Part XXIII (951-958)
Year 951
======================
This time during my preparations for this part I did little more research on Monastic Ward events. As previously mentioned they can happen up to 3 times between 6 and 12 years of age (before you pick education focus). Those events probably didn't happen more frequently, as I never did pay attention to base stat when marrying (not altered by traits). Turns out: even when I stack various modifiers, my rulers are subpar and thus their descendants inherit those genes. Might try to remedy that, because Monastic events check for stats of 8 and more before flagging character for diplomacy/martial/stewardship/intrigue to go along learning bonuses. Thus no wonder my wards usually didn't get many of them as they most likely reached those values late. With Genius heir in succession line it might change, which could allow me to benefit even more from extra stats. Getting between 1 to 9 of both stewardship and learning extra would be tremendous. Must read more on how exactly stat distribution is inherited (is it just % spread or average of both parents?), because it might turn out there is some serious snowballing to do with Monastics over generations. For now I did looked through list of 80 members of Orthodox monastic society and picked 2 tutors for Emperor children with rather high learning. It increases chance for better outcomes from what I understood (best option being +3 flag stat and +3 Learning each time).
Irter is already too old and 2 youngest are not eligible to be shipped into other courts yet.
I also did something that probably should be done long time ago - invited jewish steward. Found one great candidate (27 stewardship!) and invited him with favour. This should help our technology generation in that crucial branch of discoveries. In last part also did away with few weaker administrators and currently have 12/11 demense limit. As always we generate more new vassals through "Invite Noble to Court" decision in intrigue tab. Takes me 9 tries to generate 3 good enough administrators (15+ stewardship an +piety traits if possible). The fourth tribe in Veliky Ustug is already fully converted so instead I appoint there Lodge Commander. Moment after generating such character through lodge powers (-300 renown for 28 years old character with 23 martial and +43% Morale Defence, +86% Defence, +3 Winter Supply, +53.7% Winter Combat and +43% Combat in Arctic modifiers) I freeze thinking I commited terrible mistake. For some reason he is Suomenusko... After cursing myself I think about a way out and then realise that as they always are "loyal servants" and he doesn't have Zealous I can just ask him to convert. Uff! Why the whole effort? Because with such high martial stat he will increase local levies by a ton (to be exact by +65% in this case). So no only do we get good commander but this is also hillarious way to stack small/medium realm to punch way above it's weight (as each such commander is worth between 1-2 empty holding slots).
Having spotted in last days of december Khazarian fragmentation I can't prevent myself from taking advantage of it. We can snug whole duchy we lack in Volga-Bulgaria (Mordva) from splintered independent horde, without having to worry about them converting to Sunni Islam. Yes Khazars can still help them but they are much less dangerous than Abbasids joining.
Was thinking of conducting war for last duchy in Volga Bulgaria later in Kya reign, but how can I not pounce on them now 
?
To my total shock, our commander refuses to convert xD. But he still joins Orthodox holy war. Where is logic in that - don't ask me. Can't spare Ecclesiarch to convert him as he is busy with getting rid of Suomenusko provinces in Nenetsia and Khantia. Will have to live with that. As hordes of Komi Warriors march towards Cheremisian Khaganate, Kya learns that his 2 year old son Nydog (and older brother to Genius Varaka) got Flu. Court Physician already treated his symptoms nicely so we let him continue in curing that affliction.
Winter turns into Spring and there are no Khazars in war. That's nice. With that we only have to beat around 5.000 nomad/tribal troops. This is more than doable. Few days later our Spymaster steals 50 economic (!) tech points. Some of our retinues are already besieging enemy tribes. Then our spymaster informs us again and this time we get choice between +10% Plot Power or +10% arrest chance. Will take arrest I guess? I take it (even though I shouldn't). Still won't be mad at myself for that because that happens:
Ehhh. Pretty sure Cathar can't call crusade on Cathar ruler. Also instantly started crusade without preparation phase "
This is just straight up not fair. I have Holy Fury, Catholics don't have 50% Moral Authority and war straight up started the same day with Catholic winning 40%. I literally wouldn't had a chance to generate most war participation even if I decided otherwise year ago. WTF game? I have no fricking idea how to explain what just happened. You see the dates, maybe somehow Crusade instantly got merged because one of participants was already at war with target? Did Cathar becoming main religion messed something for AI? I will not spend 500 piety to check if there is even still some "preparation stage". Not gonna risk it.
We progress toward summer making solid progress on siege of Burtasy tribe, when our main levies (over 10.000 troops) arrive in Mordva. Enemy is not willing to engage us, so will have to catch him later. Our Spymaster sure is doing his best (maybe he noticed his replacement waiting for his turn?) and he grants us another event - this time jewish +technology points (military in his case). Well if he keeps that pace, it will be glorious x].
On 5th of August our Pecheneg concubine Irge informs us, that she is with child. Nice. I may use 1 son younger than Varaka to pass kingdom of Nenetsia. Kind off ironic that it will go to 7th son of Emperor, if all things turn out well. Two weeks later Burtasy tribe is captured with Mordva soon to follow. Then week later we lose Brave trait due to trait limit. Well - could be worse, but I'm not the happiest.
In September we complete taking control over all holdings in Mordva tribe. That granted us 20% warscore. Don't want to press onward given how soon the winter will arrive, so instead I move my troops back, trying to lure Cheremisians into stepping in captured provinces. That would grant us workable supplies. Finally another Theology focus event fires. We have to choose between Cynical, Zealous or +100 piety with 30% on Depression. Can't become Zealous (warrior lodge), it would be bad to become Cynical (it makes seclusions 4 times less likely and those will fix Gluttonous) so Kya will take that extra piety. Also can't become double depressed
.
In such sadness we deal with another schemer by hanging him. Don't have to bother with arresting theatric, as his land is converted and his female heir is far better than him. With that we are down to 1 schemer. That guy we just executed also didn't make himself any favours as other schemer denounced him for slandering us x]. Which means he was targeting us.
As we winter in bordering Cheremisia lands, our brave Yugran dynasty member pushes onto Cheremisia capital. They make it with close to 7.000 troops. Impressive!
Year 952
======================
New year starts with enemies rising up. Khazaria joined the fight. Well now our Yugran allies might be in deep s*^$
". I stay put. Have no intention of eating any attrition or chasing nomads across their steppes. So I have close to 28.000 troops in southern Kerzhenets and Bolgharia, ready to defend captured territories.
In February after excommunicating last schemer in Nenetsia (I was also checking and newly appointed chiefs are behaving well), Cheremisians decide to relieve their capital currently under siege by 7.000 Yugran warriors. They will eat river penalty and to be honest I'm not sure that they will win it alone. Soon my vassals reconsider and try to run, but are caught by other Khazarian 6.000 strong horde coming from north.
On March 5th our emperor welcomes his 2nd daughter - Pemka Permyakid. No traits beside being child of concubine. Our allies after initially fighting evenly eventually lose battle and in result - half their numbers. Warscore is still ticking (39%) for us and I'm waiting for both winter to pass and enemies to arrive. There is no avoiding our troops in the long term. Finally they seem to gather up to 12.000 troops and move into Mordva.
By end of April I behead last schemer and soon our jewish stewards informs us about this:
Haven't had one of these. Could be anything and will be worth trying to get it. Also lucky that penalty is not that harsh.
I let him search for it, as he still performs his regular job and is the best councillor we have. There were different modifiers associated with every type (Personal Score for Marshal IRC) but now I can't be bothered to check it. It is not even likely we will find something but would be nice to get some quality 4/5 christian artifact. Soon he asks for our diplomats and I'm happy to oblige. I'll manage with -15 general opinion way better that other possible penalties.
Seems like I will get battle with just Cheremisian Khaganate warriors at beggining of summer. They will have hill advantage (but it also prevents them from Swarm tactic) but we will have close to 25.000 warriors versus their not even 6.000. All under good leadership and arranged into right and center infantry flanks and all cavalry on left.
Patience is a virtue. Happy with recent result against Nomads. Still narrow-flanks are scary.
Glad I distributed my forces across 3 flanks because they do get narrow flank. Our tactics this time are not the greates but center and left flanks should be a-ok. During battle emperor learns, that his wife is pregnant (that quite some fertility despite both stressed and depressed penalties cancelling out basically "Groom an Heir" ambition). Also our investor died, putting our treasury over 13.300 gold coins. Back to the battle though, their center flees first, then our left flank joins on beating their center flank then going back to pursing while, our right flanks is somewhat losing. After inflicting enough punishment all 3 of our flanks gang up on enemies re-enacting Thermopylae to best of their ability. That isn't enough though and soon they need to flee, suffering over 100 casualties per day. Total battle result is -600 warriors for us but -2.140 Cheremisian (roughly 40% of their force).
Our Marshall finally fired massive recruitment drive in Kudymkar, Manarids as always illegaly passed border in Vologda and I have to disperse our forces from Burtasy after battle for supplying reasons. With 66% warscore I can watch Cheremisian flee, as bigger Khazarian army bypasses us and pushes into Bolgharia. Please don't say they are trying to push into Perm itself again >.> They retreat after arriving in our lands but only to join up with beaten Cheremisian to present against us over 10.000 strong nomad army. I was moving along and soon will have our forces in place. Not scared to engage them
.
By Autumn it seems only Cheremisian arrive into Bilyar tribe in Bolgharia (3.500 of them), while Khazars move away. I decide to crush them as with current 74% warscore, that might be enough to finish whole conflict before Khazars manage to retrieve some tribes in Mordva (also repositioning would be painful). So we manage to engage their forces with 15.000 infantry of our own.
Stopped paying attention for trying to max feint tactic chances of fires with vassal troops. Probably would help tremendously.
Unluckily our beefed up center confronts their narrow flank. Our right flank cleans but then can't damage their center enough resulting in slow and agonizing battle, while our left is slightly losing. I decide to throw reinforcements (prepared ahead of time) from Perm to reinforce our left. Battle sadly reaches melee phase and we get countered with Charge to our two Advances. By the end we win, but both sides lose almost exactly 1.320 troops. With that warscore improves only towards 89%. Both concubines became pregnant as well. Ok - it is starting to get little out of hand now x].
As we reposition our army again into Mordva (where Khazars were for some time besieging but they left), Warrior Lodge hunt for bear event starts. I choose the best companion there is. Then we burn plenty of cattle stock (-50gold) for better chances.
Year 953
======================
War is almost concluded (92%) but it seems we might need to fight once more. We use our charitable trait during hunt to make one of locals talk where he saw big bear. Soon Pinega in Nenetsia converts and Khazars lock moving onto Burtasy (we follow). Battle is imminent. Empress Obid Nuoujin gives birth to her 2nd daughter Shochynava Permyakid (no traits). That's 9th children of our Kya x].
Then our Veteran faces great Bear. The chances are not great (17% to slay, 56% to fail at slaying and 27% to die) or become coward. I decide to roll on that beast (not sure why we didn't get better outcome with 16 martial - maybe due to terrible personal combat).
How with 1 click make everything go to hell. Well I'll probably never learn "
As you can see once again I managed to kill my ruler, and complicate my life
". In my defence - there was a hefty penalty for not taking part in this hunt (-500 renown and some prestige). Luck is not in my favour. What's worse - all of Mordva got unsieged and we are down to 4/8 provinces (we lost 2 provinces in Perm itself). On the bright side we play as ambitious Irter who is 15 years old - meaning regency won't be long. But it will take some time before I manage to straighten things up. Will have to excommunicate brothers and suicide Irter to transfer power to Varaka. We have around 13 years for that at least :3.
Losing ownership of Mordvan tribes means our warscore got reseted >.> That's irritating. Why does it change when they were still captured by our realm? In February county of Chud in Vologda converts to Orthodoxy. Seems like now is the time for all obnoxious things to happen at once - arriving at Mordva I can't assault because we weren't there first. Some vassal with +movement speed commander was and took ownership of siege. Meanwhile our other force engages Cheremisians again. I decide to join battle with main force. Also due to gavelkind we lost our fantastic Warrior Lodge commander to one of brothers, so one of forces has to eat winter attritrion.
In April we win battle against Cheremisian (who managed to secure 2 narrow flanks meaning it was gruelling and bloody but not decisive, which only will prolongs war even further). To be honest it is really dissapointing as I had everything planned out and now we should be beating Pechenegs again because in few years we could go towards east, but hey. Here we are thanks to my briliant choice of trying to get bear and failing 80% chance to not die. Also another child of emperor is born but luckily now he missed on all various tribes to take over via inheritance.
By May I finally manage to push with assaults and conclude the whole war. For now I won't give away those tribes as I need more manpower (we are down to less than 5.000 troops - luckily we retained close to 10.000 retinues).
Now that we are in peace, I can diplomatically annex 5 vassals that broke away. They accept without any issues. We are currently at 44/33 vassals, which put a serious dent on our military prowess (can't call to war vassals of vassals as tribal). Mostly due to Kingdom of Nenetsia going away. I also did rebuild council mostly as it was. For now I focus on building prestige and piety.
In Summer as vassals rejoin our empire, I spot that Khazars had not 1 but 2 revolts at the same time. Sadly it doesn't benefit us in any way, as we already have everything we wanted from them. Then by end of June Avya Permyakid (another daughter of emperor Kya) comes into world. I rethink my assesion of Khazarian state. One of the revolts have single county that is part of de jure Cumania. Fighting powerful khaganate for just a county seems wasteful. Why not try now with smaller revolt? I have up to 13.000 troops of my own. Maybe we succeed?
Finally our current ruler Irter comes out of age. He ain't too shabby - 18 Martial and Stewardship and after picking Scholarship - 16 Learning. Then he is Midas Touched, Diligent, Erutide and Ambitious (picked that one personally while playing as Kya). He also became Zealous (piety won't hurt and I don't plan on joining warrior lodge soonish after what just happened). It is far more than I expected so those years might not be so unbearable. I can also instantly start writing stewardship book (why not? We can also wait a little to suicide after not getting "on Komi Architecture" - sounds like valid reason to unalive in our realm x]). On the more serious note it just works out timewise, because after scholarship I will pick Rulership. We can also cheat on "See the Realm prosper" to get those extra prosperity points everywhere. Need to stay flexible and thing ahead.
We proceed with holy war and quickly take over single tribe within revolter land and then his capital, which puts as at 99% warscore. Which is enough to enforce demands. Behold that swift succesful conquest, which gave us single tribe sandwitched between Pecheneg and Khazar land
. I realise that we have one problem. Regarding 2nd oldest brother and King of Nenetsia. He is under his own Patriarch so I can't excommunicate him. I don't have claim on it either. I'm worried that once he comes out of age, we will stop being heirs to most of our brothers. Seems like will have to plot to claim his life :/. There are plenty of subjects willing to join.
My clergy goes ham and in quick succession kills both of my jewish spymasters via assasinations. Not cool. I need to favour invite another with just 13 intrigue :/. Soon we reach over 200% plot power (should be enough to fire within few years and our brother is 13 years old at the moment). Just as year ends I watch as some Sunni uprising rises in eastern Irtysh (belonging to breakaway Orthodox Karluk horde). Maybe they will go independent and we will have chance to retake that single county swiftly as well?
Year 954
======================
Time to start new year with something that I forgot in previous - clicking "compose the book". We get offered stewardship option so there is no issue. Also joined Monastics for that extra +Learning that comes with ranks. We also do not lose time and declare holy war on Pechenegs for rest of Yaik Duchy (so our single tribe is no longer alone). This should also cut them in half. After that I have worked out the order of continuos seperation of their lands, which may save us some time on truces.
Time to perform Southern Pecheneg longterm strategy now. Beside Yaik we fight currently for, there are 2 other full duchies and 2 counties extra
Luckily Abbasids are mared by long period of civil wars (Caliph Shujah still tries with 65% decadence and rising!) so they shouldn't join Pechenegs. Enemies foolishly hired over 5000 mercenaries, that showed with no morale in their capital. Stone throw away from our retinues that were moving there. Thanks to that we get an easy win and inflict some damage on them x].
For once it is us that rush Nomands. Way to waste all gold spent on hiring those mercenaries
Then our steward informs us, that he managed to generate event troops. That's 3.500 more troops (if needed) for free! Battle of Irtek ends with us losing 130 men but killing 1.667 (they were infantry based and lost roughly 25% of their manpower). We quickly take over capital, which gives us 26% warscore total. Then we move onto another vassal capital nearby and watch as fleeing mercenaries get maltreated by winter even further, cutting them down to slightly over 3000 men. I move my force onto vassal horde capital in Yalik. More news from court follow - one of co-conspirators informs us that attempt at assasinating Vokan Permyakid of Nenetsia will be made.
No one will know! I'm not too keen of murdering my own, but have to become ruthless if we are to prosper.
With that we retake Kingdom of Nenetsia. Now we only need to make other 3 older brothers than Varaka brothers reconsider their career and enter the clergy
. Once again we are at 67/34 vassals. Damn. It's good problem to have. Means our military might is back and regular Pechenegs just arrived on the horizon.
We also have enough time to check some fellow society member garden and upon encouraging us we manage to replicate his tricks. Giving us Green Fingers modifier (+1 Learning) for 10 years. With that we reach both 18 stewardship and Learning. Life is good
. As we await our 14.500 strong levies to arrive east of Ural mountains, I check up on crusade. Catholics managed to finish some minor wars seperately and thus they started losing the crusade overall, as those participants that peaced out no longer contribute their occupation to warscore. It went from 40% in their favour to 40% in favour of defenders. I also realize that I should fund Irter brothers with holdings in Perm or they will start giving those provinces every negative province modifier known to mankind. Then I also remember that it might speed things up, if I start plotting to get rest of my de jure duchy back via intrigue menu. I'm right as it is possible. Just need some bribes to reach 80% plot power needed to enable enforcing demands.
By August I manage to lock onto main Pecheneg horde (mercenaries still haven't came back). I put all of our hunting parties (6900 troops!) into left flank, moving all infantry to center and right flank. We will wait some time before cavalry joins.
shieldwall feint vs Harass Harass Generic skirmish
Fight is somewhat rough at first. Permians do manage to route enemy flanks we had covered but enter melee with remaining left flank. Turns out I timed it badly and cavalry doesn't arrive. End result is us losing 1900 troops for 1700 nomads. It's still a victory. Just not a pretty one. Not bad, not great. With Cavalry most likely we would kill way more. Still we have 54% warscore now.
As we enter November I already pulled back our troops. Some of our vassals try to fort up last province. And Khantian Tengri rise up in Tui tribe. Given that we just beaten Pechengs down I can spare troops to entertain rebels
.
Year 955
======================
Finally got around to spending some time on investor search. Took me a while but found decent characters (have to favour invite them though). Also I used ledger to asses my court and it seems we are (and were) having way more investors throughout the game. How? There are plenty of characters that join your court uninvited and I wasn't paying attention to them.
Some of those have rather iconic look and nicknames. Still that's another 1.600 gold waiting to go into our coffers.
I also do assign Irter as guardian to 2 younger brothers (10 y.o Dergun and 6 y.o Nydog). It might help to some degree but as independent rulers, we can't pick their education. So it is doubly important to unland Varaka within 8 years, so AI doesn't ruin him. Timing works ideally, as in 2 years Dergun will become too old to benefit any longer from monastic events, just as Varaka will become eligible. It is so nice that those powers are unlocked from get go in that society
. Luckily our plot to retake his only holding within de jure duchy of Perm is already at 74% and more backers should join (and even if we run out of them, we will get few more loyalist vassal after current war - more than willing to support our plot).
By mid January we catch pesky Tengri khantian rebels. Ain't much of a fight when we have almost 13.000 troops versus their 2.000. Soon their rebelion becomes just a memory. We also accumulate more than enough plot power to demand Kudymkar from Varaka. The county of Qarazhyrya (Kazakh duchy) also converts to Christianity. On that topic - previously I did receive some information about heresy spreading but it centered the map on Byzantine land. Upon additional looking through I did spot that Iconoclasm started in Nenetsia. Luckily neither local chief, nor his council priest did convert to it. We press claim against Varaka and he raises in rebelion. Was step ahead and already had 3.000 troops in his county. I hope it doesn't ruin prosperity.
I almost never have Zealous before going through observatory event chain. Huh!
Did not remember that we can lose Zealous in Scholarship event chain (we did lose it this time unfortunetely). That puts me at 2-3/5 (not sure if Stubborn is counting for those) traits. On the nomad front - we already occupied all that we want (71% warscore) no enemies are sighted and currently the biggest threat is posed from winter itself. Somehow nomads steppes have higher supply than our tribes in lands that belonged to Chimgi-Turans. Winter turned severe in March, which only delayed campaigning more. I often fall for sudden turns in weather around March-April and lose a bunch of troops due to attrition.
By May we finally see 3.200 Pecheneg host arriving slowly. Before they chug along - we finish revocation war for Kudymkar. Luckily Varaka remains in our court (somewhat cranky) under our full control. Only downside - he lost cupbearer title (can't reassign it to him - probably due to some hidden cooldown). I start the same operation for last Permian tribe in Udmurts again brother Nydog.
In Summer Khazarian Khagan joins war (so he converted to Sunni again). We are looking at 87% warscore currently. What's better, my Ecclesiarch just generated event troops, meaning I have 12.000 troops in Perm itself. I can also demand Udmurts tribe from Nydog and I do. I manage to catch passing Pecheneg host in my own lands down south.
Pechenegs start learning how to fight us better. Multiple narrow-flanks are ultra scary. So scary that is it time to skiddadle from here
Boy does this look bad. 3 Fantastic enemy commanders, 2 narrow flanks, subpar tactics on our side. I decide to run quickly thus I end with just 1.300 losses for 48 enemies killed. Will need both forces to crush them and maybe not so many Narrow Flanks. Time to regroup.
By Autumn we are done with Udmurts tribe revocation, fortified other county in duchy we fight for, and our jewish steward generated his first 50 extra economic technology points
. Soon we manage to catch Pechenegs on the offensive in one of surrounding armies. Good news - no narrow flanks. Bad news - we start in Melee
Timing battles is tricky against Nomads with their movement speed modifiers. Did not expect to skip whole skirmishi phase :/
The fighting is bloody but morale goes our way. We lose 7.042 troops foor just 1.120 enemis, but it gives us 100% warscore meaning we won't need to deal with Khazars. Also before end of that war - Iconoclast uprising fired in Nenetsia. With that AI got it's land severed and if they don't relocate their capital - will lose huge chunk of their realm.
First partition of Pecheneg Khaganate is succesful. I wonder how AI will behave.
Set Crown Focus on Udmurts and sent Marshal to train troops in Kudymkar (still lvl 2 prosperity). Then realised that I can imprison Nydog Permyakid to have him ready to embrace life as clergymen without spending piety! Will have to reset Marshal for that, because without him chance is just 61%. Rest of year is spent on marching to our western edge of empire to deal with Iconoclast heretics.
Year 956
======================
Another year is started with revoking one of our Pagan kin in Hlynov to grant that province to child of local Orthodox Permyakid. I marry off Irter mother to Bavarian Prince (sibling of current Crusader king of Italy). When it comes to Crusade it went from bad to worse and Catholic are losing it by 71%.
Before our zealouts made it to Iconoclasts, their heresy spreads to Dvina tribe :/. Currently MA is somewhat low (81%) because Ecumenical Patriarch died not so long ago and new person in office has low piety, thus our conversion chance isn't great either (6%).
Somewhat tricky battle but some help is on the way. That river penalty on enemies also helps us tremendously.
We get caught by slightly more numerous enemy but they are river crossing. Fight is slow but we one by one beat enemy flanks with our concentrated center. After winning we immedietely force peace. Won't be peaceful for long - Kuloy from which heresy spread has still 34% revolt risk and Dvina has 20%. Also performed arrest on Nydog after setting everything up with Marshal. It was success and soon he was "grounded" in house arrest. One brother is preped already, 2 more to go.
Construction mapmode. You can observe how blank the newly conquered nomad lands are. I'm somewhat concerned
After sending our infantry retinues west (in preparation to make for bulk of anti-rebel force) I click onto technology tab. It's high time to spend some of those research boons. First I push Construction level up. With that it grants over -15% modifier for both building speed and cost that will start spreading across land. This is tremendous. that I hit the bare minimum already. Then 2 levels of Legalism are purchased, enabling our Empire to push towards even higher taxation of city/temple vassals. Lastly additional level of Military Organisation is acquired (to combat supply situation in our northern provinces). With that our retinue limit rises to 19.500. Currently at 14.100 used but our retinues due to frost melted down by 1/3 of their size (uggh prestige >.>). Will take some time before being able to think about expanding our standing army.
Upon checking Varaka education progress in autumn I notice that he hit 8 stewardship first (already at age of 6). Which makes him eligible for Monastic events. Let's see how many of those will fire for him. I also make our Patriarch, a Court Physician and Tutor. Just to make sure our Character doesn't waste his monastic upgrades on non essential kids (without court tutor your ruler is educating all court children), if it somehow is connected to our character and not kids.
Then I perform excommunication duties, focusing now on weak stewardship chiefs with still wrong culture counties but don't press arrest yet. Also Irter throws out a feast (hoping for Just trait). Sadly the whole event chain doesn't contain nothing out of ordinary (so just prestige). But because I ended it few days before end of year I can host it again!
Year 957
======================
Aksu Khaganate retook Tarbagatai duchy from Orthodox Karlukids, reconnecting their lands again, but splitting remaining Irtysh province from rest of Karluk lands. Well I had to fight Aksu for Tarbagatai anyway (they still had 1 province there due to weird split after our claimant war).
As we continue to feast, our Marshal after being sent back to Kudymkar for prosperity, manages to achieve critical success we were hoping for. Currently it is even better cause after taking this tribe from Varaka, it's levies were zero'ed so the regular effect of 'training troops mission' is badly needed there.
Still weird to be building those wonders as tribal ruler. Still have to and time is ticking
It is also high time to start construction of another great work. Want to make as many of those bad boys, as possible before feudalising. Especially in provinces with fewer than 3 holding slots, as upon changing goverment type it will give us cities for free (thus saving not only time but also cash). This time it is Great Cathedral in Hilly Tynea. Why? Because it is quite costly, so better to start building it before we accumulate more of penalty for number of wonders currently possesed (+40% for each different wonder) and also doesn't require much technology (some other options we want still need technology spread). This should be enough to occupy our architects for another 40 years.
Towards end of winter, 2nd feast ends without any events as well. No longer binded by that I press imprisonment scheme on recently excommunicated vassal and he instantly rebels. Good. Saves me the time
. As he is close to Iconoclast lands, I already have troops nearby.
"I told youuu soooo" Eehhh! Not happy about being most likely forced to help western christians so we can tap into crusade funds later
We watch a crusade called too soon failed (because main catholic realms were busy with revolts or some smaller wars against target) and just shrug. Pretty sure there wasn't any financial gain to be had. Next Crusade in year 987 at earliest. Before that I may help them and restore Papacy. But for now their Moral authority is in the drainage (12%). I hope they reflect and after some soul searching, will realise their mistakes in calling crusade earlier.
Halfway through May I remember to excommunicate Irter's dear brother Viryay, high chief of Vologda, who navigates from Kazakh. Then as we begin our dance, I stand corrected. It was not Vologda but Veliky Ustug high chiefdom. So slightly more folks rebelled together with his liege, but we still have retinues next to his capital.
First time we see monastic ward education event in action. Learning and Martial are pretty good attributes to have
Finally Monastic Event fires for our brother in house arrest. He rolls +2 for both Martial and Learning. Now such event for Varaka please
. Then this happens, as I overlooked something important =.=
Didn't notice it while playing but after editing graphics I got killed by plot with less than 100% plot power. Pretty sure it never works for player ;/ Feel kind of cheated.
So we play 3rd character during this part
". We retain whole of Perm, but once again lose Nenetsia kingdom (Nydog took over, and Varaka again is independent. We also lost what we got in 2 wars in Cumania (on top of 300 prestige invested there on warcamps). Those also reverted to their previous owners so we have to redo Pecheneg war once again. And also we did lose that book we were writing. Our current leader (Viryar) is bad (8 stewarsdship and 5 learning) but he has 20 intrigue (Mostly due to beign level 4 in intrigue education - Elusive Shadow) and I'm done with playing around. He is still excommunicated (he is the brother we just were about to revoke a moment ago ironically), so I have literally nothing to lose when embarking on murder spree. Nydog is still in prison, so killing him should be relatively easy. But how the heck will I take control Varaka again in just 5 years...? I think some intensive tyranny is incoming. That death also cleaned up quite a few characters in court - including our jewish steward, one investor who somehow automatically teleported to his previous court (robbing us of profits even though he was Senechal) and our Messalian concubine. Feels bad, given how much real time was spent on finding those characters. Well we continue by starting with plot to kill Nydog Permyakid, then go about rebuilding our council.
After few weeks, we finish replacing previous vassal in Nenetsia, diplo annex single county vassal that seceded and progress to make an attempt at brother in dungeon. I also realise that because I have council deciding on imprisonment, once I stacked it with sycophants who agree with me, Emperor Viryay won't get marred with tyranny penalty. With help of our current Marshal I have just 90% chance for arresting Varaka.
I go with it and succeed, putting our golden character safely in house arrest. We also have some legal reason to revoke single county from him. Perhaps as he rised against us together with Irter? Or something other (he didn't had land anymore I think). Problem is he has 2 tribes and is 7 years old. We don't have time to procure other claim. I just have to eat that single tyranny malus.
By August, Nydog Permyakid dies with no connections pointing at emperor Viryay. Three out of seven sons of late emperor Kya are dead. Kingdom of Nenetsia comes back into our hands. Time to target brother Dergun of Vologda.
Months pass and my Ecclesiarch seems to ingore my pleas for repentance (so I can't join Monastics as excommunicated ruler). Had to procure that Nun, Emperor Kya gave his sons previously for Varaka education.
Year 958
======================
New year starts with our protegee developing sickness symptoms. Oh please don't kill me yet. We already switched played characters twice during this single AAR part >.>. Soon after moving our spymaster to help with assasination in Vologda, our doctor gives his opinion
Wow. Just wow for that generation of Permyakids x]. Not the greatest life expactancy.
Luckily he is wrong, and something deadly turns into just a mild Flu. Way to terrorise me. Then he treats it succesfully. We wait some more, watching as Khazaria fragments nicely and one of the biggest winners out of that are Azovi nomads. Then some really small peasant uprising occurs in Pinega (just 800 troops).
In Summer our retinues deal with peasants and I observe the stop of Iconoclast uprisings (back to 8% and less revolt risk). Sadly our Moral Authority eroded down to 79.4% (another new Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinopole).
Time passes and our assasination plot with around 250% plot power doesn't fire. As our Viryay is on seduction focus he gets quick/attractive companion from event that becomes pregnant and births bastard. We have to denounce that sickly boy. More problematic is the fact, that his homosexual wife became pregnant. I kept her because a) she has nice intrigue, which is now needed b)as we are excommunicated we can't get divorce. Let's hope it is a girl. Also another independece revolt fires in Dvina! And on that unhappy note I will bid you adieu!
Nenetsian Iconoclasts didn't go with times and are trying to renact old hereies. Byzantines already denounced those teachings!
P.S: I kept playing as the game really absorbed me. Have the whole part for next week already recorded, so expect in after holidays as I edit it. Let me say I had to really force myself to not play even more, as things get interesting and it made me deadly curious how this game state will turn out due to A.I realms decisions.
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