It is hard to be humble when one is the Empress and her mirror proclaims her to be the smartest (and prettiest and nicest) in the land. May Sarikel's pet bring a plague to Khagan Yokhunan's house. Thank you for the update.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Four : Protecting Trade
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Four : Protecting Trade
This chapter opened on the 18th of August, in the year 939 AD, when the Empress was given some important news.
The County of Kataka had finally finished the barracks they had been working on.
The reason for the barracks was easy to see. The County had a major port AND trading post. It needed to be protected at all costs.
And one of the reasons the Duke of the House Jau hated her. As, before becoming the Empress, she had taken this County from him.
But it needed something more.
“Does the County have a Fort?” the Empress asked her Imperial Court. The answer was no.
“Then start working on it!” was her reply.
And so the populace in the County of Kataka started working on a Fort to help protect them. Well, to protect the trade, but nobody told them that.
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Ignorance is bliss. The workers are getting paid. The store owners are selling goods. The tavern-keepers have more customers. The madams are purchasing more red candles. Who is not happy with local construction products? Maybe the shanty-town dwellers displaced by the fort, but they have been sent on a visit to Mongol Disney. Thank you for the update.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Five : Marriage!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Five : Marriage!
This chapter opens in mid August, of the year 939 AD, with the Empress noticing movement on her Wall Map in her Throne Room.
Seems the battle between the Kingdom of Ayudha and the Duchess of Tirabhukti was still going on. Looked like the young Duchess was winning, maybe?
The Empress sighed. Lately she had been feeling empty. Was Buddha REALLY with her? Did he listen to her prays and watch over her?
Sure he did! She was the Empress. She was likely high on his list of worshipers to watch over and protect!
In September Anthemios Dysnomia was finally of age to marry Duchess Zuqi of Tosali which meant it was time to fulfill the marriage agreement.
The Duchess seemed to be happy with the marriage. Which meant she could now produce a male Heir to take her titles. Instead of them going to her brother when she died.
While Anthemios seemed to have a positive opinion of his new wife, barely, he truly hated the Empress. He saw her as a Tyrant and a Kinslayer. Picky, picky. And he didn’t like the Succession Laws.
Still, he had left the Imperial Court to marry the Duchess so he was no longer the Empress’s problem.
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Author’s Notes:
Accidentally pushed the save map button so another world map for you!
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There are some big realms (Mongol, Aztec, Empress, Middle East. According to Empress, if Buddha will look major problems (hers), she will take care of the insignificant (her subject). Hopefully, she is not depressed. Thank you for updating.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Six : Exploring The Wall Map
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Six : Exploring The Wall Map
This chapter opens on the 14th of September, in the year 939 AD, with the Empress showing a interest in international affairs.
The Truce with the Duke of Kalinga, the so called “Conqueror”, had only nine days left.
“Tell me,” she said to her Courtiers, “If I remember right Chief Theophilos of Artux fooled around with the Concubines of his Liege, the Khagan. What happened?"
“They are rivals and the Khagan truly hates your Cousin,” the Courtiers reported. “In fact three of the four offspring from the Khagan’s Concubines are known bastards. And the none-bastard is a Giant!”
“Weird enough,” one of the Courtiers added, “The Chief is also the Designated Regent of the Mongol Empire.”
“Really?” remarked the Empress. “I am surprised the Chief is still alive.”
“So, what is happening here?” asked the Empress as she pointed at a blob in Europe.
The Courtiers examined where she pointed at on the Wall Map.
“You want to know about Poland?” they asked.
“Sure,” she replied.
“Well, King Sulislaw is still in charge of Poland,” they said. “None of his women have stabbed him yet. He is involved in two wars.”
“He is helping defending against the Mongols,” one of the Courtiers pointed out. “He wasn’t the only Ruler fighting to protect Khazaria. Many others are involved including the Byzantine Empire, the Ayuda Kingdom, the Satyavarman Kingdom, and other Rulers. And the Mongols are losing.”
“While this was happening a neighbor, Khan Paval of Pannonia, launched a war to subjugation Poland,” added another Courtier. “He likely thought the Polish soldiers were elsewhere and that taking Poland would be easy. He is…well…losing. He only had a few hundred soldiers and Poland has over a thousand.”
“An idiot, eh?” remarked the Empress. “Talking of idiots, how is our relatives in Lanka?”
“The Great King Theophylaktos has a Tributary State on the mainland,” they pointed out. “The Kingdom of Talakad Ganga now provides him coins and troops.”
“So he is expanding his borders,” said the Empress to herself. “Dangerous…but I approve. Let us drink to the other branch of our Dynasty. Bring me wine!”
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How is Chief Theophilos not in the Khagan's dungeon? He must be crafty as a fox and reckless enough to fight dragons. How did two of the concubine's bastards become Khazar Catholics? Thank you
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The bastards' mothers were kidnapped Catholics from Europe. No doubt captured during one of the many invasions. I don't think any of the Khagan's Concubines like him.
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Does anyone really like a Mongol Khagan? In the job description of Khagan, if you have a friend then you are not doing your job correctly.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Seven : Trade And Taxes
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Seven : Trade And Taxes
This chapter also opens on the 14th of September, of the year 939 AD, with the Empress also examining the Wall Map for all her lovely, money making, Trading Posts.
The problem was there was some conflicts that might be blocking the Spice Trade from China. Which also meant that parts of the Middle East, Near East, Africa, and Europe were not getting the trade goods they wanted.
The Empress looked closer and noticed the pins and symbols that showed where war was blocking trade and the Trading Posts.
Not all trade was blocked, of course.
Three of her Trading Posts were still in operation. And, therefore, allowed her to make a killing in export and import taxes.
And a few of the Vassals had Trade Posts, such as the ones in the counties of Lhasa, Paro, and Samatata, that were also not blocked. Which meant the Empress could get her fair share of the cut from their taxes also.
Of course there was a few Vassals whose Trading Posts were not making any coin. But those Vassals also didn’t like the Empress and were unlikely to give her what was her due anyway. So who cared about them.
“As long as I am making dough that’s all that matters,” stated the Empress after examining the Trading Routes.
Which was the first record of anybody using the term dough for money. Another first!
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Who determines 'fair share'? Vassals (improbable), compromise (unlikely) or Empress (probably). Thank you for updating
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The Empress would like to define what her share was but in the end the Vassals decide what she receives.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Eight : Gaining A Ally- Kind Of
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Eight : Gaining A Ally- Kind Of
This chapter opens on the same day, on the 14th of September of the year 939 AD, with the Empress wondering about her mercenary group.
Seems her men were still on the market. Nobody was hiring at the time.
The current Commander was Nripakama and…Hindu?
“I don’t remember him,” murmured the Empress when looking at the Commander’s files. “Should I remember him? Man, he doesn’t even like me! Like my Spymaster.”
The Empress thought for a few seconds and then switched her mind to go in a different direction. “Who is in charge of the Holy Order of the Chosen of Ashoka?”
A Courtier brought her the folder on Grandmaster Arthapathi of Chosen of Ashoka. Who had loyalty to no one but Jes…er..Buddha.
“Hmmmm…do we have a Barony I can give him?” asked the Empress.
The Imperial Courtiers looked confused but brought her the information she had asked for.
It turned out she had direct control over the Barony of Athgarh in the County of Kataka.
In other words a Castle. Not a bad Castle. Not a great one. Kind of a fixer upper.
So the Empress gave the Grandmaster the Title to the Barony of Athgarth.
So now the Grandmaster of the Chosen of Ashoka was now a Baron, or a Dama, of Athgarh.
This did not make him a Vassal of the Empress. But it did mean that he was linked to the holding on the southern border of the Empire. And if that area was ever invaded the Grandmaster, with his many soldiers, would protect their own property. And, therefore, protect the Empire also.
So we end this chapter with the Empress gaining a new ally. Even though the ally didn’t realize it was now an ally.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Nine : Problems And Worries
So Many Trouble Makers
Chapter Nine Hundred-Seventy-Nine : Problems And Worries
So Many Trouble Makers
The chapter is also on the 14th of September, of the year 939 AD, when the Empress looked over the list of the Factions within the Empire.
There were a lot of them. All of them were trouble makers. Well known trouble makers. Many of them were also scheming and plotting against her or the Empire. They could become a big problem as their factions got bigger.
She was also worried about the Buddhist Leaders. And their opinions of her was not as high as she wished they would be.
What could she do to deal with all these issues?
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So many problems, what is a hard-working Empress to do? Why, shopping and partying, of course. Thank you for update.
Is this the CK version of slower than real time?
Is this the CK version of slower than real time?
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IT seems to be getting slower as I find more and more details to talk about.
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Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Eighty : Hunting A Tiger!
Chapter Nine Hundred-Eighty : Hunting A Tiger!
This chapter opens in mid September, of the year 939 AD, with the Empress becoming bored. But a little voice in her head said she should party and do other things to stop being bored.
“Hmmm…that’s it!” proclaimed the Empress. “I’ll go hunt a tiger! Just like the little voice in my head suggested. I will call it Midnight or something like that.”
And so she announced that she would be going on a Tiger Hunt and sent letters of invite to all her Vassals.
But a lot those Vassals turned down the invitation from Empress to join her in the Tiger Hunt.
A lot of them…and of course many of them were well known trouble makers.
In fact even while the Empress selected what wines and dresses to take the Vassals continued their petty little wars and invasions.
But she didn’t let that stop her from preparing for the Tiger Hunt.
And near the end of September the Guides, Hunters, Cooks, and Imperial Guards were ready. The Hunting Party leaves for the region picked to carry out the hunt.
Would the Empress get a tiger rug? Or just get drunk.
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The tigers would probably prefer it if she just got drunk...Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Eighty : Hunting A Tiger!
This chapter opens in mid September, of the year 939 AD, with the Empress becoming bored. But a little voice in her head said she should party and do other things to stop being bored.
“Hmmm…that’s it!” proclaimed the Empress. “I’ll go hunt a tiger! Just like the little voice in my head suggested. I will call it Midnight or something like that.”
And so she announced that she would be going on a Tiger Hunt and sent letters of invite to all her Vassals.
But a lot those Vassals turned down the invitation from Empress to join her in the Tiger Hunt.
A lot of them…and of course many of them were well known trouble makers.
In fact even while the Empress selected what wines and dresses to take the Vassals continued their petty little wars and invasions.
But she didn’t let that stop her from preparing for the Tiger Hunt.
And near the end of September the Guides, Hunters, Cooks, and Imperial Guards were ready. The Hunting Party leaves for the region picked to carry out the hunt.
Would the Empress get a tiger rug? Or just get drunk.
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I wonder how a 'pickled' Empress tastes as a tiger snack. Thank you for the update.
Crusader Kings 2 - The Road of Queens
Chapter Nine Hundred-Eighty-One : A New Friend?
Chapter Nine Hundred-Eighty-One : A New Friend?
This chapter opens in early October, of the year 939 AD, with the Hunting Party settling down on the camp site the Guides had selected.
Once the Hunting Party set up the tents, and started the cooking fires, and posted the Imperial Soldiers to guard the camp, the hunt started.
The Empress was enjoying herself. On top of her Imperial Elephant, eating pastries and drinking chilled juice, and enjoying the shade.
Then some of the Hunters, who had acted like scouts checking out the path, came back to tell the Empress they had spotted a large tiger.
So the Empress had a choice. She could grab a spear and try to kill it herself. Or order the soldiers to counter and kill it for her.
She decided to kill it herself!
She grabbed a spear and went forth. The Empress and the tiger eyed each other. Suddenly the tiger, maybe triggered by a sound or something she did, leapt forward.
But the Empress moved to one side and stabbed the big cat with her spear. And killed it.
Of course she now had a lot of blood on her face. Which she refused to wipe off.
“I have been baptized by the cat’s blood!” she announced when ever somebody suggested she take a bath.
As the Hunters and Guides and Cooks and Servants started to pack up and get ready to go back home the Empress received a request from the Buddhist Society to attend a pray meeting.
So the next morning she went, blood and all, to the morning pray meeting that was being held before the journey to return to the Capital began.
While attending the meeting she noticed that the widow Gujri was sleeping.
So she woke her up. She had to elbow the young woman to wake her up. At first Gujri looked upset but then realized what had happened.
She thanked the Empress and the Empress tried to do her best to behave. Even called the lowborn friend.
When the Hunting Party returned to the Capital in late October there were cheering crowds to greet them. The people had heard that not only had a tiger been killed BUT it had been killed by the Empress herself!
She, herself, decided where to put the new rug among her private rooms.
The only annoyance was how many times her husband told her to wash her face.
“I like it bloody!” was her response.
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