CK3 Player Tries to Topple a Senile Ruler, Chaos Ensues

Ever wondered how you'd fare trying to depose a doddering, senile ruler? One Crusader Kings 3 player decided to find out—by simulating the whole mess in the game. The result? A hilarious saga of flattery, plagues, and a whole lot of bees.

The player created an 80-year-old lunatic named Wenzel to rule the Holy Roman Empire, then took control of a minor vassal (who was prone to tuberculosis, naturally). The goal: remove Wenzel from power without resorting to civil war. First attempt? Being nice. Gifts, flattery, and fawning letters to powerful vassals. It seemed to work—until it didn't.

Wenzel, being ancient and deranged, was too busy getting deep into religious superstition to care about sharing power. Then things got worse: the idiot king somehow caused a plague. Dubbed "Wenzel's Cough," it tore through the player's family and subjects. The player's physician locked them in a room with a trillion bees (yes, really), which somehow cured their consumption. One son died, but hey, sacrifices.

With diplomacy failing, the player turned to war. Wenzel had 7,000 men; the player had 1,400. Allies were needed, so the player began scheming to sway a Tuscan duchess named Matilda—perhaps through marriage, since the current wife had a "boutique variant of tuberculosis" and might not last. Meanwhile, Wenzel developed the traits "Irritable" and "Withering mind." Classic.

So what's the takeaway? Maybe the secret to toppling a bad leader is just being plain old nice—until it isn't. Or maybe it's bees. Honestly, we're not sure. But it's a wild ride from start to finish.

What do you think? Would you try to depose a ruler in CK3, or just sit back and watch the chaos unfold?