot from the shadows or ride into battle in front of his men?
Funny enough he was credited with Crushing a Revolt. In fact the Arabs were very active on the battlefield.
The Arabs were not just in the fight against the Mongols. They were also in a Holy War for Zhetysu. And also dealing with a couple of raiding Hosts.
The Fourth Realm on the list was just to the north. The Byzantine Empire ruled by Basileus Bosporios.
Nicked name “The Missionary” no doubt for expelling the Jews. But his image was likely somewhat tarnished by his fooling around. In other words he was a known Adulterer, was so well known as a lover that he had rejected a few offers, and had Lover’s Pox. Still, he was better than some of the Rulers the Empire had before him.
The military of the Realm was also in the war with the Mongols. AND also dealing with the many Hosts that seemed to swam all over the landscape.
To find the Fifth Realm we have to go east to India. The next on the list was the (Second) Empire of Maurya. Ruled by Basilissa Eulalia “The Unfaithful”.
The Empress was dealing with a Host, and some of her Vassals were in wars, but mostly her Realm was at peace.
She herself was a known murderer of her own kin, was out of patience much of the time, but at least had a Peace Treaty with China. So that was good.
The Sixth Realm was back in the Middle East. Caliph Mirza II “The Evil” of the House Mirzid. The Realm known as Al-Jazira.
Funny enough his Realm was also in the war against Mongol. And was also dealing with Hosts.
The Ruler had Expelled the Jews and was said to have a Maid as a lover. No doubt one of the rests he was nicknamed “The Evil”
Or maybe it was all the people he had killed. He was a very sinful person.
The last Realm, the Seventh Realm, on the list was the Kingdom of Ayudha. Also known as Kosala. It was ruled, at the time, by the Great King Vidurathpala III “The Wise”.
He was in a few wars. And yes, one of them was with the Mongols.
To be honest he seemed to be a somewhat stable Ruler. Somewhat stable. He was a mixture of good and bad traits. But seemed to be doing well. For such a frail man.
And so we end the Top Seven Military Powers of the Known World. Next chapter will contain some extra bonus material.
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