Fallen Empire

You were 15 years old when, due to the disappearance of your parents, you became the new emperor. Your once-great empire is on the brink of collapse. The army is a ragtag bunch of mercenaries who are incapable of defeating even bandits. Wealthy nobles hire hundreds of mercenaries to form their own armies. Meanwhile, in the north, barbarians have begun raiding the nearby villages and towns from the mountains. In the south, in the fertile lands, counts and barons are beginning to yearn for independence and are ceasing to pay taxes. All this has led to the capital no longer being yours, but rather the church, which, by instilling hope in the people, increases its power. But the first question is: where will your reign begin?