Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

The Sons of Alexander; Rebirth of the Pantheon

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
KingAntoninusGRS

KingAntoninusGRS

Sergeant
Jun 12, 2025
79
70
You are reading the words of Captain Alexander of the Sons of Alexander. The world around me kneels to the words of the Jesus, but I do not. I have been cast out, driven from Greek society for refusing the meek doctrine of Christ. They tried to intimidate me into following their beliefs, into submitting to their God but they failed. My faith in the Lords of Olympus remains!

Today I founded the Sons of Alexander; a brotherhood of those who remember the old ways, warriors bound by sword and by the will of Zeus. My camp is small, but it will grow. I shall take contracts wherever they arise, to build coin and strength. I will walk the path of my great namesake, Alexander the Great, retracing his steps from Macedon to the ends of the earth. Wherever I go, I shall raise the banner of the old gods and go to battle for the glory of their names.

I am Captain Alexander Alexandropoulos, and I will revive the worship of the Pantheon, or die with sword in hand.

867 - Captain Alexander.png
 
Last edited:
  • 2Like
Reactions:
Ooooh intriguing. :)
 
  • 1
Reactions:
Since I am so obsessed with playing and writing about CK3 at the moment I thought I might as well start a second AAR for my current save. I will update every time my ruler dies.

This is my second attempt at starting as an adventurer. The first time I claimed land too soon and ended up broke and weak. This go around I am going to take my time and when I settle it will shake the world.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
KingAntoninusGRS said:
Since I am so obsessed with playing and writing about CK3 at the moment I thought I might as well start a second AAR for my current save. I will update every time my ruler dies.

This is my second attempt at starting as an adventurer. The first time I claimed land too soon and ended up broke and weak. This go around I am going to take my time and when I settle it will shake the world.
Click to expand...
Like his namesake! :D
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
12th April 869
I arrived with my company in Thessalonika, seeking the ancient seat of Alexander the Great. Yet I found no tracaes of his capital; only hills and scrubland where glory once stood. Still, we made our camp by the ruins of an old temple, its broken columns reaching for the heavens like the bones of giants. A fitting place to begin this journey. We spent weeks touring the province, driving off bandits and guarding bridges for the local lords. The gold flows well, and the dangers are few, for no man here can match my skill at arms. Now that every contract in the region is fulfilled, we march south to Attica. From there, I shall tour the whole Mediterranean to make my name. From Tyre to the Pillars of Hercules, let the world hear of Captain Alexander and the Sons of Alexander!


27nd February 875
Today, I held my firstborn in my arms. A son and heir; Alexander. Delivered safely by my beloved Anastasia. I first met Anastasia while fulfilling a contract in Attica. From the moment I beheld her, I knew she must be mine. I wooed her with sweet words and poetry, and in November of last year, we were wed under the blessing of Hera herself. I have concubines, as any man of standing does, but none can match the grace and fire of my Anastasia. May we walk together through all the seasons of this life; and beyond.


11th July 875
We arrived in Constantinople this past week and beheld the mighty capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. I had long imagined its splendour, but in truth, I found the city disappointing; vast and adorned with golden domes, yes, but crowded beyond reason, its streets choked with filth and beggars. To make matters worse, I gathered what I thought were safe berries from a nearby grove. Alas, they were poison, and soon every man, woman and child in the camp was sick and groaning. A hard lesson; but one we shall laugh at in years to come.


873 - Anastasia.png
 
Last edited:
27th July 881
For five years we have lingered in Anatolia, and in that time the camp has swelled with children. To my beloved Anastasia were born: Serapion in August 876, Philotheos in June 879, and today, she safely delivered our twins; Gabrielia and Ioseph. Eileithyia has blessed her with strength beyond measure. My concubine Dana bore me two daughters: Antonia in May 876, and Anna in June 878. Yet Dana did not survive her children long, she passed from an unknown illness in November 878. May Hades be gentle with her soul. Now, at last, we move westward. I will see Alexandria, and then Rome. The names of the old world still echo, and I mean to hear them clearly.


8th November 886
It is a hard life in camp, and disease is ever our companion. Today, my son and heir, young Alexander, died of the pox. The world will never be the same without him. He will not lead this company after me. He will not take a wife, nor raise sons of his own. The gods have robbed us of his future, and I must drink that bitter draught with clenched teeth. To honour his memory, I throw myself into the work. Any bandit who dares stand before me is struck down with the rage of Ares. I train the new warriors, my men at arms, with cold-blooded discipline and we fight with the reckless abandon of grief. Yes, this is a hard life. But I am harder than stone.


22nd August 892
Today my son and heir, Serapion, came of age. I fear he will not be a good man. He is brave, yes, but he is also callous, and ever watching shadows that are not there. There is a glint in his eye when others suffer, as though he draws joy from pain. He is no Alexander. Yet he is my son, and he is strong. When I fall, it is he who must lead this company. Let him wield his nature like a blade; sharp, cold, and without mercy. So long as he serves our cause, I will not stand in his way.


11th December 898
We toured Alexandria and Rome, but found no welcome in those ancient holdfasts of the old gods. Their temples are shadows, and their people have long forgotten the names of Olympus. From there, we marched through the northern Italian city states. They were beautiful, yes, but cold and unwelcoming to non-Christians such as us. We then travelled along the southern coast of Gaul, taking contracts as we went. The gold was steady, and with each battle our numbers grew. Now, our camp boasts hundreds of men under arms.

In Iberia, I made a friend: the noble and skilled Mateu de Montcada. I met him upon our arrival in Barcelona. When I told him of our purpose, he asked a fair question; why are we so far west if we mean to follow the path of Alexander the Great? Why indeed! We shall not tarry long here. Once the contracts are done, we march east; back to Constantinople, and beyond!

895 - Alexandria.png
 
Last edited:
  • 2Like
Reactions:
The loss of a child can be felt for the rest of your life. I can only imagine the work needed to bury that sorrow.
 
  • 1Like
  • 1
Reactions:
28th March 910
Today, I completed my long tour of the Mediterranean, arriving once more in Constantinople. Along the way, my men-at-arms faced many battles. Our first true war was in Poitiers, where we aided Duke Foucher in overthrowing Duke Ramnulf. From there, we fought in Digne, Avignon, and Toulouse. In each place, the name Sons of Alexander became known and synonymous with courage. I too had to find courage, for in May of 904, my beloved, my irreplaceable Anastasia, fell ill and died. Six years have passed, yet the pain does not fade. I miss her. I miss our son Alexander. There are days when their memory weighs more than my heaviest armour. I feel old now. Weary. I will not live to see this company claim a kingdom of its own. That task will fall to my sons. The Sons of Alexander are not ready. They will need to be.


12th April 912
We reached the eastern edge of the Roman Empire and paused for many months at the very rim of the Greek world. To the north lay Georgia; to the east, the Abbasid Caliphate. I stood on the border of two worlds and wondered: where will the Sons of Alexander carve their destiny? In my years as captain, I have read every book I could find recounting Alexander’s campaigns. Of all his triumphs, none stirred my blood more than his march through Persia. And so, despite the fear in my heart, fear of how we might be received by the Islamic lords of the east, I have made my decision. We march onward, into Persia, to follow in the footsteps of my namesake. Let the gods judge whether greatness or death awaits us there.


12th April, 922
Reading through my old notes, I see it is ten years to the day since I made the fortunate decision to march through Persia. Of all my years on this earth, the last ten have been the finest. Persia is a marvel, its landscapes, its architecture, its art, all filled my mind and heart with unbridled joy. And now we have crossed the Indus, treading where Alexander once marched. This new land is lovelier still. Five rivers cut through the fertile valleys, and great mountains rise like sentinels beyond. The locals call it Punjab, and I am content to call it my final resting place. I am seventy-one years old now, and my body begins to fail. I did not conquer a kingdom; but our armies are vast, our coffers full, and my son Serapion will have every chance to do what I could not. I no longer have the will, the vision, or the strength. Camp life has been everything to me. I would rather die in a tent beneath the stars than in a house of stone or timber. I made no great conquest; but I followed Alexander. And in doing so, I found my own greatness.

926 - RIP Alex.png
 
  • 3Like
Reactions:
The written chronicle of Captain Serapion ‘Longshanks’ of the Sons of Alexander

26th May 926
My father is dead at last, passing at the age of seventy-five. Now, at forty-nine, I take command of the Sons of Alexander. He was a great man, no doubt; but he held me back too long. I will not live in his shadow. I will not roam the world as he did. I will stay here, where Alexander the Great turned back from his eastern march, and build an empire of my own. Father was right about one thing: the monotheists are mistaken. The world is too full of wonder, terror, and beauty to be the work of a single god. I will bring the Pantheon to this land; and the people will love me for it. Our army is vast now, strong enough to shatter most of the petty realms around us. But strength alone is not enough; without coin, there is no rule. I will grow our coffers. I will wait, and when the time is right, I shall strike.


11th January 930
The might of the Sons of Alexander is unmatched. I joined Princess Akar of Pugyel’s claim war for the Duchy of Kinnaur, held by the fool Ngapo Gungsong, to prove it. Our armies outnumbered both sides combined. We crushed their levies, seized barony after barony, and brought victory without struggle. Akar sits as Duchess now, but she is only a means to an end. This land will be ours. The people here bow quickly, but I do not trust them; nor do I trust her. She owes me everything, and debts have a way of festering. Still, the time is not yet right. Coin binds tighter than blood. When the march begins in earnest, I will need more of both. One of Gungsong’s captains was taken alive. I had him killed; then brought to me for the evening meal. He was quite delicious.


2nd March 931
A joyous day. My sow of an ex-wife, Frida, has finally drunk herself to death. May her overly fleshy corpse rot far from my camp. She was expelled from the company years ago after daring to challenge my father for leadership. A woman with ambition but no merit is dangerous. The children she bore me are all disappointments.
  • Zenobios, born in 906, is a passable warrior but no more than that. He eats like a pig and spends coin like a fool. He will never lead successfully.
  • Isodoros, the one they call the Repulsive, was born in 911. The name is no jest. His face looks like it tried to escape the womb ahead of him. Still, he is clever, and he does not fear death. That might count for something, if the men could stomach looking at him.
  • And then there’s Anastasia, born in 913. The Sluggard, they call her and rightly so. Brilliant, yes, but lazy as a cow in summer. She will no doubt grow into a haridan like her mother.
I am fifty-four now. I will likely sire no more sons. So I ask myself: which of these dolts could possibly bring the Sons of Alexander to glory? None of them, I suspect. Perhaps glory dies with me.

926 - Serapion.png
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
21st November 940
I have won more victories in these past nine years, yet the coffers still fill too slowly. I grow tired of waiting. I do not relish life in the camp as my father did. The dust, the noise, the stench of unwashed men; it all wears thin. I long for stone walls, sealed gates, and a warm bed that does not shift with the earth. I was born to rule, not to march.

This year, I dethroned a king. I joined Thakurani Didda’s war to dissolve the realm of Shahzada Siavakhsh, a gluttonous boy-king who dared to call himself the King of Punjab. He was seventeen, young enough to be foolish, old enough to be dangerous. His vassals hated him, and rightly so. The faction that rose against him was strong, but it was I who turned the tide. I led two brutal campaigns against him, broke his armies, and shattered his claim to kingship. Now Punjab lies fractured, and ripe for the taking. Our army is the strongest in the region. If I can live another ten years….I will rule this land.


7th January 944
Today marks the dawn of a new age. Today, the Sons of Alexander begin their march toward greatness. I have declared war on the Duchy of Lahore, held by Thakur Gujar; the weakest of the wretches who call themselves lords in this land. His bannermen are few, his walls are old, and his people already look eastward in fear. The men-at-arms stand ready. The cataphracts are eager to ride. The siege engines are loaded, primed to bring down his pitiful keeps. Lahore will fall and I will claim my rightful place as master of this land.

944 - Serapion stands ready.png
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
Serapion the Man-Eater is going onwards towards glory and greatness!
 
Interesting start and captivating two first characters. I also enjoyed the personal diary format.

KingAntoninusGRS said:
Especially as Serapion turned out to have...unusual tastes.
Click to expand...
I thought you referred to 'not-so-unusual-in-Ancient-Greece' taste for men, as Alexander the Great allegedly had with Hephaestion.

KingAntoninusGRS said:
I had him killed; then brought to me for the evening meal. He was quite delicious.
Click to expand...
But here I realised Serapion's taste for men was gastronomical and not intimal.

KingAntoninusGRS said:
  • Zenobios, born in 906, is a passable warrior but no more than that. He eats like a pig and spends coin like a fool. He will never lead successfully.
  • Isodoros, the one they call the Repulsive, was born in 911. The name is no jest. His face looks like it tried to escape the womb ahead of him. Still, he is clever, and he does not fear death. That might count for something, if the men could stomach looking at him.
  • And then there’s Anastasia, born in 913. The Sluggard, they call her and rightly so. Brilliant, yes, but lazy as a cow in summer. She will no doubt grow into a haridan like her mother.
Click to expand...
My bet for third ruler would be Isidoros. His repulsive face can be easily covered with a mask, while teaching Zenobios some financial concepts seems much more difficult. And ensure a good marriage for Anastasia. Good meaning 'an ally with troops and coin' that can help in your upcoming battles.
 
dmurgell said:
Interesting start and captivating two first characters. I also enjoyed the personal diary format.


I thought you referred to 'not-so-unusual-in-Ancient-Greece' taste for men, as Alexander the Great allegedly had with Hephaestion.


But here I realised Serapion's taste for men was gastronomical and not intimal.


My bet for third ruler would be Isidoros. His repulsive face can be easily covered with a mask, while teaching Zenobios some financial concepts seems much more difficult. And ensure a good marriage for Anastasia. Good meaning 'an ally with troops and coin' that can help in your upcoming battles.
Click to expand...

I imagine homosexuality was not unusual in medieval camp life but we never have sources from non-noble people. I have never played as a cannibal before but since he had already indulged in the consumption of long pork before he became playable, I thought I might as well support his choices.

As for succession, as you will soon see, that gets taken out of my hands.
 
24 December, 944
In 944, a man-eater stalked the jungles and plains of the Indus Valley. This beast had armour, not stripes and a sword instead of claws. I pounced on Thakur and wiped his army from the land. Lahore fell to my siege engines and within 12 months I had conquered the Duchy of Lahore. I then took my rightful place in the throne room of the castle in Lahore; I took Thakur’s lands, his possessions and his servants. I slept in his bed but I did not stop to rest. Lahore was a fine prize but it is not nearly enough. The lords that surrounded my new lands are weak and divided; nothing but prey for my razor sharp teeth.


31 July, 949
Four days after taking Lahore, I was back in the saddle. I annexed Trigarta within three months. The remaining counties of Lahore fell within six. The Duchy of Multan; mine in another six. Like dominoes, the lords of Punjab toppled, one by one. None could resist the Serapion the man-eater.

But now, at last, I face a real challenge. And after five years of triumph, I have finally tasted defeat. I am the Duke of Multan. Yet Amir-e Amiran Kaiqubad of Khorasan still holds part of what is rightfully mine. War between us was always inevitable. I struck first, declaring a de jure war in March of 948. We sparred in the mountains until the true battle came at Kalat.

There, I was defeated. And before my very eyes, Zenobios was slain. I do not mourn him. If he had been stronger, he would have lived. He would have helped us win. What I mourn is not the boy; but my claim. My dream of total dominion over the Indus Valley has been delayed. I will endure. And I will prevail. Khorasan will not stop me.

949 - Zeobios Falls.png
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
6 March, 953
In war, victory does not always belong to the side with the most men; or even the best men. It belongs to the side that endures, that refuses to break, that keeps its eyes fixed on the prize. After the defeat at Kalat, I rallied the army and fell back to Lahore. There, we gathered fresh recruits and let the weary rest.

Then fate turned in our favour.

Amir Kaiqubad was forced to march west to fight another war within his bloated empire. Perhaps he thought us broken. We were not. Rested and replenished, my forces surged into Multan once more. This time, there was no Khorasani host to oppose us. We swept aside the local levies and took the forts one by one, as a tiger pulls down prey too slow to flee.

Now the Indus Valley is mine. Our ancient faith returns to the east. I declare myself Despot of Neo Macedonia and rightful lord of this land.

My father bore the name of the great man of antiquity. But I? I, like Alexander, I have the blessing of Ares.

Indus Valley and surrounding lands; March 953
953 - Neo Macedonia.png
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Neo Macedonia! Finally, Alexander's legacy returns. :)
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back