(Long) Note; This is going to be published in installments, please keep egging me on to keep writing. At this point in the alternate history of the Byzantine Empire, the Byzantine Empire includes the follwing provinces: Croatia, Serbia, Carpathia, Wallachia, Naples, Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Constantinople,Bulgaria, Moldavia, Crimea, Nicea, Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus, Anatolia, Lesser Armenia, Armenia, Rum, Trebizond, Antioch, Edessa, Georgia, Khazar and the northern portion of Syria. The empire also extends to northern iraq and parts of iran (Kurdistan) but this isn't shown on the MTW main strategy map. Also, I don't stay exactly with the MTW game especially when it comes to military units, but don't let that hamper your reading.
January 1st 1229, the 20th year in the reign of Emperor Constantine VI of Byzantium (1 year before the Mongol Invasion)
Dear Diary,
The general populace is causing quite a stir here in Constantinople, what with all the bangings of pots and pans and various other noisemaking devices. Of course it is the beginning of the one thousand two hundred and twenty ninth year of our lord. That is why the commoners of the empire, as well as the nobles are making such a racket. Though I don't mind it too much that the commoners are making loud noises, their lives consist mostly of harsh toil, disease and an early death. But the nobles, their lives are relatively comfortable and they almost never have to toil, yet I fail to understand why they're making so much noise, when they knew that I was tired and wished to take to my bed. So RUDE Well in retrospect, I too am guilty of being rude; As the host of the New Year's celebrations in the Imperial Palace complex, I should not have suddenly gotten up and left in the middle of the feast, but my head was throbbing from all that wine.
Fortunately, my son Basil and my daughter Alexia are downstairs handling the festivities, and from those loud joyful hoots of Take it off Take it off I presume they're doing well in handling the palatial guests. Apparently, there's a roll of parchment on my window, I should read it.
Apparently, besides an advertisment by a profit hungry merchant hawking herbs that can supposedly enlarge your penis or something of that nature, every emperor from Augustus I onward recieved advertisments of this nature, borne usually by carrier pigeon, and rarely, by owl (too much Ye Olde Harry Potter, I guess). Along with the advertisment is roll of parchment with a message hastily scrawled in Chinese written on it. It appears to read The Golden Horde are coming, they are Demons beyond counting, fierce as rabid wolves and as cunning and ruthless as the Tiger; they hunt and pursue men like game. Weep for those who will die while you can, resistance is futile. Signed- Anonymous I put the message down on my nightstand, obviously this message was a threat or warning of imminent doom. In which case, I put the parchment on my bedstand, threw off my clothes and pulled the purple silk bedsheets tightly around myself. Mobilization of Byzantium's military forces would begin tommorow and I needed my rest.
