DaNES II: When the Stars Fall

It is Dachs' call to make not ours.
 
Recovering from excess of the pervious night. I hope the orders I sent made sense :king:
 
Both of you could finish passable orders in the twenty-five minutes that everybody has left...I already gave you guys three days and change extra, what more do you want?

OOC: Well, I was going to send orders after I got home at around 6:30 EST, but instead my ride decided to be about eight hours late, so I had no Internet access until now. Regardless, I'm too tired to make any coherent decisions, but there is one thing I talked to you about that I kinda need you to follow through with if at all possible.

Spoiler Super Secret Except for Dachs :

Reduce the size of the navy to 5 ships.
 
Struggle​

sisyphus.gif

Thump, thump, thump. This is the sound that defines my life. The great pounding that rings endlessly in my ears. Enveloping my every sense with its intoxicating rhythm. It gives me length, so that I may run. So that I can feel the wind dragging its fingers through my hair as I dash along it. It gives me breath, so that I may puff, huff, and below in my great struggle, muscles straining ever more to battle. It gives depth, so that I may plunge into its waters and let the waves crash over me, crushing me again and again. It gives me time so that I might try to out run it. Each step I take a stumbling leap that propels me onward, yet never fast enough. The pounding, drumming, beating, roaring and screaming that is my essence. Without it, I am nothing.

“Polykleitos, may we have a word?” came a voice from beyond the door of my shed. The nature of the thin wooden walls allowed the multitude of voices to filter through as a muffled mass of sound. Shafts of sun light flickered through holes in the degraded heavy cloth that hung over the doorway, and looking past them I could make out a number of bodies, shifting nervously outside. The shed itself was small, only large enough to hold 6 men if they stood shoulder to shoulder, with a roof that was scarcely high enough for an average man to stand at his full length.

My father had built it in his younger days to house his things my mother refused to keep in the house. Some rusted, broken and mostly useless tools lay propped against the walls of the shed, however the majority of the space was taken up by an assortment of wooden carvings in varying degrees of completion. My father had often come here to relax, though when I was little I could not understand how this place was relaxing. It seemed so cramped, almost scary when, yet now I come here as my father, did to carve and pass the time. His carvings now mingle with mine, some large enough to come to my knee, and some no smaller than my finger. All carved from whatever wood my father, could get his hands on. My mother would hate him for going off and carving. She would tell me my father was evil for doing it. That it was his way of trying to cling to a past that was not his and was not true. I didn’t understand why she would be so angry, for my father only carved animals, things he saw. Sometimes he would carve little men with the heads of dogs and eagles. I did not understand why he did it, yet at the same time I did not understand why my mother hated them so. How she had screamed one night as he threw them in the fire. My father only watched in silence. The carvings never hurt anyone. In a rush his voice slipped into my mind as if he were next to me again.

“I cling to something that belongs to someone else. Something I have stolen in my hubris. But I find it beautiful. Mine is worship of dust Polykleitos, nothing more. Put no stock in it, these figures,” he held up his dust covered hand and in its fingers lay the small figure of a man with the head of some great bird, perhaps and eagle or falcon “they hold no power in this land. There is only One who does now”

A thumping from outside the shed wall brought me out of my thoughts with a start. Carelessly I dropped the half carved body of a lion from my hand as I stood. Only its great maw fully completed.

“Polykleitos?” came the voice again, a little louder now. With a few paces I came to the doorway and pulled back the cloth that covered it.

“Yes?” I squinted as the sun blinded me for a few moments before my eyes adjusted and were finally able to make out the figure before me. It was one of the more successful farmers who some how managed to eke out a living on growing crops in this moisture forsaken land. If memory served he was called Kleon, Kallistos or something close to it. A spindly little man, who drew up only my shoulder in height, who’s disappearing hair hung loosely in tufts from his scalp, giving him a fiendish look. This, along with his relatively unwashed rags which served as cloths made him appear to be more of a scoundrel than he ever really was. He was in fact what one could call a pillar of the community, if one could indeed call this place a “community”. Around him stood about thirteen people from the surrounding areas, most who lived by tending to the handful of livestock that existed in this place.

“You must help us, lions Kleitos! I’ve only ever seen them once when I was a child. You gotta help Kleitos!” the man squealed as he reached out and grabbed me by my upper arm, dragging me forward out of the shack, “ please they’ve attacked people!”

“Kleon is it? There haven’t been lions around these parts for damned years” I pulled my arm free from his claw like grip and narrowed my eyes on him “now spit it out, who dun stealin’ sheep”

“I ain’t lying, by Sophia don’t go tellin’ me what’s truth and what ain’t when I seen it with mine own eyes! And I dun told you bout thousand times now its Phokas. Where you you get Kleon from?!” Phokas began to puff up like sails with a full breeze behind them.

“Would you cut it out, now what you troubling me for? Come on spit it out!”

“I dun told you its lions Kleitos lions everywhere!” Phokas threw his hands up in dismay, his face the picture of grief. From behind him pushed a stocky woman, who was stood almost to my chin. Zoe was her name. She was a widow of a few years back, her husband having died of a broken neck one night rather mysteriously. This was after Zoe found him in a rather compromising position with the daughter of some traveling merchant. Despite her questionable reasons for becoming a widow she had continued to live and work, perhaps even harder than her husband had, as a farmer. She seemed to always be brisling with an air of menace, although most of the time it was just her way.

“Shut your damn trap Phokas. Now you listen here Polykleitos and you listen good, lions are running around gobbling up flocks of all these here folk” she said dangerously as she shook a finger in my face and laid a glare on me that could probably level a mountain “and now these damn beasts gone and mauled up poor Pyrrhos here’s wife. Dun bit the poor girls neck, nearly took her head right off and then dragged her body off with ‘em. Now you know what gonna happen now that those beasts got a taste of human blood. They gonna storm down on us and rip us to shreds unless you do something!”

“Now hold on hold on damn it, what makes you think I’m lion killer extraordinaire eh? Think I wake up thinkin’ I might get me some lions today boy I can’t wait!” folding my arms I returned my own glare at the woman.

“Don’t you start with me Kleitos, don’t you even! I’ve known your father before you were even born and he wasn’t one to shirk his responsibilities. So you listen and you listen good, if you don’t do something about these damned lions then you better hope the lions get you before I do” her voice had an edge that cut the air around me. All the murmurs ceased as the crowd simply watched me, waiting for my answer.

“I ain’t no coward if that’s what you are poking at” I finally replied, “where did these lions last attack?”

“Last time was when Pyrrhos’ dear wife, bless her heart, got all bitten and dragged off. Round about sunrise this morning” at the mention of his wife Pyrrhos, who was currently being supported by two people, let out a wail of anguish and clutched his chest.

“I am devote I AM DEVOTE! Why must Her wrath be visited upon me” those around him struggled to give comfort but the man would have none of it “goddess be damned, SOPHIA BE DAMNED! I got nothin’ left why?”

Anguish had twisted the mans face into something gruesome as tears streamed down his wrinkled sun-burnt cheeks. From what I remembered Pyrrhos was married only a year ago and the union was an unusually happy one. He had truly loved his wife, adored her above all else.

“She tried to shoo off them lions ya see” said Zoe “they were stalking about their hut, eyeing them sheep something fierce but when Agathe came out wavin’ a stick to get them to run off but they just set on her in a flash”

“I’ll get them Pyrrhos” he pushed my way through the crowd to get to the man and put my hand on his quivering shoulder “She won’t have died in vain you hear? I’ll get them even if it kills me”


~~~~~~~~~~


My father had not left me much. From his time in the military he had been given little. Most of his fortune was squandered away through ill placed trade investments to merchants who turned out to be less than reputable and in the end the majority of his money was stole. My mother was never pleased about this fact because she was forced to move away from her family in Thebai but she was a loyal wife. Perhaps some portion of her loved my father, even as he descended further and further into drunkenness and destitution. After her death my father destroyed himself with wine. A week after we lay her to rest my father was found dead out in the desert. He had wandered off in a drunken stupor and presumably died from exposure. A cruel twist of fate, a tragic accident they said. I knew my father better. His grief had destroyed him. Perhaps he had been drunk, but he knew the danger of the desert to well to simply wander off. He chose to die there, alone in the dust. He wanted to suffer.

All that was left was an empty house, whose walls stood around me like sentinels, watching. The meager wealth that was left wasn’t enough for me to sustain myself on so I had to work. In these parts though, work was hard to come by. The most I could do was drive a herd of sheep from grazing ground to grazing ground for a few of my neighbors who provided me with food for a few days as payment. My father did leave me one thing that was of immense value. His weapons and armor. I had thought of selling them many times when hunger clawed at my insides but I knew I could not. To do so would be to spit on his grave. They lay, now, covered with dust in his room and it was at its threshold that I now stood. I had not entered this place since my mother’s death. It seemed like sacrilege to do so yet there I stood, my eyes taking in the familiar scene.

The bed my mother and father would sleep on and how when I was little I would crawl into it in the middle of the night after a terrifying dream. The desk by the wall upon which lay a now rusted bronze mirror, where my mother would sit and paint her face. Containers of powder and bottles of eyeliner still lay scattered over the wooden surface that now was visibly rotting. And there, hanging from the wall was the great golden shield of my father, though bits of the gold pigment were now chipped off here and there revealing the rusted iron surface beneath. Two long spears formed an X behind it with the hilt of a short sword protruding from between the spears, pointed to the ceiling. Below them, on a simple wooden cross, hung my fathers armor and helm.

A thin layer of dust coated all of it like a new skin and the sheen that it once had was now long gone. Dull and rusted were the tips of the spears as if time and slowly sucked the life from them. Leaving them mere echoes of the glorious tools that they were once. I had never held them before, only practicing with lighter versions of the long doru under the tutelage of my father. But now I had to deal with the real thing and as I finally entered through the threshold a strange feeling began to boil in my stomach. I think it was fear.


~~~~~~~~~


Zoe told me the lions had dragged the body off to the east. Mixed among their tracks was Agathe’s blood which lay dried in the sand and dirt. Now dressed in full armor, with both spears resting across my shoulder in one hand and shield in the other, I set off after them. After a few minutes of walking I quickly discovered that wearing full armor, in order to hunt lions, was not a particularly brilliant idea. The breastplate hung loosely from my rather small chest and as I walked it banged into my sides. I knew such a thing would do nothing but make me easier prey for the beasts considering how limited my movements were. Not to mention how painful this armor was as it dug on my sides and stomach with each time I took a step. To take it off now would be pointless I would have to remove it before the encounter so that I did not lose them. I just hoped they wouldn’t hear me coming, although I do not see how they could not considering the ruckus all this metal was making.

It was perhaps a little after midday when I set out and now the sun was setting when I came upon them. The nature of the plains around me meant that I was able to make them out from quite a ways away. From my count there were perhaps 6 of them, 3 more than what Zoe had described to me. I cursed under my breath as I stopped and watched them. There they were, lounging about under a large tree, one of them tugging on something on the ground with its teeth, presumably Pyrrhos’ wife.

Quickly I began to remove my armor, the bronze breastplate thunking into the dirt, kicking up a great torrent of dust. The sound of it seemed to rouse the beasts as a few began to growl in the distance. The air was growing colder as the sun dipped slowly beneath the horizon. I could feel the breeze trailing over my exposed skin like tiny fingers yet despite the cool, perspiration began to form on my brow. After a few moments I stood in only a plated kilt of dull bronze and leather, and fastened under my arm by a leather strap across my chest was my short sword. Thus armed, shield and two spears in hand, I began my approach, thinking it best not to try to sneak up on the pride since, in all likelihood, they had already spotted me.

Closing the distance seemed to take forever and with each step the lions seemed to grow in size and seeming ferocity. They had indeed noticed my approach and fully roused themselves. Leaving the body, the beasts approached, not even making a sound as they padded towards me spread out in a V formation. Growls reverberated through the night air as the pale moonlight lit the ground at my feet. Before the beasts got to close I took one of my spears and with a grunt, thrust it into the ground for later use. Wielding two spears would be pointless and would most likely kill me. Hefting the shield a little higher I began to approach slowly, taking a low stance as I watched the beasts begin to fan out around me. Soon enough they would circle me, I needed to act. Without thinking I bashed my spear along the side of my shield, the sound of the clash of metal and wood sending a deep note ringing through the night air.

“Come on ye scoundrels! Lets have it then” I screamed and in return a roar erupted from them, sending shivers down my spine as my fingers gripped the spear ever tighter. As they closed in I began to make out more details of their body. Their muzzles were coated in dried blood, fangs bared and yellow. Beneath the taught golden fur I could see their powerful muscles rippling as if their physical power was bottled inside them, ready to come racing out at me. The lion in the center of the now semi-circle around me bore a great scare across its right shoulder. Perhaps this was their leader, if they indeed had leaders.

After what seemed like hours finally the beasts made their move. The two lions to my left and right charged me, kicking up dust in their wake as they close the distance quickly. They were faster than I thought, but rather than wait for them to reach me I dashed to my right, meeting one lion in seconds and instantly bringing my spear down on it. The blood pounded in my ears as the sounds of their roars were drowned out by the sound of my own screams as the first drops of blood were spilt. The lion did not even yelp as the bronze tip pierce through its skull and drove straight into the ground. The back half of its body snapped up as its momentum collided against the spear shaft. Luckily it held strong. Unfortunately it was now rendered useless while the second lion still charged ever closer, nearly upon me. Crouching low I raised my shield as the lion leapt in the air, claws out stretched, mouth open with a great roar. The impact of the beast almost toppled me to the ground as it dug its claws into the shield, breaking through the bronze coating and snagging into the wooden frame. With a great heave I managed to push back, throwing it from my shield. Before it could right itself for a second charge I followed through with a quick downward blow with the side of my shield, pinning its neck to the ground by it. Gritting my teeth I pressed harder and harder as it struggled, claws occasionally scratching my leg as it mewled, only the final crunch of its neck breaking brought silence to it.

The blood pounded against my ears, as roars and screeches came closer and closer. No time, can’t stay. My foot slipped in the lions blood that now pooled out on the ground as I kicked off to a run, nearly making me fall, but I would not fall. I will not fall, as I drove onward with snarls and roars at my back, teeth nipping at my heels, to falter is to die. My gaze locked on the spear that I had buried into the earth a few paces back. Reaching it was my only hope. Closing the distance was agony. My muscles screamed in protest as I pushed them to the limit. I cannot die, I must not die, I will not die.

My hand finally grasped the wooden spear shaft and immediately pulled it from its home in the earth, sending a great spray of dust and sand as momentum carried me skidding further. Twisting to an almost impossible angle I managed to turn my upper body in time to see a great pair off paws mere inches from my face. The beast was sailing towards me and the audible groan went through the spear in my hands as I forced it upward as quickly as I could. The shaft bent with the sheer speed before the point finally snapped straight the moment the lion was close enough, sending its body and full weight crashing onto the thin bronze point. The spear itself slide through my hands painfully as it followed the momentum of the beast so that the end of it was driven straight into the ground behind me. In an instant I was driven to my knees as the body of the beasts slide, without stopping, down the shaft, finally slamming into me. My vision blurred as pain shot through my shoulders where the beast now lay. My whole body tensed, struggling against every instinct in order not to fall. The arm that held the spear felt as if it would shatter from the impact and weight. Finally it was the wooden shaft that gave in, letting out a resounding crack as it snapped in two, the body of the lion falling to the ground with the broken half the spear piercing through its chest. No time.

The fourth lion’s body came barreling into my left side, making contact with my shield. It seems my luck was running out. The impact of the beast’s body had crushed my shield inward, breaking the thin bronze cover and snapping the wooden core, sending splinters shooting into my shield arm. I screamed in pain as I rolled onto the ground, some how managing to push the shield up as I tumbled, sending the lion flying off. With an effort I managed to land back on my feet but the pain in my arm could only mean one thing, it was broken. As the lion righted itself I quickly drew my sword and cut loose the leather thongs that bound my arm to the shield. Blood trailed slowly down my arms, dripping from my fingers as it hung useless at my side now, large wooden splinters protruding from it. Gritting my teeth as arrows of pain shot up my army I charged the lion. By now it had righted itself, but I would not wait. I would not be denied. My only desire was to feel the warmth of its blood on my skin now.

The lion dodged back as I swiped my sword only to lunge again at me. I managed to lean back in time to see its paw pass mere inches from my chest before I brought my sword back up. The impact of the metal against flesh and bone was jarring, thankfully my blade was sharp enough to slice the paw clean off. With a roar the lion fell on its stump, struggling to limp backwards while the remaining two beasts descended on me. To many, to much pain. My eyes widened as I let out a below. I will not be denied. Before the two remaining lions could pounce upon me I lunged at the injured beast, driving my sword straight into its gapping maw as it tried to bite me. It nearly would have were my blade not long enough to cut into it before pulling out quickly.

Then I felt a blow to my side. I could not comprehend it for a moment as my body was lifted off the ground by the force. It was only when my eyes moved down did I see it. A lion, with his teeth sunk deep into the side of my stomach. I couldn’t breath, I couldn’t think as my body slammed into the earth but some how my hand drove upward and buried my sword into the beasts eye, slamming through the bone in his skull. Instantly its body went limp on top of me, his jaw luckily going slack, allowing my to use my remaining strength to pry his maw from my side. It was to late, the damage was done. I could see my life leaking from me as I stumbled to my feet. So much blood. How could one body have so much blood. My head pounded slower and slower, vision growing dark. Only one more left, one more demon to slay. Yet the beast did not attack. I could see it circling me in my dimming sight.

“come ye rascal, let me have it” I muttered as blood frothed into my mouth. With a cough I spat the blood and bile out “no… won’t be… not yet”

I turned and began to stumble to the broken half of the spear that I had discarded earlier. My legs could hardly bear my weight but no. I will not be denied. The great pounding came again, driving into my ears and filling my mind with its hypnotic tempo. It carried my onward. Falling to my knees I finally reached it. My quivering fingers wrapped around the broken shaft and I turned. There the beauty awaited, snarling, teeth bared, advancing slowly to me and the scar on its shoulder. Yes this was it. No prayers drifted through my mind. No thoughts but this. The end. The final struggle. I will not be devoured, I will not be ground into the dirt and dust. My vision did not dim, it grew clear, sharp as rage coursed through me.

“I will not be denied” gritting my teeth I stood as blood leaked from my side. Weaker my limbs became, yet stronger. With a yell I leaped forward, catching the beast off guard. My hand came down, driving the jagged end of the spear into its side. We tumbled to the ground, all snarls and roars, claws slashing, teeth inches from my face. Not dead yet. I could feel the heat from it, feel the great thundering of its own heart, its own hypnotic tempo. I will end you. Instinctively my arm moved up and pinned its throat to the ground. Harder and harder I pressed. Looking into the beasts eyes I saw it finally, fear. The side of my arm drove down on its wind pipe, as its claws thrashed against me, ripping the skin of my back and sides. I will not be denied. No roars, no mewling, snarling, only silence now as we both struggled. Muscles straining, teeth clenched we strive to triumphant. To destroy our enemy. We had the same purpose, the only purpose we had ever had, this. And as my vision dimmed the great thumping grow louder. Pounding, pounding in my ears yet the louder it grew the slower it became.

I will not lose



Notes:
Couple things I want to add. One, the lions in the story are lionesses, however the character does not know that there is a difference. Yes lionesses are the ones that hunt and there is only one lion to a pride.

I know I use some sort of quasi-country american dialect for the characters, however it is just a way of showing that these are basically, country folk, out in some back woods part of Aigyptos. The place is quite a ways away from the Nile, but where exactly it is, isn't really important. For those who truly wish to know I initially envisioned it as being some where west of Thebai (Thebes).

Also for Bill3000
Spoiler :

Forever
does She watch
Forever does she protect
and gaze down on the unworthy
through darkest night and brightest day

Forever
Sophia
sophismavatar.png
 
Update 2 – 606-610

“I’ll tell you a story, believe me it’s true,
A tale you’d best hope never happens to you:
Old Spicy McHaggis, how he met his fate –
You, I can save, but for him it’s too late.”
-Dropkick Murphys, The Spicy McHaggis Jig

International Events

A group of Pictish tribes have coalesced around the charismatic leader Dub, and have succeeded in despoiling some of the Ystrad Clud sub-kings and their territories. It remains to be seen if this new king of Uertrinn will be able to keep his warriors together for very long, though.

(+Uerturio)

In what is hopefully a culmination of the mind-numbingly inane series of tariff wars in the Mediterranean, Panormos has successfully self-imposed an end to all tariffs on trade conducted by Walhic merchants. The cunning trohtîn of Walhia, Wiolant, negotiated this in exchange for a total abolition of all Walhic tariffs on Panorman trade, conveniently failing to mention that he personally doesn’t have the power to levy any such tariff in the first place, nor the power to force his vassals to abolish their own customs barriers. All in all this seems to have been a rather spectacularly boneheaded decision by Panorman government negotiators, though fortunately the volume of trade with Walhia is essentially nil so it didn’t really reduce Panorman revenues either. Still, the fact that Panorman negotiators might negotiate away an actual source of revenue without getting anything in exchange has rather worried the Sikeliot merchantry.

(-1 Merchantry Confidence)

With much pomp and circumstance, Panorman envoys have succeeded in getting the drechton of the Iberians and a few of his marcher-lords to convert to Sophism, an event nearly as overhyped as the Armeno-Areian wedding a few years prior. Rather embarrassing to the Panorman star-studded delegation (led by successful general Philippikos Mystakon) was the lack of enthusiasm exhibited by the majority of their new converts when discussing anything other than their sizable bribes. Nevertheless, a temple to Hagia Sophia has been set up in Numantia, and Sophist emblems now adorn the battle-dress of some of the Iberian retainers.

(+2 Panorman Prestige, +1 Hellenic Poleis Confidence, +1 Hellenic Poleis Strength)

Amid reports of violent struggles in Eastern Europe, word has reached many courts that a new ruler has claimed ascendancy over the Gothic tribes. Ariaric thiudans, as his people call him, began raiding nearby territories of the Bosporans and Ruxsalannoi in 608, and his fearsome Gothic soldiers have inspired…terror (:smug:) in these foes.

(+Goths, -1 Thyssakata Strength, -600 Bosporan cavalry)

Surprisingly, the situation in Thraike, which had looked about ready to blow up, has mostly settled down, with the Mysians managing to secure recognition of their Byzantine conquest from Makedonia and the Ruxsalannoi (the latter being paid a small sum of silver as tribute). The Makedonians and their northern neighbors have made no such similar agreement, but as both of them are busy elsewhere (see below) fighting has died out in Thraike between the two of them.

(+Byzantion (Mysia), +1 Greek Coastal Poleis Strength (Ruxsalannoi), 50 talents to Ruxsalannoi from Mysia, -1 Mysian Confidence)

The Armenian arkah’s semi-neutrality in the ongoing war to his southeast is angering his subjects on both sides of interventionism, who claim, respectively, that Armenia should intervene to fight the Sophist-persecuting Areians, and that Armenia should intervene to fulfill her treaty obligations. With both the Seleukids and the Areians suffering badly from war exhaustion, Armenia’s failure to take advantage of these problems is beginning to take on the appearance of a missed golden opportunity.

(-1 Armenian Prestige)

Patalene merchants are currently doing quite well for themselves by using their heavily armed neutrality to expand their share of the carry trade in the midst of the wars that are ruining the incomes of many of their competitors.

(+30 talents to Patalene income)

Part of the Liang military went north in 606, apparently in order to pretend to fight itself. Most of the military believes that it was a lavishly funded waste of time. Oddly, the Emperor attempted to publicize this as well, though he was met more with lack of comprehension than anything else. These frivolities, however, did warn off the Xianbei from attacking the Liang.

Wu ships have caught some Yamato merchants shipping a truly vast sum of silver from Liang to the Shi rebels. It is not yet known if Suiko-tennō herself had anything to do with it one way or the other.

(+950 talents to Wu treasury)

Annoyingly, the Nanyue are beginning to get into the same trade-deal fever that the Mediterranean polities have been, albeit with slightly better reason. They have had decidedly mixed success in their expeditions to the south to negotiate trade deals with various chieftains. Still, the whole thing is paying off to at least some extent.

(+10 talents to Nanyue income)

Capitalizing on the rather parlous situation in which the Wu now find themselves, Suiko-tennō, in her infinite wisdom, has stopped the tribute to the Wu. There was no comment as yet from the court at Jianye. Probably ‘cause, you know, Wu is fighting for its life.

(-1 Wu Prestige, +1 Yamato Prestige)

Domestic Events

Several states that have been warring these last ten years are beginning to suffer from war exhaustion among their political elites; even worse, tax revenues are declining due to the departure of so many taxpaying levies from their usual duties. Agricultural production is seriously down in many states, especially Makedonia, the Seleukid Empire, Areia, the Pala Empire, and the Chola Empire. While none of these states is on its last legs quite yet, it’s clear that full-scale war is rapidly becoming much more costly than government finances can maintain.

(+varying degrees of economic and political problems in all warring states, especially those mentioned above)

Increasingly bored of peace and running low on cash, some of the Cambrian subkings have been squabbling amongst themselves and with their Rygian neighbors, a few of whom are also spoiling for a fight.

(-1 Cambric Prestige, -1 Dyfnaint Confidence, -1 Rygi Confidence)

The dryhten of the Rygians, apart from continuing his usual policy of constructing trading posts and being a publicly generous guy, has begun fishing for artistically and literarily talented people to hang out at his court. The initial results haven’t exactly been diamonds in the rough, but it’s a decent start for early medieval Britain. In addition, with the Rondings settled in their new home in the west, a hiding has been commissioned to better assess the dryhten’s rightful revenues. In addition to the positive effects from the coinage reform, the still-nascent trading posts, and investments into mining concerns, royal revenues are growing, albeit slowly.

(+1 Rygian Prestige, +10 talents to Rygian income)

A fresh Hamaba revolt broke out in 607, spurred by the adoption of Sophism by the Iberian drechton and by the incessant labor services they’d been performing. Needless to say, it was violently put down.

(-Hamaba, -1 turn from Iberian infrastructure progress, -450 Iberian infantry, -30 Iberian cavalry)

It is beginning to become rather clear that the aging Deukalion Amyntor is using his position of polemarchos to exercise undue influence in Panorman politics long beyond the normal term of office. The increasingly unpopular war is also, of course, taking its toll. Rumors abound that the bouleutai will abolish the polemarchos position upon the conclusion of the war, closely connected as it is to the somewhat reviled policies of Amyntor himself. To boot, it appears as though the devastations of war on the mainland, combined with general neglect, have taken their toll on the state’s infrastructure. On a brighter note, the emporion of Neapolis has been founded in a joint Panormos-Messene effort.

(-1 Merchantry Confidence, -1 Panormos Mob Strength, infrastructure to Improving)

Aorsi territory, too, has been devastated by allied armies, and infrastructure seems to be declining.

(infrastructure to Pathetic)

Amyntas of Aigyptos has been tirelessly patronizing Aigyptian cultural life for some time, and it’s beginning to pay off.

(+1 Aigyptian Prestige)

Gersem, negusa nagast of Aksum, in addition to the usual endowments, decided in his infinite wisdom that the highways and byways of Arabia needed to be brought up to standard; to this end, monies were disbursed to the governor of Teiman, who hired the appropriate labor to get that particular show on the road. (Ha.) Oddly, the work doesn’t seem to be going as quickly as it ought to be.

(+1 Sab’yn Strength, -270 talents from Aksumite infrastructure investment)

At the same time (specifically, in 607), a large rebellion seems to have been kicked off elsewhere in Aksumite Arabia, spearheaded by the Quraysh clans of Makkah. Their leader, the Sophist shaykh Abu Sufyan, has defeated all attempts to bring him to heel, and has attracted widespread support from other clans to the south. After being defeated by Abu Sufyan’s ally Imran ibn ‘Abd al Muttalib at the Battle of al Aqiq in 608, the governor of Teiman has avoided battle, awaiting reinforcements.

(-50 talents from Aksumite income, -800 Aksumite infantry, -1,150 Aksumite cavalry)

The Seleukid god-king has ordered the levying of extraordinary taxes to stem the state’s fiscal meltdown in the face of war. This has been semi-effective in making the empire solvent again, but at the cost of a great deal of support among the people.

(-2 Seleukeian Mob Confidence, -2 Merchantry Confidence)

Some groups of Turkic cavalry, intrigued by the recent success of the Mazsakata raiders in northern Areia, have joined up with the Ashina.

(+1 Ashina Yabghu Strength, +5,000 Mazsakata cavalry)

Seleukid problems with revenue are nothing compared to Areia’s. Hiding behind an ever-present assassin squad, basileus Arkadios has issued increasingly desperate calls for some kind of holy war, which have, to be fair, bolstered his regime’s support from those who would have supported it already. His orders for a horrifying scorched-earth policy and his arbitrary confiscations of wealth from much of the merchantry, though, have eroded his support elsewhere. In the short term, this has been sort of successful at keeping the state solvent; in the long term, the devastation of productive territory will keep the economy in ruins even if Areia pulls out a victory in the war.

(-2 Army Assembly Confidence, -1 Army Assembly Strength, -1 Merchantry Confidence, -1 Merchantry Strength, +550 talents to Areian treasury)

Many of Yang’s buqu soldiers are angry that they have been raised merely to act as border-guards, and that they have been taken away from their homesteads without being given the chance to recoup their losses by taking part in the plunderfest that is a military campaign.

(-2 Buqu Confidence)

The new Wu bureaucracy is beginning to fill out much better, with some good on-the-job experience under its collective belt. Regrettably, though, the civil war and now the larger conflict are undermining a lot of the recent work.

(+2 Royal Bureaucracy Confidence, +1 Royal Bureaucracy Strength, -1 turn from Wu infrastructure progress)

Nanyue has launched a truly massive tax overhaul program with rather unusually lavish – a cynic would call it “unnecessarily” lavish – spending, transforming a money-making enterprise into…well, not a money-making enterprise.

(+1 Royal Bureaucracy Confidence, +1 Royal Bureaucracy Strength, +200 talents to Nanyue income)

Suiko-tennō in her great munificence has donated much money to projects improving the agricultural yield of her personal territories. This has paid off somewhat, though what would really increase agricultural production would be increasing the area under cultivation…and people take a lot longer to grow than rice does.

(+15 talents to Yamato income)

Military Events

The Nerwian civil war has come to a surprising dénouement. As of 606 Ammatas looked to be winning the war, managing to come out victoriously in the siege of Niuwibergiliwerī and attracting some of the Silenga lords to his banner. The next year, though, his Asdinga allies were surprised to encounter a group of Winnili from the east, searching for open land and a safe environment, having been apparently driven out of their original home by the wars of Ariaric the Goth. Ammatas attempted to enlist the aid of these Winnili in fighting against Gibamund, but more and more of them began to filter into Nerwia from the east, distinctly unsettling Ammatas’ other allies. Still, all seemed well until Samarabrucca fell to the advancing Ammatid armies in 608. The leader of the Winnili, Agelmund, soon fell out with Ammatas over the issues of plunder and lands, culminating in Ammatas foolishly attempting to assassinate Agelmund and his fellow Winnili chiefs at a banquet. Agelmund et al escaped, and rallied their warriors, who annihilated an army of Nerwian royal retainers and Silenga at Sinwelbwerī in the spring of 610 and proceeded to destroy another Silenga army, led by Ammatas personally, at Fenniburgila a few months later. Ammatas himself fled across the Channel for Rygia, and a few of the Silenga lords tried to get Walhic protection, but by and large Nerwia itself was totally destroyed. What the Winnili will do with their new lands remains to be seen.

Almost as a side note, Windelicia was hit hard by migrations as well, though not just of the Winnili, who mostly went to the north. A large number of Germanic and Slavic peoples, led by the Burgunda warlord Godegisel, fought a major battle (which would be heavily mythologized in later culture) on the Leh Riverin 608, and it has mostly gone downhill from there. While Windelicia has not yet gone the way of Nerwia due to greater internal cohesion, trohtîn Wittimer is still in dire straits, and has called on Walhia for aid as well.

(+Winnili, +Burgunda, -Nerwia, various nightmarishly complicated stat reshuffling for Rygia, Walhia, and Windelicia)

Operating on the mistaken belief that the Wiolant, trohtîn of the Bastarna, would be invading the Aorsi in 607, Gerold of the Iberians attacked his northern neighbor in a clear play for Bastarna lands. Unfortunately for the Iberians, Walhia and the Aorsi were most definitely not fighting each other at the moment. On the flip side, that didn’t mean that there were Bastarna armies in western Walhia either; Wiolant had thought that the Aorsi and Nerwia needed watching, not the southern border. So it came as a rather big surprise when Iberian royal retainers and levies launched a massive attack aimed at the key fortress of Silakoufstat. A local Bastarna army was raised and scattered, and another was also broken up before the Iberians reached the fortress and managed to storm it before the Walhic royal army assembled. Until 608, most of the remaining fighting was dominated by low-level raiding, but in that year Wiolant ordered a general attack on Silakoufstat, having achieved numerical parity with the withdrawal of troops from the Nerwian frontier. That summer, near Intdiotburg, the Iberian and Walhic armies clashed indecisively. Forced to watch his other frontiers with the sudden rise of the Winnili to the north, Wiolant has reduced activity in the south to raiding, while for their part the Iberians seem too exhausted to push any further.

(+30,000 Walhic levy infantry, +35,000 Iberian levy infantry)

(+2 Iberian Prestige, -1 Walhic Prestige, -Sidona Bastarna (Walhia), -1 Yazyga Strength, +1 Hatta Marcher-lords Confidence, +1 Hatta Marcher-lords Strength, -10 talents from Walhic income, +25 talents to Iberian treasury, -2,300 Walhic infantry, -6,750 Walhic levy infantry, -600 Walhic cavalry, -1,100 Iberian infantry, -5,200 Iberian levy infantry, -400 Iberian cavalry)

The Italian war continues to drag on, nearing fever pitch in these years. While they had failed to enlist new allies into their ranks, the Panormans and Chaonians had a Cunning Plan anyway that would (in theory) win them the war. The first step: a two-pronged major raid on the Aorsi subkings, on the Sannic and Adriatic coasts, respectively. Konon Sikeliotes’ Panorman expedition to ravage the Sannic coast was launched in early 606 with a limited complement, mistakenly thinking that the Sannic Aorsi had been called up to fight further south and would be away from their homes. His relatively small force was thus badly outnumbered, and in an encounter at Gonya the Panormans were badly mauled by the Sannic chief Sangiban and his horsemen. However, they were able to withdraw, and still managed to do some damage, relying on their greater mobility to avoid Sangiban’s horsemen. A similar Chaonian expedition was mounted by one Marianos, directed at the territory of the Adriatic Aorsi. They, however, faced little opposition, and were able to despoil the country.

To respond to the latter attack, the Aorsi warlord Barjik was dispatched with ten thousand horse across the Apennines and ran straight into a nearly equal-sized Chaonian army under the command of Philagrios Aitolios which had been heading in the opposite direction. At Tegeate, the Chaonian troops, which lacked sufficient cavalry support, were nearly encircled, and all in all badly handled by the Aorsi. Philagrios pulled back to the south and called on the Megale Hellenic poleis for aid (a call which, earlier, had not been answered), which supplied him with enough light-armed troops to hold back Barjik’s attack on the Trinios River. Unexpected reinforcements in the form of an army commanded by the polemarchos Deukalion Amyntor himself fully shored up the defense. Barjik and his Aorsi pulled back through the pass they had come through.

Which was rather fortunate, as the repeated Aorsi feints and raids (combined with the need to relieve Stoma) had drawn a rather large Panorman army out of Kampania, under the command of Alkibiades Kaudios. This force was both large and unusually (for the Panormans) dangerous, as it incorporated a new unit of kataphraktoi, armored horse-archer and lancer cavalry that could duel at least semi-effectively with the Aorsi. Outnumbered, Zanvar, in command of the Aorsi horse in Romania, pulled back, and Alkibiades was able to relieve Stoma. His army, however, could not stay for too long in the vicinity of the city, as the region had been denuded of supplies; forced to move in search of food or break up the army, as summer wound down the Panorman force was…forced to move inland, away from the protection of the fleet. It was then that Barjik’s Aorsi returned from their semi-successful raid in Pikenon and linked up with Zanvar’s army. Now badly outnumbering the Panorman troops, the Aorsi assaulted Alkibiades’ camp at Telegonia in August. The Panormans were badly mauled, though Alkibiades managed to pull much of his army out with the onset of night. He then successfully reached the Kampanian defenses and linked up with Konon’s returning raiders, restoring the numerical balance. A few weeks later, the Chaonian-Panorman army under the command of Philagrios and Deukalion Amyntor managed to fight Zanvar’s Aorsi to a standstill at Aikvolia while crossing the Apennines to try to link up with the Kampanian army.

Now, supply considerations intervened once more; Romania itself was virtually empty in terms of food. Even without the siege, mass starvation set in at Stoma because the chora was to all intents and purposes gone. Neither Panorman nor Aorsi armies could effectively enter Romania, and the result was stalemate for two years. Only in 609 did operations resume, and even these were conducted in a desultory fashion, as both sides seem to have been worn out by the fighting. Panormos especially has suffered rather frightful casualties for minimal gain, but the Aorsi too have gotten relatively little plunder out of the continued fighting, and several chiefs are demanding that Zanvar simply take a nominal tribute and return to plundering easier marks. Ominous mass migrations are believed to be afoot to the east, as well.

(+10,000 Aorsi levy cavalry, +7,500 Chaonian levy infantry)

(+1 Aorsi Prestige, +1 Sannic Aursa Strength, -1 Tyrrenian Aursa Confidence, -1 Tyrrenian Aursa Strength, -1 Adriatic Aursa Confidence, -1 Adriatic Aursa Strength, +1 Megale Hellenic Poleis Confidence (Chaonia), -1 Megale Hellenic Poleis Strength (Chaonia), -75 talents from Aorsi income, -105 talents from Chaonian income, +20 talents to Aorsi treasury, +5 talents to Panorman treasury, +10 talents to Chaonian treasury, -2,100 Aorsi cavalry, -4,400 Aorsi levy cavalry, -6,200 Panorman infantry, -1,300 Panorman levy infantry, -900 Panorman cavalry, -2,400 Chaonian infantry, -800 Chaonian levy infantry, -2,100 Chaonian cavalry)
 
The Perseid Empire is at the center of a veritable inferno, with nearly all of its neighbors ganging up on it in one way or another, with the conquest of Attika apparently serving as a warning light to all involved. Archelaos of Makedonia, Nesilios of Pisidia, and Amyntas of Aigyptos have united against the Perseids. Fortunately for an incredulous Andronikos I, these enemies totally failed to coordinate their attacks, so that what might have been a crushing united offensive instead became a series of individual – albeit dangerous individual – pinpricks.

Let us first turn to Makedonia, where Archelaos – uncharacteristically lethargic – had Patroklos Bardanes, hero of the Siege of Demotika, conduct an attack into Perseid-controlled Boiotia, beginning in 606. Bardanes took full advantage of the recently drawn-down Perseid defenses and marched his army to Dekeleia, which he besieged – unsuccessfully, due to supply problems. Bardanes had counted upon resupply from the Makedonian fleet to help feed his troops, but that plan was ruined earlier that spring when Polyxenidas, in command of the Makedonian fleet, lost a major battle off Skyros to a Perseid fleet under the command of Kallinikos Heliopolites. Without hope of naval resupply, Bardanes pulled back to Thebai to try again later. In late 608 he tried again, but due to the supply situation split his army into several columns to relieve overforaged areas. One of those columns, under Mizizios, blundered into a massive Perseid ambush (organized by the rising-star Perseid commander Nikephoros Anaktorios) on the Thriasian Plain and was badly mauled; this assault, too, ended in failure. In 609 Bardanes chose to limit his operations to smaller strokes, and had greater success with this approach: he captured Oropos, Anakaia, and Panakton this way. Still, the Makedonians have been thus far unable to crack the Kithairon fortification system, while the Perseid hold on Attika has only tightened.

(+15,000 Makedonian levy infantry, +5,000 Perseid levy infantry)

(-1 Makedonian Prestige, +1 Perseid Prestige, -1 Paralioi Confidence, +1 Peloponnesos Confidence, -5,300 Makedonian infantry, -7,500 Makedonian levy infantry, -1,150 Makedonian cavalry, -900 Makedonian levy cavalry, -58 Makedonian ships, -3,600 Perseid infantry, -4,200 Perseid levy infantry, -800 Perseid cavalry, -14 Perseid ships)

Nesilios of Pisidia chose to invade not just the Perseid Empire but also Mysia, guessing that Basiliskos would be busy in Thraike. This gamble turns out to have failed rather spectacularly, as the massive and supposedly secret 606 invasion of Mysian Phrygia was awaited by no less than half again its numbers. The Pisidian commander, the Kappadokian Ariarathes, soon realized his mistake and tried to pull back, but was caught by the Mysian army, under the personal command of Basiliskos, and forced to fight at Synnada, where the Pisidian army was badly battered. In 608, Basiliskos pursued the Pisidians to Kelainai, where another field battle resulted in another Pisidian defeat. Still, the Pisidians’ network of fortifications did slow the Mysians down, despite what appears to be surprisingly good Mysian intelligence as to what was where. The fall of Pessinos in 610 was a bad harbinger of what was to come, though, as Pisidian Galatia now lies bare.

The offensive against the Perseids went somewhat better, at least initially. While the Pisidians besieged the Perseid mountain fortresses in Pamphylia and Lykia, a general attack was directed into Perseid Ionia. The satrap, Evgenios Rhodios, was unable to put up effective resistance, as many Perseid troops had been directed elsewhere. Aphrodisias fell to the invaders in late 606. But by 607 Evgenios had mustered levies, and was now assisted by the fleet under Kallinikos. An attempted Pisidian siege of Mylasa went nowhere. While the Ionian satrap lacked the manpower to push the Pisidians back, the attack itself had been more or less halted, as Pisidian troops were rushed north to deal with the Mysian invasion. Even so, the Pisidians managed to retain Aphrodisias and several fortresses to the south, including the citadel of Termessos. The main Pisidian blow in the south, though, was launched into Kilikia, and despite recent Perseid reinforcements the attackers managed to capture Tarsos. When Seleukeia-on-the-Pyramos was besieged, a brief panic seized the Antiochenes, and some Perseid officials even inquired as to peace terms; they were met with a ludicrously high demand for tribute and massive territorial gains, which if anything stiffened Perseid resolve. Seleukeia-on-the-Pyramos fell in 609 but it was a poisoned gift, with a massively devastated chora and no real way open through the Amanos Mountains to the Syrian plain. The Pisidians, unable to hold the city itself, demolished its walls and withdrew to Tarsos. In sum: the Pisidian knockout blow failed to lay either opponent out flat, though the Perseids, at least, are dazed. Now the very real danger of a prolonged war looms…

(+20,000 Mysian levy infantry, +30,000 Pisidian levy infantry, +5,000 Pisidian levy cavalry, +15,000 Perseid levy infantry)

(+2 Mysian Prestige, +1 Pisidian Prestige, -1 Anatolian Greeks Confidence, -1 Ionian Confidence, -2 Ionian Strength, +15 talents to Mysian treasury, +50 talents to Pisidian treasury, -70 talents from Pisidian income, -40 talents from Perseid income, -2,400 Mysian infantry, -3,900 Mysian levy infantry, -1,300 Mysian cavalry, -3,500 Pisidian infantry, -7,100 Pisidian levy infantry, -1,200 Pisidian cavalry, -800 Pisidian levy cavalry, -200 Perseid infantry, -6,700 Perseid levy infantry)

And finally, we come to Aigyptos, where Amyntas IV has launched his own colossal assault on the Perseids. The initial plan was for a naval campaign in the Aegean and a Levantine assault to match. Originally, the Aigyptian navy was to have linked up with the Makedonian one and combine against the Perseids, but that plan was scuttled (har) after the Perseid defeat of Polyxenidas’ fleet off Skyros, done before the Aigyptians had even declared war. Nevertheless, in the fall of 606 Aigyptian troops crossed the frontier and instantly stalled in front of the fortress of Raphia, which luckily for the Aigyptians fell before winter. The following spring, the Aigyptian commander besieged and captured Anthedon as well, after which Ioudaia more or less lay open. Nonsensically, though, the Aigyptian commander Olympios chose to divide his army in the face of near-equal numbers, sending away over ten thousand men on a diversion. The Perseid commander, Makarios Chalkides, promptly seized on his surprising new advantage and attacked the Aigyptians at Marisa, correctly judging that the second Aigyptian army’s path was much too far away for it to be able to reach any battle in time. The Aigyptian plan of relying on missile infantry to ward off the formidable Perseid cavalry was a fool’s bet on the wide-open Ioudaian coastal plain. The Aigyptians army was eviscerated, albeit not destroyed, and fell back on Anthedon, which was sharply defended. Boosted by the return of the second army back to a semblance of numerical parity, Olympios’ successor Leontios resumed the offensive in 609, capitalizing on the dispatch of Perseid troops north to deal with the imminent threat of the Pisidians (see above) to capture Azotos. It was still a rather poor showing for the year’s efforts.

The grand plans that had been devised for the Aigyptian fleet had had to be abandoned, but the fleet itself, under the command of one Theodotos, headed for the Aegean anyway, to wreak what havoc it could; off Crete, Theodotos’ fleet encountered that of Kallinikos Heliopolites, fresh from the recent victory at Skyros, and in the summer of 606 was badly mauled by the larger Perseid navy in the Battle of Kasos. The Aigyptian and Makedonian fleets were unable to combine, but Theodotos continued to raid Perseid shipping during the next few years, evading Kallinikos’ ships more often than not. The major bright note was the surrender of Kyrenaia to a sizable Aigyptian army in 608.

(+17,500 Perseid levy infantry, +20,000 Aigyptian levy infantry)

(+2 Perseid Prestige, +1 Aigyptian Prestige, +1 Nesiarchy Confidence (Perseids), -1 Nesiarchy Strength (Aigyptos), -370 talents from Perseid income, -60 talents from Aigyptian income, +150 talents to Aigyptian treasury, -1,800 Perseid infantry, -4,700 Perseid levy infantry, -900 Perseid cavalry, -23 Perseid ships, -4,300 Aigyptian infantry, -6,900 Aigyptian levy infantry, -1,800 Aigyptian cavalry, -49 Aigyptian ships)

Declining to challenge Mysia over the Straits due to a much better opportunity to the south, the Bosporan Kingdom has intervened in the internal affairs of the Pontic League, taking Amisos and Amastris under its protection. Eupator V himself landed a large force next to Trapezous in 610 and is still laying siege to that city. Mysia’s failure to take advantage of the situation thus far to a) throttle the Bosporans in trade duties or b) grab their own slice of the Pontic League has left some Bithynians in particular exasperated with the regime.

(+10,000 Pontic levy infantry)

(+2/-1 Bosporan Prestige, -1 Bithynian Confidence, +1 Merchantry Strength (Mysia), -40 talents from Bosporan income, +60 talents to Bosporan treasury, -2,100 Bosporan infantry, -150 Bosporan cavalry, -9 Bosporan ships, -2,400 Pontic infantry, -3,700 Pontic levy infantry, -75 Pontic cavalry, -21 Pontic ships)

It was full speed ahead for the Aksumites, who elected not to cut their losses in the Avalite trade war and instead to push on for total victory. This angered certain segments of the populace, but hey, who cares about them? A combined land and sea assault was planned, and in 606 it was carried off beautifully, as the Aksumite fleet handily beat what Avalite ships could be assembled in a naval battle off Mouza, and then sailed to the Avalite port to combine with a large assaulting army on the landward side, commanded by one Ezana. The ships arrived early, and lost the element of surprise; it was unnecessary, though, because when Ezana’s troops finally struggled into position they had a massive numerical advantage. Aksumite troops managed to bring down part of the walls and capture part of the city before the Avalites sued for peace, promising to become tributary to the negusa nagast. Their request was granted, much to the annoyance of some of the merchantry, who had wanted to see their rivals completely destroyed and the city razed to the ground; nevertheless, Gersem does have an impressive victory to his credit now.

(+1 Aksumite Prestige, -1 Merchantry Confidence, +10 talents to Aksumite income, -900 Aksumite infantry, -50 Aksumite cavalry, -6 Aksumite ships)

Boz, leader of the Antes, was killed in the climax of a series of renewed Antes raids on the Armenian passes in the Caucasus, but not before the Kavakaza lords were forced to call upon Haroutyoun for aid.

(+1 Armenian Prestige, +1 Kavakaza Marz Lords Confidence, -1 Kavakaza Marz Lords Strength, -10 talents from Armenian income, -1,500 Antes cavalry, -200 Armenian infantry, -400 Armenian cavalry)

The Areian war’s northern front opened with an anticlimax, as the Mazsakata abandoned the ruin of Antiocheia-Margiane and withdrew. This was rather embarrassing for the Sogdians, who had just joined the war on the side of the Areians and made Antiocheia-Margiane the sole focus of their campaign plan, only to take it without a fight. The Mazsakata themselves were nowhere to be found. As it turns out, Ardashir himself had led them on a ride southward, moving through Old Areia and cooperating with the Baktrians, who (surprise surprise) decided to enter the war after all, in capturing Artakoana. They then vanished to the south, before popping up (with numbers somewhat diminished by the passage across the great Iranian salt desert) in Karmana to first sack the city and then winter in the semi-adequate territory there. This placed the unwitting Mazsakata squarely in the rear of one of the main Areian armies. That army, under the command of Alexandros, satrap of Sousiane, was precisely one-half of the Areian forces deployed in the west against the Seleukids. Basileus Arkadios had decided to disperse his forces between Persis and Media, a move that paid off in spades – for the god-king Nikandros, whose army was able to concentrate against Alexandros’ smaller force while half of the western Areian army was hundreds of miles away. Alexandros was dealt a sharp defeat at the ruins of Pasargadai in 606, and next year Nikandros’ army did the same thing to Arkadios at Artemita, though in the process suffering heavy casualties.

Later that year, the Seleukids drew down their forces in western Areia to pursue a significant force of raiders, who had entered the empire by way of Armenia, though Haroutyoun still was rather iffy about joining the war himself. These Areian raiders did significant damage to northern Mesopotamia, but were finally hunted down and cornered near Nisibis in 608, losing most of their loot in the process. They had, however, bought time for the defenders of Areian territory to strengthen their defenses. It became starkly clear in 608-9 that Ekbatana was, to all intents and purposes, impregnable now (many of the troops from Persis having been pulled out and moved back north), and so the Seleukids elected to concentrate on the south. By 610 they had driven Alexandros – or rather, his successor Tarasios, as the satrap himself had been killed during a raid – out of Karmana and Gabai, though Harmozeia at least remained in Areian hands. Harmozeia itself, however, was not worth a whole lot. Originally, the plan had been for the Areians to use it as a base for commerce raiding, which seemed to be working initially. But by 607 the Hellenoarabic poleis, who had initially withdrawn from the war (due to lack of payment), had been drawn back in by the attacks on their trade. They also had a terrifying new weapon to use against the Areian ships: “Nikaian fire”, described by contemporaries as liquid flame that could set fire to water. Armed with siphons that dispensed this infernal weapon and operating in conjunction with Seleukid patrolling flotillas, the Hellenoarabic ships made short work of the Areian commerce raiders by 609.

What of the Mazsakata and Baktrians? What, indeed. Ardashir had had the Cunning Plan of attacking Hekatompylos from the south in 607, but his orders to cross the salt desert lost him many of his men, while Areian defensive works made up the rest of the difference. An attempted 607 siege had to be abandoned, though Ardashir was able to avoid the chiefly-infantry armies the Areians kept in the area through sheer mobility, and returning to the old plan of sack-and-move on to stay around. The Baktrians, led by Diodotos and his general Eirenaios Kartanites, made decent progress initially (forcing the Sogdian-Areian defenders out of the recently-rebuilt Antiocheia-Margiane), but their Areian opponents chose to implement a horrifying policy of scorched earth for one thing, ruining the chance to get supplies. For the other, Pantaleon of Kaspeireia, fearing the potential consequences if Areia were to be totally destroyed, launched an invasion of Baktrian Pefkelaotis. Though little progress was made initially, due to the atrocious terrain and to the strong Baktrian defenses of the main passes through the Paropamisadai, attention was still diverted from the Areian campaign.

Thus by 610, Areia was very clearly on the back foot, but not quite dead yet; many of its opponents were facing significant financial strains, but the problems they were facing also plagued Areia itself. Like punch-drunk boxers (definitely not an overused simile as regards war weariness amirite) they all kept swinging, but were each in danger of falling on the ground of their own accord.

(+10,000 Seleukid levy infantry, +15,000 Areian levy infantry, +20,000 Sogdian levy infantry, +5,000 Sogdian levy cavalry, +25,000 Baktrian levy infantry, +2,500 Baktrian levy cavalry, +15,000 Kaspeireian levy infantry, +6,000 Kaspeireian levy cavalry)

(-1 Armenian Prestige, +2 Seleukid Prestige, +1 Baktrian Prestige, -Sousiane (Areia), -1 Medioi Confidence, +1 Ashina Yabghu Confidence, -1 Hellene Confidence (Sogdiane), -1 Merchantry Confidence (Sogdiane), -1 Paropamisan Confidence, -1 Kapisan Confidence, +1 Katoikiai Confidence, -900 talents from Seleukid income, -4,600 talents from Areian income, -200 talents from Baktrian income, +500 talents to Seleukid treasury, +150 talents to Areian treasury, +60 talents to Mazsakata treasury, +30 talents to Baktrian treasury, +15 talents to Kaspeireian treasury, -4,400 Seleukid infantry, -5,500 Seleukid levy infantry, -1,100 Seleukid cavalry, -150 Seleukid levy cavalry, -8 Seleukid ships, -1,700 Mazsakata cavalry, -3,200 Mazsakata levy cavalry, -12,900 Areian infantry, -18,300 Areian levy infantry, -3,400 Areian cavalry, -1,050 Areian levy cavalry, -42 Areian ships, -1,200 Sogdian infantry, -2,300 Sogdian levy infantry, -800 Sogdian cavalry, -1,100 Sogdian levy cavalry, -7,400 Baktrian infantry, -6,100 Baktrian levy infantry, -2,200 Kaspeireian infantry, -3,900 Kaspeireian levy infantry, -500 Kaspeireian cavalry, -750 Kaspeireian levy cavalry)

The Pala-Chola war continues to drag on rather desultorily, as both sides seem to have increasingly lost interest in the conflict now that the Cholas have been halted in their advance. A key ally entered the lists for the Palas when the Gangas, historical enemies of the Cholas, decided to invade Chola territory, aiming at their Tamil base. In 608 the invasion was halted – barely – by Aditya, hero of the otherwise-humiliating 605 siege of Nandivardhana. In naval terms, the Chola and Ganga fleets declined to engage each other, fearing the mutual-destructive effect of such a battle on the fortunes of the Patalene League. Effectively, the Chola seem to have been contained, though not without monetary or military cost, and it is chiefly due to Pala lethargy that the Chola have not been forced back yet.

(+15,000 Ganga levy infantry)

(-2,400 Pala infantry, -1,600 Pala levy infantry, -1,300 Pala cavalry, -200 Pala levy cavalry, -1,100 Ganga infantry, -3,900 Ganga levy infantry, -100 Ganga cavalry, -1,700 Chola infantry, -2,600 Chola levy infantry, -400 Chola cavalry, -800 Chola levy cavalry)

Yunfen of Wu had expected that his neighbors would immediately seize upon his preoccupation with the Shi rebels to invade his territory. He was slightly surprised, although not disappointed, to have avoided such an attack for the year of 606. That year was crucial for the Wu, as hardened general Yuan Rong renewed the Wu drive on Ye, the center of the rebellion. Shi Kang attempted to strike at the logistical spine of the Wu army, but was warded off by large numbers of Turk light cavalry. He was forced to stand and fight on the Jiao River near the end of summer, and his army was more or less annihilated. Ye itself was captured before the end of the year, and Shi Kang’s head (and those of his close family) was brought to Jianye as a trophy. Some of the Shi rebel troops were reincorporated into the army, but most fled into the Yu and Daiyun Mountains, terrified of the fearsome retribution of Emperor Yunfen. It would take some years to extinguish these rebels.

Only in the summer of 607, after calling up his levies, did the Liang Emperor intervene, with an oddly small army and a confusingly limited campaign plan to boot. Sun Quan, the Liang general in charge of the campaign, was ordered to halt north of the Yangzi, but at the same time to attack Jianye itself, which was south of the great river. This caused some tearing of hair in the Liang command tent, to say the least. And in 607, it was doubtful as to whether the Liang troops would even make it to the Yangzi, as a sizable Wu flotilla patrolled the Huai River and blockaded the route south. It was some months before Sun Quan could find a work-around and cross the river, and even then his army suffered significant casualties from Wu ambushes at Gushi and Huoshan. And the difficulties his army faced in crossing the Huai paled in comparison to the problems of getting south of the Yangzi. After the first secret crossing attempt was foiled, Sun Quan prudently busied himself by capturing several fortresses north of the river and responding violently to Wu efforts to interdict his supply lines. Even this task was not completed before 610, though, due chiefly to the low proportion of infantry in the Liang armies but also to significant Wu resistance.

In 608, the Yang Emperor intervened as well. Once again the Wu navy did sterling service by blocking the Yang advance along the Gan River. Some ingenious traps set by the Yang generals Lu Hao and Lu Xiu destroyed a part of the blocking force, but the Wu quickly learned to smell them out. The original plan of using a chain to block off the river was rendered ineffective by constant Turk cavalry patrols on the eastern side, for instance. A 609 attempt to infiltrate a large force across in a region of few patrols met with initial success, and even linked up with a few of the Shi rebels, but it could not be followed up and the attacking force was cornered and annihilated at the Battle of Dexing. Only in the south have the Yang had much success, though even that was limited severely by the generally crummy terrain. So by 610 Wu stands unconquered, having effectively warded off both killing blows and put its own house in order.

Wu has been aided in this by the actions of the Houqin, who took the opportunity afforded by Yang’s distraction (Liang left more than enough troops in the west to guard against a similar incursion) to launch a series of raids into Yang-controlled Sichuan. Redeployments in 610 reduced the damage these raids did by a substantial margin, but much looting had already been done. Liang, though not troubled by these attacks, was forced to face off against a different rival: the Jin, who decided that now was a grand time to reconquer the lands north of the Imjin. Beginning in 609 a general offensive was launched into Liang-controlled territory, led by the eminent general Biryu. The Liang response was tardy, as the Emperor had focused on the south. Only in the summer months of 610 was the massive Jin offensive stopped on the Salsu River. And this enemy, without the need to use its navy for land defense as the Wu do, has been able to conduct massive raids on Liang shipping in the process.

(+50,000 Houqin levy cavalry, +60,000 Liang levy infantry, +25,000 Liang levy cavalry, +50,000 Yang levy infantry, +7,000 Yang levy cavalry, +30,000 Wu levy infantry, +35,000 Jin levy infantry, +5,000 Jin levy cavalry)

(-Shi (and assorted stat reincorporations for Wu), +2 Wu Prestige, +1 Jin Prestige, -1 Tuqi of the Right Confidence, +1 Tuqi of the Left Confidence, +1 Tuqi of the Left Strength, +1 Inner Court Confidence (Liang), +1 Sun Clique Confidence, +1 Sun Clique Strength, -1 Xu Clique Confidence, -1 Gu Clique Confidence, +1 Lu Clique Confidence, +1 Buddhists Confidence (Jin-guk), -250 talents from Liang income, -300 talents from Yang income, +50 talents to Houqin treasury, +600 talents to Liang treasury, +450 talents to Yang treasury, +50 talents to Jin treasury, -3,600 Houqin cavalry, -5,900 Houqin levy cavalry, -8,500 Liang infantry, -4,400 Liang levy infantry, -1,700 Liang cavalry, -900 Liang levy cavalry, -45 Liang ships, -7,400 Yang infantry, -11,400 Yang levy infantry, -4,300 Yang cavalry, -6,600 Yang levy cavalry, -22 Yang ships, -14,700 Wu infantry, -20,300 Wu levy infantry, -1,400 Wu cavalry, -2,100 Wu levy cavalry, -15 Wu ships, -3,200 Jin infantry, -5,800 Jin levy infantry, -1,100 Jin cavalry, -300 Jin levy cavalry, -8 Jin ships)

Nanyue is making a major push to conquer the island of Hainan, though their means and ends are not particularly well correlated. The Li, who live there, mostly don’t care about Nanyue suzerainty one way or another, though some military resistance was met in the center of the island. The real issue seems to be the new conquest’s almost-total lack of value, and of course some problems with disease.

(-700 Nanyue infantry)
 
Special Bonuses:

Most Awesome-looking Symbol: Perseid Empire (+generally more successful military policies)

Best Story: Kingdom of Aigyptos (+30 talents to Aigyptian income)

OOC:

-Frankly, it’s appalling that it took so long to get orders in for some people even after I extended the deadline. I did accept late orders that were sent before I totally disconnected from the Internet a few hours after the deadline, but with major reservations and serious consequences in terms of how your plans went (most easily visible in China). For instance, Kraznaya essentially survived because Masada (and Abaddon, but mostly Masada) missed the deadline. I did not see fc’s orders until I came back online to post the update, and ended up not incorporating them.
-On the flip side, I apologize for the lateness of this update; it was the first weekend of my spring break, after all. And a lot ended up happening, unsurprisingly, both in real life and in the game world. And I procrastinated more than I ought to have. And I expect plenty of people will have problems with the stats. You should let me know about those.
-Several people, once again, had to have their plans…moderated, to an extent, due to unrealism.
-I strongly disapprove of metagaming, as you all know. So I was obviously concerned when I read some peoples’ orders these past two turns. It’s definitely not cricket to pass information on players’ plans to players with whom you should have precisely zero contact. I don’t care if it’s misinformation or the real deal. You know who you are. Don’t do it again.
-Some people apparently didn’t read this part of the update last time, so I guess I’ll say it again in the forlorn hope that people will listen now. I want everybody to clearly state how much money they are devoting to something and how many troops they are devoting to something. Save the semi-literate literary flourishes for in-thread stories. Just tell me what you’re doing. Attempting to parse confusing order sets is pretty high on the list of “things it takes me wayyyyyy too long to do when updating”.
-The next update will be on the regular schedule: orders to be due the night of 16-17 March 2010 at midnight GMT. St. Patrick’s Day update?

World Map, 610

Spoiler World Map, 610 :
danesiiupdate2610.png
 
Great update Dachs.
 
*Mission Impossible Theme plays*

Aside from missing the whole "players with late orders should have their capitals spontaneously combust" thing, great update.
 
Realistically, it would've been much harder to update without the flurry of orders I got within three hours of the deadline than it was to update with them. :undecide:
 
Very good update. Also, diplomacy:

To - Arabian rebels
From - Aksumite Empire

We demand that you surrender immediately, and no one will be hurt. If you continue your aggression, we will respond with force.
 
From: Banu Quraysh
To: Aksum

What's in it for us? We want a greater degree of self-government in our territories, and no imposition of alien trade policies.
 
To - Banu Quraysh (Arabian Rebels)
From - Aksumite Empire

We are willing to let you elect your own governor, and a certain level of autonomy, but the territory shall remain an Aksumite colony, and the governor shall be loyal only to the negusa nagast. Do you agree?
 
In the past I would have normally fought to the bitter end or something, but I can't be bothered these days.

Tantan Qaganate
Ruler/Player: Touhan Qagan/NPC
Government: Steppe Tribal Confederacy
Factions (Confidence/Strength): Ulug Tantan (4/4), Tantan Qoriltai (4/3), Tiele yabghu (2/4), Jiankun yabghu (4/2), Xazarlar yabghu (3/3)
Culture: Usual steppe mixture, including Turkic, Mongolic, Tungusic, and Iranian peoples; mostly Old Turkish-speaking; mostly Tengriist.
Army: 38,500 cavalry, 45,000 levy cavalry
Army Quality: 7
Army Description: Chiefly comprised of horse archers and lancers, both cataphract and unarmored. Some levy spearmen and archers are available. No heavy infantry of any kind are used.
Income (Raw – Upkeep): 29,200 – 30,500 = -1,300
Treasury: 4,700
Prestige:
Description: Until a century ago, the Wusun held sway over the Tarim Basin and the old trade routes of Central Asia. Then came the Tantan, who drove them eastwards and established a strong power of their own, wiping out what was left of the local Sakas and Xiongnu. The Tantan chiefs were the first to adopt the title of qagan and, more importantly, the first to exploit the rich iron veins of the Altais. This, along with the control of virtually the entire supply of jade to China, has made the Tantan qagans extremely fearsome and powerful. Tantan horsemen rule the steppes. The only thing the qagans need fear is another, stronger steppe foe replacing them…
 
silver: Noted.

To: Aksum
From: Banu Quraysh

Um...wow. Deal.

To: Seleukid Empire
From: Areia

We are more than willing to end this mutually destructive conflict by yielding Sousiane to you.

To: Mazsakata
From: Areia

Will you leave us in peace if we grant you a tribute of 160 silver talents each year? [800/turn]
 
To - Arabian rebels
From - Aksumite Empire

It's good to see that we were able to solve this peacefully. We expect the rebel land to be returned to Aksum as soon as possible. But be warned, if another rebellion will be started in Arabia, or any other Aksum territory, peace will no longer be an option.
 
Midterm exams do it to the best of us. I'm afraid the time spent on crushing you would be disproportionate to the probability of passing my exams.
 
From: Baktria
To: Areia

We will grant you peace in return for Margiane, Traxiane, Tapuria, and one of your daughters for a marriage alliance.
 
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