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Khan Yerlesnu, Part I: Father made this look easier (942-944) After the ritual seven days of mourning are completed and I am finished sitting shiva for my father, it’s time to take stock of my Khanate. My first worry is that my succession may be chaotic -- a new reign is a time for troubles. Luckily, the realm seems to be accepting me so far.  Next I turn my attention to the Council, and am disappointed in what I find. Are these men truly the best Father had? I can think of better men for nearly every job.  A vast improvement.  The religious state of affairs does not please me. We have made scant progress in turning back the tide of paganism and advancing the faith of the Chosen People. I set my Court Rabbi to the task, but I expect this to be a problem for a long time.   Now that the crown is mine, I must decide upon my chosen heir. My genius nephew remains an excellent candidate, but I would prefer the throne to pass to my own son. He is nothing special as of yet, but the boy is only four. Time will tell.  Mine own sister was in someone’s dungeon? Yes, please, I’ll take her back.  The Basileus Anastasios, Father’s great foe, has likewise been stricken by age. I note with some satisfaction that Ha’Shem granted Father a clean death, but has condemned the Roman to suffering inside the useless shell of his own body.  His daughter and heir. She believes wholeheartedly in the Christian teachings of chastity, and has foresworn Earthly pleasures, expecting to be compensated in the afterlife. Foolish goyim; did not the Almighty command us to be fruitful and multiply? Rumors swirl that the reason for all these shows of pious restraint is that the princess does not enjoy the company of men. If true, it means that the odds of her producing an heir are miniscule. Perhaps her dynasty will die with her. That would be sweet revenge indeed. (In other words, she’s Homosexual, Chaste, and has focused on Pleasures in the Afterlife. -60% fertility.)  Ah yes, the war in Wallachia. Father began it before his death, and had indicated to me that he expected it to be an easy conquest. With that in mind, when I had 1600 men gathered on the borders, I moved them into enemy terrain as a scout force. To be met with overwhelming force like this is an extremely worrisome surprise.   The commander of their left flank was extremely good and also extremely poorly protected. Perhaps this will let me eke out a miracle victory?   Perhaps not. Maybe we’ll call surviving the retaliatory assassination attempt good enough.   The Bulgarians have help and the losses I’ve suffered have emboldened troublesome vassals. My reign is not off to a good start.  I send my spymaster to discourage the worst of the lot.  My armies have regrouped, but I am outnumbered. I try to retreat across the river...   But cannot make it in time.  No, not a very good start to my reign at all. I can take most of this hit, but the indemnity will bankrupt the realm for several years.  Well, then. I’d better start making some money. Next time: Making some money CapnAndy fucked around with this message at 23:08 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 21:24
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CapnAndy posted:(In other words, she’s Homosexual, Chaste, and has focused on Pleasures in the Afterlife. -60% fertility.) You can excise this part. We can see this for ourselves. No need to jump out of character just to say this.
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Apr 17, 2014 21:52
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I was assuming that the entire audience might not be able to read character trait icons at a glance, though?
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Apr 17, 2014 21:54
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If they can't, then they probably have no clue what "-60% fertility" means. Honestly, the in character description was enough.
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Apr 17, 2014 21:55
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MegaZeroX posted:You can excise this part. We can see this for ourselves. No need to jump out of character just to say this. People are directed to the tutorial thread in the OP, so I think it's assumed everybody knows the game. What's up with the black flags/family crests? You didn't have those in your Alba game?
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Apr 17, 2014 21:57
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CapnAndy posted:I was assuming that the entire audience might not be able to read character trait icons at a glance, though? Don't see why you can't just have it in brackets in case those people reading are new to CK2, especially as unless you know the traits they might be lost.
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Apr 17, 2014 21:58
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MegaZeroX posted:If they can't, then they probably have no clue what "-60% fertility" means. Honestly, the in character description was enough. There's no need to be so condescending. While many of us can indeed read character traits, not everyone can and regardless, I hardly see how a single line could so offend or annoy you that it merits inconveniencing others who aren't such "pros" at this game, like yourself.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:01
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I believe that cross for "Pleasures in the Afterlife" is used for other "event traits" as well, so there's nothing wrong with explaining what it is.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:02
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Ah, this rule looks to be eventful and interesting. Eagerly await more, setbacks make these things so much more interesting.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:02
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Torrannor posted:What's up with the black flags/family crests? You didn't have those in your Alba game?
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Apr 17, 2014 22:05
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I find it ironic that you cannot borrow from Jewish moneylenders to solve your money problems.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:06
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TravelLog posted:There's no need to be so condescending. While many of us can indeed read character traits, not everyone can and regardless, I hardly see how a single line could so offend or annoy you that it merits inconveniencing others who aren't such "pros" at this game, like yourself. I don't think I was condescending. All I was saying is that the in character description was enough. He said that the character was known for chastity and rumored to be homosexual. Him posting "that means she is chaste, celibate, and homosexual, so -60% fertility" wouldn't help anyone in a way that the image or description wouldn't. Her being chaste and homosexual was covered in the description the Khan gave. The -60% fertility wouldn't help anyone, because either it is just a number for the people that don't know this game's underlying mechanics, or the reader would already know it from their own knowledge. MegaZeroX fucked around with this message at 22:13 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 22:08
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Torrannor posted:I find it ironic that you cannot borrow from Jewish moneylenders to solve your money problems.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:11
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Torrannor posted:People are directed to the tutorial thread in the OP, so I think it's assumed everybody knows the game. It's a good question: There are a lot of black crests around, including in my updates.   And sending in a scout force? My son, I ordered everyone to mass up together outside their borders with good reason.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:13
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Asking the Jews for cash should be in all the Abrahamic faiths. Especially in our case when we ourselves are Jews. How's Crimea's progress on making the Black Sea lucrative?
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Apr 17, 2014 22:17
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AJ_Impy posted:It's a good question: There are a lot of black crests around, including in my updates. Probably differences in Dynasty Shields DLC between the players. MegaZeroX fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 22:17
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MegaZeroX posted:You can excise this part. We can see this for ourselves. No need to jump out of character just to say this. I disagree. I'd rather have the explanation and know just how unlikely she is to have a kid. (also, do you really think that people who don't play the game can't figure out "-60% fertility"? It's pretty straightforward, bud.)
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Apr 17, 2014 22:22
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Funky Valentine posted:Asking the Jews for cash should be in all the Abrahamic faiths. Especially in our case when we ourselves are Jews. Yeah, but we can't exactly expel the Jews if we can't afford to pay them back.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:24
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Patter Song posted:Yeah, but we can't exactly expel the Jews if we can't afford to pay them back. This should be an option that instantly causes a game over. Also isn't the point of the whole "money-lending" thing that usury is a sin in Judaism but only to other Jews? Rejected Fate fucked around with this message at 22:35 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 22:28
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biosterous posted:I disagree. I'd rather have the explanation and know just how unlikely she is to have a kid. The "-60% fertility" is just a number. Does it mean that when she would have a child there is a 60% chance that it wouldn't happen? Does it mean that the percent chance of having a child is mulitplied by .4? Is the starting fertility at 100%? I just don't think a number is helpful at all. Being told she is very chaste and homosexual gives the reader the same amount of information. That description gives the odds of having a child better than a number does, unless one is familiar with CK2, in which case they wouldn't need it anyway. MegaZeroX fucked around with this message at 22:35 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 22:32
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We are the Jews, we can't very well borrow money from ourselves. Especially when we have none.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:35
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MegaZeroX posted:I don't think I was condescending. All I was saying is that the in character description was enough. He said that the character was known for chastity and rumored to be homosexual. Him posting "that means she is chaste, celibate, and homosexual, so -60% fertility" wouldn't help anyone in a way that the image or description wouldn't. Her being chaste and homosexual was covered in the description the Khan gave. The -60% fertility wouldn't help anyone, because either it is just a number for the people that don't know this game's underlying mechanics, or the reader would already know it from their own knowledge. Apologies in any case. The rude tone was unwarranted.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:43
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That is a rough start Cap. drat.
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Apr 17, 2014 22:44
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MegaZeroX posted:If they can't, then they probably have no clue what "-60% fertility" means. Honestly, the in character description was enough. As a matter of fact, I have no idea what the icons mean, and find the systemic notes interesting. I admit that no, I have not yet read through a 3000+ post mega-thread to swot up on the symbology of a game I've not played. On the other hand, I'm not so droolingly stupid that I can't get a pretty shrewd idea of what "-60% fertility" implies. So -- personally -- I would find the occasional system-related fact fairly interesting.
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Apr 17, 2014 23:03
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Ghostwoods posted:As a matter of fact, I have no idea what the icons mean, and find the systemic notes interesting. I admit that no, I have not yet read through a 3000+ post mega-thread to swot up on the symbology of a game I've not played. On the other hand, I'm not so droolingly stupid that I can't get a pretty shrewd idea of what "-60% fertility" implies. So -- personally -- I would find the occasional system-related fact fairly interesting. I agree with this. I'm a huge fan of CK2 LPs despite having never actually played the game, so it's nice to explain what the little icons actually mean.
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Apr 17, 2014 23:14
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Ghostwoods posted:As a matter of fact, I have no idea what the icons mean, and find the systemic notes interesting. I admit that no, I have not yet read through a 3000+ post mega-thread to swot up on the symbology of a game I've not played. On the other hand, I'm not so droolingly stupid that I can't get a pretty shrewd idea of what "-60% fertility" implies. So -- personally -- I would find the occasional system-related fact fairly interesting. E: and I read Paradox LPs because my computer can barely chug along in EU3, so I'm not exactly rushing out to buy the newer games I can't play. No sense reading a megathread, really. lonelywurm fucked around with this message at 23:51 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 23:48
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I play the game and know what they mean and don't give a poo poo they're explained in the update. Just drop it before you end up on gamers.txt.
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Apr 17, 2014 23:53
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I see she's a 4 dot theologian too, I think that takes another 5 or 10% off fertility. (Watch her have like 6 kids anyway).
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Apr 18, 2014 00:13
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Funky Valentine posted:Asking the Jews for cash should be in all the Abrahamic faiths. Especially in our case when we ourselves are Jews. Quite the reverse, actually: it's strictly forbidden for Jews to loan money to other Jews. The moneylenders would have to give us the cash as a gift, with no expectation of return.
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Apr 18, 2014 01:17
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Huh, I thought they were allowed to lend money to other Jews, but they were just forbidden from charging any interest on it.
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Apr 18, 2014 15:41
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Khan Yerlesnu, Part II: Making some money (944-949) With my coffers deeply in the red, there’s nothing to do but settle in for the long haul and wait it out.  Learning a thing or two about making money wouldn’t hurt, though.  Well, well. Look who finally died. I wish the new Basilissa a long, childless reign.  Speaking of children, I will raise my own, thank you.      Time passes and my debts diminsh, until finally my Steward collects a tithe that wipes them out completely.   The Byzantines have internal revolts to deal with, but my realm is peaceful.  ...wow. They’re not in very good shape at all. I can’t resist declaring war. A time of weakness like this is the only time that Byzantium is vulnerable. With luck, I can gain some victories while their armies are distracted elsewhere and claim a quick victory.      The educations of both my son and myself proceed well as I wait for my armies to gather.  If my spies were correct, this is more strength than the Byzantines have right now. If my spies were mislead, I’m in for some very unpleasant times.  Excellent. The Doge was the chief troublemaker in Khazaria; removing him ends my internal worries.   Well... drat. The good news is that I’ve already won some minor sieges and I haven’t seen their troops yet. I’ll continue ransacking what I can, and if I see an army I cannot defeat, I’ll send my troops back home and sue for a White Peace.  That’s good!  That’s bad.  That’s worse. I’m in no mood to engage a numerically superior foe, even if it is only by a few hundred men. My earlier defeats have left a lasting impression and I have no desire to experience another one. Luckily, they move south, apparently intent on crushing the remaining revolts.  Honestly, child, you could have just married the man.  So... I guess crushing the revolts went well? Okay, then.  It was worth a try. Next time: Trying something else
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Apr 18, 2014 15:50
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A passable attempt, and preserving the lives of our people for more promising wars is sensible. What is the state of the Retinue? It probably needs beefing up.
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Apr 18, 2014 16:37
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I'm gonna post this in the main thread too, but I figure since we have a thing about the Byzantine Empire here, I figure you folks would appreciate this. The Byzantine Emperor converted within a decade of the Old Gods start and this is the result 30 years into the game. 
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Apr 18, 2014 17:41
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A hood attempt at honoring the memory of your father. How to the Sunni lands to the east look? We might be able to get some non-sucky lands by grabbing bits and pieces from them and build up our forces that way?
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Apr 18, 2014 17:46
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In my Duke of Epirus --> Despot of Sicily game, my emperor just went Bogomolists and lots of vassals have already converted. Time for a throwdown, I think.
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Apr 18, 2014 21:32
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##Add me to the list
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Apr 19, 2014 06:04
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Khan Yerlesnu, Part III: Trying something else (949-951)   Here’s a nice soft target, and he’s a Catholic. Their foolish schism will prevent the Bulgarians or Byzantines from coming to his aid. Perhaps another front is just what I need to finally find military glory.    Rebellions are normally a threat. Rebels who chose to rise up in the very province where all my troops are already gathering in preparation for the invasion of Hungary are amusing diversions.  Gossip is a sin, but my experience with lashon ha’ra has taught me much of the ways of lies. A rather distasteful skill, but one required to live at court nonetheless.  Perhaps an example will keep the peasantry from following in this fool’s footsteps.  I have set spies on the Romans, and they bring me back valuable knowledge. I must choose how to apply it.    I see ways to apply these learnings to enhance my own bearing as one anointed by the Divine, to organize the craftsmen in the towns to better generate income, and to improve our cavalry tactics -- the last is crucial knowledge in the steppes.  It is a great Mitzvah to study the Torah!  Disheartening news! The Basilissa has had a son, despite herself -- her husband must be forceful indeed. I am about to follow my father’s example and rid the world of the young prince when I notice another detail in the reports I have received.  Upon further consideration, I have decided that young Gregorios is precisely the heir his people deserve.  Sending my brother to make overtures of friendship to the Byzantines tastes of ashes in my mouth, but the plain fact is that they are much, much more powerful than I am, and my attempted invasion while they were weak has left them angry and seeking revenge. I would pour honeyed words in the ear of a foe, rather than see my people suffer defeat.  Well that didn’t work at all, did it.   Venice as well? Back to Italia with you, and do not think I forget that you too were once Roman!  And now a Holy Order as well. I am suddenly outnumbered by professional soldiers. I cannot defeat this foe.  This is becoming upsettingly routine.  Of course they call a Crusade now. All the Holy Orders will be busy, and most of the Catholic nations will likely be sending their armies overseas at well. It would be an ideal time for a strike on Hungary, except that the ink on the damnable truce is barely a week dry. Incidentally.. Andalusia? My word. The sons of Ishmael have been busy.  As I get the money to do so, I continue to increase my retinue. If I can build up a force of enough Horse Archers to make up an entire flank of my army, I can do some very real damage on the battlefield.    The realm is at peace and I have money to spend, so I host a truly royal Seder for my vassals.  Oh, I am so screwed. Next time: Nothing good
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Apr 22, 2014 16:26
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Wait, how the gently caress did that gal get a baby? If my numbers are correct, she had negative fertility! Could that possibly have come from some lover event that ignores that kind of thing?
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Apr 22, 2014 16:32
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Hmm. Her father was damned near immune to plotting. She, on the other hand? She might be more vulnerable to backroom intrigue, especially if your silver-tongued brother has been making friends over there. A slow child on the throne during wartime might, might mean we don't lose another damned duchy to the Rhomaoi. In any case, good luck.
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Apr 22, 2014 17:23
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Right now my best plan is to form up the troops, get 'em on a boat, and then see if I can sack Constantinople while the Byzantines are sieging my poo poo. The problem with this is that they're gonna siege way, way faster than I can.
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Apr 22, 2014 17:30
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