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Here's my list :

1- Graham
2- Pataki
3- Paul
4- Kasich
5- Huckabee
6- Fiorina
7- Carson
8- Santorum
9- Bush
10-Christie
11-Cruz
12-Trump
El Presidente Rubio

And now it's back to lurking for me.

Here is the life of Elpidios Kalopragmon "The Hunter" (736-804) Doux of Tripolitana, Strategos of Sicily and Protostator of the Byzantine Empire.

Not much is known of him before the year 769 when he ordered the murder of the Count of Messene and he inherited the title. The following year, Elpidios revoked the title of Panarmos, extending his domain. After 7 years of preparation, he launched an attack against the duchy of Tripolitana owned by an Ibadi heathens. In 781, after 4 years of battle, the war was won by Elpidios, now calling himself Doux of Tripolitana. Inheriting a tradition of high centralisation in the Empire, the Doux decided to unite the island of Sicily under his personal rule. Agrigenton and Drepanon fell respectively in 782 and 783 while Malta fell in 788. The last one was given to his son-in-law Micheal Rangabes (Matrieneally married to Theognosia Kalopragmon, first born daughter of Elpidios).

During that time the Empire enjoy good stability. The Iconoclast view, in which Elpidios and the Basileus believed, gradually became the view of the majority in 783. The same year, Basileus Konstantinos V "The Lion" died, replaced by Christophoros "The Blind". In 789, the new Basileus converted to the Paulician heresy and alienated much of the empire. Weary of the power of Elpidios he revoked his right to Drepanon which the Doux accepted begrugingly to avoid war against the emperor, but a couple of months later, in 790, the emperor tried to revoke the county of Tripolitana. Enraged, Elpidios rebelled against the emperor even if the odds were not in his favor. Though the Basileus died of poor health shortly after the start. The Imperial throne passed to a young Diogene. At his ascension he abandoned Iconoclasm and every one in the Empire we're asked to do the same. Originally Elpidios refused, but a year later at the urging of his friend he also abandoned Iconoclasm. Iconoclasm fell out of favor in the populace in 797, but religious tension didn't stop there. In 799, Diogene adopted Iconoclasm again and the next year he converted to the Western Church.

At home, Elpidios had some problems. The County of Drepanon was controlled by another Strategos and the Count of Syrte was killed in an explosion in 790, without issue the title was inherited by Elpidios. Since the Basileus didn't permit his vassals to make war against each other Elpidios tried to undermined his authority. Soon enough the Doux presented an ultimatum to Diogene who relinquished to the demand. Drepanon was retaken in 793. Also Elpidios didn't realised that the Count of Djerba was grant a title of Strategos by the Basileus and that he wasn't his vassal anymore. Djerba fell in 800 and was grant to Elpidios' son Theophanes.

Elpidios died peacefully of old age in 804.

Doux Elpidios had three children:
- Countess Theognosia (769- ) married matrieneally to Count Micheal Rangabes of Rhodes and Malta. Who was the heiress for 14 years and educated has such.
- Queen Agne (782- ) married to King Desiderius II of Lombardy. Not the sharpest tool around.
- Doux Theophanes (783- ) married to Countess Anna Aineidas of Leptis Magna. Portrait of his father, he replaced him as Protostator of the Empire, but not as Strategos of Sicily.

Just got my first murdered snitch in my prison. Since I did not have informant I have'nt discover that he was one before this murder. Funnily, three participants in the murder became hypocritical confidential informants. They're pretty dumb though, they didn't reveal any unknown traits and one ratted on himself...

Election Reform is something you promise when you're in the opposition and rarely act upon once in government since it will make you lose seats and the majority. Since we don't have lots of experience with coalition government it's kind of hard to predict how the parties will adapt to it. Also when BC made a move for reform it didn't passed in the population so there's the chance of failing a major reform, and governments hate to take that kind of risks.

So I'd be surprise that they try to reform even if it's greatly need for a more democratic system.

The mighty Ottomans Empire ca. 1669:

I made a level which I plan to be somewhat difficult to do. I tested it while making the different parts and everything was doable. Once completed I send it on the Internet but before it can be send I need to do it from start to finish.

After a dozen of tries I've still not finished it. Seems that I made that level too hard for me...

I know that they aim for good and easy loot, it's just that in other games I need to push them back at least once in a while.

I suspect the fact that the norse are mostly united in three realms (Svipjod, Sjaelland and Ostlandet) makes them more focus on infighting or warring against Karlings.

Here's the map :
Talking of Karling, Karloman survived to 65 though seven months before Charles. The latter only conquered Saxony during his life. After the death of Charles the realm split in three (Saxony, West and Middle Francia). Bad thing then happened to West Francia. Frisia revolted, Lombardy used the occasion to spread over the Alps and I waged a small war for a county (The Duke of Anjou is from my dynasty and I made a small mistake with succession law.) Then the West Francia king died and the kingdom splitted one more time to create Aquitaine.

So for now western Europe is split between 4 Karling kingdoms, a united Frisia, an expanding Lombardy and Bavaria.

Central europe has some kingdoms formed but the more interesting are Poland and Croatia. The first is entirely Slavic except the capital, which is now catholic because the King of Poland converted, the second is ruled by a slavic king, but outside his demesne the country is a mix of Catholics, Orthodoxs and Tengris.

Edit : Forgot to mention my surprise to see Northeast Finland under Estonian control. Poor Estonia really wants to be a nordic country...

Speaking of GOG, the Witcher series is still on sale. I've buy the first and second one for 5$ for both.