Tianxia: Part 05: 817-819: Emperor of Japan

Japan in the mod has two titles e_japan and k_chrysanthemum_throne, and three states:

• same person holds both as Tenno - this is early bookmark game start
• one person holds e_japan as Shogun, and another holds k_chrysanthemum_throne as religious head - this is late bookmark game start
• same person holds both as Tenno, but there's a permanent regency, as intermediate between the two

So since I was given claim to e_japan, I thought I could take it over as shogun by force, relegating current Tenno to purely religious position.

Japan needed a stable government, so I declared war for it, hoping to get the shogunate.

Miyoshi regent vs Yamato tenno is terms of support

My forces outnumbered Tenno's forces, which were also conveniently stuck in Mongolia, and could only go back in parts on small number of ships he had.

It was fairly easy win.

And then the mod bugged out again, and somehow not only gave me e_japan (which would make me a shogun), but also k_chrysanthemum_throne, so I became the Tenno, and replaced the original dynasty on the throne.

To be honest, my heir is grandson on a previous emperor on mother's side, so it's not even that weird.

I think this is a great point to finish this campaign.

I became Tenno instead of Shogun due to yet another bug, oh well

Also Japan was renamed Miyoshi due to another bug

Some conclusions:

• mod utilizes base CK2 mechanics very poorly - whole East Asia starting with vassal wars banned in first month makes it basically unplayable as vassal
• mod's new content (Japan regency, shogunate, new society) is full of breaking bugs, and I had to fix one issue after another
• I had some troubles with the map - mod understandably adds a lot of tiny provinces to Japan, but they're too difficult to see and click; outside Japan this issue is minimal
• there's a weird bug that makes coats of arms float very high above each province, which makes things look very confusing on high zoom - and that makes tiny province issue a lot worse
• however, other than those two issues, map is actually very nice
• I'm not sure which bookmarks are supposed to be playable, most late dates seem broken, but 769, 867, 936, and 1066 look ok
• mod's Confucian Bureaucracy government type really shouldn't be in the game, and definitely not in Japan, or early start Korea - which were both very feudal. Maybe China and very late start Korea (1392+, so beyond even last start date). It's basically all upside over feudal, and it's not even historical.
• some weird things that happen were due to interactions with other small mods (notably Fitna Fracture destroyed Tang China due to prolonged stalemate in civil war), but these feel like positives rather than negatives

I guess I could give it another go somewhere else like China, Korea, or Spice Islands.

Tianxia: Part 04: 804-817: Regency Period

I changed my mind about game rules, as it was way too easy to be a blob, so I changed demesne settings to half size. It's actually even worse than that, as it rounds down, so 7 becomes just 3. If that causes any major issues, I might revert that.

I had ten years to go before emperor became an adult, and I wasn't really expecting much resistance from other vassals until then, so it was time to expand position of my clan.

Or actually, why should celestial emperor ever bother running day to day administration of Japan? He has enough religious obligations to do. Many of my fellow daimyo fully agreed with me on this. I'm not following through on their support yet, but I appreciate the claim.

One of my vassal counts had a claim on a duchy in Korean Manchuria, and what kind of Japan campaign would it be without a little invasion of Korea.

Daimyo Fujimoto of clan Fujiwara tried to take over the regency, but failed.

I went Japanese Feudal government type for flavor, even though it's pretty much a strict downgrade. I gave my 3 sons county each, so they can practice some rulership before they get their duchies on inheritance.

I somehow got myself into a war against my grandson, as his father and me both tried to get Shikoku, and his father died.

I did some duchy and county conquering, and then I discovered there was literally a button "transfer vassal from liege", at cost of 1000 prestige to transfer anyone I wanted. Sadly there's a 10 year timer for that.

I became infirm and bedridden just as new emperor was reaching adulthood.

I was expecting the new emperor to demand end of regency, but instead he declared war on the Uyghurs of Mongolia for Manchurian coast, but then he was murdered by I have no idea whom (might even be the Uyghurs). In the end Khitans of Shiwei took all that land from the Uyghurs of Mongolia anyway.

My (obviously non-dynastic, the title is dynasty-locked) grandson became the new emperor. Meanwhile I was still consolidating my control over Japan, reaching about 2/3.

My grandson died of depression after just over a year on the throne.

His barely born baby, my great-grandson, became the new emperor, it's 6th emperor since I started my rule (and I guess 8th since I was born).

Meanwhile in China, after Tang collapse, the strongest realm is Jingdong, which is ruled by my son in law, with my grandson as an heir.

So sorting by realm strength, my family now rules:

• 2 Japan - my grandson, with me as regent
• 5 Jingdong - my son-in-law, with grandson as heir
• 6 Lombardy - my former son-in-law (my daughter died), with my grandson as heir

As well as a lot of duchies within Japan by my sons and grandsons. And I'm still at my first character, Habsburgs would be envious.

Lands controlled by clan Miyoshi are twice greater than lands loyal to the baby emperor

I was sort of expecting to be asked to resign regency as soon as previous emperor became adult, and back then I'd probably concede, but at this point, it's silly to pretend Japan can be ruled by anyone other than me

I'm not even sure what's my plan after I take over Japan, after the very slow start I thought it would take a few generations, but then again I also thought I'd be dead by now, but RNG was kind to me

The slow start was partly caused by not even remembering all the game mechanics (such as plotting for duchy claims)

Tianxia: Part 03: 795-804: King of Chubu and Owari and Regent of Japan

Empress Shotoku, aunt of my wife, died of slow fever epidemic at age of 73. Emperor Sanjo, my brother in law, died at young age of 32 after just a two your reign, fighting Northern barbarians personally. They were both great emperors, and I was on great terms with both.

After Sanjo's heroic death, the empire should rightfully ass to his nephew Shirakabe, who's cousin of my heir, and separately also my son in law, and overall a great guy.

Unfortunately that didn't happen, and due to some obviously illicit shenanigans, a lustful glutonous drunkard dwarf Kameyeama got the throne. Even worse, he's so remotely related to previous emperors, that he has no meaningful connection to my family either.

So I started faction to make me a permanent regent of Japan. Unfortunately this comes with two problem:

• mod's code for this faction is completely broken, and it took me far too long to figure out the issue and fix it (it uses supported_claimant checks, but that only works for claimant factions, so it was always false)
• most people really like the emperor, even a really shitty one, due to massive stack of opinion bonuses every emperor gets

Well, I can do it myself, I just need a ton of money, so raiding Korea time it is again. Now I had enough ships to arrange two raiding parties at once. But Korea is not that rich - after collapse of Tang, there's a much better raiding target - China!

I thought about rushing this, and hiring mercenaries to push my regency, but instead I invested all the loot into buildings in my demesne.

The new emperor got a revolt against himself, but the revolt leader was my rival, so obviously I rejected his plea to join him.

I also got involved in a bunch of minor fights over my vassals' rightful claims to various neighbouring counties.

My primary heir's wife died, and I got him a daughter of Mongol khagan as a wife, but I first gave her a good tumble myself. In this way my grandson (and next heir) is actually my son.

I got camp fever, and I was waiting to either recover or die. In that time emperor Dameyeama the Drunkard died in some kind of an accident, new emperor being a 3 year old kid. This instability would be great if I could get out of bed to exploit it.

After I recovered from very long illness, I organized three raiding parties this time.

I found out that while emperor is a minor, I can't make a faction to become permanent regent, but I can do a plot to be a permanent regent. Except just like the faction, code for the plot is also broken! This is like a pattern with this mod.

This time the problem was that instead of checking that potential plotter is not same dynasty as the emperor, code was checking that plotter is not same dyansty as himself, which meant nobody could be a potential plotter.

After fixing the code, I became the regent, and since emperor was under permanent regency, I was able to make myself a king of Chubu and Owari, whatever that is.

This means that other local daimyos could also try to form their own regional kingdoms.

With this I had over a quarter of Japan under my direct rule, and I don't plan to stop there. I want to be shogun of it all, with emperor as just purely religious position. This however might take some time.

Other vassals might also try to replace me as regent, or abolish regency and restore direct rule. The emperor can also demand that at cost of just 2000 prestige once he reaches adulthood in 10 years - but I'll remain a vassal king so that's fine I guess.

Clan Miyoshi ascended from a single count to de facto ruler of Japan, but the gains still need to be consolidated

Meanwhile Roman Empire completely collapsed due to civil war.

I also hope I don't need to fix any other mod code. It's been far too many times already.

Tianxia: Part 02: 786-795: One Duchy Per Son

The Empress kept undermining me, this time by creating new duchy, and giving it to my 4-county vassal and previous daimyo of Tosan.

Then she tried pressing my another vassal's foreign claim, which would let him go. Fortunately that got absolutely nowhere.

To apologize for my previous raiding, I betrothed my youngest daughter with prince of Korea. I arranged a lot of other marriages for my 3 sons and 6 daughters.

I tried in vain to befriend everyone in Japan to get them to support my claim on duchy of Echizen, with no luck. So I destroyed it by force.

Tang Empire of China collapsed. That was unexpected mod interaction between Tianxia and Fitna Fracture - Fitna Fracture sets up competing realm or shatters it completely if it's in long going civil war.

The Empress recreated it right away, and I was about to get angry, but she gave it to me. So 17 years for the first duchy, just 3 for the second.

Daimyo of Owari died in suspicious circumstances, and the lords of Japan agreed that as protector of Ise Grand Shrine, I should be the daimyo of Owari as well. So third duchy came in 2 years.

My damn society tried to force me to waste another 2 years of my life going for another pointless trip to other side of the world with no reward whatsoever. I already did it once, and I didn't even have a mission or anything, and there was no reject button. This mod is really disappointing quality. Anyway, I need to figure out how to join the Hermetics or Ghost Gatherers with next character.

My realm was hit by Slow Fever and Measles which I got both at the same time in spite of being on this trip abroad. I also got wounded on the trip, again. I thought I was done for, but somehow I recovered.

I arrived in China, and was forced to take 5-part Confucian classics exam to be able to duel that great warrior. I failed the test, really didn't feel like paying 500 gold bribe (that's 4 year of my income) for a chance to fight that bastard, so I left for home.

The Empress finally died, and new Emperor is married to my daughter, while I'm married to his sister. That didn't last long, as he died in combat fighting Northern barbarians. King of Korea died too, so that marriage failed as well. That meant two daughters I didn't know what to do with, so I sent one to marry king of Jingdong in China, and another to marry king of Lombardy, whatever that is.

The new emperor Kameyeama is a lustful dwarf and a drunkard. That reminds me of someone.

Now we reach another mystery. Emperor of Japan has special government type, but Japanese vassals have 3 possibilities:

• Confucian Bureaucracy - can hold castles and cities; +1 piety a month; no religious revocation or wrong religion penalties
• Japanese Monastic Feudal - can hold castles and temples; +1 piety a month; Shinto only
• Japanese Feudal - can hold castles; mostly like normal feudal; no religious revocation or wrong religion penalties

Everyone in Japan starts as Confucian Bureaucracy, and it's possible but difficult to switch to either of the other two. Now I can see why someone might want to switch to Japanese Monastic Feudal, as holding temples is interesting, but why would anybody ever switch to Japanese Feudal?

I researched the files trying my best why the hell anyone would take the purely downside decision to go Japanese Feudal. I checked government code, event code, CBs, decisions, dev diary, trying to find any reason whatsoever why someone might want to go Japanese Feudal. And the only benefit I can see it offers an ability to revoke or imprison without valid reason, but you still eat big penalty with all your vassals, so you almost never do this anyway!

This mod has been disappointing again. I'm not even saying that mod can't have bad decisions, or unfinished content, but at least indicate it somehow. The switch costs 2500 prestige and a bunch of extra criteria, and it was so bad, that I was completely baffled what the hell am I missing there.

Anyway, I had three sons, and I wanted to already pick which one gets what. Two were with concubines, and only one with my imperial wife:

• oldest Nobukari gets Wakasa and will be daimyo of Echizen
• middle Akikimi (nephew of previous emperor) will be primary heir, get Echizen, Mino, Omi, and be daimyo of Tosan
• youngest Sumimori will get Ise and be daimyo of Owari

I need to land Nobukari before he gets married, as his wife is a landed countess who's a vassal of my rival, and it would be really messy if he left for her court.

My current heir and lands

4 Keno counties used to be my vassal before he got granted his daimyo title. Then I got those 2 weird duchies North of Keno by some vassal inheritance I was completely unaware of.

I'm still only 42, but I had many close encounters with death, by disease and duelling

Tianxia: Part 01: 769-786: Shugo Tokikai Miyoshi of Echizen

I keep expecting Crusader Kings to expand its map to cover the whole Old World, but somehow neither CK2 nor CK3 ever got there.

People keep talking nonsense about how China couldn't work with feudal system, but it was just as feudal as Eastern Roman Empire or other such places - which is to say mostly, with wealthy landed aristocracy dominating provinces, with small central administration mostly but not completely made out of such people on top.

Fortunately there's mods! So I made a modpack based on Tianxia (not available on Steam Workshop for some stupid reason).

So much of CK2 is locked behind being duke or higher, count start feels like hard mode up to the point where I'm a duke, then it's stupidly easy

Echizen is on North coast, just above big Japan coat of arms

Starting as 769 as count in Empire of Japan. None of them are historical anyway, so I picked count of Echizen, and made custom character Tokikai, of clan Miyoshi.

He's 16 year old, strong, stubborn, gardener, fortune builder, because why not. 4/8/14/5/7. Yamato culture, Shinto religion.

First thing to do is obviously to get myself a wife, and Empress's niece is available. I got some concubines as well.

I joined The Warriors of the Rising Sun, since Hermetics weren't available, and I don't care for monastics or devil worshipers. Also it seems most unique to the mod, not regular warrior society.

I tried seducing some women, including the Empress. It mostly didn't go too great.

Fortunately I started the game with two claims, so I started my first war against a nearby double count for the first.

Then I remembered I have raiding enabled, so I raided Korean and Manchurian coast a bit. One of my vassal barons died in suspicious circumstances, so I got his castle.

It took me a while, but I got 100 piety needed to declare war for duchy consolidation.

I was trying to become a duke, but the Empress created my duchy, and gave it to some total douchebag. I needed to get independence from that douchebag, and I'm no closer to getting my own duchy. It's all been really poor first 10 years.

Osabe, brother of my wife, nephew of the Empress, and heir to Empire of Japan got mature, so I invited him over, and arranged matrilineal betrothal to my daughter (with a concubine; so they're unrelated). It's a longshot, as he's 18, she's 5, he can have concubines, and Japan has special inheritance laws that I don't understand, but maybe something could come out of it.

After my chancellor found out that my family were the historical guardians of Ise Grand Shrine and surrounding county, I went to a war to reclaim it. This was far too slow and far too bloody, and unfortunately all benefits of Ise Grand Shrine go to top level liege not to direct holder.

My 4 counties were spread between Echizen, Tosen, and Owari - all occupied by existing holders. I went on diplomatic mission to get my claim to duchy of Tosan recognized. Then I challenged the daimyo of Tosan to a duel, in which he was slain thanks to my extensive duelling experience at this point - experience which cost me multiple wounds, scars, concussion, black eye, but also brought a lot of prestige.

Then as ordered by my society, I went on a journey to India to find the Sword of Serpents, legendary warrior. Honestly the whole quest line is really stupid, and unless you pick go home option, it has like 90% chance of instant death, and reward is absolutely attrocious - just some decent martial courtier. I reached him, failed to defeat him, so I had to head home - the whole pointless adventure cost me about a year of my life wasted.

I became a steward of Japan. Meanwhile I got a Jewish courtier to whom I gave 100 gold to start trading and made my steward.

I had a lot of daughters, so I setup a few for marriage alliances with other daimyo. Finally I ran out patience, and declared war for duchy of Tosan, against strongest daimyo in Japan, as I was unable to get any other claim. I got my troops (very insufficient), some ronin from warrior society, ally armies.

Somehow I also got 17 skill points in this time, in addition to really high duelling skill

Finally 17 years into the game, I got my first duchy! It's still agnatic gavelkind, but gavelkind isn't really that big of a deal - I have just 3 sons, and I'd lose only 2 counties from my demesne of 5.

Japan is divided into 5 de jure kingdoms (Ryukyu and Hokkaido not included at all). I have 10/22 of one of them and almost could become a vassal king at some point if I conquered a bit more of it, but mod allows this only if Japan is under regency (or China under low mandate of heaven, whatever that is).

For now I'm fine just consolidating my power, and maybe getting another duchy or two. There's no rush.

I'm not really sure where I want to take this campaign long term.