Stories Thread

[00jebus]

266BC, seige of Jerusalem


Cadayren was annoyed, he always hated bringing bad news to people, especally when they could fire him, groaning, he entered Timarchos' tent to find a mess of reports on a table, Timarchos behind them, starring at his sword

"sir.....?"

"I was just wondering, equal numbers, they have better quality troops, and I have no gold for mercinaries, how in the name of the gods am I supposed to capture this place? in tact? without killing any jews on purpose, which a seige will do?"

"Surely sir, we can attack"

"we can offer battle, but unless we have our choice of ground, they will win, or at least kill too many of us so I end up like that guy from eprius.."

"May I ask why sir?"

"cavalry, we have lots, its bloody useless in a city, and their commander, he's too good, so long as he's alive he'll inspire the cities defenders, and I certantly don't want to send men into a bloodbath to end this quick, lets face it, I have years left, a satrapy is worth waiting for"

"I see sir, well, if your going to end up a satrap, then all the jew's here will be yours, may I suggest calming your subjects down?
their too eager to liberate the city, caught five of em' trying to brake through our own lines so they could attack it themselves" he added, as as if on cue from timarchos' stare,
"what do you want to do with them?"

"ach, how I wish this was just another feild battle" Timarchos moaned, rubbing his head with both palms "ok, put those five in an aggressive patrol anywhere nearby that starts to feel a little bit Egyptian... how are the ram's coming?"

"all six started, I take it you have a plan for them sir?"

"yes, I'm making my own wall, so when the enemy attack us, they'll hopefully get cut off, then cut to peices."

Timarchos looked at his statue of the little fat man "I just wish they don't take too long to try and attack us, we seige for any longer than a year and my subject's will ether start to starve, or grow too restless they end up attacking without any plan... damn those walls and building, they really ruin war, it's much more fun without all this waiting around."

a now smiling Cadayren nodded, "I think we can both remember the good old days, when all we had to do was charge uphill into a wall of spearpoints, your right sir, those damn buildings ruin war, completly spoil the fun of it, but isn't the whole greek system of war a case of hurry-up-so-you-can-wait anyway?"

Timarchos grinned "nice way of putting it, have to use that one myself sometime, deffinantly describes how we got here well enough"

[Roka]

Ioudia, Autumn 266 BCE

"My lord! You're bleeding!"
"Merely a flesh wound, Alexandros." Achaios replied with a fiery passion in his eyes. "Take the a unit of Prodromoi and chase away those blasted steppe raiders, they're giving the Jews a hard time!"
"Aye sire." With that Alexandros master of horse to Achaios Syriakos, elder brother to the basileus and son to the great Seleukos, spurred his horse away towards a group of waiting horsemen calling orders as he went.
"Sire! The enemy leader has commited his own unit to the fray against the Thureophoroi!"
"Excellent! Men form up on me, we shall turn their flank. A jug of finest wine to the man that brings me that brigand's head."

2 hours later, the command tent of the army

"That's the last of them killed my lord."
"Excellent Alexandros, sit and have a cup of wine, you've earned it, i lost three bodyguards in the battle, any men you could recommend?"
"Well sir, there is that lad that killed the brigand leader, in fact, he's outside just now, shall i call him in?" Alexandros replied, taking a deep draught from the wine in his hand.
"Isn't he a bit young? Well send him in anyway,i owe him a jug of wine." With that a tall man of around 23 entered the tent and bowed to Achaios. "General, you honour me greatly."
"What do you think of him Alexandros?"
"I believe he'll do my lord" Alexandros replied with a wry smile.
"My boy, how is your riding ability?"
"Pretty good my lord, my family are horse breeders from Antiocheia."
"
"Good, the i assume you have a horse?"
"Yes my lord."
"How would you like to ride in my bodyguard?"
"I would be honoured my lord."
"Excellent, return here tomorrow morning and I'll give you orders and have you equipped. Dismissed!" With that the young man left the tent beaming.
"Sire, wouldn't you like to know his name?" Alexandros said with a smile once again.
"I assumed you would know..."

[The Celtic Viking]

Two phalangites in Sarpedon Syriakos' army were talking.

- "So we're off to fight again, are we?"
- "Aye, that we are. You're not nervous, are you?"
- "No. Well, yes, a little, but you're always a little nervous before a fight, aren't you?"
- "Most are, and there's no shame in it. But then there are others. I haven't fought them myself, but those barbaroi, the Galatians, they have these soldiers, I hear. They don't fear anything or anyone, they're like madmen living for the battle. They fight naked, you know. Naked. Can you imagine that?"
- "Naked?! That's insane! That must make them easy to kill, right?"
- "Actually, that's the thing: they're not. I've heard stories about them, see? I've heard that they can take javelins through their chest, rip it out and then just throw it right back at you, before they continue to fight."
- "That's impossible!"
- "I'm not so sure. They say they take something, a drug or what-have-you, before battle that makes them impervious to pain. They'll fight till you chop their heads off. There's no other way to kill them."
- "Sweet Zeus! And we're up against these guys?!"
- "Not sure. We could be, but we just don't know. I hear lord Sarpedon's requested some spies to check out how things are. If his request is granted, then we shall know for sure. If it isn't... well, we'll find out when we get there."
- "Yeah. Hey! Don't you think Cadeyrn knows more about these guys? He's supposed to be a Galatian himself, isn't he?"
- "Yeah, you're right! We should ask him more about these guys. Perhaps he even knows if the Pontics are likely to have them in their armies?"
- "It couldn't hurt to ask."
- "Then lets go find him, shall we?"

And so they went off towards the barracks, where they knew they would find Cadeyrn training together with lord Sarpedon himself.

[GMaximus]

On the border of Kappadokia (again)

"...And look! That's a rare mountain plant, useful for curing many diseases..."

"It looks like simple grass." Polymarches raised an eyebrow, looking as the old man carefully worked with the supposedly rare plant.

"Your eye is not that of a herbalist, so let me do my work and keep your oppinion to yourself until we reach a battlefield!" The old Hellene yelled, then shooed Polymarches away from the plants. Mikithion, who was observing the plant-picking with interest, turned away quickly to hide his laughter as his spear carrier wiped the mud off his armor - the herbalist had thrown several of his less precious plants after him.

"I don't understand, why are we having this old fool follow us?"

"Because this 'old fool' is a herbalist, and herbalists can be useful in many cases. You'll be thankful we met him after we do battle with Pontos. I've heard people like him can tend to wounds with great skill." Mikithion responded, peeking over the old man's shoulder as he spoke. "And just so you know, Polymarches, our 'old fool' has a name."

"I'd be happy if Lord Mikithion shared it, as I must remind that no one else of your guard has had a lengthy conversation with our herbalist. For entirely understandable reasons, too, as no one else I know of has such a toleration for long boring rambling like my Lord, even though it seems to vanish in the court." Polymarches angrily glanced at the back of the herbalist when the old man grumbled something.

"I could swear I already introduced my new companion to everyone... Regardless, this is Lysimakes Polinedus."

"Honored to serve you, Lord Mikithion. It warms my heart that some young men are still interested in such arts." Lysimakes shot a killing glare at Polymarches at the mention of 'young men'.

My retinue grew to two people, and they already can't get along. Athena help me if it increases further...

[SwissBarbar]

The Story of

Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes





Chapter 1 - Overview

- Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes -

Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes' - born 291 BC in Seleukeia - ancestors lived in Pella and his father and grandfather fought side by side with Alexander the Great and Seleukos I Nikator, anywhere across the world.

In Arkadia at Megalopolis and defeated the unconquerable Spartans




in Ioudaia at Raphia to to put the insolent Ptolemaioi in their place




at Tyros to batter down the gates of this important phoenician City and wrest it from persian dominance




and in Phyrgia in the Massacre of Ipsos - where Antigonos I. Monophthalmos died at the hand of seleukid Soldiers





Nikarchos was young and had yet to prove his valour in battle. He studied philosophy and mathematics at the great Akademia in the capital of the Arche Seleukeia. Soon it turned out that he was a very intelligent man, sharp and charismatic. Though he was not of great vitality he grew up to a sinewy man, able to swing a sword and bend a bow.

At the age of 25 Nikarchos was appointed by the Basileus to the rank of Strategos. At the royal council the Kleronomos Basileion, Sarpedon Syriakos, invited him to join his army in Phyrgia. Greatly honoured Nikarchos set out for Ipsos, looking forward to serving his Lord and hoped he could prove himself in battle against the enemies of the Empire.

In the year of 266 BC he started with the preparations of his journey.

And so begins the story of Strategos Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes.............

[SwissBarbar]

The Story of

Nikarchos Asterias Syriakes





Chapter 2 - in preparation for the voyage to Phyrgia


Nikarchos walked trough the gates of the royal councils' residence and squinted his eyes due to the scorching sun. Divine Marduk meant it almost too good with his worshipers and let the sun burn down remorselessly.




Nikarchos rambled through the park, buried in thought, and planned his journey to Ipsos. He thought about being accompanied by all of his bodyguards and of course his servants. The journey through Kilikia an Phyriga was very dangerous, so he could use every able man available to be on his side.

And not only the men but also the gods of course! Shortly after reaching his mansion and giving all orders to his servants, he left heading the Temple of Marduk. But not the one in the City. He prefered the great Megas Naos Mordekou out-of-town. A place built by one of his ancestors.




Marduk, Lord of the Gods and master of the sky was the protector of Mesopotamia and Babylonia, where his greatest temples have been built many generations ago.

The temple guard already awaited him. So Nikarchos went to the shrine of the father of the gods and begged him for a secure voyage to Phyriga. And he hoped to find out more about his future.




For at least 2 hours he just sat there on his horse and waited for a sign of Marduk. Everything around him was silent, he didn't apperceive the noise the temple guard made nor the soft breeze on his face. There was just him and his thoughts.




He felt the presence of the divine at this place. He tried to absorb it with every fibre of his body.
And then, suddenly... he saw a dazzlingly white light in his head and a picture appeard in his mind. He had a vision...

He stood on a battlefield like a ghost with one of his bodyguards. It was a field of death, a terrible sight. Tens of thousands soldiers lay dead on the ground, there were disembodied extremities widely scattered and here and there heavily injured men screamed theirselfs hoarse. When he saw macedonian ensigns on the ground he became frightened.




What does this sign from Marduk say to him? Should it be his fate to defeat the macedonians in the west and merge them into the Seleukid empire? Or was it a sign of his own fall? After all he was of makedonian origin! Maybe he was about to become a betrayer and fight the Arche Seleukeia on the Macedonian side in order to re-establish Alexanders empire? Nah, could not imagine that, there was no man more loyal to the Arche Seleukeia than him. It must be the first of these cases...

Whatever his fate was, the future will show .....

[johnhughthom]

Two men walked out of the council chamber in Seleukeia

"Well Polyxenidos, where to?"
"Let's head back to Babylon for a few days, I wish to sleep in my own bed again... I feel you looking at me Heronius, what's wrong?"
"Just wondering, you seem to have held back the last couple of days in there. I expected you to savage young Mysiakes, remind the Basileus how you wanted to fight that large Ptolemaic army that have come back to haunt us and demand we focus on one area at a time as we seem so overstretched as you warned would happen."
"Hmmm, perhaps once I may have done so. What is the point of doing so now? The satisfaction of being right, I know when I'm right and care little if others know. No, I see myself nudging the Empire in gentle pushes. I'm a blind man, if I start shouting off about things I will be ignored as "that crazy fool who can't see." I have to be careful. Anyhow you are the one who told me not to be too harsh with that brash easterner, and you know Mikleia thinks I should tread carefully."
"Since when have you listened to what women think, even your wife?"
"Remember there was a time I wouldn't take any advice, even yours. She has grown up amongst the Greek ruling class, she knows how to get her way without drawing attention to herself. Don't worry, I won't be asking her advice on military matters, that's still your domain."

The two men walked in the direction of the stables, ready for a few days away from the politics of running an Empire.