All Glory Is Fleeting~ Of the Casse

272 B.C.E.

The rain was persistant, it came from the hands of the gods and fell an awful height into the village, where it churned the passes and fields to mud, and mingled with the liver brown blood that flowed through every walkway.
And death was equally persistant, as it showed itself everywhere in cohesion with the storm, a fearful recognition of Barae's clan.
For the obstructions of his power were now purged in the gutters of their own homes, and the Casse were causing such a noise of celebration that they challenged the triumphs skyward.

But it was now the earliest beginnings of a new day, and a new position of responsibility that this tribe had yet struggled many years to achieve.
Barae and Cinciorix, one of his many vassals (Of which he had hundreds to the awe of his followers), were waiting the permission of the sun.
He, still adorned in armour and the stench of hours of fighting, suddenly boasted beamingly, and so loudly that many of the men began to twist unconsciously to his shouts.
'Harken to the silence, Cinciorix, they work from the night unto the day, fight from the day unto the night!' He grinned so proudly that Cinciorix was compelled to turn and view the town, 'Our men ravage the foe with the strength of beasts, and rejoice with the mischief of the devil!'
Then he pointed to one of the naked men who was slung over a dead and beaten woman, 'And in these hours of the morning, not even I can tell they who are corpses from they who have drunk themselves unto oblivion!'
And he laughed so brilliantly and so wildly that, even in these grimmest times and under the depression of the rain, the men began to wake and continue the pleasures they had indulged the night before with the heartiness of their leader.

---I have decided to document the most important event of each year consistent with the Casse, this will include the most important diplomatic, military, and economical achievements incorporated into a more novel-like impression, told on the level of perspectives such as "A Day in the Life".
This will give relief to the effect of me rushing through it.
I am doing this not neccessarily for the public, but because the many current After-Action-Reports have compelled me to document my first successful campaign, with or without audience.
If you do read, keep in mind I am portraying the Casse as they are in my campaign, and not as they were historically.---

271 B.C.E.

Barae encouraged the small chariot-horses on as he passed Ciniciorix and many others outside the great palisades of the Casse's most respectable achievement, a protected province of their own.
Cinciorix, Barae's vassal, who was not so much a slave as a man who came to him in neccessity and transformed to one of his fondest friends, had been struck by a filthy javelin in an assault of Camulosadae by the bastards of the north.
It had been covered in the feces of the enemy, and barbed inside Cinciorix's thigh, killed him within the hour.
So with many others he was buried outside the town in a grove of yew not far from the creek of Wothars.
It was several months later, in the beginnings of winter, a wall had to be placed around this most sacred yard of graves.
For in a second attack, the Dumnonae dug up many bodies, and with slings and with their own hands, sent the remains of the fallen over the walls.

This attack was met with true vengeance, on feeling the weight of the bones of their families, all of Barae's people, without his encouragement, leaped from the walls, barged through the gates, stumbling over each other, and some even unarmed, began to fight in a most frighteningly powerful frenzy against the Dumnonae, who sought flight after only a moment of witholding the sally of our people.
It was through this accomplishment, word became fiction and, though the Casse were a people of unfathomable anger, quick-tempered and of a courageous selflessness, the stories told by the survivors of the Dumnonae's flight, made them even more so in the eyes of others.
For this reason, no other assaults were made against them.

But now, Barae rode with his vassals and some of the elders, in chariots laden with javelins, slings, and other things in the neccessity of making a war, towards the town of Ratae.
Their were several wagons and carriages following the lead of Barae's closest men. All personal belongings were stored here, and others, though not needed, were brought along by request of the commonality, in apprehension of great prospects ahead.
Behind the carriages came the largest part of the army, the Casse travelled for the greater part with slings, as their reputation for marksmanship with the shot was the most profound on this island, and even known fearfully by some in the further country of the Belgae.

On approaching the town of Ratae, Barae ordered a very responsible, and pre-informed elder, Ivobregus, to take five regiments of the six men, and with many scouts, find the foragers of the enemy.
For the garrison of Ratae, though large in number, was weakened by the frequent foraging of the inhabitants, and the many guards they took with them.
He told Ivobregus that when he found the enemy, to tread carefully and wait along their path in ambuscade, that if this was to be successful, there would be little chance of defeat, and the Casse would be indebted to one of their most intelligent men.
Flattered and eager, Ivobregus left to do as he was asked with the five regiments.
Hoping and confiding in the gods that events would turn favourably, Barae ordered the remaining regiment to proceed and surround the town of Ratae, but not to make themselves known.

For it was his plan that the town would be isolated and kept so in a secretive way until, with great fortune, Ivobregus would return and the town could be taken, and Barae would, with his men and his chariots, withstand any support in the meantime attempted to be sent by the enemy.

I enjoyed it very much, you write very well. Don't worry, all aar's have an audience. Mine only has 23 replies but like 600 views.

Very few aars generate a lot of responses....Chirurgeon excepting (and he's a very good writer).

I like your descriptions of setting. It gives a real organic feel to your writing. I like the feces javelin...thats some nasty tactics. Keep it up but make sure you show some screens as to add some context for whats happening. Writing is most of the battle with these AARs but the screenshots seal the deal :) Great start so far

---I was not off-put by the absence of replies, only the fear I would not give enough support to my writing through lack of illustration.
This is being remedied though, however, I would hope that you would focus on this story, if you do, for the purpose of the written work and not the pictures, which will be added later in a special post, perhaps one or two for each year. Now I will continue before I lose my improvising spirit!---

271 B.C.E. (Kalends of December)

Before the stars were out, as was expected, Ratae and it's people were surrounded by the regiment Barae had commanded.
He sent the carriages and wagons to be covered and hidden in a thick brush, almost a mile to the East of Ratae.
This was because the density and expansiveness of the surrounding woodland was such that it was very hard to communicate swiftly, and due to the lack of familiarity with this territory, it meant that unless Ivobregus commanded his assault perfectly, which was ought not to happen, there was a great possibility Barae and the besieging regiment would be cast into jeopardy.
An offensive of so dangerous risk was not befitting Barae's intelligence and tact, but the previous and disgracious demonstrations by the Dumnonae were so enraging to the Casse, that he knew if he were to oppose such fiery cries for revenge as had been shouted in the town, he may himself be held exempt from his leadership.
But deliberation would not hold him in torture for long, as with the entrance of night, as the gods have willed all men, the people of Ratae began to retire and it was expected that the foragers would be returning along their route.
If the attack were to be successful, the town would be attempted by force in the night, before word could be sent further a field as Ictis.

It was when all torches were lit, and men could be seen standing upon the ramparts of Ratae, that it became apparent that a stir was being caused in the town.
People hurried upon the wall, and soon after great arguments could be heard, fearful statements arising from the paranoia of the common folk.
Barae ordered the elders to ensure the soldiery remained silent, because the success of this attack depended on the confidence, not the fear, of the township and their garrison.

But night was growing so old, that even he himself began to feel concern for the outcome of the ambuscade that, by the anguish of the townspeople, must surely of prevented the foraging party.
He thought the siege ought not to be delayed much longer, as the fearful confusion of the enemy alighted the vast contempt that held the regiments in a lust for violent retribution, something he himself did experience.
Barae ordered two younger men of the regiment, Brecco and Coctilovis, to take one each of the small chariot horses, and carry a search into the south-west, in order to find the position of Ivobregus.
He said that they must do this and return by the hour.
But Brecco and Coctilovis had only begun to mount, and a messenger came from the direction they headed, excited and acting almost in madness.
Torn in every quarter of his body from the thickets from which he charged, he dismounted and began to seek Barae, to whom he was quickly ushered.
When Barae gave him anxious audience, the messenger, Erepicus, reported with great empathy what had occurred on the coming of dusk.

'The enemy were so insufferable, and so misguided in their ignorance of our actions', Erepicus told all within sight, 'We did, in an eventual design, completely surrounded the whole march, and when they came to the crossing of a stream, where by nature it is neccessary for a clearing to form, the two halves of the circumference we created rushed towards the party with the cunning silence of the fox.'

Barae was now surrounded by men, and ordered some who had come even from the yet unknown siege, to return to their positions.
Erepicus prevailed in his speech, 'So silent as the hunter we were, that not one of the enemy knew of the ambuscade until the first lead, so well placed in it's flight, rippled the skull of their elder!'.
At this, even Barae felt the impulse to raise a cheer, but knew the importance of silence and instead asked for him to continue.

'When Tridovix of Camusfarnae was fallen, there was no one in the entire party that held a mind capable of dealing with our assault.
They dropped all encumberances and ran in all directions to be hidden from the constant missiles that assailed them!
Some leaped into the water, some retreated across the bridge, only to be caught in the encircled position we had made.'

And slowly, Erepicus began to lose his impulsive speech,
'It was then, we were bereft of shot, so we drew our swords, took up our spears and from all places we began to tighten our grip upon them.
Of the survivors, they had pulled together by the opening of the bridge, in desperation they drew what weapons they had and attempted to batter through a part of the entrapment, that which held the path to Ratae.'

The messenger drew great breath after this, not through a wish to create suspense, but in genuine sadness.
'It was, Barae, through a most terrible misfortune that our leader, Ivobregus, throwing himself in a sprint to place himself ahead of all men, that he might be seen as a true leader, was so far before all others in reaching the enemy, that even by their small remainder, they surrounded and killed him in their frenzied cowardice, and rushed over his body'.
All the excitement died too within Barae at the herald of this sentence.
For Ivobregus was an older man than he, once a scholar of Druids before he came to this island from the Lemovice.
That the gods had chosen to put him in so foolish light, that he would be given to the only sacrifice of such a testing assault, was yet unacceptable, for such a man should never in the fortune of war be given that fate.

Though for such a small but depressing loss, there was a great victory to be had from this attack, and Barae took the hand of Erepicus and spoke in the voice that had made him a leader of his men;
'You have suffered to see the death of a noble man, yet for all the grief that may be caused us by the loss of so great a friend, how must the enemy reel from the loss of several men, all as beloved as our Ivobregus?'
Erepicus stared back at him with great respect, and his eyes were alight by the flames of Barae's skill in the rhetoric.

Barae spoke louder so as other men encamped may be enlightened by this speech, 'But, for the people who dwell in the town of Ratae, those who had dared to violate the sacred bodies of our families, and had betrayed our friendship for greed of territory, no news of this calamity shall befall them, because when the gods grace the sky at the fourth hour, they will see below them the bodies of a thousand traitors, piled in the manner of their own disgrace before the burning catastrophe of their own homeland!'

Then, when the silence was so terrifyingly broken, everyone within the town walls with their eerie suspicions, and claustrophobia of a possible trap, these feelings were broken as, clearly from all parts of the town there was a most horrible laughing, cooing, taunting coming from every direction that it was a scene apt to drive many to insanity.
Many ran to the rampart, many simply ran for the grief of their misfortune.

From the concealments of the surrounding woodland, men were dragged into the view of those on the walls, out of range of all missiles.
Here it was discovered that the surviving members of the foraging party were chained, and held in sight of all.
And then the men of the Casse, roaring with laughter and jeering at the enemy, began to cleave with blunted knives, the genitals from all men, and while they screamed and begged as loud as the Casse chanting, Barae's men hacked slowly at all limbs, and some were defecated on.
One man in particular, after suffering all these things, was covered in pitch and set free, running towards the gates of the town.
He stopped halfway and turned back to our men, who were aligning him with a javelin, the tip soaked in flame.
He gave up his retreat and begged our men not to give him any more pains, and when he saw this altered their intentions none, he again ran towards the town gates.
The javelin caught him in his back, and he felled, moaning with such a chilling, pitiful voice, and within view of all his townspeople, burned alive.




----I am not finished with this siege or the December of 271 yet, but I have other things to do and I will return to my improvisation later, but I am rather liking this, bringing out my creative barbaric side----

Wonderful. I feel like im reading a novel :) Keep it up. Love hearing those untold stories from faraway lands.

I am also enjoying it. Please keep it up.

BTW, I hope my instructions weren't too confusing, and can't wait to see some nice, colorful screenies. :)

LURKER ALERT :book:

271 B.C.E. (Kalends of December) - Siege of Ratae continued.

By the time all regiments were in place, Britannia was in the midst of her dimmest and most mysterious night, this is how she kept her people, caped in a throttling darkness, just before the first hour.
Barae, placing Sentata, a man of promise, in command of the regiments, ordered him to remove half the banners, and have the men form closely before the town in a packed alignment.
Other things were spoken concerning the enemy and the importance of their actions.
When this was done, and whilst the men of the Casse were belitting the townspeople with such things as, 'Come! Ye Coritanes! Let us see if your blood is red as mine!', and making the most rattling, nonsensical calls over the ramparts, Barae moved his chariots along the outer edge of the woodland.
Here he found a slight rise which gave him the greatest view of command available.

The chariots out of sight, light breaking of the rising sun, and the regiments were awaiting the decision of the enemy.
Igaraunix the Coritane, an elder of the noblest birth in his tribe, came to the walls in view of all our men, and, upon seeing the small number of banners and the little ground our men covered, (Many of the Casse crouched down amongst the standing to appear even less forboding), he turned to the distressed and harrowed members of his people.
'Come you to these walls, Coritanes!', He turned and with both hands thrown forward in a gesture of power he said, 'See the scarcity of the enemy, that they are so few it is a wonder these are the men that have fought our foraging garrison, or perhaps our people slaughtered so many before being overcome by the cowardice of strategy, that they are left with no supply to return home!'
He laughed with as much mirth as could be gained from his recent scare,
'Do you wish, little people of the Casse, to borrow from our stores?'
Other men joined him on the tower and along the wall, and they began to pick up arms again.
'Well, Coritanes, they have not by ambuscade or other tactics of a thief, found us here on this new hour!'
There was now greater and renewed hopes, and business once again ensued within the town as men could be heard shuffling behind the gates.
'And yet, our finest men, they have dared inflict such terrible and unspeakable crimes upon our friends and family, right beneath our very walls!'
'Carry forth your spears to a vengeful fight, for should we not return to the lost spirits of our beloved what was taken by sneaking dogs, with the arms and the great renowned courage of the Coritanes!'.

The Casse, standing grouped at a quarter-mile distance from the gates, watched the hooting and confident enemy as they stumbled over each other, bursting out the gate.
They appeared not so anxious for a fight as relieved to be outside the besieged walls, where flight could be taken far easier and without notice.
And some, to the great surprise and anger of those on the rampart, ran immediately from the men of the garrison, fleeing with disregard into the forest.
Sentata, standing in the midst of the men, waited until over half garrison of Ratae had spewed forth, before shouting in great, constant barks.
The other Casse took up the challenge, and when they deemed it time enough, Sentata ran with his regiment, and the same time, so did the others leap from their sitting position, and to those who stood on the walls of Ratae, one regiment suddenly became ten.
Our men spread with uncomprehensible speed, and around those men, about six hundred in number, (To our eight hundred), formed the shape of a 'U' around the defenders of the gateway.
The men of the outer part slung their shot over atop the walls and harried the enemy from throwing missiles.
Those who lined the center, pelted the garrison from all sides.
The enemy who had barged through the gate, on seeing the sudden and devious design of our regiments, attempted to rush their way back through into the town.
However Igaraunix ordered the gates to be sealed immediately and retreated within hastily and disgracefully.
Left without leadership and abandoned by their own kin, the Coritane men attempted to hoist one another over the wall while being still slaughtered by the unrelenting waves of shot.
Some were thrown up to the walls, only to abandon their officers and friends to seek safety.
A man of some age, grey and of little flexibility, after being crippled with several injuries, hurried a younger man passed the rows of shields that were being thrown up to no avail, and with his own buckler, supported the young man and lifted him to the top of the palisade.
Upon reaching the wall, the boy was struck by a javelin flung from inside the town, and, falling down upon the shield, trapped the old soldier underneath the enormous weight, where they both perished.
Then the Casse regiments began to lessen the assault through lack of ammunition, and when that six hundred was reduced to scarcely one hundred and fifty, Barae ordered his chariots forward and yelled ahead for the men to clear themselves of the field, instead, by order of Sentata, they ran from the survivors to the right wall of Ratae, where it could be seen Igaraunix was with his clansmen, mounting his chariot.
As they ran towards Igaraunix the Coritane, Barae with his many followers cut in great sweeps amongst the withered garrison, and killed all absolutely.

Several of our men, charging ahead of the rest, climbed aboard many chariots before they could be pulled forth.
Igaraunix rode one such mentioned, and after the other pilots were pierced by the spears of our men, was pulled off and thrown along with a man of the Casse onto the field.
As the two beat each other with fists amidst the attack on the clansmen, a straggling chariot, the pilots in their haste, did not see the two engaged in a fight, and the horses and wheels battered and ran both men into the ground.

Thus both their most influential leader and over seven cantons of the Coritane were brutally reimbursed for those acts which they had played in with the Dumnonae.

Upon the chariots being routed and few Coritane fleeing to the North, towards Caern-Brigante, our men, through want of a ram or ladders, helped each other over the walls, and allowed each other through the gates, where it was found many of those people who remained in the settlement, indiscriminately, had either fled to Caern-Brigante or had by whatever means, murdered themselves through panic.

Barae, and Sentata now astride his chariot again, galloped about the streets of the town and raised cheers throughout all ranks, and those Coritane who survived, Barae divided up between the Casse, to do with them what they would.
Sentata asked of Barae two regiments to leave upon the eighth hour, that he might convey the herald of this most honourable and satisfying victory to Camulosadae himself.

With Barae's permission, Sentata and his clansmen left, as said, at the eighth hour with two of the regiments.
The remaining four were, as soon as they were brought back to their senses and were calm once more, ordered to organise a proper garrison, and to schedule a normal watch throughout the coming night.
Though such an enormous achievement it was, the enemy were numerous still in these territories, and no celebration was to be allowed so infuriating that it would make defenses lax.

Barae, mounted still in his chariot, the horses cast in sunbaked sweat, and the blood of many who fell beneath their hooves, stood at the highest point within the town and spoke most vibrantly before dismissing his men;
'By the absence of a single foe, and by the completeness, and the swiftness of our attack, we have shown the Coritane and thus the lesser people of our Britannia, that by the undeniable wishes of the gods, the Casse have been chosen to decide the fates of other men!'

That's great stuff.

--- This is a most apologetic post, for I must appear quite shamefully to have lost my zeal in the telling of this story and thus have let the tale of the Casse fall dishonourably.
The absence of my consistency is not of my choosing, but because the campaign that is told here, met a most heartless end at the fierceness of a barbaric and sinful Crash-To-Desktop.
This beast had slaughtered all my growing empire, and though there is still some of their tale to tell, it should end suddenly.

This is not to say I do not wish to finish the story, I have enjoyed writing this script, as it is the first time in a vast while that I have written in a novel manner- recently I wrote a poem on the military history of the horse over a great many pages- however before then, I have been involved only in my visual arts, and my equine arts!
So this was a great return to creatively writing, and I would like to continue it if it pleases the crowd to hear an abrupt, though most detailed and true end to the reign of Barae.

I promise it would not break the rhythm or pace of the story so far, and it would suit very much the title I had chosen for this story.---

You're a fantastic writer.

Your grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. are all right on, which is refreshing (although many aar writers don't speak english as their first language, so the mistakes are understandable).

I do hope you'll write another aar in the future. Perhaps you should start an "aar campaign", so you'll be taking notes and screenshots from the beginning.

See you in the tavern...