General Failure

An event for Hungary.

After our disastrous campaign into Moravia, resulting in significant loss of life, materiel, and – perhaps most of all – pride, many questions are being asked, by our nobles, our generals, and our citizens at large.

Why was the Master of the Royal Menagerie appointed to lead a military campaign? Why were Hungarian knights and men invading Bohemia in the first place? Is our King mentally incapable? Why was stopping the Tartar raids into our lands not a higher priority than invading a once-friendly power? Why was stopping the Mamluk raids into Christendom not a higher priority than invading a fellow Christian state? Does our King care more for Imperial politics than Hungary’s well-being? Why are new wars being declared when we’re already involved in so many?

Why did so many Hungarians have to die?

• Option 1: Uh, this is all the Ban of Ruthenia’s fault! Off with his head!

• Option 2: I know what will turn the tide of public opinion! A successful incursion into Bohemia!

• Option 3: I know what will turn the tide of public opinion! Tax cuts!

• Option 4: I know what will turn the tide of public opinion! Executing all the naysayers!

• Option 5: It may wound our pride, but perhaps now is the time to call an end to this foolish endeavour.

• Option 6: I am the King and I invade who I want, when I want! I will not indulge these rumours with a response.

The Mad Doge

An event for Venice, Venice’s non-faction entities, Bavaria, both Austrias, Hungary, Byzantium, the Tyrian Guild, and the member states of the Italian League.

The Doge of Venice has surprised many by finally choosing and committing to a side, by throwing his lot in with Bavaria and declaring war on the Italian League and their allies. However, after an initially vigorous campaign against Mantua, over the years that followed the Doge became sullen and withdrawn, perhaps wracked with guilt over the body count of his actions, or maybe driven mad by some malady or poison. Regardless of the reason, Venice lists rudderless, as its patricians all conspire against each other to dominate the administration of the absent Doge.

• Option 1 (available to Venice): This is foreign propaganda! The Doge is alive and well, just as he always has been!

• Option 2 (available to Venice): We will be doomed if this state of affairs is to continue. We must choose new leadership, whether they hold the formal title of Doge or not. (Select a character or characters to lead the faction.)

• Option 3 (available to Venice): We will be doomed if this state of affairs is to continue. We must align ourselves closer with our allies in Bavaria!

• Option 4 (available to Venice): We will be doomed if this state of affairs is to continue. We must repudiate our Bavarian alliance and seek closer relations with our Italian brothers!

• Option 5 (available to Venice’s non-faction entities): Venice is a sinking ship, and we must detach ourselves from it if we are to survive.

• Option 6 (available to Venice’s non-faction entities): Venice is our home, and we must act to save it – quickly!

• Option 7 (available to Bavaria): Venice is our friend and ally. We must ensure that they are defended from foreign interference in this trying time. (Select a number of players, units, and gold to send to help defend Venice; alternatively, select a plot that you are running to such effect.)

• Option 8 (available to Bavaria): Venice is our friend and ally. Surely that makes us the best candidates to manage their affairs for the time being!

• Option 9 (available to Bavaria): Venice has been our friend and ally for generations. They’ll never expect it when we invade them! (Warning: May result in WAR.)

• Option 10 (available to both Austrias): Venice has been a thorn in Austria’s side for far too long! Let’s get ‘em while they’re down! (Warning: May result in WAR.)

• Option 11 (available to Rekschafen Austria): Is this a succession crisis I smell? (Warning: May result in WAR.)

• Option 12 (available to Hungary): Looks like Venice’s Adriatic holdings are ripe for the taking. (Warning: May result in WAR.)

• Option 13 (available to Byzantium): What a perfect opportunity to remove Venice’s influence from Crete, and make the island fully ours.

• Option 14 (available to the Tyrian Guild): The competition is weakened. Now is the time to secure our dominance over Mediteranean trade.

• Option 15 (available to Italian factions): Now is the time to strike! The perfidious Venetians will be defeated once and for all!

• Option 16 (available to Italian factions): Venice has seen what returns they sow by fighting their Italian brothers. Perhaps they would now be more amenable to changing course and rejoining the Italian League?

• Option 17 (available to all except Venice): This is none of our concern. We have more important matters to attend to.

Trade Realignment

An event for everyone, with a particular focus on Bavaria and the member states of the Confederation of the Rhine.

Trade through the Empire, and through Europe, has long been dominated by trade routes on the Empire’s east, running through grand rivers like the Danube, and connecting to the great ports and harbours of Venice. In recent decades, actors on the west of the Empire – Arles, Switzerland, the Dutch Republic, among others –have attempted to create and popularize their own trade routes, primarily along the Rhine. While the rascent Rhenish trade routes have been slow to gain popularity, being plagued by bandits and having to fight hard to overcome their novelty, the Bavarian-dominated trade routes to the east have suddenly become a lot less secure, due to the many wars on Bavaria’s borders. Add in recent Arelatian attempts to establish a series of connecting ports for their western trade routes, to compete with Venice’s eastern ports, and suddenly the competition is looking a lot more serious.

All factions should choose an option for Section A. Factions which have options in Section B may choose at most one in that section.

Section A: Encouragement (available to all)

• Option 1: We shall encourage our merchants to use the Bavarian trade routes!

• Option 2: We shall encourage our merchants to use the Rhenish trade routes!

• Option 3: We shall encourage our merchants to use a new trade route! (Specify which plots are involved in establishing this new trade route.)

• Option 4: We won’t meddle in the affairs of trade. Our merchants may use whichever trade routes bring them the most profits.

Section B: Direct Action (available to the specified factions)

• Option 1 (available to Bavaria): We must invest in securing our trade routes from the ongoing war!

• Option 2 (available to Bavaria): Why invest in our own, when we can sabotage our opponents?

• Option 3 (available to Bavaria): We should focus on the real war, not this silly trade war.

• Option 4 (available to factions bordering Bavaria): We should set up some toll booths and get rich through Bavarian trade passing through our lands!

• Option 5 (available to factions bordering Bavaria): Time to raid some bad Bavarian trade!

• Option 6 (available to factions in the Confederation of the Rhine): We should set up some toll booths and get rich through Rhenish trade passing through our lands!

• Option 7 (available to factions in the Confederation of the Rhine): We must invest in securing our trade routes from bandits!

• Option 8 (available to factions in the Confederation of the Rhine): We must focus on promoting our trade routes, to overcome reluctance to use them over more established ones.