Diary of Kabuki
Introduction 1038 AD
It had been a hard ride, I could feel the blood dripping from my nose and I felt horribly dizzy. I handed the last horse over to one of the stable boys and walked unsteadily towards the palace. It was scarcely two weeks ago that I received the letter from the illustrious Charis ordering me to leave my army in the hands of my chief war captain and ride to Paris as fast as the horses could bear. Fair: I was almost born on horseback, and Ive fought on the back of a horse for the last fifteen years, but eating, sleeping and living on a horse for two weeks is more than most men can handle. As it is, the horses and myself may survive.
As I step up towards the palace I get a whiff of myself, and cringe. My last bath was somewhere near Venice, and other than rain and splashing river-water I havent exactly had much time for personal hygiene. Not that anyone around here would notice, bathing seems to be close to a sin and using soap is unheard of. Then again not everyone in France reads the language of the moors and has a Moorish merchant daughter for a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. It became a bit of a tradition in the family after my great-grandfather took a liking to one of his Cordovan slave girls. He married her after his retirement. He even made a trip to Cordova to ask her fathers permission. Sometimes you have to wonder if it he was brilliant or just plain stubborn. He definitely walked a fine line. After that, not so strangely, she being a daughter of a wealthy merchant, and him being, now a wealthy landowner an understanding relationship was worked out. The children were reared well, learning both Moorish and French customs, language and writing. We were teased, but then again, who cared when we had nicer clothes, were healthier and understood the value of a bath
One thing leads to another and our relationship with Cordovan merchants is still there. And I cant say I complain, I can afford better armour, horses and weapons and those have kept me alive during the last 15 years of solid campaigning. And now this, called back to the capital to see the royal advisor. I have no idea what that can mean.
I decide that I have time to change, before the meeting, pulling my saddlebags over my shoulder I stomp off to find the chamberlain. I stomp off to a secluded pond in the garden; quickly stripping I clean off and make myself presentable, Moorish style, which means clean, shaven, smelling of subtle spices and (due to the speed of my journey) crumpled silk.
After that at least my nose stopped bleeding and I felt moderately refreshed, and it was time to meet my fate. Not that I had anything particular to worry about, but there are always sins somewhere, especially for someone with my ancestry. The quick catalogue of my sins revealed nothing, how shall I put it: critical. However where field expediencies rule there is always something to worry about, like the connected well connected war-captain I set to dig latrines, and would be doing so for the rest of his life, after he cost me valuable weeks in the set ups around Venice when he failed to adequately secure is his positions. Hopefully Charis, who had been running the whole nation for the last three decades would understand, hed been there before, and I hope he remembers.
The guard announces my name as I enter the private study of the most powerful man in France, the most powerful person being the Queen herself of course. I bow, my best courtly bow and I am surprised I can still do it after all it has seen little use the last few years. He stands up, still a powerful man after thirty years of sweat and toil in the realm of politics and logistics, and comes to greet me hand outstretched. I grasp it, still weak as a puppy from the ride, but I make my best effort, and judging from his smile it was good enough.
- Welcome Kabuki, I am glad you made it back so quickly, you see I have a new job for you.
- A new job?
I am somewhat surprised; it was not what I was expecting. At this point he hands over a heavy ring with the seal of France on it. I take it, more out of shock than anything else, there is only one ring like that and it belongs to the post he holds.
- Yes Kabuki, the Queen has other plans for me.
The smile he gives me is genuine, as is the relief at handing over the burden of running the country.
- I will try not to fail my lord.
- I dont think you will, and just to make this easier on you I have left a list of instructions, not comprehensive, but it should do.
With that he hands me a sheaf of parchments and walks out the door, leaving me stunned and wondering if it is some kind of sick joke. Then I look at the papers, the ring and the room. It is not a joke. I peek out the doors, no one but the guards present - Charis has left the building.
My body is exhausted, and I sit in the chair behind the oak desk, I order a meal and some drink and start reading. It takes a long time, but before morning when I fall asleep, drooling, under the desk I have a picture of our situation. And it is looking surprisingly good and the news goes well with the excellent wine and cheese the kitchen supplies me with.
The military situation is a trade-off. We can end the war quickly, by sacking Venice as soon as possible or we can choose to capture more Burgundian towns before decapitating them. Looking at the map I see five Burgundian towns left. I decide on a medium option, we want the war to end within 3-4 turns, which means Besancon and Rome can be taken if we are lucky with the amount of troops stationed there. The deciding factor on how long the war will last is simply left to the Burgundians. After all they decide how many troops they have in Venice
Thus our first army attacks Venice three times, killing three regular spearmen, our second army on the other hand beelines for Besancon.
In international matters we are doing quite well. We are technologically advanced, with several nations two or more technological innovations behind us. Interestingly the Danish lack iron, we happen to have much more than we need and iron does not benefit them as much as it does say, Germany. We ship them iron for the lump sum of 118g. This now allows us to increase our spending on science to 60 percent of the national budget and according to our wise men map-making would only be six years (2 t) away.
Entry 1 1041 AD
The last three years brought much prosperity to France and Paris completed another Knight battalion and it was decided that we would require major landholders to be taxed according to the manor system thus increasing revenues in a couple of years. Tours completed a blacksmith and needed barracks to train troops. Rouen built a temple and the priests decided that it was time for the city to support the war effort with a unit of knights.
Our city on the Iberian Peninsula decided that the Cordovans culture was much better than ours and changed allegiances. Oddly enough I understand their sentiment. Who would want do live in a country where bathing is akin to sin? What a crazy notion. In addition to our cities producing infrastructure we ordered the construction of a colony on the sheep in Italy. This allows the reduction of the luxury tax to 20% and thus we are only loosing 40gpt and will still figure out how to draw good maps by the end of three years (1t).
Our military did surprisingly well: Our second Knight army smashed through the Besancon defences and captured it, before heading to Rome, and our first knight Army slew three troops off defenders in Venice for minimal losses (-2).
Internationally the Swedes decide that they need new ways to get smashed before raiding, and raid our wine cellars. Being preoccupied elsewhere we manage to keep them out of the good sections, but do hand over enough to last them for 60 years. The Germans find pillaging in Italy to be amusing, although I do wish they wouldnt.
Entry 2 1044
To my joy and relief our wise men manage to find an efficient and accurate way to draw maps, I tell them to find out how to develop codes of behaviour for our knights to follow (Chivalry). Most of the wise men refuse to co-operate with this, as they would rather draw pretty maps, and quit. I hire a lone wise man in Antwerp to work on this. Angers trains a troop of knights and is asked to do so again, while Basel finishes their temple and is asked to produce a Town Hall.
Our second army closes on Rome while our first army picks off another three troops of defenders in Venice. We start setting up a blockade to prevent movement to the south of Antwerp of unfriendly troops. Our second launching point on a German campaign is decided on. The first will be Metz, and a thrust straight into the German heartland. The second is from a hill south east of Ghent from which we can launch towards their secondary and tertiary cities.
In excellent news our Economy just received a beautiful boost. Our monopoly on the making of good maps is a real boon. Below is the list of trades that was completed during the three first years of our monopoly:
Abbasids: WM + Worker + 17g France: WM, Cont: Bur, Nor, Swe
Fatimids: WM + 3g WM
Cordova: WM + 23g WM
Byzantine: WM + Worker + 9g WM
Germans: WM WM
Danish: WM + 11g WM
Kievan Rus: WM + 2g + 4gpt WM
England: WM + 8gpt + 110g WM
Turks: WM + 31gpt + 58g (Have Siphai) WM, Cont: Nor, Fat
Norway: WM + 9g + 1gpt WM
Bulgars: WM + 9g WM
The Swedes offer an excellent deal on mapmaking, but I hold off. The English start something called the Knights Templar. This is worrisome as it means they have discovered this notion of Chivalry. It will bear a closer look during the next several years.
Entry 3 1047
Boulongne builds a town hall and begins training a knight at 19spt. Tours finishes its barracks and begins training knights. Militarily all is well our second army defeats the defenders of Rome and captures it, while the first army slices down the king of Burgundy in Venice and razes the city. Antwerp, Genoa and Rome are all ordered to produce settlers to fill in the now empty lands left by Burgundy.
After consulting with the council nothing new is really decided and again I am left to decide on foreign policy on my own. The first priority was to acquire more information on which to base my decisions: I open an embassy with England and discover that Chippenham has tar, iron, horses and wool for resources. It also has built barracks, a temple, monastery and a marketplace while currently constructing a jousting arena. For defenders it has 1 knight, 2 swordsmen, 6 spearmen and a queen. 1 person is happy and 5 content.
Knowing that Thetford is where they are building the DOOMsday book printing house (such a clever way to sell absolutions that) I decide that I should investigate it more closely, and pay good money (68) to do so. Thetford has 45 years (15t) left on their printing house (we will finish it by the time my next diary entry is written), are producing 7spt, 7fpt but are at size six, have barracks, temple, town hall and monastery. This is quite revealing, and in fact we can now without concern allow Orleans to finish the big book of DOOM so we can sell indulgences more efficiently and then start on the Knights Templar once we acquire Chivalry.
OOC note: I just spent the last 15 hours editing a paper for a friend of mine, and I really need to get the ball rolling again on this game so I can go complete Epic 39
So Im going to do the quick and efficient report, rather than a proper character report from here on in. Sorry.
4 1050
Paris: Manor -> Monastary
Orleans: Big Book of DOOM -> Palace (KT pre-build)
Ampurias: Town Hall -> Spear
Metz: Temple -> Walls
Antwerp: Settler -> Temple
English start KT in Thetford.
Trade:
WM for a total of 6gpt and 125g.
Sweden now offers 65gpt, 1 fur, WM and 30g for MM.
Science set to Early Siege @ -12gpt for ES in 6
Rush settler in Genoa.
IBT Zzzz
5 1053
Bordeaux: Town Hall -> Temple
Angers: Knight -> Monastery
Genoa: Settler -> Temple
Avignon: Blacksmith -> Knight
Trade:
WM for change (30-35g)
GA ends soon and we need the luxuries, and I dont think the Sweden deal is going to last much longer.
Then MM and WM to Sweden for 68gpt, Fur, WM and 55g.
Turks: 2gpt and 28g for Castille nad England contacts
Abbasids: worker for Eng, Pol, Bul.
Byzantine: Silk and 7g for all contacts.
We set research to 80% and have ES in 5 at +62gpt
IBT The Abbasids demand contact with the Rus and I have a complete brainfart (ok, ok I rationalized it afterwards with them being evil Arabs and all that
still a brainfart and I refuse
they declare war.
And GA ends.
6 1056
ES is now 7 turns away at 80gpt
Trade Maps for 25-30g.
Decide that I want Chivalry and a steal is available
take it and wohoo! Got it! At 458 it is a steal!
Switch Orleans to KT in 12.
IBT Zzzz
7 1059
Metz: Walls -> Barracks
Trade map for ca 20g
IBT Magyar want contact with the Fatimids and I hand it over.
8 1062
Paris Monestary -> Knight (research drops by one turn)
MM Paris to 25spt Knight in 3
Boulongne Knight -> Spear
ES in 4
Trade for about 15g
IBT England put 2 settlers on the boot of Italy!
9 1065
Found Cherbourg on the Wool (forced by the second English settler)
Trade for about 60g (I sent some contacts out to clean up loose cash).
IBT Zzzzz
10 1068
Angers: Monestary -> Granary
Boulogne: Spear -> Spear
Marseille: Temple -> Barracks
Sci -> 70% ES still in 2.
Ok, thats it. Again, apologize for this being smegging late.
Comments:
We should be able to get Early siege first, and with a couple more monasteries there is no reason why we should not be able to stay in the tech lead, or at least a brokering position ensuring a clean run at the key wonders of the 3rd age. England is our main rival in terms of tech, and can easily be cleaned be dealt with by us cleaning out the rest of the world with out monopolies. In 12 turns a lot of gpt will start to hit the table again, although it is quite obvious that there the economies out there are strong, and we need monopoly techs to clean them out, as our maps are not cutting mustard at the moment.
Ill tack on one picture as that there were only three major events, and I completely forgot to get a screenie of the book of DOOM being built.
The Save
In fact I'm somwhat glad that armies have their limits, too. 
I had planned to have some free time now to play a longer civ3 session for the two SGs I'm up in. But my wife got sick, and now I have more work to do and cannot play. 
