Preview: The Lugiones

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Greetings Europa Barbarorum fans.

Today we are proud to present the Lugiones, from the deepest, darkest forests of eastern Germania come the terrifying warriors of this powerful nation. Kinsmen to the last, these fearsome men of the wild east have spread themselves throughout much of the land there, even up to the great plains of the Sauromatae. For what the "civilised" world calls death, these men know as life.

The Lugiones represent a new threat and a new way of life; alien to those weak men of the city. And when a man has no home, how then can he be enslaved?

Faction Description

Throughout all the nations of the Lugiones, humankind was ordered by the conventions of kinship, and within the limits of law, freemen ruled themselves as they saw fit. Herein, a small ruling class lived much as those they governed. The latter of which were exceedingly great in number. That both bore weapons and in full measure prepared and participated in what was a constant state of endless war. To affect this cause all men served as warriors, levied every year to defend and extend their realm. Otherwise, they remained to tend their farmsteads, so that neither the pursuit of war, nor subsistence was ever neglected. As well they owned few slaves, a small number of which were kept as tenants, while the greater portion thus ensnared, were sold to satisfy local needs or the bottomless greed of the Mediterranean markets. Also by choice the Lugiones did not build large walled capitals or towns, and forbid the private ownership of land. Of the common land that was tilled, fields and farmsteads were often relocated, so that the ties that bind kith and kin to the land would not risk the survival of their nations. To a great extent these people lived off the milk and beef produced by their cattle. In addition some fished as many hunted the game that abounded throughout their vast wilderness.

Between the 4th century BC and early 1st century AD, the Mediterranean world viewed greater Germania as divided amidst five seperate races. Although the form and human face of each region was similar and overlapped one to another, all differed somewhat in tradition, law, and tongue. In the south along the upper reaches of the Elbe, Rhine, and Danube were the Volcae Celts, whom the Romans called the Istriaones. This name came from the Goddess and the mighty river the Greeks called Istros. Their principle tribes were the Ubii, Tectosages, and Boii. Along the lower Rhine, coast of the Wadden Sea, and Cimbri Peninsula were the Ingaeuones. Its claimed they sired the mighty Belgae, a people that would one day come to hold much of Gaul and the Isle of Britain. Then from where the North-winds blow there is a mysterious place of unknown size and shape. They say in this land of cold and shadow dwell the Gautes, a race of tall and vigorous men. To the east were the Irminones, of which its said the Semnones were indeed an ancient tribe who lead the fearsome Swaboz. Nonetheless, still further east are the Wenetai, who extend far into the lands of Sauromatae. Here there are so many nations, with the Lugiones in the west, the Æstai to the north, as well as the Bastarnae and Sciri in the east. Each tribe was numerous, renowned for bravery, and as is their custom watch over the southward flow of amber, furs, and slaves as wine, weapons, and silver trickles north.

Indeed, the Lugiones were unaccustomed to obligation or discipline, and altogether disinclined and opposed to bring about a common will. To this end their rulers, as well as the common man, nurtured violence to produce a huge collection of savage humanity seemingly unable to be united by a single cause for any span of time. This inhibition was only magnified by the few roads and the enormity of their domain, together with the length, breath, and depth of their forests, swamps, and waterways. Yet it was in this manner and by these means that with great success the Lugiones resisted the aggressive and persistent advances of the Celts, Sauromatae, and later the Romans. Offered as friend or foe, each in turn represented a direr challenge to the continued independence of their tribes, and thereby the personal freedom of all. Once well versed in communal songs their story now remains largely shrouded in shadow, and all but dimly lit by the written-word of more literate nations. Still, with the fullness of time, great patience, and the proper leadership sudden chance may intervene, and prove the right person can indeed unit the Lugii people for more than a moment. Yet its often said whichever way the tides of fate are turned, fickled fortune and the Gods help only those who help themselves.

Faction Symbol

The symbol for the Lugiones Faction consists of pale yellow crescent moon with downturned horns centered on a light blue circular shield made of rough-hewn planks. The interior of the crescent is decorated with a pale yellow late La Tene-like scroll pattern. Superimposed upon the crescent is a pale yellow icon known as the V-rod motif. Together these motifs are a masterfully adaptation of what is referred to as the crescent and arrow V-rod symbol commonly found in northern Scotland, as incised rock-art on Pictish Stone. These sculptures have been dated to the 6th to 9th century AD and the symbols thereon are widely understood to represent totems that were associated with particular tribal, clan, and personal names. Overall the shield and faction symbol are bounded by a narrow pale yellow edge.

The rational for using this symbol for the Lugiones Faction are two fold. First, as discussed above, the faction name is intended to signify the primal form of the Lugus deity, who was often abstractly expressed by a pale colored light and a lunar symbol. Second, the clustering of Pictish Stones in northern Scotland with the crescent and V-rod appears to be roughly similar to at least part of the territorial extent of a tribe that Ptolemy named the Lugi. Although the relationship between the Lugi of northern Scotland and the Lugii of Poland is unclear, a common association with the Lugus deity is assumed. Therefore it was agreed that the crescent and V-rod symbol would be used to represent the Lugiones Faction.