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Part 16: Egypt Burns
As Emperor of Rajastan, Kalyachandra commands all of western India. He sends a message requesting vassalization to Raja Kakru II, the newly independent Raja of Samma. Kakru is no position to refuse, so he accepts.
One of the nice things about CKII is that you don't have to conquer everyone to gain power. Sometimes guys will join up if you ask. Here's what you need to do to be able to do this.
1. First, you need to be his de jure liege. This is the most important part.
2. You need to have the same religion.
3. They need to like you.
The next parts are optional, but they help a lot.
1. You have the same culture.
2. You are at least two ranks above.
Because we are emperor and Kakru is a duke, he'll join us. If we were a king, he'd say no since we're from different cultures. If we were a King and shared his culture, he'd join us.
Kalyanchandra is going through some paperwork when his steward drops a fantastically large sack of money. "Special delivery, sire."
As this event scales to your income, you can get ridiculous amounts of money through it. Merchant Republics get ridiculous amounts of money.
Someone is trying to kill Kakru and he asks his new liege for assistance. Kalyachandra agrees to help.
To be honest, I don't know what the absolute best thing to do here is. I just choose the first option so I don't miss out on piety.
As the east burns under the Mongols, the Pope calls a crusade to place Jerusalem under the protection of a Christian ruler. The Caliph will be concerned with more pressing matters. Like not getting set on fire.
Meanwhile, not even the Mongols can escape the blades of the Hashashin, as the Khan of the Ilkhanate is found dead in the field. His grieving widow pledges to hunt down every last member of the Assassin Order. With horror the Caliph realizes that there is no more truce to protect him from the Horde.
If the Hashashin failed to kill the Khan, there would be a special event about the Mongols were going to wipe them out. But they succeeded and the event didn't fire. But now all the truces the Mongols had are gone. Oh boy.
Seeking to improve his spycraft, Kalyachandra almost steals a young woman's necklace, but decides against it.
This is part of the "Improve Intrigue" ambition. I don't take this one because it has a very depressing ending. You frame a guy for theft, throw him in prison, then years later you remember what you did and before you can release the guy you framed you find out he's dead.
Sunni Islam is on the decline, to the degree where the once heretical Yazidis are now the majority religion, especially in their stronghold in western Africa.
Another part of the "Improve Intrigue" ambition.
Laks always taught Kalyachandra that the greatest threat to an empire comes from within, not from without. Kalyachandra wondered if his father would change his mind if he saw the Mongols, but Kalyachandra always kept an eye on his vassals.
You should always check the factions screen every once in a while. When your empire gets to a certain size, chances are the Independence faction is the strongest one. Bear in mind we're Jain and we get a flat +30 opinion bonus from our vassals. It will be much worse when we're Hindu.
Laks also taught Kalyachandra that nothing pleases vassals like gold. He also taught him to leave some gold for when his heir took over.
Laks is talking about what I call "a succession fund". Being Jain means that succession isn't much of a problem, but once we're Hindu and our vassals convert with us, things will be harder upon succession, as we'll get the "short reign" opinion malus. Keeping a small emergency fund is a good idea no matter situation you're in.
The black arrow points to our vassal opinion of us. It's 39, which means that while he doesn't hate us, he'd rather not have to deal with us. Too bad for him.
The red arrow is pointing to the "send gift" button. Bribing your vassals is a easy, if expensive way to keep your vassals in line. How much gold you need to bribe them scales with their income, and it's a minimum of 20 gold.
Not everyone can be so easily satisfied. Ereganga wants control of the Lattalura thikana, but Kalyachandra lacks the ability to transfer it. Ereganga will just have to pout.
Your vassals want all of their de jure territory and it's a good idea to transfer it if you can, as it means you have less to deal with. Just don't make them too strong.
A wealthy man, Kalyachandra is always willing to share his wealth with his subjects.
He also invests in building up his capital.
Kalyachandra walks down to his courtyard to find a group of ragged men. He turns to the captain of the guard.
"Captain, who are these men."
"Nobles from the north, sire. They say they've fled from the Golden Horde."
"The what?"
"The Golden Horde. It's another Mongol horde."
The courtyard goes silent.
"Another one?"
"Yes."
One horde was wrecking the west. Another one might bring the world to its knees.
The Golden Horde usually goes after Russia and if it's lucky it might reach the HRE.
To distract himself, Kalyachandra goes down to his garden. It's a fine garden, but it's nothing compared to his neighbors. He decides to ask for help.
Each of these options has a different cost. The first costs piety, the second apparently nothing, the third money, and the fourth gives us Content. We take the second one.
Ha ha! Typo.
Alright, we've got two options.
1. 45% of getting Charitable
2. 45% of getting greedy.
We pick the first one, because we're a nice guy.
A few months later, some traveling musician shows up in Laksmanavati. He's not an amazing singer, but he's not terrible either. Kalyachandra decides to be nice and lets him stay.
The bottom choice is as far as I know the best choice.
Nodha is quite grateful.
We get an opinion boost from Nodha, and the temporary trait "Magnanimous Person" which IIRC gives us +.5 piety per month.
Kalyachandra is getting old and he chooses Devabhuti to be his heir. Deva is a patient, brave, and hardworking young man. He is certainly not going to get involved in human sacrifice or anything like that.
I love J/B succession.
Kalyachandra's mother dies and all of her kingdom (at this point the rest of southern India save for Sri Lanka) belongs to him now.
The final part of the Tripartite Crown is completed.
Yes! However, we can't become Samrat Chakravartin yet, as we need to control every single holding in de jure Rajastan, Bengal, and Deccan.
Though devastated by the Mongol Hordes, Islam refuses to go quietly and every single free Muslim goes to liberate Egypt.
Though the Mongols controlled much of Egypt, certain cities like Cairo remained free. They pay for their freedom dearly.
The great city of Alexandria also falls victim to the Horde. This Jihad is costing the Muslim world dearly.
Never before have the temples of Tengri been filled so completely. The Sky-Father has proven himself to be a mighty protector and aide to the people of the Steppes. The Khan of Cumania has gathered the finest priests and shamans to create a new Tengrism, worthy of the Sky-Father. The movement spreads rapidly. Soon Tengrism will take its place among the great religions of the world.
Um, I think this is bad. You see, the Hordes normally convert to either Catholicism, Orthodox, Nestorianism, Sunni Islam, or Shia Islam. I think that's when they lose their deathstacks as well. Now I think that won't happen and they don't lose their deathstacks.
Armed with a new fervor, the Horde pushes back the Shia. The Caliph vows to return one day and see the Khan's head on a spear.
But Kalyachandra will not live to see that day. He dies, and now Deva must lead the Palas to a new age.
Next Time:
