Flight of Dragons - The Deeds of the Kings of the Sauromatae

Nice job man. Your writing has great voice. ;)

"Crom, I have never prayed to you before, I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad, why we fought or why we died. No, all that matters, is that two stood against many. That's what's important. Valour pleases you, Crom, so grant me one request: grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then the hell with you!"

-Conan

-edit (By the way, you've inspired me to create a barbarian AAR after I finish my current project.)

Great AAR, you really have a feel for how the nomads think. The steppe tends to either toughen or break people, you have to be ruthless if you're gonna survive on the sea of grass, and your writing pulls that dynamic off very nicely. In fact, you've inspired me to revive my Sauromatae campaign. (It'll be fun to compare how the Saka and Sauromatae play, since I also have a Saka campaign going right now.)

Thank you Reality=Chaos, Africanvs and MerlinusCDXX for your comments and support. :2thumbsup:

@Reality=Chaos: I was gone this weekend to the mountains, but the AAR will continue this week... I plan to at least finish the reign of Abeakos, the Dragon Incarnate... maybe more, but his son if this will go on will probably be a very different type of king... we shall see.

@Africanvs: "Barbarians" are great, would love to see you lead some of them to glory /or despair... tough to choose a faction though, they're all great. :yes:

@MerlinusCDXX: I think the Saka are easier to play - better position (imho) you're not in the center of the steppes and can sweep everything from East to West :yes: ... plus the infantry they can recruit is really yummy... with my Sauromatae I'm having a hard time deciding what infantry I'll be using in the future. :no: On the plus side the Sauromatae Aeldary Aembaltae look better than the Saka bodyguards, or so I think... and we all know it's all about looks... :yes:

Ok... update will most likely come later today... and it will feature... a mistake on my part... (no, this is not about realizing the fact I can not actually build Bosphoran heavy archers - something that truly made me breathe fire :skull: ) :wall:

Given I won't be able to use Bosphoran heavy archers, I will actually have to rethink my future army composition... I'll probably just renounce the idea of using foot archers entirely... unless someone can come up with a better suggestion... :no:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aaldaemon

Ok... update will most likely come later today... and it will feature... a mistake on my part... (no, this is not about realizing the fact I can not actually build Bosphoran heavy archers - something that truly made me breathe fire :skull: ) :wall:

Given I won't be able to use Bosphoran heavy archers, I will actually have to rethink my future army composition... I'll probably just renounce the idea of using foot archers entirely... unless someone can come up with a better suggestion... :no:

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I don't know if this is a better suggestion or not, but once you get to Ekbatana, you can get the Heavy Persian foot archers (Thanvare Parsig) from the Pastoralism large settlement. They are also available in Susa, Persepolis, Gabai, Apameia, and Karmana. I used these with the Saka in the west, and thought they were decent (no match for the mighty Subeshi though). Or you can always use Syrians when you get to that area.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MerlinusCDXX

I don't know if this is a better suggestion or not, but once you get to Ekbatana, you can get the Heavy Persian foot archers (Thanvare Parsig) from the Pastoralism large settlement. They are also available in Susa, Persepolis, Gabai, Apameia, and Karmana. I used these with the Saka in the west, and thought they were decent (no match for the mighty Subeshi though). Or you can always use Syrians when you get to that area.

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Aaahhh, thanks for the suggestion, I looked at the recruitment areas and it seems if I want good foot archers (now that Bosphorans are out of the question) I'm going to have to take on the Grey Death. :oops: The reality of the situation is that ... and well I'm getting ahead of myself but I'll spoil it and say that the Getai are massing some _major_ armies on our current border - sort of looks like World War II, they're going to try and do a blitzkrieg on me... and there's no way in the lower hells I'll stop them without bringing my king over... so I gather going East to recruit archers is out of the question, given that I'm stretched very very thin. :oops:

But I saw now that I can recruit heavy persian archers in Media, and right next door in Adiabene there's Syrians... so thanks again for the suggestion, I think that at the first opportunity I'll have to try and get my hands on the region. :yes:

You could go southwest and conquer Hellas and Crete :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lysimachos

You could go southwest and conquer Hellas and Crete :)

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Hahahahaha, I knew I was missing something obvious... by the gods, Cretan archers...:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: /slaps head.

Thank you Lysimachos, I seriously DID NOT think of it. (I must be growing senile :D) It would be quite ironic to have Cretans serve the Dragon kings as slaves no? :yes:

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On another note, going to post the update in a few minutes - then it's zzzzz time to dream of Dragons. This update is not what I originally had in mind... but here it comes nonetheless... what's life without a few surprises? :egypt:

Part V: When Eyes meet.

The great city of the Herakleotai lies dormant on its cape, as the Pontos Euxeinos shivers past its walls. The archons of the city worry, for death is camped beyond its very gates. They’ve heard the tales of the fall of Olbia, and its shattered goddess, so now they cower at the temple of the Parthenos asking for guidance in their time of need.

Beyond the gates, the living Dragon coils around the walls of stone. The riders wait, their sights are set, as the King comes. He rides astride his chosen mount, the great Nisean black of royal blood. His nobles at his back speak not, their faces grim in the morning sun. A silent awe is felt by all, as their gaze lingers on the walls.

https://i298.photobucket.com/albums/...emon/walls.jpg

They dare not speak, for the King is silent as a waiting snake, the dragon on his back as still as death. They wait, and then the dragon stirs, and the King speaks:

Look carefully my brothers. Look! He points towards the walls. What do you see? He asks.

They dare not speak, at first, but then as the King waits, one of the nobles finds his words:

My King, I see the death of many of our folk. All of us here know, oh great King, that in the saddle victory is ever ours… but our horses can not climb these man made mountains to be sure… We should accept their tribute and go North, to lands where horse and bow will bring us victory and wealth.

The King is still. The nobles wait on his reply, as silence reigns.

So, then you would have us turn back now. Forget our dead in the hills, abandoned in a foreign land we call not ours. That I can not do, for we do not buy tribute with our blood, but true dominion of the horizons in our sight.

The noble speaks no more, but the men murmur at the Dragon’s back. The King smiles, his words an end to their whispers.

Before you, one can clearly see, he says, the folly of those madmen, who think that stone is stronger than the flesh of men, or the spirit in their breasts. Bow not your heads before the delusions of carved rocks, for we have fires in our bellies, a blaze the Yavanas can not quench. We are the fire of the Dragon, and stone melts before the anger in our hearts.

The King pauses, as his men drink his words.

I asked you what you saw before your eyes, and you saw death… That is good, for Death is ever present if you are a true man, bow in your hand with enemies to slay and victories to claim. Only the weaklings of this world do not see death, for they are busy with their fields and cattle, too lost in their toil to live the life of men. If you are a man in truth, your eyes stare into Death’s eyes, and Death averts her gaze. The weaklings do not see Death coming in their blindness, but her harvest comes, and they die blind in their fields.

The King’s eyes narrow slightly as he looks towards the rising Sun. His eyes burn, fire in his gaze:

I see my death, I see it well. Now, let us see if Death can stare into the Dragon’s eyes and meet his gaze!

The King moves forward, his great Nisean black a vision on a field of green.

Follow me not, he shouts to his nobles. Watch now, see Death meet the Dragon.

They stay behind and some murmur in his wake, but all obey, for the Dragon rides before them to see Death.

The walls grow ever taller, as the King comes closer to the gate. The Yavanas stir, their eyes amazed to see the Dragon riding to his Death.

The King stops before the wall, his white hair turned to shining silver in the morning sun.

Open your gates! He shouts. Open your gates, and let the Dragon in! Open the gates and some of you may live to be my slaves!

The Yavanas on the walls know not what answer to give to his request. They think he is a madman to be sure, a man gone witless in the winter of his days. A gust of wind blows his great cloak astray, the dragon now aloft.

The Dragon! The Yavanas shout. The Dragon King himself!

The King offers them a smile, then shouts back:

Open your gates, and let the Dragon in, or meet your Death!

The Yavanas cower on their wall, but then an order comes, and arrows fly. The Dragon is their mark, but the wind shrieks and arrows stream aside.

Death! The King shouts. I see Death comes!

The Yavanas string their bows in reply and wailing snakes are loose again. This time the snakes find their pray, the waiting Dragon on his mount. A cloud of shafts whirls with the wind, and the King staggers as the arrows hit him in his chest.

The Dragon smiles, and Death grins back. They watch each other, as the arrows bounce off his silver scale. Now, the Dragon laughs, a mighty roar, the mirth of blood and fire.

His laughter stops the bowmen on the wall. Their bows go silent, as the Dragon roars.

The King salutes them with his sword, then turns his back to them and rides to his men.

So, now you know, he shouts, that Death averts her gaze before the stare of Dragons!

A great thunder comes, but the sky is clear. No storm of clouds, but a storm of men, as the cries sunder the morning sky:

Abeakos! Abeakos King! Abeakos King!

The King’s eyes glimmer as his sword is raised, a fiery point toward the Sun. He coughs blood, a scarlet mark upon his chest. His vision clouds, but light returns. He is the Dragon, and Death stares back.

https://i298.photobucket.com/albums/...n/dragflag.jpg

I have no Idea why, but that last bit reminded by of Monty Python.

I love your writing style and the deranged personality of your general.

Nice, poetic :)

Good to see you keeping this going :)

Incredible. Love your writing. Please keep up.

Thank you for your support guys, it always warms the heart (with dragon fire :laugh4: ) to see that people like your work. :yes:

@Olaf the Great: Maybe because it's just a flesh wound! :laugh4:

@Lysimachos: Once I realized my monarch had the Epic Poet trait... I had to go more poetic on him... just had to. :yes:

@Africanvs: But where's Scipio? I hope to see him soon too. :yes:

@General Appo: Thanks mate, I'm trying to keep this up... Abeakos needs to have his story told, as I said before I promise to keep writing till at least his death... although... that might come soon... :sweatdrop:

Next chapter is nearly ready for scipio, just been busy lately, went to vegas etc. :)

Nice, very nice. I do love the poetic style of your writing.

Very Conan-esque, this, like an epic ready to be passed to the generations to follow.

@Africanus: Vegas!!! Never been there, but I've been to Reno... does that count? :sweatdrop: Hopefully, you won't turn Scipio into a notorious gambler... well other than gambling with the lives of his men that is...

@The General: I'm glad you like this writing style. When I began the aar I tried to restrain my storytelling habits and aim more for a "quick roleplaying explanation + screenshots" style, but sadly old habits never die... so the last chapter was 99% storytelling. :embarassed: If left to my own devices I tend to go on and on and on, so to balance things a bit I think that I will try in the next chapter to restrain myself and actually show a bit more in game happenings. In truth this update should have been more game related, but I went into epic mode and could not stop... bad Aaldaemon bad - I've relegated the ingame happenings to the next update. :sweatdrop:

No, no, no. I love this whole storytelling stuff.

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Originally Posted by General Appo

No, no, no. I love this whole storytelling stuff.

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Yeah, me, too, otherwise i wouldn't do it, too :laugh4:

@ General Appo and Lysimachos: Don't worry, this has become a "story comes first" aar, (well if it wasn't to begin with :egypt:) and while it will feature more gameplay intensive updates, it will also feature lots of story.

Although it isn't obvious yet, I officially have a grand-dragon-master plan (TM), with an epic storyline hidden beneath the obvious. There's several (two very obvious) things in this last chapter, that will actually make a lot more sense in the future - for those with a keen eye and a keen memory. I'm one of those people who like to use small devices, that add meaning/sense much later...(god how I love to spoil the future of it all - someone shoot me) I grant you that's not a very good thing in an aar where very few will remember details of what went before, but well I do it for myself, as practice. :inquisitive:

That sounds promising.

An undead dragon-king maybe? :wizard:
Will he become the Wild Hunt eventually?


Anyway, keep it up! It's a good read!!:2thumbsup:

@I of the Storm: Safe to say, I like to go for the unexpected, or to use shock tactics...:sweatdrop: I won't say anymore than that for now,(I've already spoiled too much) but I thank you for that guess, I assure you that something complicated this way comes... (in time :yes:)

EDIT: And I appreciate guesses - they give me the strength to continue, showing me there's interest in the grand-dragon-master plan (TM).

Ok... while working on my epic master plan, I realized that a very important character (for the future) has a name I truly dislike... I will try to see if I can edit his name in the savegame... any hints on how to do that without messing anything up(as in 0 sideeffects) would be appreciated.

I guess I'm stuck with his current name. That's that... I can always rename him for the purpose of the aar only I guess...

Update will come later today real life commitments and (more importantly) EURO 2008 permitting. It will introduce some very important characters, and depending on how I structure it... the mistake I was talking about earlier and I shafted with my previous story installment.

I assume you´re reffering to Babai? Never liked the fellow, sounds like something a baboon would be called. That´s why I had him killed in my Sauromatae campaign (suicide attack on the Bastarnae).

Just got around to reading this...very cool keep it up :two thumbs:

@General Appo: Babai is just one of the many characters I would rename in truth... but no, he's not my main problem... poor ByeBye has been doing time watching the Saka in the East... the character I would rename is Aspaurg... someone of importance for the future... but I've increasingly gotten used to his name, so it will probably stay that way.

@Chirurgeon: Thank you for reading, and the praise, I doubt I will ever come to 10% of your stamina, but I'll try.

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Update is coming in a few minutes, I have to sort a few minor things out, before the Dragon breathes again.

Part VI: A Tie of Blood

https://i298.photobucket.com/albums/...mon/abcamp.jpg

The camp stretches on the crests of the hills overlooking the great city of the cape. There is a strange order about the encampment, with tents clustered around banners laying limp in the calm air of evening. The camp is curiously quiet, as men watch a host of riders approach.

The riders follow a tall, dark haired man, his face that of an eagle looking for his prey. He wears the silvered scale of high nobility, and men bow as he passes by. The warriors behind him are all picked men, their faces stern, and cold as steel. Their scale armor marks them as the guards of royalty, and men do not dare cross their path.

They snake their way between the clusters of felt tents to a great ger lying lonely on the tallest hill. The great Dragon banner of the King overlooks the great felt tent, but it is limp, no movement in its tail.

The guards around the ger do not challenge the dark haired man, as he dismounts. Two of his warriors follow him in, as he enters the tent of the King.

The inside of the great tent is bathed in the light of torches. At its center the King lies on a mound of furs, his long white hair a silver halo as the light of fires whispers in the cheerless air. Several men are clustered around him, ants near the fallen giant. The voice of the King shimmers softly, a wailing rustling, among shadows.

And there I had the goddess, shattered… shattered… to show them the impotence of their gods. His voice breaks off, as the scribe writes down his words.

To see a God… to see a God… The King’s chest heaves, and labored breath comes forth. His eyes stream silver in the light of fires.

To see a God shattered by the Dragon… shattered. His eyes dim, as his mind clouds, then they open and fix themselves upon the dark haired man.

My King, I am come, the man says, as he bows to the Dragon.

The King shivers in his furs and shadows play around his eyes. Light dances on his brow, and grim ghosts whisper in his ear.

Who are you? The King asks, as he shifts to better see the dark haired man.

Alouthagos, your son, Lord, the man says in a clear voice, watching his father on his mound. The King squints, a wave of weakness passing through his mind, then clarity comes.

Alouthagos, my son… You have changed… The King sighs, a thousand memories marring his silver brow. A Dragon, a Dragon, soon, my son. A Dragon soon...

The dark haired man's face remains still, then the corners of his lips twist.

Father, the prince says, I’ve brought him to you, as you ordered. I trust you will find him satisfactory.

The King’s eye brighten, then they cloud, as he remembers all the truth, his voice but a whisper:

Bring him in, I wish to see him now.

Alouthagos nods and one of his guards exits the tent. A few moments later he returns, a boy in tow, a short lad for his age, with smiling eyes.

Bring him closer, the King says, shifting in his furs, I want to see him better, to be sure.

Alouthagos pushes the boy forward, and he comes before the King. The old man gazes at the boy and frowns, his wearied mind lost in the wailings of the past.

His hair is red and gold my son… red and gold... Too strong perhaps… too strong.

He takes after my daughter Lord, Alouthagos says, a hint of worry in his voice. If he won’t do, I’ll bring another… Babai’s son perhaps…

The King seems not to hear, but then nods, and he stares into the boy’s eyes. Their eyes entwine, the old King’s vision haunted still by memories of bygone wraiths. They scream at him, from shattered dreams, the past a sword to cut his heart.

Tell me boy, he asks, do you know the story of the serpent and the sword?

The King’s stare rests on the child’s face, as shadows dance at the edges of his clouded mind. The boy’s eyes glint silver-blue as fire lights them in the Dragon’s sight.

Yes, King, I know it well, he answers, without doubt.

The Dragon smiles, his vision cleared at the last.

Of course you do, Abeakos says. You are Dragon blood in truth.

He laughs, a great mirth come upon him, as he coughs blood. A stream of it snakes its way across his chest. His men look on with worry on their faces, but the King’s mirth is not to be contained.

Wine! Bring wine! He says, as a servant scampers to obey. A cup is brought and the King drinks, while blood oozes darkly on his sunken chest.

Baran, he says, red wine mixing with the fever in his blood. Come forward, come.

A golden haired man approaches and then kneels before the King. His fine scale armor marks him as one of the King’s own loyal bodyguards, a fierce battle companion for many years. The King drinks from his simple cup, then tells the kneeling man:

Guard this boy with your life Baran, with your life. He is in your care. Fail him not.

The warrior bows his head, and offers a pledge:

My King, my life is his, to the end.

Your hand then man, give me your hand,the King asks. The warrior stretches his hand, and Abeakos makes a cut in his palm, his crescent hilted dagger drinking blood. He gently marks the boy as well, then their hands he entwines.

To the end, the King now agrees, and he dismisses the warrior, to look upon the child.

The King stares at the boy for a long time, as shadows flicker past his eyes. His glass is raised, as his vision clouds.

To the end! He says. To the very end!

Outside the tent, the serpent’s tail lifts in the wind.

https://i298.photobucket.com/albums/...n/dragflag.jpg

First of I have to apologize to those who dislike storytelling, and want more action and more screenshots. You see I tried hard to bring those forth, but the grand plan came first. I did try to limit myself... you see this part was actually about three times this size, and there were four more short narrative pieces I wrote before actually coming to my in game mistake I keep mentioning... I obviously hacked what was supposed to be the update to pieces, canned those other parts, and came down to this which I think is a manageable read.

Worry not! There will be action in the future, battles, blood, screenshots...(although probably not a lot in the next update - maybe 3 screenshots at the most - mea culpa - mea culpa) you name it. In fact I've played quite a lot in advance and my folder swells with battle screens, which is a bad thing because I'm getting confused about many of them... nothing like saying "oh yes, this is the flanking maneuver in battle X, when in truth it was more like the rout in battle Y" :no:. I will try to make sense of it all though to be sure...

Beautiful. Don´t worry about what we think, just write what you feel like. If you start feeling restricted in your urge to please your readers you´ll soon lose all motivation to write on.