Crusader Kings II - Paradox Entertainement (02/12)
- Thread starter Tellus
- Start date
Latest Dev Diary has revealed a bit on how monastic orders are going to work in Monks and Mystics.
The most interesting news come from the modding community though: Elder Kings has been updated in its 0.2.0 version, a playable version compatible with the current game version.
The Middle-Earth Project has also received an update (0.7) that makes it playable.
Oh, and finally (though it's a bit of old news), the Game of Thrones mod has received a small update (1.3.2) to solve a stability problem (1.3.1 was crashy as hell)
The most interesting news come from the modding community though: Elder Kings has been updated in its 0.2.0 version, a playable version compatible with the current game version.
The Middle-Earth Project has also received an update (0.7) that makes it playable.
Oh, and finally (though it's a bit of old news), the Game of Thrones mod has received a small update (1.3.2) to solve a stability problem (1.3.1 was crashy as hell)
So, I've downloaded the ATE folder, and plopped it into my "mod" section of the ck2 folder, but it's not showing up in my launcher. What more do I need to do?
You need to have a .mod file next to the folder, and you need to have the correct game version that the mod will work with.
My last King just never seemed to die, he produce another set of twins aged 69 with his 19 year old wife.
He's just gone now, so my current king has got a grandson who is the same age as his great-uncle.
I'm almost out of land to pass around - i refuse to break up my duchies that i conquerored at 300 years ago.
He's just gone now, so my current king has got a grandson who is the same age as his great-uncle.
I'm almost out of land to pass around - i refuse to break up my duchies that i conquerored at 300 years ago.
I generally prefer inheriting grandchildren when possible; means you're more likely get long-reigning, stable rulers. In my current Random County->Ireland-> Irish Empire campaign, I've had a few of those, though, and it's actually got a bit boring, so I got one of my heirs to be educated Othodox just to make things interesting. It wasn't interesting enough, though, and soon enough my entire empire was Orthodox.
Now I've got my patriarch researching religion so I can try to make Bogomilist Ireland.
Blerg. I wanted my eldest son to inherit the Duchy of Poitou from his mom but then she had to go and press her claim to Aquitaine against her niece. Now he's getting Aquitaine and his next eldest younger brother is getting Poitou. Oh well can always cheat to switch the titles around once they inherit
He'd have to murder his second and third born sons for his eldest son to get Poitou. Plus since it's a custom dynasty that started with my current character... I don't really want to have my game depend upon only one kid surviving and producing heirs for now.
Started as the County of Piombino in 1337. Little Italian minor state. Conquered the two OPM republics. Get alliances with Bohemia, Naples, and France.
Then I get an idea.
I marry some random Coptic chick and have my kids educated by them. Coptic Italy would be interesting, right? I then end up going Monophysite, and really clamp down in Italy. Form a custom Kingdom of Piombino. Monophysite becomes dominant, and everything is going good, but I am stuck. Then I look over at Aragon.
I don't know how it happened. It wasn't my dynasty, and I don't even think I am even related to the dynasty. But somehow Aragon had gone Coptic and started to spread Catalan culture all over Africa. Getting eaten by uber Egypt, but still p strong. I proceed to Holy War my way into wealth and power.
I end the game, made it to 1444, converted over. I am in 1472 now, though I might restart the game because I didn't pounce on France when I could and I neglected my navy until it was too late. I do however have 2000 ducats and +10 a month (conquered Genoa so I got that amazing trade node).
But this is why I bothered making this post: Monophysite in EU4 is awesome. I took Religious ideas and it got to the point where it was easier to just convert all of the land I conquer than core it, because Monophysite+DotF meant that I straight up got something like -6 unrest in uncored and not accepted culture.
Then I get an idea.
I marry some random Coptic chick and have my kids educated by them. Coptic Italy would be interesting, right? I then end up going Monophysite, and really clamp down in Italy. Form a custom Kingdom of Piombino. Monophysite becomes dominant, and everything is going good, but I am stuck. Then I look over at Aragon.
I don't know how it happened. It wasn't my dynasty, and I don't even think I am even related to the dynasty. But somehow Aragon had gone Coptic and started to spread Catalan culture all over Africa. Getting eaten by uber Egypt, but still p strong. I proceed to Holy War my way into wealth and power.
I end the game, made it to 1444, converted over. I am in 1472 now, though I might restart the game because I didn't pounce on France when I could and I neglected my navy until it was too late. I do however have 2000 ducats and +10 a month (conquered Genoa so I got that amazing trade node).
But this is why I bothered making this post: Monophysite in EU4 is awesome. I took Religious ideas and it got to the point where it was easier to just convert all of the land I conquer than core it, because Monophysite+DotF meant that I straight up got something like -6 unrest in uncored and not accepted culture.
Sweet Jesus, I'm having a very enjoyable game. It's my first Ironman campaign going for achievements (I usually like having charinfo and making my characters competent through the console, beside the mods), and I must say that it's a wholly different experience and, boy, I'm hooked. Yesterday, I started as the Byzantine Melissenos family of Dorylaion in 769 and now it's 918 and I've just risen to the purple. I've accumulated an interest in the Melissenoi, one of the oldest registered Byzantine families who remained prominent all the way to the 15th century, throughout the year and it's great to have the opportunity to play as them.
The family patriarch was Michael Melissenos (b. 730, r. 750-706), who in OTL was the founder of the Melissenoi, Constantine V's brother-in-law and favorite general and father to a Patriarch of Constantinople. Unfortunately, his imperial favor is not represented in CK2, as he starts out single and as the Strategos of the two province theme of Anatolia, and Count of Dorylaion. Michael was unremarkable for most of his life, having had poor stats, but became notorious for his virility. He married four times and enjoyed several mistresses, becoming the father of five sons and six daughters, trueborn and legitimized bastards, before dying at the advanced age of 76. His religious policy was highly controversial, having been a devout Iconoclast until its banishment and then becoming an Orthodox, only to convert to the Paulician faith when Emperor Leon V, his grandson (through the Empress Maria Melissene), enforced it as state religion. The conflict between the Paulicians and the Orthodox would tear the Empire and the Melissenos family apart, until the Paulician Patriarchate of Constantinople was inaugurated and the Orthodox deemed heretics.
His successor was his eldest son Theodotos Melissenos (b. 760, r. 806-808), who was a promising heir compared to his father for most of his lifetime, although his actual reign was cut short by gout. Unlike his father, he never rose to become Strategos, remaining as the insignificant Count of Dorylaion until his death at age 48. Wars among vassals within the Empire had been outlawed by then, a law that would remain in effect indefinitely and severely limit expansion beyond inheritance. Theodotos married firstly Gisela Karling, daughter of Emperor Pepin of Francia who perished to a flu at age 26, and secondly Eudoxia Souanitissa. He had four sons and one daughter.
For most of his life, the half-Karling Romanos Melissenos (b. 782, r. 808-846) was merely the Count of Dorylaion, although he ruled wisely and with an iron fist over his subjects, a far better ruler and general than his father and grandfather. He achieved prominence through his great and highly benefical marriage to Barbara Skepastissa (791-831), who was already Countess of Smyrna and Chios and Strategissa of Samos when the match was made. Count Romanos wielded most of his influence through her, and they enjoyed a loving marriage in spite of Romanos' bisexuality. Together they had three sons and three daughters, although doubts would later be cast over their paternity as Barbara's infidelity was revealed. At least one of Romanos' children, the youngest girl Theophano, was unlikely to be his, having inherited Cuman ethnicity (the girl was promptly married off to a German noble and never heard from again). Romanos then divorced Barbara after she proudly told him of her affairs, but the Melissenos patriarch laughed the last when Barbara died a year later of dysentery. Romanos' second wife was the much younger Eudokia Pegonitissa, Strategissa of Mesopotamia, with whom he had one daughter before dying at age 64. Shortly before his death, Romanos was named the Strategos of Anatolia, as his grandfather before him.
His son Manuel Melissenos, the Hideous (b. 808, r. 831/846-864) was already a faithful servant of the Empire and famed general by the time of his father's death. He inherited Dorylaion and was confirmed as Strategos of Anatolia, but he truly made his home at his mother's seat at Smyrna and ruled as the Strategos of Samos first and foremost. He was a loyal servant of the Isaurian Emperors Leon V and Theoktistos I (the former a half-Melissenos himself, the latter married to his aunt Antonia Melissene) throughout his lifetime. Indeed, by the time of his inheritance of Dorylaion and the leadership of the Melissenoi, Manuel had been disfigured in battle leading the Imperial armies, although that did not affect neither his loyalty and nor his skillful command. He married thrice; first to Thomais of Macedon, then to Iouliana Kamatera, a daughter of Sicily, and thirdly to Leutgardis Karling, daughter of King Karl of Burgundy, both of whom died young (Thomais was divorced, although she was his successor's mother). Manuel's vast and prestigious legacy was inherited by his two daughters, the only children he had sired, when he died at age 56.
The family's mighty matriarch was Barbara Melissene, the Unfaithful, (b. 839, r. 864-892), Strategissa of Samos and Anatolia, and Countess of Smyrna, Chios, Ephesus, Dorylaion and Ikonion. She was the Empire's most powerful woman and a renowned poet and diplomat... as well as seductress. Throughout her long and fertile life, she gave birth to eleven children, of whom many were in fact secret bastards, with only her youngest child, Ioannes Isauros, not having been acknowledged by her husband (who was dead by then). Barbara kept several lovers at the same time, of whom the most prominent were the genius and brilliant general and ruler (all stats 15+) Chrysogonos Skleros, Count of Hellas and later rebel leader, the Patriarch of Constantinople, her husband's brother Prince Polykarpos and even Emperor Evangelos himself, although she contended herself with lowborn courtiers in old age. Her fetility was legendary ((seriously, I lost count of how many times I got that event during pregnancy of having another pregnant woman at court, giving 10% fertility. I wish I had charinfo to check!)), as well as her husband's supposed virility. Prince Anthemios Isauros accordingly sired ten of her children and died at age 41, his wife's foremost rival and enemy. Barbara's achievements were not restricted to prolonging the Melissenoi, for she also proved herself a shrewd politican, adding the prosperous cities of Ephesus and Ikonion to her demesne. When she died at age 52, from the stress of managing so many affairs, her successor had to fill in large shoes.
Her eldest son Manuel Melissenos, the Just, (b. 865) had been a disappointing heir at first, but he grew in strength and wisdom with time and became worthy of his vast inheritance, including all of his mother's titles and full vaults. He was a shrewd man and, as indeed a trueborn son of Anthemios Isauros, had a claim to the throne. Unfortunately, Manuel was possibly the unluckiest man alive at his time. A plague nearly took his life prematurely, only for him to emerge a year later with the great pox. His physician's treatment cured him of the pox, but cost him a hand. He did not let his mutiliation linger his ambitions, however, for he soon became another famed general in the Empire's service of the Melissenos bloodline. That service, however, proved to be quite dangerous when he, very much like his namesake grandfather, was disfigured in battle and had to wear a mask to hide his face when he was not yet thirty. The Reaper was not done with Manuel, however, for another wound became infected and the physician had to remove an eye to ensure his life. Strategos Manuel was then one-handed, one-eyed and masked and disfigured... but he did not let that get in his way. He maintains a cordial, if frosty, relationship with his wife, Thekla Kophine (a daughter of the Strategos of Coloneia), with whom he has one son and one daughter.
Manuel, quite possibly enraged by his life, waged a war to press his claim to the purple, but he had no support throughout the Empire and he conceded a white peace, when it became clear that none were coming to his aid. His claim remained, but his pride was hurt. Nevertheless, he never abandoned his imperial ambitions, not even when Emperor Theodore I Makrembolites (elected by the noble families to succeed the Isaurians) made him a commander anew and brought him to the Council as an advisor, an honor none of his ancestors had had. Manuel bided his time, serving the Makrembolites Emperor as he shored up his support in the Empire. Theodore's preferred heir, Lazaros Makrembolites, was widely disliked across the Empire, and Manuel Melissenos was the favorite successor to the purple. Twice did Manuel try to take over in a palace coup. The first assassination attempt ended in failure, although the Emperor fogave him. The second time was not so kind to Theodore. The palace was stormed at night and the Emperor without a drop of imperial blood was brought to Manuel, who had him promptly executed and rose to the purple himself.
At age 52, the disfigured, one-eyed and one-handed Manuel Melissenos has become Emperor Manuel I of the Romans. The future is uncertain. Will his nobles elect Manuel's only son, Romanos Melissenos, as the next Emperor? Will Manuel even manage to keep the throne until his death. It is not known.
List of Emperors of the Romans
743 - 772: Constantine V Isauros (died of cancer)
772 - 778: Leon IV Isauros "the Frail" (died of poor physique)
778 - 820: Theophylaktos I Isauros "the Drunkard" (died of poor health)
820 - 854: Leon V Isauros "the Wise" (murdered)
854 - 865: Theoktistos I Isauros "the Mutilator" (died under suspicious circumstances)
865 - 890: Evangelos I Isauros (died of consumption)
890 - 893: Anthimos I Isauros (suspicious circumstances, age 56, would have been the best Emperor ever)
893 - 918: Theodore I Makrembolites "the Merry" (executed by Manuel I)
918 - ???: Manuel I Melissenos "the Just"
There are Melissenos branches throughout a few counties in the Empire and two major ones in Lombard Italy, as Counts of Pavia and Dukes of Lombardy.
The family patriarch was Michael Melissenos (b. 730, r. 750-706), who in OTL was the founder of the Melissenoi, Constantine V's brother-in-law and favorite general and father to a Patriarch of Constantinople. Unfortunately, his imperial favor is not represented in CK2, as he starts out single and as the Strategos of the two province theme of Anatolia, and Count of Dorylaion. Michael was unremarkable for most of his life, having had poor stats, but became notorious for his virility. He married four times and enjoyed several mistresses, becoming the father of five sons and six daughters, trueborn and legitimized bastards, before dying at the advanced age of 76. His religious policy was highly controversial, having been a devout Iconoclast until its banishment and then becoming an Orthodox, only to convert to the Paulician faith when Emperor Leon V, his grandson (through the Empress Maria Melissene), enforced it as state religion. The conflict between the Paulicians and the Orthodox would tear the Empire and the Melissenos family apart, until the Paulician Patriarchate of Constantinople was inaugurated and the Orthodox deemed heretics.
His successor was his eldest son Theodotos Melissenos (b. 760, r. 806-808), who was a promising heir compared to his father for most of his lifetime, although his actual reign was cut short by gout. Unlike his father, he never rose to become Strategos, remaining as the insignificant Count of Dorylaion until his death at age 48. Wars among vassals within the Empire had been outlawed by then, a law that would remain in effect indefinitely and severely limit expansion beyond inheritance. Theodotos married firstly Gisela Karling, daughter of Emperor Pepin of Francia who perished to a flu at age 26, and secondly Eudoxia Souanitissa. He had four sons and one daughter.
For most of his life, the half-Karling Romanos Melissenos (b. 782, r. 808-846) was merely the Count of Dorylaion, although he ruled wisely and with an iron fist over his subjects, a far better ruler and general than his father and grandfather. He achieved prominence through his great and highly benefical marriage to Barbara Skepastissa (791-831), who was already Countess of Smyrna and Chios and Strategissa of Samos when the match was made. Count Romanos wielded most of his influence through her, and they enjoyed a loving marriage in spite of Romanos' bisexuality. Together they had three sons and three daughters, although doubts would later be cast over their paternity as Barbara's infidelity was revealed. At least one of Romanos' children, the youngest girl Theophano, was unlikely to be his, having inherited Cuman ethnicity (the girl was promptly married off to a German noble and never heard from again). Romanos then divorced Barbara after she proudly told him of her affairs, but the Melissenos patriarch laughed the last when Barbara died a year later of dysentery. Romanos' second wife was the much younger Eudokia Pegonitissa, Strategissa of Mesopotamia, with whom he had one daughter before dying at age 64. Shortly before his death, Romanos was named the Strategos of Anatolia, as his grandfather before him.
His son Manuel Melissenos, the Hideous (b. 808, r. 831/846-864) was already a faithful servant of the Empire and famed general by the time of his father's death. He inherited Dorylaion and was confirmed as Strategos of Anatolia, but he truly made his home at his mother's seat at Smyrna and ruled as the Strategos of Samos first and foremost. He was a loyal servant of the Isaurian Emperors Leon V and Theoktistos I (the former a half-Melissenos himself, the latter married to his aunt Antonia Melissene) throughout his lifetime. Indeed, by the time of his inheritance of Dorylaion and the leadership of the Melissenoi, Manuel had been disfigured in battle leading the Imperial armies, although that did not affect neither his loyalty and nor his skillful command. He married thrice; first to Thomais of Macedon, then to Iouliana Kamatera, a daughter of Sicily, and thirdly to Leutgardis Karling, daughter of King Karl of Burgundy, both of whom died young (Thomais was divorced, although she was his successor's mother). Manuel's vast and prestigious legacy was inherited by his two daughters, the only children he had sired, when he died at age 56.
The family's mighty matriarch was Barbara Melissene, the Unfaithful, (b. 839, r. 864-892), Strategissa of Samos and Anatolia, and Countess of Smyrna, Chios, Ephesus, Dorylaion and Ikonion. She was the Empire's most powerful woman and a renowned poet and diplomat... as well as seductress. Throughout her long and fertile life, she gave birth to eleven children, of whom many were in fact secret bastards, with only her youngest child, Ioannes Isauros, not having been acknowledged by her husband (who was dead by then). Barbara kept several lovers at the same time, of whom the most prominent were the genius and brilliant general and ruler (all stats 15+) Chrysogonos Skleros, Count of Hellas and later rebel leader, the Patriarch of Constantinople, her husband's brother Prince Polykarpos and even Emperor Evangelos himself, although she contended herself with lowborn courtiers in old age. Her fetility was legendary ((seriously, I lost count of how many times I got that event during pregnancy of having another pregnant woman at court, giving 10% fertility. I wish I had charinfo to check!)), as well as her husband's supposed virility. Prince Anthemios Isauros accordingly sired ten of her children and died at age 41, his wife's foremost rival and enemy. Barbara's achievements were not restricted to prolonging the Melissenoi, for she also proved herself a shrewd politican, adding the prosperous cities of Ephesus and Ikonion to her demesne. When she died at age 52, from the stress of managing so many affairs, her successor had to fill in large shoes.
Her eldest son Manuel Melissenos, the Just, (b. 865) had been a disappointing heir at first, but he grew in strength and wisdom with time and became worthy of his vast inheritance, including all of his mother's titles and full vaults. He was a shrewd man and, as indeed a trueborn son of Anthemios Isauros, had a claim to the throne. Unfortunately, Manuel was possibly the unluckiest man alive at his time. A plague nearly took his life prematurely, only for him to emerge a year later with the great pox. His physician's treatment cured him of the pox, but cost him a hand. He did not let his mutiliation linger his ambitions, however, for he soon became another famed general in the Empire's service of the Melissenos bloodline. That service, however, proved to be quite dangerous when he, very much like his namesake grandfather, was disfigured in battle and had to wear a mask to hide his face when he was not yet thirty. The Reaper was not done with Manuel, however, for another wound became infected and the physician had to remove an eye to ensure his life. Strategos Manuel was then one-handed, one-eyed and masked and disfigured... but he did not let that get in his way. He maintains a cordial, if frosty, relationship with his wife, Thekla Kophine (a daughter of the Strategos of Coloneia), with whom he has one son and one daughter.
Manuel, quite possibly enraged by his life, waged a war to press his claim to the purple, but he had no support throughout the Empire and he conceded a white peace, when it became clear that none were coming to his aid. His claim remained, but his pride was hurt. Nevertheless, he never abandoned his imperial ambitions, not even when Emperor Theodore I Makrembolites (elected by the noble families to succeed the Isaurians) made him a commander anew and brought him to the Council as an advisor, an honor none of his ancestors had had. Manuel bided his time, serving the Makrembolites Emperor as he shored up his support in the Empire. Theodore's preferred heir, Lazaros Makrembolites, was widely disliked across the Empire, and Manuel Melissenos was the favorite successor to the purple. Twice did Manuel try to take over in a palace coup. The first assassination attempt ended in failure, although the Emperor fogave him. The second time was not so kind to Theodore. The palace was stormed at night and the Emperor without a drop of imperial blood was brought to Manuel, who had him promptly executed and rose to the purple himself.
At age 52, the disfigured, one-eyed and one-handed Manuel Melissenos has become Emperor Manuel I of the Romans. The future is uncertain. Will his nobles elect Manuel's only son, Romanos Melissenos, as the next Emperor? Will Manuel even manage to keep the throne until his death. It is not known.
List of Emperors of the Romans
743 - 772: Constantine V Isauros (died of cancer)
772 - 778: Leon IV Isauros "the Frail" (died of poor physique)
778 - 820: Theophylaktos I Isauros "the Drunkard" (died of poor health)
820 - 854: Leon V Isauros "the Wise" (murdered)
854 - 865: Theoktistos I Isauros "the Mutilator" (died under suspicious circumstances)
865 - 890: Evangelos I Isauros (died of consumption)
890 - 893: Anthimos I Isauros (suspicious circumstances, age 56, would have been the best Emperor ever)
893 - 918: Theodore I Makrembolites "the Merry" (executed by Manuel I)
918 - ???: Manuel I Melissenos "the Just"
There are Melissenos branches throughout a few counties in the Empire and two major ones in Lombard Italy, as Counts of Pavia and Dukes of Lombardy.
That's easy. Seduce some other woman, kill you other legitimate children, kill your wife, legitimize said children. I feel like you are over complicating things.
That was a great read, please write more down once you've played through it. Byzantium is all I ever really play in CK2.
Edmund Guilford, duke of York, passed away and was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward Guilford. Immediately prior to passing from scurvy, he successfully installed his third and youngest son, Edmund, on the throne of Egypt via a Crusade. Now Edward is debating what to do with his middle brother, Henry, since Edward also has two sons, Edward and Richard, and a grandson, Edward. One thing he is contemplating is giving York to Henry once their mother dies and Edward inherits the duchies of Poitou, Aquitaine, Guyenne, Bourbon, Lemousin, and Auvergne, since his mother established primogeniture inheritance.
Can someone give some cool character to start with? I already did the early start with Prussia, in 200 years I founded the Wendish Empire and reformed the religion, won Poland thanks to a Pagan Holy War against them, and I changed the laws of the three Kingdoms, Poland, Prussia (changed the name of Lithuania) and Pomerania to Elective Monarchy. I also did the early Asturias start and by 1012 I had finished the Reconquista and was doing a Conquista of NA.
