The Restoration of the Roman Empire in Just Over 50 Rulers - Modded Byzantium to Rome AAR (Gameplay Cancelled due to Save Breaking)

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@HistoryDude yes, the Catholics were invited to the Council as the Schism hasn't officially happened yet. Carpathia is Pagan, but I decided to head-canon that they were copying the strategy of many Pagan nations in Europe in OTL (playing Rome and Constantinople against each other) and sent someone to make introductions.

On the death of Konstantinos, in the narrative yes the vassals are pleased at his death, but in game because of the mods everyone actually hated Eirene for "Not honouring the dead". As for Lucifer's Own, I'm still playing as Eirene, so I could bring it into the narrative even if nothing happens in the game.

The Strategoi were freed after surrendering to Antioch and Armenia, although Charsianon's dynasty was wiped out in the final days of Konstantinos' reign, and Trebizond's brother was sacrificed to Satan.

 

[Midnite Duke]

What was the age difference between Konstantinos and Melissa? He who lives by the dagger dies by the dagger. Thank you for the update.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Midnite Duke a couple of days (Konstantinos was born first, but they were both 17 when they went to the coast). With Eustathia there was about a year between them (I added her using the cheat mod on the first day, but I didn't think it made sense to include it with either chapter 0 or 1).

 

[Lord Durham]

Konstantinos VI 'the Cuddler' was a real piece of work. Not surprised Eirene exacted a brutal revenge, given her treatment. Will she be any better?

A 20 year lockdown due to different pandemics is quite bizarre. People must have been pretty stir crazy during that time. The overall population must have taken quite a hit.

And NPZ? Cute. Real cute .

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Lord Durham Eirene wasn't as brutal as Konstantinos (I've played a bit ahead now), but her main flaw was hypocrisy. The lockdown was utter chaos, and another one had to start in Eirene's reign (Must be the increased diseases settings). It's a good thing that CK doesn't have pops, because that long of a pandemic would have probably been worse than the Black Death is going to be in Project Caesar. The NPZ thing was me thinking, "How come only one of Konstantinos' seduction targets became pregnant immediately without me using the cheat mod (for Melissa, Zdenka got pregnant through the seduction event)". Obviously pregnancy wouldn't have been guaranteed but I decided to head-canon that Konstantinos had other interests.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

797:
Following Eirene's coup, the body of Konstantinos VI was thrown into the sea. Eirene had her aunt and rival Melissa arrested for incest and treason. When Eirene visited her in her cell, she said "You're just jealous that he chose me over you".

798:
Eirene conducted a census, which noted that the Ecumenical Patriarch liked to eat human flesh. She thought to herself "Surely someone who commits a crime that serious shouldn't be in a position of power."

799:
Remember the Great Pandemic? Well now say hello to Great Pandemic 2: Pandemic Boogaloo. Another Consumption outbreak. Eirene isolated herself and the court again.

800:
With the new Pandemic in full swing, Eirene decided to name a successor, just in case the worst happened. She decided against her brothers Leon (too martial focused), Michael (too intrigue focused) and Ioustinianos (too busy being a Strategos). She announced that her wise uncle Nikephoros would succeed her if she died prematurely.

801 + January 1st 802:
Eirene was informed that the peasants were blaming cats for the new Pandemic. She ordered her physician to experiment on the creatures to see if they were causing the Pandemic. The results proved they weren't and Eirene told the peasants that they needed to leave the cats alone. They started to, but would find a new scapegoat in the coming years. Eirene got a strange letter demanding she find and deliver a dwarf to some random Persian woman. Eirene refused, but wondered who the Persian woman was. She wouldn't get the chance to find out, because on January 1st 802, she woke up to her male co-conspirator in the death of Konstantinos VI holding the same dagger to her throat. "Go ahead, do it" she said to him. Even if she had survived the initial attack, she likely would have been poisoned by the rusty blade. Nikephoros became the new Basileus, but could he be the one to bring the Empire back under control?...

 

[Midnite Duke]

A Basileus needs to eliminate the assassin, before he starts killing 'nice' people. What happened to Melissa? Is lockdown #2 still in effect? Thank you for the update.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Midnite Duke I'm currently in 814, and Melissa is still in jail. Lockdown #2 ends in 808.

 

[Nikolai]

With all the disease and conspiracies, it’s a miracle the realm is still intact.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Nikolai I'd say the 250,000 soldiers from Part 1 Chapter 1 are still helping, hence why people turn to intrigue. The diseases is just having the game rules set to the maximum settings, so everyone is having the same problems as me.

 

[jak7139]

Konstantinos was bored so he decided to join a secret society known as Lucifer's Own.

That's...certainly a reason.

"Why? Why did you conquer the world, turn it to ash, and make all live in fear or face certain death? Oh why, my liege?"

"Eh. I was bored."

She thought to herself "Surely someone who commits a crime that serious shouldn't be in a position of power."

Did Eirene actually do anything, or did she just think about doing something?

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@jak7139 Not really, but it was a commentary on her hypocrisy (arresting Melissa for incest (sleeping with Konstantinos VI, who was her nephew) when she also committed incest (with the same guy who was her brother)).

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

802:
The aging Nikephoros was proclaimed Basileus following the assassination of his niece Eirene. As he was permanently fixed to his bed, he was forced to entrust someone with the day-to-day administration of the Empire. He chose his eldest son Staurakios, who was crowned as Symbasileus just days after his father's accession. Staurakios was renowned within the Empire as a legendary fighter, some called him 'The Empire's Best Since Belisarius', leaving war-hungry Strategoi hopeful for the future. Nikephoros ordered for hospitals to be built.

803:
Nikephoros started to become hungry living in seclusion due to the Second Great Pandemic. He noticed that a greedy courtier was eating more than their fair share of food. The Basileus decided to eat them as punishment. Nikephoros expanded the hospitals.

804:
Nikephoros' daughter Eudokia was caught having an affair with her uncle-in-law Georgios (the husband of Eustathia) but her uncle-husband Michael was none the wiser. To keep it this way, Georgios was sacked as Marshal, imprisoned and castrated. The baby girl born of the affair died in infancy. Nikephoros continued to expand the hospitals.

805:
Nikephoros ate Eustathia and then had Georgios beheaded. The hospitals were upgraded again.

806:
Nikephoros was dismayed to hear of the death of his fellow cannibal the Ecumenical Patriarch. He decided to eat a 'recruit' to mourn his late vassal. The new Patriarch told him who were to blame for the Great Pandemics. It wasn't cats, but the Jewish populace of the realm. Nikephoros had them banished before anything nefarious happened. The hospitals received more upgrades.

807:
Nikephoros was still hungry so he ate more people. He also continued to build hospitals.

808:
The Second Great Pandemic finally ended and the lockdown ended. Nikephoros was shocked to discover that he hadn't lost any of his excess weight during the period of self-isolation. He was still bed-ridden, however.

809:
Staurakios started to grow frustrated at the restrictions his father was placing on him. He secretly joined Lucifer's Own to help him deal with Nikephoros. However, he just wouldn't die.

810:
Nikephoros' health started to decline in this year. Staurakios was secretly overjoyed as it meant he would be Basileus, however a storm was brewing, and the Isaurian dynasty was about to come to blows with itself...

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Announcement: Interlude 2 will come out in the next few hours, and its a bit different to the first one. It's not going to be NSFW, but it will still be from character POVs. I mentioned before that there would be multiple POVs, as this Interlude takes place over the remainder of the Time of Troubles (see any Threadmark label with a Part 2 on it).

So, I will now introduce our protagonists of the Succession of Nikephoros:
Prince Leon: The second son of Basileus Leon IV, who sees himself as the heir general of his older brother Konstantinos VI (refused to recognise Eirene, Nikephoros or Staurakios' accessions) and guardian of Konstantinos' sons. Secretly practices another doctrine of Christianity.

Michael the Elder: The son of Basileus Konstantinos V and a 'recruit' named Euphroysne, married to his niece Eudokia, daughter of Nikephoros. Close ally and preferred heir of the unmarried and childless Staurakios.

The Assassin: A member of the Imperial Family, killer of Konstantinos VI, Eirene and three more Emperors (two in the Interlude, one in Part 3). His identity will be revealed in Part 3 when he commits his final assassination. His motive is as of yet unknown.

 

[Midnite Duke]

You have a stable empire. I got five Basileuses in a calendar year, purely by AI action. (The Kingdom of Sicily forced out the excommunicated #1. #2 was deposed in a tyranny revolt against #1. #3 died. A faction forced #4 (#3's daughter) to abdicate. #5 would then rule thirty-five years before death called and #2's son succeeded. #2 and his son would rule less than an year in total.)

How much control did you have over the Assassin?

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Midnite Duke The Assassin doesn't actually exist in-game, I've created a bigger role for him to keep the story going (All my rulers are killed in-game using the cheat mod, hence why they always seem to die on January 1st). I won't give away who he is, other than that he is an ambitious, intrigue educated member of the family who is unlanded. That means (for readers, obviously I know who he is) his identity is either; Michael the Younger (Leon IV's third son), Theophanes (Anthousa's son) or Theodoros (Staurakios' younger brother).

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Section 1: POV of Prince Leon
January 1st 811:
In many ways nobody saw it coming, but at the same time everyone saw it coming. Uncle Nikephoros died in his sleep, leaving Cousin Staurakios as the newest usurper of my throne. I despise Staurakios, everyone thinks he's perfect, the 'New Belisarius turned Basileus'. The aristocracy are craving bloodshed, and Staurakios says he is willing to give it to them, but I know he's bluffing. He's aware that if he leaves Constantinople for even a second, I'll seize power. Therefore he keeps the Empire at peace, unwilling to risk his throne for glory. My supporters believe in our cause. The instability, the plagues gripping our Empire is caused by the idolatry my brother restored to prominence, which I will immediately reverse. I'll also deal with Armenia once and for all, my father should never have made peace with the Sultan on behalf of the Strategoi. Antioch is safe for now, following its subjugation by the Caliphate. But how do I deal with my throne-stealing cousin?...

Section 2: POV of The Assassin
June 1st 811:
It's time. He has to die, tonight. Luckily for me, I have access to his bedchambers, where he peacefully sleeps alone. "Goodbye" I whisper to him, while plunging my dagger into the heart of his neck. He dies instantly, and I leave the chamber undetected...

Section 3: POV of Michael the Elder
June 2nd 811:
I am horrified to discover the dead body of the glorious Basileus Staurakios in his chambers. A servant declares, "Hail to the Basileus Michael I, Long may he reign". I need to find this assassin, find out what he wants and behead him for his treason. Eudokia gathers our son Nikephoros and explains to him that his uncle Staurakios was killed in his sleep. There's also the small issue of Leon to deal with...

Section 4: Multiple POVs (Indicated by L for Leon, A for Assassin and M for Michael)
January 1st 813:
L: Finally, I have the support from the elite needed to depose the new usurper, Uncle Michael the Slaveborn. We march on the Imperial Palace, demanding that Michael vacate immediately if he has any desire to live. He doesn't appear...
M: I'm surrounded. I know I'm not getting out of this alive, Leon won't spare me even if I surrender. In which way, should I die, with honour fighting to the death, or dishonour by suicide or execution. Suddenly I hear a noise...
A: He isn't getting a choice. I sneak up behind him and stab him in the back with my dagger. He screams out "Murder!", but the guards are already escorting Leon into the Palace as the new Basileus. I run to my designated hiding space, leaving no clues to my identity...
L: He's dead, I'm now the Basileus. 16 long years since Konstantinos died has been dedicated to reclaiming my birthright. I better survive this assassin going around though, otherwise everything was for naught...

 

[Nikolai]

A musterious assassin, who nobody knows who is, wherecis or who, they work for….troublesome.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

@Nikolai the Assassin's identity and motive will be revealed in a future chapter, but he definitely works for himself. The main source of trouble for his relatives is that he keeps getting away undetected.

 

[jak7139]

This assassin has caused all sorts of mischief.

I liked Interlude 2. It felt like a play.