The Magnaura

[TinCow]

Event Four

الدعوة الجديدة

al-da'wa al-jadīda

The acolyte entered with his head down. It was a sign of subservience, but also of vulnerability; he could not see the Old Man, but the two dozen guards that lined the balcony could see him easily enough. The room was quiet except for the muffled swish of his slippered feet on the stone floor, and the occasional creak of the taut bowstrings that were aimed at his chest. A whiff of hashish smoke drifted through the air from one of the Pleasure Gardens hidden deeper inside the castle.

When the acolyte reached the foot of the dais, he stopped and knelt. He stooped and touched his forehead to the floor, while his arms were outstretched. It was the position of ultimate respect and it left him completely defenseless. It was the only way in which the Old Man would allow an audience, even from his own followers.

“Speak.”

Without moving his head from the floor, the acolyte answered. “I bring a report from Constantinople. Basileus Aleksios Komnenos is dead. His son, Ioannis Komnenos now rules in his place.”

“How does this effect the Byzantine policy?”

“It does not, my Lord. The expected internal struggles have not appeared. Ioannis holds more authority than his father did and he has used his time as Caesar well to assemble a strong group of loyal vassals. The Senate has bowed to his will and he rules the Empire intact.”

“What of their assaults on the Fatimids and Seljuks?”

“They continue unabated, my Lord. Basileus Ioannis does not appear to desire peace, and even those Byzantine Senators that oppose him openly are eager to seize more land for their own profit. It is only a matter of time before the Sultanate and the Caliphate are destroyed.”

There was a long pause. The acolyte’s neck was beginning to ache, but he dared not move. Eventually the Old Man spoke once again.

“If the Fatimids and Seljuks are destroyed, we will have to find new employers. Dissent and rival factions remain inside the Senate, do they not?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Then we shall offer our services to the Byzantines directly. The Senators will surely be pleased to make use of more subtle means of attacking their opponents. Allah will also be pleased to have us aid the infidels in their own destruction. So let it be written, so let it be done.”

“It shall, my Lord.”

“Good, go now and rest in the Gardens. Tomorrow you will return to Constantinople with several of the most skilled initiates. We will begin work immediately.”

The acolyte rose to his feet, but remained bowed at the waist with his eyes on the floor. Slowly he backed away, his arms still outstretched. When he finally reached the door through which he had entered, he turned to his right and looked up. A woman stood there in long silk robes and a veil; only her eyes were visible, yet their gaze was sensual and penetrating. She beckoned to him, then turned and walked away. He followed her into the Pleasure Gardens, and soon all weariness faded from his body.

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Rules

The Hashshashin sect of Shia Muslim assassins has arrived in Constantinople to offer its services to the Senators of the Byzantine Empire who now dominate the region. These men are skilled assassins and saboteurs who are capable of infiltrating even the most tightly guarded castle. They are loyal beyond measure and are totally resistant to all methods of torture and interrogation.

1) Senators may hire the Hashshashin to commit acts of assassination and sabotage against other Senators. In order to hire the Hashshashin, a PM must be sent to TinCow listing a single Senator as the target for the desired attack and the method in which that Senator’s possessions are to be attacked (see #3).

2) The Hashshashin do not offer their service for free. All Senators will be required to pay for the attacks. Fortunately, all Senators with provinces have sufficient personal income to be able to make use of their services. The higher a Senator’s rank, the more income he will have available to pay for attacks. The amount of income that the Senators can spend on the Hashshashin per Megas term is as follows:

• Strator - 0
• Comes - 1
• Domestikos - 1
• Hypatos - 2
• Antypatos - 2
• Patrikios - 3
• Dux - 3
• Megas Dux/Exarch - 4
• Caesar - +1 to his other Rank income
• Basileus - 4
• Megas - +2 to his other Rank income

Income replenishes at every normal Senate session. Senators may combine their incomes to purchase Hashshashin attacks that they would otherwise not be able to afford by themselves. However, in order for this to work, all Senators involved must submit instructions to TinCow listing who they are cooperating with, how much of the cost they are paying, which Senator is the target, and what kind of attack is to be undertaken. If all Senators involved do not submit instructions that match in these aspects, the attack will not be carried out.

3) The available methods of attack and their costs are as follows:

1. Killing/destroying a single non-relic ancillary. (Cost: 1) The specified ancillary must be on the targeted Senator. Province title ancillaries may not be destroyed, nor may the Privy Seal, Lord High Chancellor, or Lord High Steward.
2. Destroying a single military or naval unit. (Cost: 1) The specified unit must be owned by the targeted Senator.
3. Destroying a religious relic ancillary. (Cost: 2) The specified ancillary must be on the targeted Senator.
4. Destroying a non-military building. (Cost: 2) The specified building must be located in a settlement owned by the targeted Senator and must be destroyable through the city interface.
5. Destroying a military building. (Cost: 3) The specified building must be located in a settlement owned by the targeted Senator and must be destroyable through the city interface.

4) The Hashshashin attacks will occur the game turn after TinCow receives the PM and will be implemented by TinCow directly, or by instructing the Megas on what to disband, destroy, or remove. Hashshashin attacks have a 1 in 6 chance of failing if they have a cost of 1, a 1 in 3 chance of failing if they have a cost of 2, and a 1 in 2 chance of failing if they have a cost of 3. The identity of the person who hired the Hashshashin will never be revealed by TinCow unless the Senator requests it.

5) Senators involved in a Civil War cannot hire Hashshashin and cannot be targeted by Hashshashin.

6) This Event does not have an expiration date and continues until TinCow revokes it. TinCow may adjust the rules of this event, including cost, income, and types of attacks available, while the Event is still in effect.