Crusader Kings II: Succession Game the Third

[Grif]

Hello, and welcome again to the third iteration of the Crusader Kings succession game.

First game (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?267622-Crusader-Kings-II-Succession-Game)
Second game (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?355267-Crusader-Kings-II-Succession-Game-2-Electric-Boogaloo)

What is Crusader Kings 2, you might ask? Well, I shall just requote this.
Crusader Kings 2 is a strategy game from Paradox Interactive, the makers of all sorts of grand strategy games that span a vast time period, from 1066-the late 20th century. In this case, we are playing their game focused on Europe of the Middle Ages. Specifically, the second of those games. It's probably the best, or at least the least buggy, game they've made. In it, you take control of a dynasty, not a country, and try to guide them as successfully as you can to rank with the great families of history.

In this iteration, we'll be playing this guy:
http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/432697860695977539/B082E663C40534A9926768B447E4CE2E6FF578C7/
(Yes, older CK2 players might remember the Big Green Blob of Egypt in 1066.)


FAQ:
How do I join?
Simply indicate your interest in this thread, and roll dice (1d100) in the linked thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?355268-CK2-Succession-Game-Dice-Roller). The lucky one who rolled the highest will play as the next ruler. Priority will be given to players who have not participated yet. In case of a draw, players who drew reroll the dice again and the highest will play the next ruler.

What DLC do I need?
The following is the list of DLC you should be running to join the succession game.

Sword of Islam
Legacy of Rome
The Old Gods
Sons of Abraham
Way of Life


As far as I can tell, cosmetic DLCs are NOT needed, but some strange graphical glitches may appear when you don't have them. It shouldn't affect the game in any other way.

I'm not very good at the game. Can I still join?
Of course! CK2 is a very forgiving game, and even if you royally mess things up, chances are it'll make a great story. Just go for it and see how you fare!

Can I roll again if I played in this round?
Unfortunately, no. Players are only allowed to roll their dice once the current pool of players all taken a turn. (In other words, once no more new players are available.) Once the next round starts though, feel free to roll again!

[Grif]

Reserved for list of rulers.

Emir Hussayn of the Fatimid Emirate [Damascus] (867-894) - OrcusMcP
Part 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19750851&postcount=9)
Save (https://www.dropbox.com/s/0fdqmcwalt0fztw/Succession.ck2?dl=0)

Emir Musa 'the Fat' of the Fatimid Emirate [Damascus] (894-900)
Sultan Musa 'the Fat' of Syria (900-937)
Badshah Musa 'the Fat' of Persia (937-941) - The Great Wyrm
Part 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19779603&postcount=23)
Save (https://www.dropbox.com/s/twlppmz83qdjxbm/Succession.ck2?dl=0)

Badshah Muhammad 'the Lionhearted' (941-?) - Flickerdart

[Grif]

Let's get this show on the road, shall we?


In the name of Allah, I resurrect this thread.

(1d100)[66]

[OrcusMcP]

Yessssssssssss time for some serious fun! We so rarely get the Muslim side in these LPs and succession games.


Inshallah, we shall be victorious!

(1d100)[93]

[Flickerdart]

In the wise words of Elan,

I GOT A FOUR (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19729898&postcount=130)

[Grif]

Looks like without further volunteers, Orcus gets to start this game off. :smallwink:

(Could start one with Dynastic Shields on?)

[OrcusMcP]

Alrighty! I will get things started before long, but the update may not show up until next week.

[The Great Wyrm]

(so excited)


Here we go!

(1d100)[66]

[OrcusMcP]

The House of Fatimah (867-894)

In the dark ages of Europe, the Dar Al-Islam was experiencing a golden age. Though the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphate empires were losing their grip on them, the emirs of Arabia, Egypt, North Africa and Persia were becoming extremely wealthy and powerful, science and mathematics were reaching new heights, and culture flourished. There was extensive shambles for power and influence as the Abbasids in particular waned, but there was still a strong sense of optimism.

http://imageshack.com/a/img903/98/JntGWi.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/8625/JZRhQD.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6614/03AhON.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/7043/Eoud9c.png
And it was not just the Sunni majority seeing this prosperity, one Shiite family began to reclaim their past glory around the end of the 9th century: The house of Fatimah, or the Fatimids. Fatimah, being the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH), was a revered figure in the Ummah and this meant that her descendants had a distinguished and prestigious legacy to live up to. Fortunately, Hussayn al Fatimid was prepared to honour that legacy. Trained as a warrior, he was known as an honest and gregarious man, and a passionate zealot. He was often criticized for his diet, however, having gotten overly fond of the rich foods and wines of Syria and nearby Greece. Never the less, he was still a man devoted to the glory of his family.

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/5148/zGRT5q.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6296/ZG5scD.png
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It was in 867 that he, along with many other emirs on the periphery of the Caliphate, declared that they sought independence from the Abbasids, securing it in the famous battle of Samarra.

http://imageshack.com/a/img537/9163/3QYEO4.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9663/SiJkl4.png
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This left Hussayn as the powerful, independent Emir of Damascus, and with the other major Syrian emirates at risk from Byzantium or a resurgent Abbasid Caliph, Hussayn knew he would have to claim Syria as a fortress for the Shiite minority. He sought the favour of the Almighty, embarking on his Hajj to humble himself, and then made great pains to show his devotion to Allah as he returned to Damascus in time for Ramadan.

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/589/dsFGuH.png
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By 870, Hussayn felt he was prepared to begin his consolidation of Syria, and began with the Emirate of Aleppo. However, he underestimated the resistance he would encounter and many of the local Sunni emirs joined forces to stop him. After a brutal defeat in the desert near Homs, Hussayn had to offer surrender and spent nearly ten years recovering his forces before he tried to conquer again.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/4848/oZ6vtu.png
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Thus, the years following the defeat saw many domestic issues come to the fore. From having to deal with conflict amongst his wives, the birth of his first son and heir Musa ibn Hussayn, his patronage of the famous physician and mystic Ibn al-Nafis, to his embrace of the Levantine culture away from his families Bedouin roots.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/5140/vFy7vN.png
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By 877, the true conquests began in earnest. Learning his lesson in Aleppo, Hussayn turned West towards Tripoli and had a plan to take small bites out of the surrounding emirates. This earned him stern reprieves from his Imams, as the Ummah was supposed to be above base conquest, but it was the only way to expand his influence. Over the next 14 years, he would conquer Ba'albeck, Tripoli, Archa, Tortosa and Homs.

http://imageshack.com/a/img538/1893/BJb4Ne.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img913/6776/pT2vL2.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img673/470/7V97go.png
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http://imageshack.com/a/img673/8576/wpQxDY.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9089/9CYTxZ.png
Domestic issues came once again to the front of Hussayn's priorities when it came to light that his heir Musa Ibn Hussayn had grown decadent and soft back in Damascus. Naturally, a zealous man like Hussayn al Fatimid could have none of that, and spent many days convincing the wayward son to return to a more pious lifestyle.

http://imageshack.com/a/img540/6317/tDjyLy.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img540/7777/c4Sort.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/4656/5g3EKx.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img537/406/PCIOyv.png
By 892, Hussayn was declared not only the Emir of Damascus, but also of Tripoli, and he sought to continue his consolidation of Syria by taking Palmyra from the Emir of Aleppo. Now, Aleppo was under considerable strain. Byzantium had begun to push east as the power of the Caliphate fell, and in their wake some small Orthodox rulers began to think they could push above their weight. Also, with the Aleppo emirate being ruled by a young boy, many others sought to claim a piece of the lucrative area. Thus, a race for control of Palmyra began. However, it would not be a race that Hussayn would see the end of, as he died on campaign in 894.

http://imageshack.com/a/img912/9343/4vILzU.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img538/9710/KnBeiQ.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img673/5600/Yf1Vvj.png
http://imageshack.com/a/img661/9401/GDejQa.png

----------------------------
OOC notes: Palmyra should be easy to mop up, and once you do you should have enough land to create the Kingdom (sultanate) of Syria. You are still the only major Shia power in this part of the world, but you've got some decent marriage alliances in Egypt, Khiva and Africa to help protect you from the big predators. Hopefully.

I had never seen that Ibn Al-Nafis event before, so that was pretty cool. I married him to the oldest daughter and gave him land in Tripoli.

SAVE (https://www.dropbox.com/s/0fdqmcwalt0fztw/Succession.ck2?dl=0)

[Grif]

Wow. I never expected independence this early. Were the Abbasids particularly unstable or something?

[OrcusMcP]

Yeah, I was surprised too. A day into the game and the independence faction was 203% of the Caliph's power. I jumped right onto that. Caliph's been fighting off rebellions ever since.

[IthilanorStPete]

EDIT: Actually looking at the OP answered my question. I'm surprised the Caliph didn't immediately revoke your titles, though.

Do the Fatimids start as Shia, or did you have to convert? (I haven't played Muslims much)

[OrcusMcP]

The Caliph didn't really have time to try to revoke, as the independence revolt hit very, very quickly. I've also had my vizier on permanent "Butter Up the Caliph" duty, so maybe that also helped.

You may need to change that to permanent "Butter Up Byzantium" duty soon, though.

[Flickerdart]

Does this mean we can roll again?

49 this time. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19752203&postcount=132)

[The Great Wyrm]

Rolling again.


(1d100)[39]

[Squark]

Bit busy with school and other games at the moment, but I shall watch how this develops with interest!

[Grif]

The Caliph didn't really have time to try to revoke, as the independence revolt hit very, very quickly. I've also had my vizier on permanent "Butter Up the Caliph" duty, so maybe that also helped.

You may need to change that to permanent "Butter Up Byzantium" duty soon, though.

You mean, Jihad Up Byzantium. :smalltongue::smallbiggrin:

(Only after we secured Arabia and Egypt.)

EDIT: Emir Hussayn the Drunkard? :smalltongue:

[Grif]

Unless a new challenger comes in with a better dice roll (and I'll be skipping this turn for some IRL stuff), I think Flickerdart has the next round.

[Flickerdart]

It'll take me a day or two to pick up the reins - my secondary drive is misbehaving and I might have to format it around bad sectors.

[Flickerdart]

Okay, scratch that - my drive conked out entirely, and the replacement won't be in until Saturday. The Great Wyrm, if you can take the wheel before then, please do.

[The Great Wyrm]

Ok, my post should be up shortly. I just need to write up what happened.

[Grif]

Ok, my post should be up shortly. I just need to write up what happened.

Cool. Awaiting with great interest. :smallsmile:

[The Great Wyrm]

The war for Palmyra was soon over. Allah had granted the glorious house of Fatimid victory, as He was to do many times again. Musa gained valuable experience as a leader of troops, which was to serve him well in future conquests.

http://i.imgur.com/j9ifBmr.png
http://i.imgur.com/oLQc8Jc.png

After his triumph, Musa crowned himself Sultan of Syria, a symbol of his growing power.

http://i.imgur.com/r17Jj5M.png
http://i.imgur.com/qqavfrS.png

Because his military strength and treasury needed to recover, Musa decided to focus on internal affairs. To the annoyance of the nobility, he raised taxes to repay his father's debt to Jewish moneylenders. In keeping with the scientific tradition of the region, he began construction of an observatory. His discoveries contradicted the holy Koran, and he began to lose faith in the teaching of Islam. To bolster his devotion, he made the Hajj to Mecca, returning a more pious man. Ashamed at people calling him "the Fat," he decided to abandon his gluttonous ways. Sadly, use of the epithet continued for the rest of his reign.

http://i.imgur.com/RJMMdNf.png
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Soon after he returned, the Abbasid Caliphate was plagued by another revolt. Musa took advantage of the situation to conquer more land in Antioch without troublesome intervention, securing victory in the battle of Latakiah. In the war, he learned how to move troops quickly, something which would prove highly useful in coming years.

http://i.imgur.com/CYsHH9m.png
http://i.imgur.com/UA0qjdu.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fxlpzrx.png
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Just after his victory, shocking news arrived from Hispania. The Ummayads had finally been overthrown, not by the Christians to the north, but by a Shia Caliph backed by disgruntled tribesmen!

http://i.imgur.com/v5Hfxpe.png
http://i.imgur.com/19BOhPK.jpg

The new Shia Caliph was quick to consolidate control over Hispania and North Africa, and even conquered deep into the jungles of Mali. Even better, the Tulunids in Egypt became Shia as well, to avoid conflict with the Shia Caliph. These states would prove invaluable allies for the Fatimids.

While the Shia Caliphate was rising, the Sunni Caliphate faltered. Caliph Ghalib became infamous for his decadent ways, and his realm was embroiled in internal and external conflict. The wicked Caliph was in crushing debt, fighting five wars, and had less than two thousand men left in his army. This was the perfect time to strike. However, Musa could not call for an invasion without the respect of the religious authorities, so he instead launched holy wars against the independent emirs of Galilee, Jerusalem, and Aleppo.

http://i.imgur.com/BVp610I.jpg
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By the time Musa had the backing of his religious leaders, the Abbasids had almost completely collapsed. Musa invaded Mesopotamia, and victory was swift. In the first month of the war, Caliph Ghalib's heir apparent was captured, which weakened the Abbasids' will to fight. A few more battles and sieges later, and the war was over.

http://i.imgur.com/hVVKjXD.png
http://i.imgur.com/BkoaOki.png
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The rich land of Mesopotamia more than doubled the Fatimids’ power base. From this position of strength, it was easy to conquer the small states remaining after the Abbasid Caliphate fragmented in revolts. These holy wars gave Musa enough religious authority to invade Persia. Musa faced stiffer resistance, but was victorious with the help of his Egyptian allies.

http://i.imgur.com/JijN0dL.png
http://i.imgur.com/3g7X3vF.png

With the conquest of Persia, the Fatimids were unstoppable. Musa mopped up small border states in Afghanistan and Baluchistan with holy wars, then invaded Khiva, which easily fell to the might of the Fatimids.

http://i.imgur.com/DTrhOQD.png

To formalize his power, Musa proclaimed himself Badshah of Persia. At this point, the Fatimids easily were the greatest power in the known world, even without alliances.

http://i.imgur.com/eBRfEdR.png
http://i.imgur.com/rMxS2Hl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/BC3rMGs.png

Unfortunately, he did not have long to enjoy this status, as he soon died a natural death at age 67.

http://i.imgur.com/wIia6at.png

Download:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/twlppmz83qdjxbm/Succession.ck2?dl=0

OOC Notes:

The character before me was the Drunkard, my character was the Fat (although he eventually lost Gluttonous), but the next person gets to play as the Lionheart.

I know we were going to take over Egypt, but they became Shia. The Ummayads had a "Shia Caliphate Rising" revolt, which they lost. The resulting uber-powerful Shia Hispania attacked Egypt in a Holy War, and Egypt converted to avoid defeat. (I thought only Pagans could do that, but somehow Egypt became Shia and the war ended.) Now, I had two powerful Shia allies, and proceeded to expand in Arabia and Persia, using Holy Wars to gain piety for Invasions. I was able to form the Empire of Persia before I died. The next character has absurdly good stats (yay for Open succession!), so maintaining control should be relatively easy. There's plenty of money to hire mercenaries if things get out of hand. Also, he has enough piety to call an invasion right away. I suggest Anatolia. The Byzantine Empire is no match for Persia.

[Grif]

That's... huh, I didn't expect such a collapse in difficulty early on. :smalltongue:

[The Great Wyrm]

Who gets to play as this guy?

http://i.imgur.com/O9MLxgj.png

Flickerdart, are you ready?

[Guancyto]

That's... huh, I didn't expect such a collapse in difficulty early on. :smalltongue:
Fatimids, man.

[Flickerdart]

Who gets to play as this guy?

http://i.imgur.com/O9MLxgj.png

Flickerdart, are you ready?

Yes, my new hard drive is working well and I've reinstalled the game.

[Grif]

Yes, my new hard drive is working well and I've reinstalled the game.

Cool. Looks like you get to spread the Green Blob of Fatimids. :smallamused:

[Sallera]

Hah, Invasions really are silly, aren't they? Nice work, though. I've got too much going on at the moment to roll, but maybe later; I'll be following along.

Rather than the ERE, I think India would be fun. Not sure what it looks like at the moment, but it usually has some nice big stable powers to fight against.

[Squark]

This is all in what, 60 years? Very impressive.

[Grif]

This is all in what, 60 years? Very impressive.

Of course, now is the time to spread our dynasty and install them on every duchy and county. :smallamused::smallbiggrin:

[OrcusMcP]

And don't forget, with big realms and lots of dynasty members comes the inevitable decadence.

[Grif]

And don't forget, with big realms and lots of dynasty members comes the inevitable decadence.

That's the plan. :smalltongue:

[Flickerdart]

How would de Vasconia style kingmaking work with Muslims, anyway? What with Open Succession and all that.

[Guancyto]

->Invasion of [Kingdom]
->Grant Landed Title [Kingdom of Kingdom] to [Brother] (Include Lower Titles=Yes)
->Grant Independence

:smalltongue:

[Flickerdart]

I will do that just as soon as rebellions stop raining on my parade...

[Guancyto]

No no, I was making the joke that that's how CK2 Muslims play the Game of Thrones.

[Grif]

Any updates, Flickerdart?

[Flickerdart]

I've got stuff for an update, I'm just working on writing it...

Spoiler: Everything goes great before suddenly going poorly indeed.

[The Great Wyrm]

Didn't stockpile enough gold for mercenaries, and got hit with a Rebellion/Decadence Revolt?

[Flickerdart]

Badshah Muhammad the Lionhearted - Part 1: Start Wearing Purple


Even before his coronation, Muhammad was known as a great Muslim. Possibly the best Muslim - embodying four of the seven heavenly virtues, he was also known as a brave, just, and quick-witted man, fervent in his faith, and possessed of a physique so stunning that the court Mullah considered it sinful for women to look upon it.

However, Muhammad's realm was not so pious, being fractured into a great many heresies. Within its borders still dwelled the vile Sunni faith, as well as congregations of Yazidi and Zikri. To the east, Orthodox and Nestorian counties marred his realm. To the west, the Manicheans and followers of Zoroaster held sway over the hearts of the people.

http://i.imgur.com/Khx70k4.png

Muhammad was known as a great commander of men, but the trusted advisors he surrounded himself with were no lesser. The man who served as his vizier they called the Wise; there was no rogue in the land more charming than his spymaster, known as the Seducer. These men he trusted to go into foreign lands and treat with the Caliph while stealing his scholars' best ideas. The rest would stay home and develop the capital, so that all would marvel at its glory.

http://i.imgur.com/ieJaWtH.png

Despite the wisdom of these men, the Badshah's cautious nature prevents him from acting too rashly. He spends the early years of his reign resolving administrative issues - granting land he cannot manage himself to a promising young warrior he mentored, and resolving an inheritance conflict in the steppe regions of his empire.

http://i.imgur.com/dqyZsHb.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/2O1ve91.png

Sure enough, since Muhammad did not go to find trouble, trouble had to find Muhammad instead. The realms subjugated by his predecessor did not meekly submit to Persian rule, and rose up in revolution against their liege. The Badshah rode out into the desert to face them himself, leading a small retinue of loyal soldiers, and the blood of many a traitor was spilled upon the sands that day.

http://i.imgur.com/i9pZET9.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/uUuik66.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/p6BnW7d.png

As the captives from the battle were gathered before the Badshah and prepared for execution, Muhammad sat in silent contemplation. Was it truly noble and pious, he thought to himself, to slay these simple mountain folk who had the misfortune to be raised on a different holy book? Their faith was no less horrible and wrong, of course, but did they deserve to die for it?

http://i.imgur.com/1BVlv7m.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/CMmEhDI.png

Doubt beset Muhammad as he returned from his campaign. His path would take him through Merv, where the court Mullah, Emir Khodadad, was known to spend some time in meditation. he resolved to ask Khodadad about the situation - could it be that there is more to righteous rule than conquest of the unfaithful?
As Muhammad rode through Khodadad's estate, its decadence shocked him. Here stood a golden statue, suspiciously close to an idol. There walked a throng of slaves, carrying amphoras of wine. Further on, a garishly dressed man hopped perilously from rooftop to rooftop, but before Muhammad could puzzle out what sort of jester this was supposed to be, the man tripped and tumbled into the Badshah's open carriage. Up close, and with the clown's makeup smeared by the fall, there was no doubt - it was Sheikh Chukshak! Upon threats of painful death, he revealed what he was doing - spying on the Mullah, and spying successfully at that. Muhammad could hardly believe that his trusted Mullah was a secret bastard all along.

http://i.imgur.com/9pMKkE4.png

If not the Mullah, who could Muhammad trust? He resolved at once to check the reliability of his inner circles. His heart already full of doubts, it did not surprise him when the spies turned up tales of his very own brother Abdullah, called The Devil by his subjects for his debauched revelry and sinister cruel streak. The brother went to jail for his crimes, and Muhammad turned from thoughts of warfare to pious contemplation lest he follow down the same dark path.

http://i.imgur.com/KwaXqFD.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/7GV1bfH.png

As Muhammad fasted and prayed, news came to him from his many spies. His brothers - now adults of no particular talent - all succumbed to the decadent lifestyle of Prince Abdullah. At first Muhammad would simply implore them to repent their ways, but eventually that began to grate upon even the Lionheart's legendary patience. Sealing himself within his chambers, Muhammad hatched a brilliant plan - he would campaign westward with his brothers against the infidel, showing them by example how a true Muslim ought to behave. Once the land was held, he would parcel it out among them and put them to work applying themselves to convert the heathen to the one true faith! It was a flawless plan, truly. Muhammad chose to direct his ire towards the Basileus of the Greeks - a lazy hunchbacked homosexual on top of his foolish devotion to the Cross.

http://i.imgur.com/yHkrXYq.png

While the kingdoms of Anatolia and Armenia lay closer to the Persian realm, Muhammad set his sights higher. His family would topple the cathedrals of New Rome itself, and make Constantine's city kneel. Only an endeavor of such magnitude would be sure to rouse his brothers from their decadent complacency!

http://i.imgur.com/OPhPt81.png

The Badshah's troops gathered from all corners of the Empire, though those from Arabia and the steppes would not arrive to the fighting until the first battle of the war. Eager to show his brothers the joy of action, Muhammad took 20,000 men into the mountains of Anatolia, pitting them against a Greek patrol. To his surprise, a much larger force lies in wait for the Persian army, and though they are still victorious in the end, Muhammad's army takes many more losses than expected.

http://i.imgur.com/2PsVAkw.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/PPiN3AV.png

Word of this costly battle spreads quickly throughout the Muslim world. Soon Muhammad receives a message from the Sunni Caliph, eager to take advantage of Persia's perceived weakness to reclaim some portion of Arabia.

http://i.imgur.com/SYTf1Sm.png

Muhammad sends for one of his sons, Prince Taimur, to discuss strategy for a two-front war, but is rebuffed - the prince is too busy whoring and offers to send a eunuch in his place. They said Satan would be attractive, but as much as Muhammad could use a skilled commander (more than his worthless son, at any rate) he could make no other choice but to have Taimur declared a kafir and imprisoned.

http://i.imgur.com/4h4bfur.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/IFacSwy.png

With Taimur in shackles instead of causing trouble in the commander's tent, the war goes smoother and Persian camels soon relieved themselves on Constantinople's famed walls. Bulgaria entered the war as a last-ditch effort to defend the Ecumenical Patriarch from being overrun, but the mercenaries hired for the war effort made short work of them.

http://i.imgur.com/zuNKI50.png

As Muhammad's troops were hard at work building siege engines, a hurried messenger prostrated himself before the Badshah, out of breath and carrying a small dirty scroll. From the intact portions of the mistreated document, it appeared that the Caliph of the distant Catholics (styling himself a Pop or a Poop or some such) had called the entirety of his followers to destroy Islam and formed a slew of holy warrior orders to accomplish this.

http://i.imgur.com/WcZP51V.png

This declaration made even the Lionheart quiver momentarily - the war had taken many a Muslim soldier's life, and if an entire continent were to turn against him, Greece would be lost forever. Fortunately, a second messenger with the sense to pace himself and invest in a purse for his scroll comes just in time to calm Muhammad. This "Crusade" was aimed at Aquitaine, conquered recently by the Shia Caliph in the West. While Muhammad had every intention to assist the Caliph, it meant the eyes of Europe would turn away from the East for the time being.

http://i.imgur.com/BPST0QU.png

Indeed, with the news that their fellow Christians would not come to their aid, the Greeks seemed to lose their last hopes. Basileus Apollonios surrendered shortly. Some said that this demonstration of military might caused Apollonios to take the Islamic faith seriously, treating the Muslims he encountered as equals and not second-class citizens.
As for Greece, the Badshah awarded the Basileus's former titles to his brothers, putting them to work converting the locals. Hopefully, their decadence would soon be a thing of the past.

http://i.imgur.com/VH85oq0.png


Next: Big trouble in little Persia! Should the Badshah grant his incompetent, decadent brothers and sons more land to get them to shape up? Should he assassinate all of his courtiers that are trying to for an independence faction against him? Does the Caliphate of Hispania really need our help against crusaders?

[Grif]

Seems like we took Kostantiniyye a few centuries earlier than planned. :smalltongue::smallbiggrin:

[OrcusMcP]

Maybe we should establish some kind of Sultanate of Rum?

[Grif]

Starts faction to Demand Updates.

[The Great Wyrm]

Joins faction.

What's our Faction Power at?

[Flickerdart]

Haha sorry guys, I'll have something up tonight. Stupid Strong king won't die.

[super dark33]

Haha sorry guys, I'll have something up tonight. Stupid Strong king won't die.

whine whine whine, my ubermensch wont stop blessing the nation, nay, the world with his magnificence to allow me to end my turn :smalltongue:

[Grif]

whine whine whine, my ubermensch wont stop blessing the nation, nay, the world with his magnificence to allow me to end my turn :smalltongue:

I believe Flickerdart had the luck throughout our games to pick kings and queens that are long-lived for some reason. :smalltongue:

[The Great Wyrm]

Let me guess: the Badshah became a vampire?

[Rockphed]

Let me guess: the Badshah became a vampire?

I'll do you one better: The Badshah went crazy, melded a bunch of desert creatures onto himself, and is going to live for a thousand years while his shock troops spread destruction across the galaxy.

[Flickerdart]

I'll do you one better: The Badshah went crazy, melded a bunch of desert creatures onto himself, and is going to live for a thousand years while his shock troops spread destruction across the galaxy.
It was more like thousands and thousands of soul-crushing decadence revolts.

I have the gameplay done and will post the update and saves on Thursday. In the meantime, you can roll for the next guy, who is the opposite of the one I got in every way.

[Grif]

It was more like thousands and thousands of soul-crushing decadence revolts.

I have the gameplay done and will post the update and saves on Thursday. In the meantime, you can roll for the next guy, who is the opposite of the one I got in every way.

Half-wit son? Oh boy. Memememememeem! :smallbiggrin:

...

Unfortunately, the dice disagrees.


For the Arabian Empire! :smallwink:

(1d100)[1]

[The Great Wyrm]

I thought Open succession would prevent any catastrophically bad sons from inheriting. I wonder what happened.

[Rockphed]

I thought Open succession would prevent any catastrophically bad sons from inheriting. I wonder what happened.

Open Succession just means that whichever son has the highest ranking title when we die inherits, right? So if they acquire a title by means other than our largess, they can inherit despite our best/worst efforts.

[Flickerdart]

Badshah Muhammad the Lion-hearted - Part 2: Nobody's Business but the Turks

The war was over, though much blood had been shed on both sides. Muhammad puts his sons and brothers in charge of the new lands, keeping only Constantinople in his personal demesne, so that he may keep a watch on his decadent relatives and help them straighten up. Unfortunately, while he had hoped that his children would take their new responsibilities seriously, it was not to be - for the spoils of war can be spent on liquor and women as well as on wages and construction!
http://i.imgur.com/gkBKjO0.png

Fortunately for Muhammad, his victory over the Kafirs has given Islamic doctrine a hefty weight in discussions about how one should lead one's life. If the Muslim way was wrong, why did Allah grant victory over the Christians? Nasreddin is seemingly convinced by this logic, and promises to abandon his ways.
http://i.imgur.com/IQba5vS.png

Muhammad's argument works just as well on the local Orthodox lords, who are happy to convert. Some of them need to be persuaded with large sums of gold, but there is a lot of that going around.
http://i.imgur.com/skd978m.png

Satisfied with his new vassals' obedience, Muhammad permits his generals to disband their levies, and pays his mercenaries for the final time. Almost immediately, this turns out to have been premature - factions pop up left and right, wanting to seize power for themselves now that they no longer had immediate evidence of Muhammad's military might. Deciding to sway them with mercy rather than more violence, the Badshah doles out another round of gifts. After all, who would be upset over the loss of alcohol when they could have fine Arabian coffee instead?
http://i.imgur.com/7WUkqdg.png

Of course, there were still hold-outs - old vassals who knew the Badshah well and were tired of his rule. But there were other ways of silencing their rebellious speeches. Not even Allah's mercy was infinite.
http://i.imgur.com/JIHrRmf.png

Meanwhile, the defeat of Byzantium has shaken the Greeks' confidence in their Basileus. A revolt pits brother against brother, the rebels' choice of leader only highlighting how little they thought of the reigning emperor.
http://i.imgur.com/LbPONLp.png

But to laugh at the Christians for their weak, disarrayed, and ineffectual state is to forget that there is an entire continent full of them. But on this day, the Badshah receives a grim reminder - a declaration of war by King Charles II, the closest thing Europe has to an Emperor. Three kingdoms - Italy, Lotharingia, and Burgundy - unite under one banner and march to claim the land that was bought with so much Arab blood.
http://i.imgur.com/LbPONLp.png

Looking forward to mustering the righteous defenders of his realm, Muhammad is shocked to discover that not a single vassal would answer the call to arms. No doubt they are too busy reveling in decadence!
http://i.imgur.com/LbPONLp.png

Fortunately, the Badshah's own men are loyal to him and not the hashish peddlers. Muhammad's personal guard and hired mercenaries accompany him into Italy. Before long, Muhammad shows that he is still very much Lion-hearted despite his taste for theology in his later years. The enemy brings superior numbers to bear, but the Badshah's prowess as a commander has never known an equal.
http://i.imgur.com/IKJmD6N.png

Meanwhile, the lords of Rumelia continue to plumb the depths of apathy. A 5000-man Italian force was able to breach the front lines and run amok in the region, but not a single warrior was raised to defend it. Muhammad spends months chasing down the mobile enemy, eventually nailing them down in Philippopolis.
http://i.imgur.com/p0lqB3a.png

The Badshah is almost over-eager to return from the war - he has been unable to devote as much time to religious matters as a man of his age rightly should, and nearly whips himself into a frenzy trying to show devotion to Islam. A lesser man would have let the horrors of war change him, but Muhammad is no worse for wear.
http://i.imgur.com/93voqHP.png

Well, nearly. The strenuous regimen of fasting expected from observers of Ramadan takes its toll on the old man's body at last.
http://i.imgur.com/5M3MvnY.png

Encouraged by their patriarch's infirmity, the Fatimid dynasty resumes its public displays of decadence. Muhammad's patience has run its course, and upon hearing yet another report that Prince Nasreddin skipped evening prayers to race camels with his friends, the Badshah orders the imprisonment of his son. Muhammad spends the next few years jailing his decadent family members, but they keep inexplicably escaping, requiring more armed guards and more commotion. Already, he hears the murmurs, or perhaps imagines them - the old man has gone wrathful in his late years, lashing out at the world for no good reason.
http://i.imgur.com/l4wNAYd.png

The whispers abruptly stop - once the patience of the people wears thin and a massive armed revolt appears in the desert, everyone is suddenly begging Muhammad to come save them, conveniently forgetting that they called him a tyrant not a few days ago.
http://i.imgur.com/ZZ2Ftvd.png

When his vassals come to him with a demand for independence, Muhammad is almost glad to be rid of them. These were the fools that would not protect their own homes, that would not respect the teachings of Mohammed, that would collude and plot behind their lord's back with factions and plots! Though pride stirs deep within him and urges him to fight, Muhammad finds it within himself to quash the impious thought. This time, it would be better to avoid spilling Muslim blood.
http://i.imgur.com/PuIeDl7.png
http://i.imgur.com/DBDCUZY.png

Unfortunately, while Muhammad had done well unto others, others would not do well unto him. He had no shortage of enemies, and perhaps feeling that the aging Badshah had grown weak and vulnerable, a sinister hand brought this chapter of history to a close.
http://i.imgur.com/UA0GzFm.png


Comments

Well, never tried managing decadence before. Turns out it's hard! Also never actually brushed up against the Vassal Limit like this before.

It was so weird how all his children kept glitching out of prison. I worked up a -200 Tyranny modifier just throwing them back into jail, and drained all the piety (and then some) convincing them to stop being decadent.


Save (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59276366/Persian_Empire948_06_03.ck2)

[Grif]

Hm. So did we just grant independent to a bunch of vassals? :smallconfused: Or am I reading it wrong?

[Flickerdart]

Yes, a slew of disloyal vassals (most notably the Sultan of Baluchistan and a handful of counties in Greece) are now independent.

[Valley]

PTW - Love your other succession games and wish to see how this one turns out.

[OrcusMcP]

PTW - Love your other succession games and wish to see how this one turns out.

Perhaps you should roll to take a turn?

[Valley]

Perhaps you should roll to take a turn?


We will see. Right now, as you may know from my other posts, I am playing a not-so-powerful vassal in the Byzantine Empire and want to see if I can survive till the end date. Also have a Hoi3 AAR on Paradox Interactive forums right now - so too many irons in the fire. But my first game, to test out how to play the game, I WAS the Umayyad in Spain, so I kind of know the ropes when dealing with the Faith of Islam, God be Praised. It would be nice to just play the game and not have to play one of the sons afterwards - they cause so much trouble....:smallfurious:

So i will watch for now. :smallbiggrin:

[The Great Wyrm]

Who's up next?

[Grif]

Me, apparently. But life got in the way, so the turn won't be played properly until next week the very least.

[Rockphed]

Me, apparently. But life got in the way, so the turn won't be played properly until next week the very least.

Sadface. I was looking forward to watching you keep your empire as a decadent and lecherous coward. It sounds like quite the challenge.:smallamused:

[Grif]

Flickerdart, could you confirm if this is the save you meant to give me? I'm quite sure Muhammad the Lionhearted isn't supposed to be alive. :smalltongue:

[Flickerdart]

Ok, this is bizarre - the latest save I have is just after conquering Greece...

[Grif]

Ok, this is bizarre - the latest save I have is just after conquering Greece...

Oh dear. History rewrite?

[Flickerdart]

Sounds like it. The one you have is my latest. Can you prevent the hilarious burning wreck of Muhammad's later years?

[Grif]

Sounds like it. The one you have is my latest. Can you prevent the hilarious burning wreck of Muhammad's later years?

Dang. I was hoping I'll be the one to salvage (or further ruin) the wreck. :smalltongue:

Care to resume it until his death? I don't mind waiting a little more. (You don't need such detailed AARs either.)

[Flickerdart]

I'm not going to have time for a while. It might be best if you take the rest of Muhammad and then his heir.

[Grif]

Alright. Though for the sake of a timely play, any AARs on Muhammad's actions would be minimal.

[Flickerdart]

All I did was repeatedly jail my children and give in to faction demands. Shouldn't take too long!