Nice! That was pretty quick too. I thought Germany/Bohemia was still around, but maybe they died off when I wasn't looking. We definitely have blobbed uh, quite a bit. It looks like Poland just collapsed after the war. I suppose having -25k prestige won't help you keep vassals. It looks like we also have almost all of the old Carolingian Empire's territory as well, just missing the area around Denmark
Also, I altered Louis' title. He's Emperor Louis now. And I acknowledge that Eirene was the important person, really.
Woohoo!
So, remember: new player, here.
It looks like we'll have (barring oddness) about another 80 years or so after my reign before the change-over to EU3. Therefore, in terms of thinking about my goals, should I be trying to hold the Empire together and expand / consolidate it in order to make divvying it up at the end easier, or should I not worry too much if my inexperience leads to a catastrophic collapse?
Also, on the more technical side, what is the most recent version of the patch to DV I should have installed? I'm away from my fun computer at the moment, but I believe I've got the 2.1 Beta installed. That's the right one, right?
Well, I would say just hold it together for the first 5-10 years. There are currently 4 wars against single province counties, finish those off and get King of Ireland for free prestige. Overall, I would say to finish the Reconquista and create at least one of Leon/Portugal, create the King of Jerusalem title and maybe expand in the Denmark/Sicily area.
If you collapse, no worries though. If you want to make it a bit easier, make the Duke of Gloucester King of England, he'll take (I would hope) all the English lands off your hands.
Haha, just a little. Really, the one thing I have trouble doing with Paradox games is not growing. Just... one... more... [strike]turn[/strike] war...
It also didn't help that I figured out how to do almost badboy neutral wars (stayed at 3-4% the entire time pretty much) in my practice games letting me do constant growth
It also didn't help that I figured out how to do almost badboy neutral wars (stayed at 3-4% the entire time pretty much) in my practice games letting me do constant growth
Given that I'll be playing as a 6-year-old, I probably shouldn't know how to do that, but that sounds interesting.
After my turn, you'll have to share.
Also, I just got home from work and have to file some tax paperwork (there are decided unbenefits to being self-employed), so I won't start updating tonight. I'll look to start playing tomorrow night, with updates to follow after that.
How about you split the realm via Salic Gavelkind and then, for EU3, take turns playing each of the new kingdoms while the AI controls the others?
That'd be ... something I guess.
Ferrus on
I would like to pause for a moment, to talk about my penis.
My penis is like a toddler. A toddler—who is a perfectly normal size for his age—on a long road trip to what he thinks is Disney World. My penis is excited because he hasn’t been to Disney World in a long, long time, but remembers a time when he used to go every day. So now the penis toddler is constantly fidgeting, whining “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How about now? Now? How about... now?”
And Disney World is nowhere in sight.
Nah, we're sticking with our Carolingians, but we're splitting things. It'd be kind of amusing to do that as a multiplayer side project, but... scheduling ugh.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Aside from splitting off ...many...many client kingdoms we seem to have accrued, the possibility exists to have our starting nation in EU3 consist solely of the personal demesne of the last king before the switch.
It may be a bit of work, but hypothetically you could also add lands held be relatives in order to flesh out the size a bit (the provinces don't match up either, so you'd need to make judgement calls of which provinces you want to correspond with which).
CK is a bit weird in how it lets you create continent-spanning empires which would absolutely not survive the age due to poor communication and a lack of centralization.
The world of 1400 was vastly differend from the world of the 800s. While the old stand by "The Dark Ages" is not truly apt, Europe was still in decline politically and socially. Despite Charlemagne's focus on education, centralization and suppression, the continual fracturing of kingdoms and utter chaos of the period meant that it was incredibly difficult to claim continual dominion over a region without unopposed military force (e.g. like Brittany mentioned before which was a on-again-off-again vassal state).
By 1400 cartography had advanced enough that leaders could roughly demarcate their lands and potentially lead campaigns independent of local guides. Compasses allowed reliable navigation in any weather. Political reforms allowed leaders to begin to centralize their realms and solidify their authority (e.g. hereditary rule in many areas only became hereditary rule after decades of apathy by leaders and the belief in predestined castes). Mercantilism and reliance on economic systems developed, which allowed the proper financing of debts and credits beyond the stigma of Jewish ghettos.
...However, gaining so many lands via vassalation and such is more possible than it may initially appear. Unfortunately vanilla CK doesn't handle the incredibly large amount of fracturing and rebelling that would realistically occur (I mean, look at Navarre it was the most powerful Catholic kingdom in Spain in 1035 with claims to the entire penninsula...and now only history majors ever hear of it).
TL;DR - ...we could basically divide the map however we want since EU3's era is more in line with our traditional ideas of nation states. May I suggest using our ruler's personal demesne as our actual nation's starting area (with other portions of our immediate realm as vassals, allies or high-relation neighbors).
I basically know what we're going to start with already. It's the other stuff I'm concerned with. The key is to have rivals that can contend with us, at least superficially.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
How about a Devil's Advocate style of play? We could handle that by talking alternate turns with Burgundy and then some _other_ power?
My personal favorite is that we are the new HRE though. We only get our personal holdings and then we break up the key vassals as either satellites/vassals or as allies. Then we change the borders of the HRE. We also limit ourselves on how we play as emperor. Even if we split up the country we have recreated the basis for the HRE and have a blood line claim to match. We've essentially re-asserted an ancient claim by force of arms and shifted the boundaries of the empire further into Iberia and less into Germany (Poland would have effectively weakened German claims in our scenario with its long periods of domination in German speaking territories).
That sounds fun. I've got a king with a bunch of bastard brothers, and they keep asking him to assassinate himself. The game can be schizophrenic sometimes.
Just to keep you all in the loop, I'm putting together the first update, which covers Centule's first 12 years as a monarch. He's got, shall we say, a bit of a reputation problem.
Thee True Reigne of Centule the Burgundian Beinge a Moste Salacious Historie Presented in Partes; Parte the Firste, Discoursing On the Period from His Earlie Inheritance of 1309 Until The Autumne of 1321
O! Clio! Maye you looke with a kindly visage upon my penne, that with it I mayest give unto the worlde thee Truth of the Court of Brugge, as it was in the Time of Centule, called by some the Juste.
Seriously, I've gained the "Just" trait about a dozen times now.
1309
Centule became the Many-Crowned Kinge uponne the untimely death of his Father, the Moste Holy Emperor. If e'r there were reason to suspect his provenance, thee proof may be found moste readily in these earliest of days - for thee manne is aught more than the childe growne large. It is said by those who shared the Courte on the day of Centule's untimely rise that thee boy, when tolde of his Most Noble Father's death, danced and capered in a manner moste grotesque.
So disgustede was he by this unseemly displaye, that the Duke of Brunswick returned to his home and declared righteous war againste his former liege.
Nor was he the only one so offended by the boye's ungentleness - the earlie months of Centule's reigne were filled with rebellion, as those vassals who had stoode by the honored father repudiated the sonne. Takinge up the bloodie sword of the Conquerer, in turne he sacked their holdinges and brought murder and rapine to theirn lands.
Louis Magna, Louis the Great, was ever a friende of the God's Most Holy Church. It is fittinge, then, that the sonne who grew fat from the spoils of his father's bloode should turn his back upon her. When called to righteous battle againste the Heathen, Centule chose insteade to focus his efforts upon those who knewe him for what he was. Lackinge the support of Christendom's moste pow'rful king, His Holiness was forc'd to leave the goode Christians of Antioch to the depredations of their Muslim masters.
To assuage the Pope, younge Centule didst order the many peoples of his lands to build greate Churches for the glorification of God's Most Holy Name. Such ployes the Devil has use of to mark himself as a Holy Man!
It is saide in the Courte that the Younge Centule was besette by o'erweening pride, and in his Hubris did he reach forth his hande once more to the Irish lands, forcinge the Counte of Desmumu to submit to the Burgundian Crowne. Havinge succeeded, Centule order'd the goldsmithe to make for him yet another crowne, for his younge head was as yet unadorned by conquests called his owne. See the festering soul that twist'd so earlie within the child's breast!
As the Devile may give himself a fair mien to lead the Christian man astray, so did Young Centule ingratiate himself to certain overprideful barons within his realm. It was here that, deep in their cups, the lords of Burgundia first mocked the boy-kinge and called him "Just."
Knowinge that His Holiness the Pope would keep an eye on the younge king who had failed to heed the call to Crusade, Centule made attempts to placate the Holy See, forcing at swordpoint the conversion of Heathens within the borders of his personal demesne.
His Holiness, with the Wisdom that is the Gifte of the Holy Ghost, was not fooled as mere men might be, and called upon all of Christendom to remove the Moorish leader of Burgundian Cordoba.
Centule showed his true mettle before men and God when he answered God's call to war by the sending of diplomatic notes to the Emir of Toldeo, who ruled in Cordoba at Centule's pleasure. Then Centule ordered his hosts to march - but not towards Cordoba, but instead to the east, against the Al-Murabatids - taking the time to sack their holdings in Spain near Cordoba.
Vassals dragged me into a war, so I figured I might as well pick up some more of Moorish Spain and Sicily. I tried to give Flora, a courtier, Siracusa, but for some reason she got assigned Roma. So I had to take it back, and then give her Siracusa again. Probably didn't help my BB rating. During this time, I also had to put down a lot of minor rebellions, including the English Count of Surrey who rebelled, was smacked down, revassalized, and, a few months later, rebelled again. A few vassals also declared independence, whom I let go.
While seeking his own aggrandizement, Centule continued to allow the Christians of Cordoba to live under the ungentle yoke of their Heathen overlords - his sword, bared against the East, was never turned to the heathens he called friend. And so it was for nearly three years that childe Centule penned letters to Abdul-Jabbar of Toledo while the children of God cried for relief. In time, Centule paid a Judas-price to the Heathen, who then relinquished Cordoba to Centule's oversight.
God in His wisdom must surely see to the hearts of all men, yet still He may allow the sinner to profit of Mammon before He subjects him to the test. So it was for the Boye Centule, who saw his worldly goods increase even as men whispered of his dark deeds and darker soul in places most private. Hearinge these murmurs, Centule made many public displayes of his claimed righteousness, bribing the servants of Our Lord and, again, wielding a bloody sword against those who would look unto him for protection. Witness the bloodlust of the boy who was kinge!
Uncontent with the lone crowne he had forged for his dominion of the Irish lands, Centule bid the goldsmithe fashion two more that he might match his blessed Father's works - his rapacious appetite in Iberia had provided him with cause to call himself King of both Leon and Portugal - unaware or uncareing of the worme which already ate at his kingdom's roots.
Like the Serpent, Centule swayed many good Christian men to his cause - some woulde later repudiate him, speakinge of his moste unnatural abilities to persuade and cloud the minde.
Within days of reachinge his majority, Centule caste about the Christian worlde for a woman of goode breeding sufficient to his needs, and found her in the person of Magdolna, a shy, blushing maid from the courte of Lukomorie. Her cominge unto Brugge was a day of fine celebration, for it was thoughte that such a girle might sway Centule from his pathe of bloodshed.
What rites most horrible were performed upon the girle cannot here be spoken of, but the blushing maiden soon became knowne throughout the courte for ribald feasts and japes. In a time most undecently shorte - not even three moons since her royal marriage - her belly began to swelle.
... and in due time, on the 6th of September 1320, she was delivered of a daughter, named Ermengarde - a mark of Heaven's disfavor on her blackguard husband.
While the childe was yet in the womb, the Pope declared that Palermo shouldst be returned to Christian rule.
Leaving his pregnant bride behinde, Centule once again drew forth his sword and sought out battle, convincing with his sorcerous tongue the flower of Burgundian nobility to ride with him to their deaths in foreign lands.
Got this event twice, one right after the other, and got all four armies both times.
With Centule away on Crusade, his holde over his wife's most tender affections began to slip, and she, who once was pure as snow, was oft seen in close conversation with the son of Centule's former spy master. Upon learninge of this betrayal, Centule, it is whispered, ordered his former close advisor's get stripped and beaten, before giving him but one day to leave his sighte forever, lest the skin be peeled from his bones in manner most gruesome. A short few months later, Magdolna confessed to being once again with childe, and barely half a year after, the Pope sent word congratulating Centule on freeing Palermo from its Muslim yoke.
TL;DR: I've been slowly expanding our borders, largely at the expense of various Muslim satellite countries, and putting down near-constant spates of rebellion. Not pictured are numerous instances of, "A vassal has declared independence." We've been at war with the major Muslim players (al-Murabatids and Zenata) a couple times, and each time we've added new territories. I've been granting captured fiefs to people who help me - e.g., if I mobilize their army to help take something (because my troops and territories are on the other side of the world), I give them the territory when the war's done if it was Muslim, or vassalize-recognize claims on the loser if Christian.
Centule is having a problem keeping ... Let me rephrase. I am having a problem keeping Centule's reputation above tarnished. At one point I think I hit "You are worse than the scum of the earth" or something like that. I thought that, if someone declares war on me, going in, kicking their butt, and giving them their territory back would largely shield me from rep hits like that. I've also been hiving off parts of my own demesne and giving it to others. I've set up a female relative with most of what we captured in Spain, and given Manasses (Centule's brother) about 4 contiguous territories in what used to be Al-Murabatid territory.
I've added a bunch of ducal titles to Centule, and parseled out several of them.
I really need to get a handle on this reputation thing, though, because I've routinely got a list of 10-20 vassals who are decidedly not happy with me. I've occasionally got them all to be happy, but then for some reason my rep will tank (and fast!) and I have to start over again.
If my vassals start a war, should I help them out? Do I take a hit for not accepting peace when someone tries to buy their way out of vassalage for a paltry sum? I wish the game explained these things a little better ... Still, though, the realm is mostly holding together, and I'm trying to consolidate some of our holdings under some slightly more powerful Dukes.
Denmark is starting to get uppity, declaring war somewhat routinely on my vassals. He may be the next target we focus on.
Since everyone routinely hates him, I figured tabloid-journalist-who-takes-everything-the-worst-way was the way to go for the write-up on Centule's reign. Let me know if you guys like it or if you'd like a less ... purple ... way of writing.
Things that hit reputation: starting wars, assassinating people, force vassalizing, taking land
Things that help reputation: giving away land/titles, recognizing people's claims
Generally speaking.
I need a final year for that post so I can put it in the table of contents. Also, I think I'd prefer if you spell things modernly.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Declining a peace offer isn't a problem. In fact, you'll have to because everyone will offer peace for gold or a white peace just as you start to conquer them.
For reputation, there is one key thing to remember: taking land in an offensive war is expensive. 2 points per province.
I usually ignore vassal wars, unless it's against a good target or someone DoWed a core vassal.
Nice to see you've got plenty of prestige, keeping above the 5k mark will usually prevent the realm duress/civil war series from starting, no matter how many rebellions you get
Loved the update Elvenshae. Seems that you're having the same issues with rebellions and reputation as I did during my turn. You also have more vassals, so there's that problem. Then again you also have more troops to suppress them with, so I don't know how greatly the situations differ.
As for what to do, I'd say that you could try to keep the direction of acquisitions and expansion, so that in the end of the gameplay time it'll be easy to hand off several kingdoms or simulate some other great collapse for EUIII. Feel free to do what you want though, it's your turn.
The purple faux-olde writinge is quite a fun touch, but some people might take issue with it.
Oops, missed that. And yes, revoking titles lowers reputation.
Was there a son or is our brother heir at the moment?
Our brother's the heir currently. Currently one daughter and one in the oven.
Edit: I've got what looks to be the last session of a 3-year D&D campaign tonight for which I still need to do prep work, so I'll be able to get back to playing Sunday-ish, I think. Updates to come following that.
Reputation. It "naturally" recovers at a rate proportional to your Piety. The higher the piety, the faster the recovery. Faster way would be to grant away titles (e.g. Phyphor's title-dumping on an elderly female relative with 100% chance of recovering those titles when she dies)
I heartily support any military action against the Danes... if only because they share the same color as us. Only Burgundy shall wear the color of our namesake!
Reboot on
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Suicide SlydeHaunts your dreamsof mountains sunk below the seaRegistered Userregular
edited September 2010
Hello successors, I'm going to have to voluntarily withdraw myself from the succession because of unfortunate family related issues. I do not think it would be fair to my family to concentrate any of my time on a fake one at this point. So if there's someone out there who wants to take over in one of the last CK reigns, now's the chance.
Posts
Woohoo!
So, remember: new player, here.
It looks like we'll have (barring oddness) about another 80 years or so after my reign before the change-over to EU3. Therefore, in terms of thinking about my goals, should I be trying to hold the Empire together and expand / consolidate it in order to make divvying it up at the end easier, or should I not worry too much if my inexperience leads to a catastrophic collapse?
Also, on the more technical side, what is the most recent version of the patch to DV I should have installed? I'm away from my fun computer at the moment, but I believe I've got the 2.1 Beta installed. That's the right one, right?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
If you collapse, no worries though. If you want to make it a bit easier, make the Duke of Gloucester King of England, he'll take (I would hope) all the English lands off your hands.
That's the patch I have installed
It also didn't help that I figured out how to do almost badboy neutral wars (stayed at 3-4% the entire time pretty much) in my practice games letting me do constant growth
Given that I'll be playing as a 6-year-old, I probably shouldn't know how to do that, but that sounds interesting.
After my turn, you'll have to share.
Also, I just got home from work and have to file some tax paperwork (there are decided unbenefits to being self-employed), so I won't start updating tonight. I'll look to start playing tomorrow night, with updates to follow after that.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
6 sons + not realizing you have salic gavelkind = lol.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
That'd be ... something I guess.
And Disney World is nowhere in sight.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
It may be a bit of work, but hypothetically you could also add lands held be relatives in order to flesh out the size a bit (the provinces don't match up either, so you'd need to make judgement calls of which provinces you want to correspond with which).
CK is a bit weird in how it lets you create continent-spanning empires which would absolutely not survive the age due to poor communication and a lack of centralization.
The world of 1400 was vastly differend from the world of the 800s. While the old stand by "The Dark Ages" is not truly apt, Europe was still in decline politically and socially. Despite Charlemagne's focus on education, centralization and suppression, the continual fracturing of kingdoms and utter chaos of the period meant that it was incredibly difficult to claim continual dominion over a region without unopposed military force (e.g. like Brittany mentioned before which was a on-again-off-again vassal state).
By 1400 cartography had advanced enough that leaders could roughly demarcate their lands and potentially lead campaigns independent of local guides. Compasses allowed reliable navigation in any weather. Political reforms allowed leaders to begin to centralize their realms and solidify their authority (e.g. hereditary rule in many areas only became hereditary rule after decades of apathy by leaders and the belief in predestined castes). Mercantilism and reliance on economic systems developed, which allowed the proper financing of debts and credits beyond the stigma of Jewish ghettos.
...However, gaining so many lands via vassalation and such is more possible than it may initially appear. Unfortunately vanilla CK doesn't handle the incredibly large amount of fracturing and rebelling that would realistically occur (I mean, look at Navarre it was the most powerful Catholic kingdom in Spain in 1035 with claims to the entire penninsula...and now only history majors ever hear of it).
TL;DR - ...we could basically divide the map however we want since EU3's era is more in line with our traditional ideas of nation states. May I suggest using our ruler's personal demesne as our actual nation's starting area (with other portions of our immediate realm as vassals, allies or high-relation neighbors).
My personal favorite is that we are the new HRE though. We only get our personal holdings and then we break up the key vassals as either satellites/vassals or as allies. Then we change the borders of the HRE. We also limit ourselves on how we play as emperor. Even if we split up the country we have recreated the basis for the HRE and have a blood line claim to match. We've essentially re-asserted an ancient claim by force of arms and shifted the boundaries of the empire further into Iberia and less into Germany (Poland would have effectively weakened German claims in our scenario with its long periods of domination in German speaking territories).
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Beinge a Moste Salacious Historie
Presented in Partes; Parte the Firste, Discoursing On the Period from His Earlie Inheritance of 1309 Until The Autumne of 1321
1309
Centule became the Many-Crowned Kinge uponne the untimely death of his Father, the Moste Holy Emperor. If e'r there were reason to suspect his provenance, thee proof may be found moste readily in these earliest of days - for thee manne is aught more than the childe growne large. It is said by those who shared the Courte on the day of Centule's untimely rise that thee boy, when tolde of his Most Noble Father's death, danced and capered in a manner moste grotesque.
So disgustede was he by this unseemly displaye, that the Duke of Brunswick returned to his home and declared righteous war againste his former liege.
Nor was he the only one so offended by the boye's ungentleness - the earlie months of Centule's reigne were filled with rebellion, as those vassals who had stoode by the honored father repudiated the sonne. Takinge up the bloodie sword of the Conquerer, in turne he sacked their holdinges and brought murder and rapine to theirn lands.
Louis Magna, Louis the Great, was ever a friende of the God's Most Holy Church. It is fittinge, then, that the sonne who grew fat from the spoils of his father's bloode should turn his back upon her. When called to righteous battle againste the Heathen, Centule chose insteade to focus his efforts upon those who knewe him for what he was. Lackinge the support of Christendom's moste pow'rful king, His Holiness was forc'd to leave the goode Christians of Antioch to the depredations of their Muslim masters.
To assuage the Pope, younge Centule didst order the many peoples of his lands to build greate Churches for the glorification of God's Most Holy Name. Such ployes the Devil has use of to mark himself as a Holy Man!
It is saide in the Courte that the Younge Centule was besette by o'erweening pride, and in his Hubris did he reach forth his hande once more to the Irish lands, forcinge the Counte of Desmumu to submit to the Burgundian Crowne. Havinge succeeded, Centule order'd the goldsmithe to make for him yet another crowne, for his younge head was as yet unadorned by conquests called his owne. See the festering soul that twist'd so earlie within the child's breast!
As the Devile may give himself a fair mien to lead the Christian man astray, so did Young Centule ingratiate himself to certain overprideful barons within his realm. It was here that, deep in their cups, the lords of Burgundia first mocked the boy-kinge and called him "Just."
Knowinge that His Holiness the Pope would keep an eye on the younge king who had failed to heed the call to Crusade, Centule made attempts to placate the Holy See, forcing at swordpoint the conversion of Heathens within the borders of his personal demesne.
His Holiness, with the Wisdom that is the Gifte of the Holy Ghost, was not fooled as mere men might be, and called upon all of Christendom to remove the Moorish leader of Burgundian Cordoba.
Centule showed his true mettle before men and God when he answered God's call to war by the sending of diplomatic notes to the Emir of Toldeo, who ruled in Cordoba at Centule's pleasure. Then Centule ordered his hosts to march - but not towards Cordoba, but instead to the east, against the Al-Murabatids - taking the time to sack their holdings in Spain near Cordoba.
While seeking his own aggrandizement, Centule continued to allow the Christians of Cordoba to live under the ungentle yoke of their Heathen overlords - his sword, bared against the East, was never turned to the heathens he called friend. And so it was for nearly three years that childe Centule penned letters to Abdul-Jabbar of Toledo while the children of God cried for relief. In time, Centule paid a Judas-price to the Heathen, who then relinquished Cordoba to Centule's oversight.
God in His wisdom must surely see to the hearts of all men, yet still He may allow the sinner to profit of Mammon before He subjects him to the test. So it was for the Boye Centule, who saw his worldly goods increase even as men whispered of his dark deeds and darker soul in places most private. Hearinge these murmurs, Centule made many public displayes of his claimed righteousness, bribing the servants of Our Lord and, again, wielding a bloody sword against those who would look unto him for protection. Witness the bloodlust of the boy who was kinge!
Uncontent with the lone crowne he had forged for his dominion of the Irish lands, Centule bid the goldsmithe fashion two more that he might match his blessed Father's works - his rapacious appetite in Iberia had provided him with cause to call himself King of both Leon and Portugal - unaware or uncareing of the worme which already ate at his kingdom's roots.
Like the Serpent, Centule swayed many good Christian men to his cause - some woulde later repudiate him, speakinge of his moste unnatural abilities to persuade and cloud the minde.
Within days of reachinge his majority, Centule caste about the Christian worlde for a woman of goode breeding sufficient to his needs, and found her in the person of Magdolna, a shy, blushing maid from the courte of Lukomorie. Her cominge unto Brugge was a day of fine celebration, for it was thoughte that such a girle might sway Centule from his pathe of bloodshed.
What rites most horrible were performed upon the girle cannot here be spoken of, but the blushing maiden soon became knowne throughout the courte for ribald feasts and japes. In a time most undecently shorte - not even three moons since her royal marriage - her belly began to swelle.
... and in due time, on the 6th of September 1320, she was delivered of a daughter, named Ermengarde - a mark of Heaven's disfavor on her blackguard husband.
While the childe was yet in the womb, the Pope declared that Palermo shouldst be returned to Christian rule.
Leaving his pregnant bride behinde, Centule once again drew forth his sword and sought out battle, convincing with his sorcerous tongue the flower of Burgundian nobility to ride with him to their deaths in foreign lands.
With Centule away on Crusade, his holde over his wife's most tender affections began to slip, and she, who once was pure as snow, was oft seen in close conversation with the son of Centule's former spy master. Upon learninge of this betrayal, Centule, it is whispered, ordered his former close advisor's get stripped and beaten, before giving him but one day to leave his sighte forever, lest the skin be peeled from his bones in manner most gruesome. A short few months later, Magdolna confessed to being once again with childe, and barely half a year after, the Pope sent word congratulating Centule on freeing Palermo from its Muslim yoke.
TL;DR: I've been slowly expanding our borders, largely at the expense of various Muslim satellite countries, and putting down near-constant spates of rebellion. Not pictured are numerous instances of, "A vassal has declared independence." We've been at war with the major Muslim players (al-Murabatids and Zenata) a couple times, and each time we've added new territories. I've been granting captured fiefs to people who help me - e.g., if I mobilize their army to help take something (because my troops and territories are on the other side of the world), I give them the territory when the war's done if it was Muslim, or vassalize-recognize claims on the loser if Christian.
Centule is having a problem keeping ... Let me rephrase. I am having a problem keeping Centule's reputation above tarnished. At one point I think I hit "You are worse than the scum of the earth" or something like that. I thought that, if someone declares war on me, going in, kicking their butt, and giving them their territory back would largely shield me from rep hits like that. I've also been hiving off parts of my own demesne and giving it to others. I've set up a female relative with most of what we captured in Spain, and given Manasses (Centule's brother) about 4 contiguous territories in what used to be Al-Murabatid territory.
I've added a bunch of ducal titles to Centule, and parseled out several of them.
I really need to get a handle on this reputation thing, though, because I've routinely got a list of 10-20 vassals who are decidedly not happy with me. I've occasionally got them all to be happy, but then for some reason my rep will tank (and fast!) and I have to start over again.
If my vassals start a war, should I help them out? Do I take a hit for not accepting peace when someone tries to buy their way out of vassalage for a paltry sum? I wish the game explained these things a little better ... Still, though, the realm is mostly holding together, and I'm trying to consolidate some of our holdings under some slightly more powerful Dukes.
Denmark is starting to get uppity, declaring war somewhat routinely on my vassals. He may be the next target we focus on.
Since everyone routinely hates him, I figured tabloid-journalist-who-takes-everything-the-worst-way was the way to go for the write-up on Centule's reign. Let me know if you guys like it or if you'd like a less ... purple ... way of writing.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Things that help reputation: giving away land/titles, recognizing people's claims
Generally speaking.
I need a final year for that post so I can put it in the table of contents. Also, I think I'd prefer if you spell things modernly.
For reputation, there is one key thing to remember: taking land in an offensive war is expensive. 2 points per province.
I usually ignore vassal wars, unless it's against a good target or someone DoWed a core vassal.
Nice to see you've got plenty of prestige, keeping above the 5k mark will usually prevent the realm duress/civil war series from starting, no matter how many rebellions you get
Also, I totally called Cordoba crusade
As for what to do, I'd say that you could try to keep the direction of acquisitions and expansion, so that in the end of the gameplay time it'll be easy to hand off several kingdoms or simulate some other great collapse for EUIII. Feel free to do what you want though, it's your turn.
The purple faux-olde writinge is quite a fun touch, but some people might take issue with it.
Third line of the post, in the title. 1321.
And, yeah - Phyphor totally called it.
Does revoking a vassal's title affect your reputation?
So, uh, mixed responses on the prose style.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Was there a son or is our brother heir at the moment?
Our brother's the heir currently. Currently one daughter and one in the oven.
Edit: I've got what looks to be the last session of a 3-year D&D campaign tonight for which I still need to do prep work, so I'll be able to get back to playing Sunday-ish, I think. Updates to come following that.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I heartily support any military action against the Danes... if only because they share the same color as us. Only Burgundy shall wear the color of our namesake!
Have fun.