The Story of Souls: A Sweboz AAR

[desert]

I thought that after Parsal died the story would end. Guess I was wrong. Let's see how old she gets.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

I thought that after Parsal died the story would end. Guess I was wrong. Let's see how old she gets.

OK and Y?!?! would i end it after only 10 years? She may get old but i can get more ppl to replace her. this wont end till i say it does
So sit back, relax and enjoy
And be gald ur not with themVVV

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Alrite here we go again

Chapter Six: The Shields of Sucellos (Part One)

Summer 251BC
There has been much going on in the world outside of the Germanlandam. To our south the Romani have begun to expand into the Alps. I see a dark future in those mountains. Beyond the river Rhine the civil war is still going strong, However the Aedui have won a key victory, we will see what becomes of it, and if the have the nerve to make themselves great, like we have. To the far east the war betweenthe Arche Seleukia and the Aiegyptos has stalled as far as we can disscern. (BTW if anyone can tell me what to do to get the reveal map thing going so i can post a screen with a full update plz tell me. Thanks in advance.)

In the meanwhile much closer to home there is news. The revolt within the Mroc Arcogue has grown. When we went to supress it the rebels fled before us. However we have yet to catch them and have been fighting a running battle. After our first encounter we uncovered documents assetaning to the identity of an Order forming within the rebels camp. They call themselves the "Shields of Sucellos". We have chased these "Shields" and their servants from the borders of the Mroc Arcogue, to the lands of the former Kimbroz, into the south of Skandzalandam, and even to the gates of the Capital. After we drove them off there they fled to the south of Swebozlandam itself. The army goes to try and pin them down, but i cannot go with them.
I have recieved a vision from the High Gods. I have been commanded to create an Order to preserve the German people and protect the world from the Giants and other malignant forces. I have had much suscess in this endeavor. As it is i have recruited nearly 200 men and women of good hearts and stout character to teach the magics of Odin and the other High Gods to. Thanks to my purification within the Halls of the Heavens i can see the magics of this world directly. However the new seers cannot see them this way. So much as my former master taught me using rocks and flames so must i give them the use of RuneStones.
A RuneStone is a simple device when all is said and done. It is a stone that has a word in our peoples runic script that has been given the abilty to use the properties of said word. So if i were to write the runes for fire upon a stone and magically empower them to do so, all that one must do when using the stone is to focus his talent as a seer upon someone or something and say the words. Then the offening object or person will burst into flames. However this knid of use has it limitations. Firstly the RuneStones can only hold so much power before you must refill them with magic. So you cannot make a dozen fires burst out at once or it would destroy the rune. This makes them VERY good training tools, because if the student makes a bad mistake or draws upon too much power it is the rune that will be destroyed rather than the student and his surrounding environment. I learned that from the school that the demon tried to raise, and its destruction. Another limitation of runic magics is that they are inflexible. If you use the rune for fire to make something burst into flames thats all it will do, it will not spread the flames, it will not try and control the flames, all it can do is create them. As such when i or another master of the Order deem the student ready, he will be taught how to use the magics around him, however due to their inability to become truly pure, as the High Gods did for me, they must use a viewing RuneStone to see the flows of magic around them and how they can be used. I must go now and review my record and assertain supplies for the Order for the next year.

Spring 248BC
There has been news from the Mroc Arcogue. We have managed to traps the Shields and their servants within the eastern forests of the Mroc Arcogue. Nearly the entire army of celts has been surrounded and refuses to come out of their defenses. It appears that we will have to starve them out. I am soon to be going to the area and preparing to fight the seers within the enemy army. As leader of the Order, (Which has been given a name, The Runic-Hand) i have appointed several higher masters to positions of management. This is to assist me with tasks such as supply and army-seer coordination. My father has approved the project.
On that note my father has also said that he wished he himself could go and crush these rebels, but due to the fact that the demon had interfered with his health and body while he had controlof our people, my father has been permenantly forced to remain in the capital, for he could not survive the rigors of campaining without great assistance. He often remarks on this with a sense of bitterness. For he was once one of them mightiest warriors our people had, now he is a bedridden councilor. At 52 he must sit on the sidelines due to terrible health. I have done my best to help him but the magics of the demon had done far too much damage for me fix it. The same has happened to my little brother. As i had feared after he was healed of the illness he had beeen struck blind and deaf, thus forcing my father to take him from the line of succession. I can still communicate with him using my magics, and i find that he is a bright indiviual but he will never be as storng as my father was or as well oriented due to his disabilities. I teach him numbers and runic everyday I can but its hard for him.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Six: The Shields of Sucellos (Part Two)

Summer 248BC
Apperently physical change is VERY painful.
Let me begin.
My cousin, Harjarwulfaz, summoned me tothe front five weeks ago. He told me that there may be an attack soon so i was needed to help combat the obivous use of enemy magic by the seer within their army. The next day, at about noon, the enemy appered out of the woods and formed up for battle. They appeared well fed and rested. So as we began to form our battlelines, our scouts came back and reported the status of the enemy army. They had many, many levy troopsamong them, i think the word they use is Lugoae. However there were also report of a large congent of slingers as well. At first this confused us as we didnt know where the Shields were. Then another scout came back with reports of wild, and NAKED spearmen comming out of the woods with a band of heavy swordsmen at their back. Due to the design on their shields we knew these swordsmen to be The Shields of Sucellos. We formed up, the Gaizoukom Fruizot on the left, the Dungunthiz on the right and the brave Jungunthiz in the center. However i am in the rear with the Skutjonez reserves,preparing my magics for a LONG and hard fight, for as i look at the size of the magics arayed before me, i realise ive faced few among the petty rebel seers that came even CLOSE to this man. As we prepared to charge my cousin gave a brave speech. I will record his words here.

"Free men of Germanlandam, LOOK AT YOUR FOES!!!!! Look at them and remember, everyone of them are afarid. They have much fear, of me, of you, of our POWER AND MIGHT!!!! They fight for a lost cause. They have fled before us, run screaming, and have hidden. Now that we have cornered them it takes these cowardly fools months to come before us, to make their stand and FIGHT!!!! Now i say this to you, DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT!?!?!?!?!?!?!" At this point the men roared their approval. My cousin continued, "GOOD!!! Then we will have a FIGHT!!!!" More cheers. "Now then......CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!"

At that the battle was joined. When the lines collided i looked to see my cousin fight with his body guards. They were on the far right flanking the enemy lines. Then to my horror the enemy began to push the Junguthiz back. There was a bludge in our line but the Jungunthiz didnt give up. I immediatley ordered nearly half of the reserves to go an back them up. As this happened, i saw to the even father right, the unit of crazed naked men running to attack my cousins bodyguard so i sent the rest of the reserves except for my bodyguard of Skutjonez to that part of the battle. As these lines collided the Skutjonez at the front of the fighting barely managed to hold the naked men, as the rest of the reserves ran past them and began to attack the back sides. Even under this assult the spearmen didnt break, they acutally took the offensive and began to rip apart the Skutjonez. I then sent fire among the naked men. As many at their center began to burn, the power oftheir attacks stalled. However i was begiining to run out of energy. For i had already burned a third of the enemy line up , and i had thrown a big tree at a charging group of slingers, utterly wiping them out. I also had to content with attcks by the enemy seer upon our lines. He had tried to set fire to many of the Jungunthiz. He was also using his magic to fuel the rage of the naked spearmen far beyond that of normal men. He was also attacking my shields even as i attacked his, trying to locate him directly so i could attack him. After nearly ten minutes of battle, the enemy began to lose steam on the flanks and my cousin broke through the right flank, routing many of the foe. However he got caught up in the chase and ran far from the main battle line chasing down the cowrds. As he did so i notcied that his unit was coming under attack from the fire magics of my oponents somewhere close to him. It was then i though that i had located them. He was off to the right of my cousins bodyguards in a group of trees. I immediatley launched nearly all of my power at him intending to destroy him instantly. However after the magic went off and i felt something get destroyed. I got hit by a HUGE fire burst. I then realised that what i had hit with almost all of the magic i had left was a dummy, and the dummy traced my magics right to me. I crused my ill fortune and finally located the enemy seer. However he was hitting me with large amounts of magic that i could barely deflect. As such i began to use my reserves and started launching wind blasts and shards of light at him. However his shields were far too strong, and my attacks bounced off of them like it was nothing. The situation was looking grim, and i began to fear for my life. I then decided that if i was going to die i might as well take him with me. As i prepared to cast my spell at him i began to feel terrible pain upon my upper back and at the base of my spine. At this i fell to my knees crying in pain. At this point i went berserk and unleashed a titanic amount of light shards and whirlwinds upon my opponent, all the while the pain kept getting worse and worse, driving me insane. I finally managed to shatter his shields and the light shards threw him through one tree and impaled him into another. The last thing i knew was that he was dead and then i knew no more.

As i awoke i heard dim voices, saying things like "Be careful with her." or "Watch that wing." I was confused as to what they meant by the wing. But before i could speak i passed out again. As i awoke again i felt that i was resting on a soft bed of feathers, it had felt wonderful. As i began to get my mind working again however, i felt that i had become somehow larger than i was before the battle. As i opened my eyes i sat up and several mencame up and held me down. I began yelling at them to let go of me, which they propmtly did. As i got up they appologized, and said it was to prevent me from hurting myself. As i strated to ask what they had meant i suddenly realised something. The feathers on the bed had apperently followed me up. As i turned to brush them off, i got a BIG shock. There were wings behind my back. They were like those of a bird and covered in beautiful, glowing white feathers. It took me a moment to realise what had happened. Apperently the pain that has driven me mad upon my back was my power finally manifest in these wings. As they had grown upon my back i had somehow found the will and energy to kill my opponent. Then one of the men whom had pushed me down spoke to me. "My lady we are sorry for the rough treatment but those wings have been giving us trouble when we tried to heal you. And dont get me started about the tail..." "WHAT!?!?!?!", i yelled at him. I took off the blanket and sure enough there was a feathery tail coming out of the base of my spine. I though "What else has manifested?" When i searched myself, i found that my eyes had changed as well. They had gone from blue human eyes to eyes like those of a falcon. The clear blue was still within them but the change was marked. I began to cry. It was then that my cousin came into the room. He hugged me and told me that it was alright, that i didnt look all that bad and that i had done a great job. He even told me that he though the wings were beautiful. At this i laughed. After i had calmed down he told me what had happened after i blacked out. After the enemy seer had died, the naked men had been forcibly removed from their berserk high. This killed most of them on the spot. Those that survived fled and when they had fled the rest of the enemy had been disheartened. They broke too. However almost none of them got away. It was a great victory.



After he left i looked at my newly aquired wings. I though about it for a long time. Then i began to write this entry in my codex. I must say they feel wonderful, but they sure make it hard to write. Well i must be finishing up now for the army is going south to confront the filthy celts of Vinccopoles that have formented this rebellion.

[desert]

Haha, she's a Coralian!

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Haha, she's a Coralian!

Ok a what?
And what show is that from?

[desert]

[Olaf Blackeyes]

@ Desert NOT PIXIE WINGS!!!!!! ANGEL WINGS!!!!

Although yes Eureka Seven KICKED ASS!!!
btw good eye from these kinds of details but i came up with that out of my own head. I need t watch all the old and good anime's again.

[desert]

So that's how you knew it was from a "show".

If that displeases you, then how about this?



Por favor, continúa con tu cuento. Es beneficioso por la comunidad.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

@ desert ok thats is more of what i had in mind
and yes ive seen all of the episodes that they will show in america so yea from what ive seen its a very good anime but anyways

[Olaf Blackeyes]

-_- ok due to SEVERE issues with my campain i MAY have to end this AAR. Somehow ALL of my savefiles are corrputed/i get constant CTDs, i cant even advance a turn without the thing crashing. If someone can help me i would be grateful

EDIT: Ok after having to remove serveral savefiles ive managed to get the game running again so ill post another chapter asap

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Seven:Conquest

Spring 247BC
As the leaves return to the trees, we are preparing for our assult upon the "Oppida". We will bring the rams forward as the Skutjonez, the Gaizofulkom Frizot, and the elven hammermen, and archers move to support them. As i watch the preparations getting ready, i think back to almost 20 winters ago. This army was not even possible. The different tribes slept seperatly, fought as different units and didnt like each other very much. They also refused to share food and fought alot over idioctic issues such as who was taller or who had killed more of the foe that day. However, 20 winters later there is so much that is different. As i watch i can see Gauts and Skandzas helping the Heruskoz build a third ram. I see Silengozes and Swebozes returning from hunts and scouting missions laughing with each other. I see Swebozes and Gauts discussing how best to use a spear without it coming to blows. Even the elves are welcome here and that took FAR more effort than the different human tribes coming together. At first the elves were ridiculed by many people whom were afraid of them, of their ears, of their hearts, and of their devotion to the High Gods. They were spat on, attacked, threatened with death, and even driven out of villages. However recently they have preformed acts of true heroism, especially against the celts and the rebels. As such the people have begun to accept them and even welcome them. The tribes and peoples of the Germanlandam are becoming one, and it makes me proud to be a part of such a mighty and brave people.
Many things have happened within the Germanlandam. All along the Rhine there are many new settlements, the main gawjams in those areas have grown and are prospering. In fact as we advance into new lands there are often many people following our army, founding new villages in areas we have taken for our rightful use.
Ah and of course there has been more news from the outside world. Apperently the Romani have invaded the the land beyond the alps and are being fought back by various Tribes of celts. To the west the Gauls are still fighting, being no closer after several Avernai victories. To the far west a people called the Lusotannan are slowly uniting a land called Iberia. They may have the same goals in mind that we do. If they should ever want a fight we WILL give it to them. To the east there is a land called Hellas. There are three great tribes of people called Greeks that include the Makedonians are currently fighting over the land. Apperently the Makedonias are losing ground, to a people whom call themselves the TRUE Hellens. I hope they destroy those foul Makedonians. Also even father to the east there is surprising news of Aiegyptos. They have apperently annhilated three full armies of the Arche Seleukia and have won back all the land that they lost during the first of the Syrian wars.
But i must go as the elves are calling for my presense on an important issue.

Summer 247BC
Today we celebrate victory.
The assult upon the Oppida was fast. We quickly pushed the rams to the walls, while the Skutjonez and elven archers laid down a murderous rain of death upon the foes just behind the walls. However when all of the rams had broke large holes into the walls we saw that there were men armed with spears in a strange fashion. They held their large shields up and had their spears out between them. This effectivly blocked the hammermen and Gaizofulkom Frizot from getting a fast entry. And when the archers came to the front, their arrows were harmless as they bounced off the big shields. It was then that i got the idea to try lighting the rest of the walls on fire, in the hopes that that would bring down more wall than they could cover with their big shields and spears. However there simply was not enough power in the air to use that could bring THAT much wall down. Frustrated, one of the elves came up with a solution. He sugested that i light their arrows aflame so hot that the walls would catch fire if hit properly. It tooks a LONG time and only the elven arrows could be lit aflame to the temperatures that were nessasery. However the walls eventually caught fire and burned rather rapidly. And some of the arrows hit the men with the big shields. When those arrows caught on the big shields the men behind the carriers caught fire and the carriers usually melted. It was horrific. When many of the big shields saw this they began to fall back. It was their last mistake. For i ordered a massive volley of fire arrows into their backs. Most died instantly. What few remained fled screaming to the centre of town. It was then that the walls finished burning and collapsed. They also set fire to several rows of houses behind them. I think im going to be using this technique rather often. In the meanwhile the hammermen and spearmen moved forward before the enemy could recover. As they spread out into the town there was much fighting and killing. It was hard, hard fighting. One unit of hammermen was surrounded by some enemy spearmen. The fight there became brutal. Many elves were killed. However many more of the enemy were slaughtered and the elves didnt break, much to their credit. Not to be outdone half of our spearmen rushed the town square. Many, many enemy soldiers were stationed there. The fight was brutal. It ground into a stalemate very fast. However, many of the hammermen that had survived charged aorund the backside of the mass of death. Even most of the Skutjonez put down thier bows and grabed their tall spears. their charge is what broke the enemy. Of course the filthy celts fought to the last. Brave but foolish. I must go now for there is a celebration at hand.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Eight:Haven
Winter 246BC
I returned to the capital three weeks ago and yet so MUCH has happened within that time, that it will take much time to record it all here. As i arrived i met my father. I must admit that he had a heavy look on his face at the time, but i thought it due to the wieght of his office and his health. We talked for a while, and we spoke of the southlands and the eastern wars. I told him of the rich lands to the south and of how easy the conquest was down there. At this he laughed and said that the eastern wars were at a stalemate. However we had subdued the tribes of southern Balts, this was not due to the actions of my uncle Athawulfaz, but of my other uncle, the crown prince, Ansuharjaz. I shiver whenever i think of the man. He is the tallest of my fathers family. With firey red hair and INTENSE blood-red eyes, he frightens little children. Out of the four brothers he is by far the most severe, stern, aggresive and enraged man youve ever met. However, he is by far the most capable man within the empire. He has done most every higher job that needs doing. He has conquered the celts across the river Rhine, even though that conquest was very short-lived,. He has assulted many a celtic Oppida, and he has governed the gawjams upon our side of the river with incredible efficency and has turned a profit out of regions thought far too poor to be of any worth. He repelled raids by the celts of Gaul upon our homelands for many years. And now he is in charge of the eastern wars. And has done far more than most of the commanders of that post. The man even frightens my father at times. Had he been the first born the kingdom would have reached its current size many, MANY winters ago, my fathers says often. And my father also says that he would have had the wisdom to crush the demon before he had gained power rather than fall under its sway as he had. I tell my father that that's not true, that he is a wonderful leader, and a VERY good ruler. At this my father laughs and i usually do to. However this time around my father doesnt laugh. He speaks to me with a serious voice. I will record what he said here.
"My daughter......(sigh).....i must ask of you a favor. And i dont think that you will like it." I look at my father, and i say,"And what might this boon be?" He then says,"Well please dont be angry but i need you to get....married." At this point he cringes as if expecting me to explode. I am only stunned. I then camly say,"Father i will NEVER let another man near me after what that demon did to me. YOU KNOW THIS!!!" He looks at me as if he expected this answer. Then he says,"My little one i know this. But i need you to think on this proposal. You see there are still many faults within the Germanlandam. There are people that say we are far to weak under the current leadership. Some think that they could do a better job. and those that wish to use violence to get there. It is my belief that if we show a sign of strenght such as one of my kin being married and sealing together many houses of power, it should quiet the final few lines between the tribes." He clears his throat and then goes on. "Besides, i have noticed that you have not been yourself lately, that you have been getting lonely and tired of being that way. So my precious one i urge you to consider what i am saying." I told him, "Father you know faltery has no effect upon me." At this he laughed very hard. So hard i fear he hurt himself. However,he recovered and said,"Yes i know this but im thinking about you in all of this little one. I wont ask for an answer today, But please think upon it." "I will father."
I then left his presence. As i walked along i began to think about what my father had said. I knew he was right about how this would erase the few final lines between the tribes of my people. And as much as i hated to admit it, i was feeling VERY lonely within this world. I watched other get married and have happy, beautiful relationships. I wondered what kind of a man would want me. And i was ever scared that the man would treat me as the demon had, if i ever met him. However the more i thought on it the more i began to realise that my father was right. I couldnt be alone my whole life. It was a useless attempt to compensate for my fears. After about three days of thinking, I told my father that if i could see the man then i would consider it. He looked relieved and scared. Three days later i met the man whom was to become my husband. His name is Aragisalaz. He is about a hand shorter than me, and he is several winters younger than me. He has dirty blonde hair with a scraggly beard. And he has gray eyes. They look like clouds on a rainy day. He is of noble Silengoz blood. I see how my marriage would erase the lines of my people. I find that he is very gentle with me and treats me with respect. He understands what happened to me with the demon and he has vowed to fully rid me of his influence one day. All in all i find that i like this man. If he is a worty husband remains to be seen.

Spring 245BC
As more time goes by i find myself falling more and more in love with this man. He know how to treat me to a good time wherever we go. A funny story was when i used my magics to introduce him to my brother. Upon their minds linking, my brother almost killed him with his questions. As they talked however Aragisalaz became....well awed by my brothers intelligence. He couldnt believe that anyone in my brothers condition could be so intelligent. My brother laughed inside and said that he was so intelligent that he could read my fiancee's mind. At this Aragisalaz became scared and begged his forgiveness of my brother. My brother forgave him but said that if he even THOUGHT about such things until we wed he would personally rip him a new throat. At this we all fell down laughing.
(Sighs) However, beyond our happy sanctuary there is news. The Romanoi have taken a full thrid of the Alps. To counteract this advance my cousin Harjarwulfaz has captured another quarter of the Alps. I fear war may be immenent.

Summer 245BC
I am sorry if my writing is sloppy right now but i am still recovering from an INTENSE passion of heat. Let me begin. Two days ago, i was married. It was a hot, late summers day. However it was a happy day, for the whole of my nation. This union was overseen by everyone of my surviving family members. There was much celebration, many feasts and games of honor among my people. However this news is tempered by the news of the Romani. We are at war with the fools. They make constant slave raids and attacks upon our people.
Now onto different things. My husband has fullfiled his vows of cleansing me fully of the demon. He is such a MAN. I can tell he has done this before. Hes even managed to cleanse me of my fears of men. His beard tickels when..........well id best not get off subject. I must go back to his bed for we will not get many chances more to do this. I recently found out that we are BOTH going to be deployed in a week or so. We both have our duties to our nation and people. So we MUST make the most of this time.

---------------------
(The edges of these pages are crisp.)
Autunm 245BC
I am with child. I can finally say it. And im SO HAPPY!!!!! Ive missed my time of the month, of that i can be sure. I have already woven a complex protection spell into the lines of my belly to protect my unborn child. As i write this i am returning from a small battle with some Romani slavers. I can only hope my husbands patrols did just as well for i cant WAIT to tell him the news. However, i also hope that this child will be born into a world at peace rather than at war with itself forever. UGH!!! There is a comotion outside. I guess i shall have to go an................ (There are burns here)............(There is poorly srcawled script).............(More burns.)

[Olaf Blackeyes]

At this point the writing changes from a soft and lilting form of runic to a rigid and unflourshied form. We ALSO open a new book. The language of this book is FAR different from the runic of the other book. It is in fact written in the language of Latin.

Chapter Nine:Captured!
(From the Latin book):
Autumn 245BC
As i write these words i am reciveing news of my army. And its not good. Apperently half of the Legion has been annihilated. But the army of filthy German dogs has been crushed. You would think that a suprise attack upon a sleeping camp of Germans would be a true victory. However just as the attack reached the camp half the attacking force burst into flames and melted. This fightened many of the men. The thurmagures that accopany the Legio IX told me that they sensed powerful magics at work. However eventually the men overwhelmed the wakening Germans and killed all of them but two. And i even have gotten a prize from it. The two prisoners that were captured arent even human. One of them is a woman that has the wings of an eagle that are purest white. She also has the eyes of a great bird, that are of the deepest blue. She even has a tail covered with feathers. My thurmagures have determined her to be the source of the magics that killed half my legion. She also carries with her a codex of Roman origins. When i tried to read the codex i found that i could sense what the words meant. So i set it aside. The other prisoner didnt remain with us for long. He looked far more like a man but he was very slender, had deep golden eyes,and had ears that were elongated about a half a foot beyond what normal humans ears are, and they end in points. However he escaped barely an hour after he had been brought here. And he took the girls codex with him. No matter how hard we searched for him we could not find him. However the girl is still with us, but she struggles fircely and does her best to get away. However, i am planning to take her back to Roma to be given to the Augurs, so that i can find out WHAT the hell she is. I am also to be given a title by the Senate, it is Germanicvs. Soon my new name will be Terrvs Marivs Germanicvs.

(From the runic book):
Winter 245BC
There is HORRIFIC news from the southlands. The White Lady has been caputured. The codex has just reached the Hand as i write in it. My name is Gurigalaz and i am a master member of the Hand. I have already sent messengers to the king and the whole of the royal family. I can hear him screaming his rage now, he is saying that he himself will oversee the rescue. I must go and calm him before he kills himself or anyone else.

(From the Latin book):
Winter 245BC
I write this from the comfort of a villa within the walls of Patavium. It took us almost two months to get back across the Alps. The Legio XX is to take the place of the Legio IX and we are currently fighting German armies for control of the passes. It will be a hard fight but Roman arms and valor will prove the day, of that i am sure. However, i wil soon return to Roma. It is a week long journey from here, unlike the Alps which are roadless, Roman lands have a large network of roads that allow for fast travel.
In other matters i have discovery the feathered bitch to be with child. She has been quite a handful, i must admit. She has killed almost 30 of the men that i have set to guard her, including two master Thurmaguers. As such i have had to keep her under constant watch. There are three Thurmagures keeping her powers down at all times. This should give me a LARGE promotion with the Senate for finding such a creature.However, I must cease writing for now for i will be leaving in the morning for Roma.

(The handwriting within the Runic codex changs again. This time it is a heavier, more focused handwriting.)
(From the runic book.)
Summer 244BC
My name is Heruwuflaz. I am the High King of the Germanlandam. And i am in pain. I am in pain over my daughter, whom has been kidnapped. I am going to rescue her, even if my advisors say i have not the health for it, even if they think i will DIE doing it. If thats my fate SO BE IT!! I have issued the call for all avalible warriors to come to the south and join me in the war. MANY, MANY warriors and Hand members have responded. The elves have sent almost their entire fighting force to my banners, many elven hammermen and archers are coming. Among my family, I, my brother Athawulfaz, his only surviving boy Harjarwulfaz, and my son in law whose child my daughter carries, Aragisalaz, are gathering our personal warriors and marching to the south as well. As leader in my stead i am leaving my younger brothers, Ansuharjaz, and Harkilaz to manage the home front. I must cease this writing for i am preparing to leave.

[Maion Maroneios]

I've been following this, good stuff keep it coming! A picture or two wouldn't hurt, btw, even if they aren't EB-relevant.

Maion

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Ten:Battle (Part One)
(From the Latin book:)
Spring 243BC
I have received the title Germanicvs and i have even been given command of a huge army, THREE FULL LEGIONS worth of men, for upon my return the German pigs began to invade with haste upon our rightful alpine territories. Well i will soon deal with that nusance. Hell once im done i can run for office, maybe even Consul.
In other events the bird girl bitch has frustrated every attempt to examine her by the Augurs. Even the high priests of Jvpiter cant get anywhere. She is proving incredibly resistant to our efforts. Well done everything from pulling hair and feathers to beating her over the head. When the Priestesses of Jvno attempted to do a simple scrying upon her womb to detremine the health of her child, she outright killed one of them by wraping her tail around her throat and severly injured two others with her wings. She only stopped once a soldier put a sword over her swollen belly. When the surviving priestesses did the scrying, she screamed and wept the whole time, with a look of pure HATRED upon her face. But they came back with a few findings. In fact she carries not one child but two. And they are human. How this is possible is unknown as they came upon a POWERFUL barrier shortly thereafter. The barrier in itself killed one of the priestesses. After this they cursed her children to death and left. I cant blame them for that. However i must go now for i am needed at a ceremony.

(From the runic book:)
Winter 243BC
I my name is Athawulfaz and this is the first time in years i have written in runic. I have just finished a battle with the vile Romani dogs and it was a GREAT victory! Let me begin.
As the lines of the Romani formed up atop a hill across a valley from our position so i would be fighting uphill. However i had far more warriors than the enemy did. For this i was grateful for it made my job FAR easier. The battle began as i charge my Skutjonez upon the enemy position. They fired many arrows upon the Romani slingers and heavy infantry. The slingers began to fall back. At this point i charged my infantry forward. While most weht forward some of the Spears went left to take down the enemy cavarly. Others went right into a patch of trees to surround the enemy. Then the lines collided.

The infatry in the woods hit the backs of the Romani dogs like a bloodstorm. The levies of the Romani broke upon impact. However the Romani elite, called Triarii, stood firm. I must say that their bravery is impressive but foolish. However the Luigurian levies didnt even fight. they turned to flee. However it was at this point that their general was pulled down and ripped apart. At this the Triarii turn to pull out, whilst scarificing the remaining levies and slingers. However the Ligurians would not escape for the spears had finished the enemy cavalry and were returning, they saw the idiotic levies as FRESH FLESH,and cut them off brutally.

The battle ended soon after. What remained of the Romani forces has fallen back upon heir main hold within the Alps. There will be a battle soon with these stone walls in front of us. However many more forces have come to our aid.


(From the runic book:)
Spring 242BC
I celebrate im mourning today. For even though we have made short work of the survivors within the Romani fortress,

there is terrible news from the west. My brother has died. He was killed by vile Romani scouts who cornered him while he was puking blood and then they killed him. He took ten of the dogs with him but in the end it was not enough.

However my niece's husband has arrived with MANY soldiers and marches south as we speak. I will join him as soon as i can but i must clean up the remains of Romani dogs here.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Your pictures aren't showing up. It probably has to do with the "..." in all of them.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Photobucket wont let me get them on here any other way that i know of

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Ten: Battle (Part Two)
(From the Latin book:)
Summer 241BC
There is sickening news from the north. Apperently the German high king has obliterated all of the Roman power beyond the Alps and is invading the Po valley. Let me begin.
Nearly year ago a large force of Illyrian levies were advancing upon the main German hold within the Alps.

However they were cornered on top of a wooded hill by a large army made of German "freemen" as they call their people at the bottom. The overseers of the Illryians had fallen behind. The foolish levies decided to charge downhill throught the woods.

The German filth turned nearly as one man to meet them. The poor fools didnt wait for their betterly armed overseers and went berserk. Within a few second the first of the levies began to break.

When the overseers arrived they were far too late to save most of the levies. However they were merciesly surrounded and cut down. The only bright spot of that disaster was that many of the free Ligurians that joined the Germans were cut down. However the idiotic Illryians coundnt finish them off and wound up breaking and losing ten times as many of their own as the free Ligurians did. It was a total defeat for our PROUD army.


That autumn a TRUE Roman army, the Legio V, was dispatched to the mountains to try and hold the filthy pigs back. Two of the sons of Cotta lead this army. They met the Germans within a pass leading into the Po valley. Their Legion was made of many maniples of Hastati, Princpaes, many levy units and several Pedites Extrodinarii.

The Germans formed up upon a mountain top and wouldnt budge.

So the Elder son of Cotta desided to march up there and bring them down.

However the march up the mountain left the soldiers tried and disorganized. However the Elder son of Cotta didnt think the Germans had much in them with so little air at that height. He was dead wrong, for as soon as they got close enough and began to reorganize the Germans EXPLODED down from their postions.

They flatly annihilated the flanks and surrounded nealy half the army. The younger son of Cotta charged at them trying to open up the trap some. However three full bands of Germans surrounded his bodyguard. The younger son of Cotta was torn from his horse and thrown down the mountain. His cavalry were all killed. At this the Elder son of Cotta whom was under heavy attack broke and fled taking his much diminished bodyguard with him. At this all of the levies broke. A little while later all but the Pedites Extrodinarii had fled or died.

Those men fought to the death, for EVERY last one of them were annihilated.

It was an unbeivable defeat for our army.


However a true bright spot for our forces was the fact that the enemy high king himself was killed by an ambush while chasing down the routers. At least they managed to get THAT done well even if it was a freak accident.
Ah speaking of freaks the feathered bitch gave birth a few years ago. How i forgot to write this is far beyond me. She had two perfectly normal human children. A boy she called, Jurgowulfaz, and a daughter she named, Methenalasa. The High Thurmagures council has been trying to make me turn her over for study for quite some time now. However as i have become rich i think ill keep her as a trophy.

(From the runic book:)
Summer 241BC
As i write these words my son marches south with a depleted army. However he recruits mercenaries like theres no tommorow. So he may succeed in freeing the Homelands of the Ligurians. My brother made three promises upon his death. He promised the Ligurians that we would aid them in their struggle against the Romani, that he would vouch for this war within the Halls of the Heavens, and that he would love our lands forever on high. We made his departing spirit one promise. We would get her back, no MATTER THE COST, The White Lady would be returned to us. I am preparing to move out as soon as i can and destroy whatever awaits me in the southlands.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Eleven:Bloodstorm
(From the runic book:)
Winter 240BC
After all of the battles within the Alps our armies have taken the Po COMPLETELY. Let me explain.
My sons army marched south of the passes and began to lay waste to the area our a town called Mediolandium. The Romani gathered a whole bunch of levies just to the west and attempted to stop us before we got there. It was a complete rout for the Romani.

What was left fled for the town itself. We did not stop and the town was nearly annihilted. Most of the blood fell into the Po. At almost the same time my army overwhelmed a defenseless city called Patavium, we gave them the same treatment. ((And no im not messing with u the city had 0 soldiers. TY AI.)) The next battle was on a field south of the Po, in the middle of winter. They were another Legion, as the Romani call their armies.

There eagle standard said Legio III, these fools had apperently fought in many battles for there were many tropies upon the standard. However they had a bad commander who was unfamiliar with battle. On our side my nephew-in-law commanded almost a full third of our Po forces, many warriors of Germanlandam proper, several thousand free Ligurians, nearly ten thousand elves, and 900 of the Hand. The lines formed, the Skutjonez and elven archers began by firing nearly half of their arrows into the unprepared army killing thousands right there. Then the main army advanced into the unstable enemy line. The foolsih commander was lured away by some very EXCELLENT mercenary cavalry. He was then routed from the field.

((BTW Campainia Cavalry RULES!!!!!!))
With the order thrown off and their commander fled, the enemy fell into total chaos. However when we hit them they didnt break. This was due to the Pedites Extrodinarii, whom once again frustrated our efforts.

However when some of the elven hammermen and Skutjonez surged around the back of their lines nearly all of the filth broke. The ones whom stood were yet again Pedites Extrodinarii.

It took nearly a third of our army to just weaken these men. After nealry an hour of blood and death they STILL didnt break desprite there being only 50 of them left.

However a little after that they broke out of our lines and withdrew from the field. The rest of the fools were killed before they could escape.

Soon after we took Bonoia from the remains of the Romani forces in the area. But all i can say is this. We havent found the White Lady yet. The Ligurians cant tell us anything for they know nothing of her whereabouts. However they have told us of the great city of the Romani, a place called Roma. These Romani are an unimagintive lot, thats for sure. However if we cannotfind her we will crush this Roma and trade it for her. If thats what it takes to get her back we WILL do it. We asked the Romani ambassadors if they would return her to us. They claim not to know of her, i fear they may have killed her. However if they have we WILL OBLIERATE EVERY SINLGE PERSON WITHIN THE WHOLE OF ITALIA just to satisfy the High Gods need for revenge. The mists within the Po valley have turned red with the blood of our foes. This is a sign from the High Gods. This is a Bloodstorm. The slain foe have been sent to the afterlife screaming and more will be soon.

(From the Latin book:)
Spirng 239BC
By the Gods i will be ruined if this keeps up. The German pigs have taken most of my northern estates. While the ones far to the south are still productive, the Germans have destroyed 2/3s of my income. Ive had to sell my lagre villa for a smaller one in Roma itself. I also sold that feathered bitch to the Thurmagures. The masked magicians came for her yesterday. However i have kept her children to be my body slaves. As i write this i prepare to go north with my Three legions and put an end to this. My Fortuna smile upon me.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Im sorry but due to a complete corruption of ALL of my W#$#@%!@ save files i must end this AAR

[desert]

I'll interpret that as an admission of Rome's utter triumph over the Sweboz invaders and the death of the "White Lady".

Edit: Out of curiosity, what other saves did you have?

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

It seems like all the AARs die too early due to some kind of game error.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

@ desert i had three in game save files the autosave, one at 255BC and one at 245BC ALL of them were corrupted

[Olaf Blackeyes]

I have GOOD news i will be starting this AAR up again from the point were i left off for i have found a way around the constant campain problems. It is called
CUSTOM BATTLES
i will have to custom battle/RP it onto the campain map so as soon as i can work out some battles i will get back to posting

Btw does this sound like a good idea to anyone?

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Twelve: Freedom
(From the Runic book:)
Summer 239BC
As i write these word i sit in a hall within Segesta, the capital of the Lugurian Tribe. The new king of the Ligurians is a man named Colnum. His family have been nobles here since before the Romani invasion. We have formed a pact of "True Alliance" with the Ligurians. It was a hard fight to get here. As it turns out the Romani had a FULL legion waiting for uswithin the walls. As we formed up the Romani chose to defend the side where the Free Ligurians were going to march over. So we formed up.


As the battle started we formed our lines at the south and marched VERY quickly towards the walls, the Ligurians were forced to move slower due to INTENSE fire from several groups of skirmishers, slingers and a unit of Princepes. However they made it to the walls and began to climb, even as both of our rams burned. Our ladders had reached the walls far sooner and we flew onto them. As we did we killed many archers within the towers. However there were very few real wall defenders. All that we encoutered was a unit of poor Greek slave soldiers. They were incredibly afraid. However they stood in our war so none of them survived. However upon the north wall the Ligurians were having far more blood, and death than we were.

We rushed down and formed up while stationing elven archers within the captured towers. As we got to the ground unapposed i found that these Romani must be idiots.

We would make them pay DEARLY for their mistakes. As we marched up the hill we encountered some Ligurian levies that served Roma. We put them down, with great contest. After them farther up we hit two units of Hastati. These fools broke after only a few minutes of combat. We left a trail of blood and gore in our wake. I gave orders to my men NOT to hurt any innocents. We were here to free these people not to destroy them. My men followed my orders to the letter. However the Ligurian levies could not be spared for the foul Romani had told them lies of us, they were told that we would eat them and their children, that we were demons and that we deserved naught but to be wipped like dogs. As a result they fought us to the last man. We spared them having to fight their bretheren at least, for we killed all before us. The Ligurians however had been battered, cracked, throw and tossed about so badly that some refused to come down from the north wall. But they had SHATTERED nearly half the enemy army so we didnt press it. But when we got to the top of the hill and prepared to march upon the center i decided to split the army in half. I took many good warriors left and began to circle around the back of the square. However the Romani commander took that moment to charge his cavalry into the rest of my men. This almost broke the army. However due to the EXTREME sacrifice of the Runic-Hand swordsmen, i got back to the main body in time to rally them. However many of my best seers were lost that day. But before they finally broke they also killed the enemy general. This broke most of the remaining enemy soldiers and they fell back to prepare to fight and die to the last. However they bunched up far tighter than i could have expected. And even though for a while it looked like we would win, the remaining enemy forces returned.

Then the Triarii arrived and shifted the whole battle out of our favor. I quickly ordered our forces out of that death trap. Most of the men and elves fled to the walls to catch their breath. However our heavy swordsmen pulled right with some elven archers and a whole maniple of Princepes followed them. The foolish dogs followed them far out of range of their breatheren, and at a signal the bands split in half. the Princepesfollowed the heavy swordsmen. When this happened the swordsmen turned and qucilky formed up and took the first attack from the Romani. Meanwhile the archers grabbed their hunting spears, and plunged into the back of the stupid dogs. They broke almost instanly and the slaughter was complete. Meanwhile the rest of the infantry formed up by the wall and crippled several units of Romani and the remaining Ligurian levies. However when we chaced them upthe hill we saw to our amazment that an archer unit of Free Ligurians fought the Trarii HEAD-ON!!!! I thought that they must REALLY want freedom or death. However i must say they may have been braver than the men of my army.

However we used the distraction to form up again. We charged into their back and the Trarii turned their spears upon us once again.

The fight turned into a brutal slugfest at that point. We fought for the better part of six hours trying to kill the bastard Romani. The blood that soaked that square that day was enough to drown the world, or so i thought at the time. This part took so long that the weaker men began to break from my army. They rallied at the wall and stayed their trying to rest. I lost half of my army to those bastards. In the end though the conclusion was forgone.

After the brutal fight we helped get the newly freed Ligurians back on their feet. It has been two months since the brutal battle for Segesta. However i am confident that we WILL succeed in this war. However i prepare to march out and face a new threat. I hear tell of three full Legions on their way up here to face us.

(From the Latin Journal:)
Summer 239BC
A CURSE ON THESE VILE PIGS!!!! The foul Germans have beaten the Legio IV UTTERLY. They freed Segesta and declared the Ligurians a part of their nation. HA!!! When my armies arrive i WILL show them personally what it means to mess with the might of Roma. Under my command are the Legio III, IX, and VI. These men have killed Carthagians, Gauls and Greeks. Now they will crush German pigs as well. I am very busy tonite as i had to leave my body slaves behind due to the little girls treachery. When she went through my battle plans and i found out about it i became furious. However i didnt want to kill her for i couldnt eaisly replace her. So i had BOTH of her eyes put out. (Insert PURE EVIL face here.) That should teach the little bicth to behave until i can return to deal with her personally. I must go now for i am needed by the men.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Thirteen: Broken (Part One)
(From the runic book:)
Spring 238BC
My name is Aragisalaz. As i write these word my uncle-in-law, Athawulfaz, lies dieing before me. He has three HUGE gashes to his head and his leg is so rotten it cant be saved. He keeps screaming "Im Sorry!" to the air around him. He was brought here by a Ligurian horsemen after a defeat down in an area called Etruria. He magaged to bring down two full legions by himself. However a new type of Romani army composed the third legion. It brought down my uncles WHOLE army and many of the Ligurians too. However that was in the second battle. The first one went far better.
Both armies formed up on a foggy morning in the hills above a place called Arretium.

The elven hammermen stood at the center with the Runic-Hand swordsmen. While to the left and right our brave spearmen stood. However behind those units was a group of Lugians, a people from the alps whom are FAMOUS for their iron working abilities. When we took their land from the Romani, they agreed to serve us with their weaponcrafting abilities. However these certain men came down out of the mountains with greatswords a few weeks ago. I have never seen such weapons. They are six hands tall, they are intrecantly groved and they are lightwieght for something so big its surprising. They are just as able to stab as to slice up opponents and you cannot wield them with only one hand. As such the Lugians dont have shields which makes them vernurable to arrows and slingestones. As the battle began both our cavalry and the enemy cavalry went into the woods to our right. There a firece battle ensued. Then the infantry joined up.

It was a hard contest for these Romani were far more experienced than many of the ones we had faced up to this point. And these were REAL Romani, not their slave levies. So it was a hard fight indeed. However as soon as the Lugians got around to the flanks of one unit their swords ripped nearly a whole maniple of Romani apart. Their swords always tore through armor as if it were butter when they hit. These poor fools broke and fled. In the wood our cavalry had barly manage to beat the enemy cavalry and were returning to the battle. We surrounded their left flank and beat it mercilessly.

Their flank began to roll up. However in the center the elven hammermen were in trouble. The Runic-Hand swordsmen had been called away to reinforce the left flank of our army so they were getting hit by the enemy generals personal cavalry guard. So the Lugians caught the Romani fool unawares. The result was horrific. The general was killed when a Lugian sword went THROUGH him AND his horse, into the ground.

Those swordsmen are DEADLY when used well. However towards the end of the fight they were getting hit HARD by enemy slingers so had to pull out. In the end though it didnt matter, for we broke them utterly.

One of the scouts saw the Eagle-man running. He told us it was once again the Legio III. These poor fools do not know WHEN to give up.

I must go for now, my uncle has started screaming again.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Thirteen: Broken (Part Two)
(From the runic book:)
Spring 238BC
I am sorry for the short delay but my uncle has just died and before he did he revealed news that shakes me to the bone. He met the man that took the White Lady from us. Since that story is intertwined with the battle that has finally killed him ill start there. It was in the foothills of the Appenines. There were two legions of Romani formed up before our brave army. Our forces had been joined by a Ligurian army.

The army that came before ours was a Roman army. It depolyed in the usual style and was armed as we were used to. However the army before the Ligurians looked to be armed a bit differently.

This of course fightened the Ligurians but they went forward as they would. The Liguirans had among their ranks a whole band of very heavy Ligurian spearmen, their usual militia, as well as several bands of Gallic mercenary swordsmen. Both of our armies marched towards each of our respective foes.

My uncle marched his forces forward, straight towards the enemy. A roar upon their lips and a determination to find my beautiful wife and our peoples savior within their hearts, as all the Free Men should be. I love her so much, and i miss her everyday. I hope she was able to have our child with ease, especially with the Romani filth around. But i digress, The battle upon our end was very easy for it took little time to surround the formation of foolish Romani and crush them. And once their commander fell they broke.

However, on the Ligurians end there was a lot of trouble. The new formation that the Romani had deployed, as well as the new armor and weapons they were using had hit the Ligurians hard. They became surrounded within some woods.

However their idiotic general had gotten himself trapped behind enemy lines. His prsonal bodyguards were killed to a man. However they broke free. Then the cowardly fool fled.

My uncle saw upon his standard that there was a banner attached that belonged to my wife's company of troops before they had been killed. My uncle finished off the Romani on his end then raced across the field to aid the Ligurians and capture the Romani general to find out what had happened to her. However the man had fled before he mad it half way. And within the woods the Liguirans were getting torn apart.

So my uncle did the only thing he could. He attacked the rest of the Romani army, hoping to break them without their commander. Ahead of them the Romani dogs were crushing what was left of the Ligurians.

We began by attacking an isolated unit of the Romani. These men were FAR better armed than my uncles men were. The fact that it took half the army to break this one unit of Romani did not bode well. However when we began our attack upon the rest of the army, many of the surviving Ligurians rallied and began to charge the rear of the Romani that now faced us.

However my uncle decided to try the same strategy as he had just done with the other army, to surround them and crush them utterly so he could find the Romani general and figure out what had happened to my precious one. However he miscalculated as when he took a third of the army around the Romani, they cut the rest of his men up before he could get into position, then hit his men hard.

It was at this moment that our army was in trouble. Most were fleeing. However my uncle bodyguards and the remaning heavy Ligurian spearmen had become trapped. He tried his best to rally his men. However he eventualy saw that it was over and vowed to hold the Romani dogs here for as long as he could so the rest of his men could get away. He fought like a madman however, and took at least 50 of the foe with him. However he was eventually wounded badly in his right leg and was felled and captured. And with that it was ended.

The next day he was brought before the cowardly general of the Romani army. The general and my uncle had a long talk, i will record what i could get out of my uncle about the conversation here.

"I trust you have been treated well.", the Romani said, in good German. My uncle laughed and said,"As well as any man that is forced to sleep with ravenous dogs." At this the Romani got angry and yelled for my uncle to respect his betters. At this my uncle laughed once again. Then the Romani said to my uncle,"Why is it your people want to kill us so badly?" "Because your people have stolen something incredibly vauable to us and we want it back. We WILL NOT stop until we get it back.", my uncle said. The Romani frowned and said,"Whatever it is you will never have it for if you cannot keep what is yours then you are too weak to deserve it." My uncle became angry at this. But he held his tounge. The Romani questioned him for several more hours. All the while he was drinking an expensive wine that he looked as if he enjoyed. After it was over my uncle asked one thing of the Romani. "That German banner upon your standard, where did you get it?" The Romani looked at my uncle, and said "Why would you ask such a thing?" "Because it looks like the one of a family member that was killed a long time ago by the Romani. I was just thinking that you might have been the one to do it." At this the Romani became very thoughtful and then said, "Well i found it within a camp of dead Germans that i had ambushed up in the Alps, this was quite a few years back. This raid was so sucessful that the Senate gave me the title of Germanivs. I also found several other interesting things, including this winged bitch that i took with me." At this my uncle realsied that this man had been the one to cature the White Lady. Now my uncle was a SMART man and this Romani had been drinking heavily for quite a few hours now. So he began to press the fool. "A winged woman?" "Yes its the damnest thing. She had large wings with the purest white feathers, eyes that were like a hawks and yet DEEP blue, and a tail covered in white feathers.",the Romani said. "That does sound interesting, what did you do to her?", my uncle said. The Romani said to him," And why would i do ANYTHING to a freak like that, especially when i have a wife at home? I did take her back to Roma with me, and i made her my house slave." He looked up for a moment. Then he said, "After about two months it became clear she was with child, probably from one of your pig filth. I couldnt believe it at first but it was true." My uncle continued to milk this gold mine of information. "What happened to the woman?", he said. The Romani looked at him drunkenly confused but continued, "About 7 months after i brought her back to Roma she gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl. She gave them the strangest names ive ever heard. However it was about this time that your men began to raid my northern estatses and i lost a lot of money in the next five years so i sold the winged bitch to the Thurmagures Council. They are probably still trying to decifer WHAT the hell she is. I kept the children as my personal body slaves." He took another gulp of wine at this point. Then he started laughing. After he calmed down he said,"Those little whelps make good body slaves for sure, however they are both rebellious. the little girl especially. Once she even looked thorugh my war files. At this i became enraged and nearly had he killed. But i decide it would be too much of a pain in the ass to try and find another body slave. So i had both of her eyes put out." He began laughing again at this point. At this my uncle lost it broke his bonds and attacked the man. However the guards came rushing in and my uncle fled out the back of the tent.
He escaped the Romani camp that night and wandered north for many days before a Ligurian scout found him and brought him back here to us. I WILL find this bastard of a Romani general, this Germanicvs and i WILL KILL HIM for what he has done to my wife and little daughter. As i wirte these words i prepare my army for another bloodstorm. I must leave off for now.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

Chapter Thriteen: Broken (Part Three)
(From the Latin book:)
Summer 238BC
Ugh, my head hurts so bad right now. I guess i need to cut back on the wine. Anyways, there have been many interesting events since i beat back the Germans once again. There has been another army trying with all of its might to get past my army and deeper within Italia. However at every turn they have been turned back. In fact all of this has convinced the Senate to give me full emergency powers to remove this blight from our lands. It have rebuilt the Legio IX to its full potential but i fear that i dont have much time for as i write these words im getting reports on another German army on its way back from Illyria, which has fallen to the Germans, to plague us further. There are Germans along the coast at Arminium rampaging through Umbria and trying to get behind my armies that way. AND im dealing with more Ligurian attempts at expansion. Apperently they are fulling becoming one with the German filth. I have so far halted any attempts at more Romani blood being lost. I am also trying to find this artifact that we apperently stole from them, for as the German chief said they WONT STOP until they recover it. So if i give it back to them they may cease being so agressive and then i can turn the tide and retake the Po. In the South the news is far better. We have finished off the Carthigians in all but North Africa. So Roma no longer needs to starve due to the loss of the Po. We have also launched ourselves fully into Grecce, just recently we took the Territories of the remnants of Makeidonia and wiped out the Konion Hellenon. Currently we are besieging the city of Byzanton. That force is commanded by a man named Constantine Corvos. He has also taken the liberty of tearing all of Greece apart, killing thousands. He burned Sparte to the ground because it defied him. So our troops defend a mostly empty country. However a Epoirote princess named Alexandra is contiuosly frustrating our efforts at taking all of Greece as she hold the Aoitolians and the whole of Epiros firmly in her grip. She is the granddaughter of Phyros Aikaides, and has a large amount of talent. What is it with all of the powerful WOMEN all of a sudden? Pah you will never see that sort of thing happen in Roma. No the women here know their place and so do the riff-raff. However i must go now for there are reports of Germans that need my attentions.

Summer 238BC
Once again i have a spare moment and there is much happeneing in the world. To the west on the Iberian peninsula the Lusotannan tribe has finally succeded in pushing the remaining Carthaginians out of Iberia and has begun reorganizing the whole of the peninsula into a large kingdom. In Gaul the Averni have finally crushed the Aedui and are begining to overwhelm the defenses at Massaila. To the east in Greece, Constantine finally broke Byzanton and gave that city his "Treatment" too. However Alexandra has been gathering her warriors together and looks to retake Greece "For the Greeks" as she puts it. Well i can only hope that Constantine doesnt get TOO drunk to function, especially when we cannot reinforce him, due to the situation with the Germans to the north. To the Far East, the Seleukids have retaken Anitoch and have finally negotiated peace with the Ptolomies due to the Parthian invasion and the loss of almost all their terriories beyond Media, including Persepolis. The Pontos have taken much of Asia Mikra and the Armenians are becoming powerful to their north. They have infact become more of a Babylonia kingdom than remained a Greek state, as the Ptolomies have taken up many Egyptian practices, however they lost their Judean territories and the Phonecian territories at the same time due to Babylonia agents. However as i wirte this more reports of Germans are coming in so i must go.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

and now THE CLIMAX!!!!

Chapter Thirteen:Broken (Part Four)
(From the Latin book:)
Summer 238BC
A CURSE ON THESE GERMAN PIGS!!!!!!!!! What ever Gods spawned them deserve to be beaten to death!!!!! Just last week i recieved reports of Germans in the south of Umbria. So i sent a full legion down there to halt them. Whne they got there there was no sign of Germans in the area. So they began to march north into Umbria to root them out, and relieve Arminium. However as they left more Germans began to mass on the borders. So i set up my defenses till my other legion could get back. However three nights ago many Germans attacked under the cover of darkness. It was well timed for the watch was changing and the alarm was not sounded until a the Germans were upon the high ground shooting arrows into the camp. I cursed and BARLEY managed to get my men formed up. We began our fight upon a plain with trees off to the right. After i halted the first charge the Germans pulled back to the plain and i ordered my men after them. As my men made it over the hill we were blinded by a bright light to our front. The Germans had apperently built a HUGE bonfire, and made several sacrifices in it. So i though, "At least i can see what i am doing." However as we charged into the first of the Germans, another large force of Germans apperaed to the right out of the trees. It looked to be a trap. However i called upon my Triarii reserves and they chased the Germans into the woods. To the front the other Germans fell back into those woods. I ordered my men after them. We wentinto the woods but the Germans pulled back too fast for us to catch them. There were many skirmishes within those woods and it took nearly four hours to rout the Germans from them. However, in the end it was done. But i still couldnt catch the main body of the German army. The commander of it is a VERY skilled leader. But the next morning i recieved horrific news. Roma had been placed under siege by a HUGE German force. It seemed to the scout that it appeared out of NOWHERE in the morning fog. I am hurrying south to relieve the siege.

At this point the handwriting in the runic book changes back to the soft, litling form of its original owner
(From the runic book:)
Summer 238BC
Ah!! But it feels good tobe writing again. As i write these words i watch a great fire before me, with my two children at my side. Let me begin. It was almost two days ago that my husband besieged this foul city. I could hear the screams of the people outside of my cell that the masked bastards provided for me. I only hoped that they would not kill my children in the chaos. So i continued to try and cut a bar off to free myself. The cell was warded against the magics that i possess. So i had to use a file that i had stolen to cut out one of the bars. After a day i had it worked out. But as soon as i was free the assault began.

I heard screams and yelling from the Romani on the walls. Apperently the attack was not going well for them. That was at least at the western wall.

However i heard cries in German from the north wall.

I knew i had to hurry and find my children before the chaos around me did. So i rushed to the center of town. When i turned a corner about three blocks from the wall i saw a whole unit of Roarii before me with their backs turned. I knew that if they got half the chance they would kill me or recapture me. However, it had beenmany years since i was able to call upon my magics, due the masked bastards having chained my soul down. So i began to break their tired chains. After a few minutes i did so successfully. And immedietly i heard cries from father up the north wall. And i heard the SLAM!! of a siege tower gate dropping upon the Romani's heads.

I also began to hear Romani cries of terror. It seemed to me that the fools had trapped themselves upon their walls. It sounded brutal.

All the more reason for me to charge my powers faster. After another minute i came close to what i needed to restore my powers fully. But even father up the north wall i felt German magics begin to pierce the Romani shield bubble. I realised that members of the Runic-Hand were upon the wall and FIGHTING. At that moment i knew that we could win this battle. However the romani masked seers were still far too powerful for me to take on directly. However i finished charing the power i needed. I pointed a finger at the Roarii in front of me. They exploded into flames. Several Romani units on the groud fled screaming for the center of the city. And upon the wall there were cries of "She alive!!" from the Hand warriors. The Germans screamed their joy and fought three times as hard to destroy their enemy.

At this point i heard the sounds of hooves upon cobblestone. A battle of horses as well as men was taking place at this moment. I ran for Germanicvs's villa in the hopes of finding my children alive. As i bashed the door open several servants ran screaming. As i searched the house i found my son, Jurowulfaz, in the hands of several servants, one of whom had a knife to the boys neck. They were yelling at him to die for bringing this foulness upon them. Then then knife came up. I screamed and the men were set on fire. As he got away from the burning men he saw me and came running up to me. I hugged him tightly to me. Then i asked him were his sister, Methenalasa was. He told me that she was in the closet behind him, and she was crying. When i opened the door i horrified at what i saw. She was in the corner with cut all over her body. None of them looked too serious. However she had a bandage across her eyes. When i took it off i almost threw up. Her eyes were horribly mutilated. I asked her brother who had done this. He told me that the men with the knife had cut her but Germanicvs had had her eyes put out due to some crime she had commited against him. I hugged her tight and told her it would be alright. She cried and said that it was good to hear my voice again. I brought them both under my wings and hugged them again, as i had many times before when they were very little. However, we heard the sound of chaos outside after a while so i told them that we must flee back to the German camp before the city is consumed. As we got out the door however we heard the sounds of marching men. I thought that it was some of the German forces within the city. However as we rounded the coner we ran headfirst into the masked bastards, and some mercenary Greeks. They swiftly recaptured us, for the masked bastards knew that i could ruin what little chances they had. However they also knew i was important to the Germans for some reason so they hoped to trade me for their safety. They dragged me to the central plaza and tied me and my children down. They tried to rechain my soul as well however i was prepare for them this time and all they could manage was to deter my magics from affecting them.

After a few minutes the Romani commander showed up with his bodyguards.

The masked bastards told him what they were planning and he agreed to try and make it work. However as they prepared to fight and negotiate, my little girl started to weep again. One of the merciniares began to beat her. As this happened some of the Germans rounded the corner. One look at what was happeneing to my little girl, (whom i later found out they knew about), sent them into a rage once again. All thoughts of bargaining went out the window at that moment. The commander charged his cavalry into the mass of men trying anything he could to stop them. However all it did was get him killed.

At this point the Romani went into a frenzy of thier own desperate to fight their way out out the bloodstorm they knew was coming.

However it did them no good. They became stuck, even the Greek fools could'nt get free to flee.
Then suddenly around the southern corner of the plaza came a WHOLE maniple of Roarii.

They charged into the side of our line and began to push the Germans back. The fighting became desperate. I saw my husband amongst the fighting warriors and called out to him. He couldnt hear me over the din of battle. However to the Northern end of the plaza i saw some elven hammermen running towards the fray. Several of them saw me and nearly the whole band of them came for me. I yelled at them to go help my husband, and that i would be fine. The main masked bastard beat me over the head. However the hammermen obeyed. I prayed that they would reach my husband in time. Then as if a miracle had come of my wish, three band of Skutjonez and elven archers rounded the same corner as the Roarii had a few minutes earlier. Theytook up their bows and bled the Roarii dry. With this the advantaged turned back to us. All the while the magical duel between me and the masked bastards continued. Then i saw warriors with the markings of Runic-Hand upon their faces. They saw me too and immedielty attacked the masked idiots with everything they had. This set the Romani seers off for just a second. That was all that i needed. Most of them burst into flame immedietly, the rest keeled over as their magics were crushed from them. However the amount of magics that i had unleashed upon the shields also reflected toward the great temple of Mars, the Romani war-god. It exploded, and many of the surrounding buildings burst into flames. A great fire began to burn. I knew that this had too hurry. So i began to set the remaning enemy on fire, with help from the Runic-Hand. However the shiled that the Romani had put upon the city collapsed at this point and strewed the magic within the whole area. As a result all i managed to do was set the rest of the city on fire. However my husband had things well in hand.


Soon after we won for good. The last of the Romani were dead. Roma had fallen to our forces.

However the city was highly aflame at this point and men began to flee outside before they were engulfed. In the chaos i lost sight of my hushand. However the Runic-Hand seers told me he was fine and that we should leave before we died. We managed to flee out of the western gate. Most of the remaning army fled out of the north gate. We met up by the shore for the Hand told me that we need to wait here for rescue. That afternoon with the sunset to our left i met up with my husband. It was a wonderful reunion. As i saw him i called to him. He turned and saw me, and then we started running towards each other, crying.

He also met his children for the first time. Even though he was covered in gore, he stooped down and as they tackled him, he hugged them tight. Several of the men around us began to applaud. It was a wonderful moment. Then i looked out to see and i saw several ships sailing towards us. My husband told me they were the ships of a newly accepted people called the Ligurians. I asked him what had happened while i was away, he told me of the deaths of my father and my uncle. I started to cry, but he told me that they had not died in vain for i was saved from the vile Romani clutches. He also wispered to me that later we could become reunited in bed as well. I blushed at this point but i think of that moment with pleasure. Now as i sit here and look upon the buring city form the shore i think that it could just as easily have gone the other way. I hope that noone of Germanlandam....no of GERMANIA, should have to experience this. For our tiny tribe has finally grown into an empire, and with that comes power and RESPECT. However i must go now for i think THAT moment is upon us.