<<<<<[Casticos]>>>>>>
Casticos looked down on the village with disdain. It’s not worth it, he thought. Judging from the size and the number of huts, the town had an estimated population of four hundred to four hundred and fifty. If this town had a militia, they could put up a stiff fight against the Boii warband. Plus the settlement was small. There was no way it could support the large number of displaced settlers following the Boii.
Casticos shuffled on his knees to get a better look. More people were moving. A shop keeper was dragging his cart out from behind his shed. A man, accompanied by two young men and a child, left out of the east end of the town, heading towards a wheat field on the side of the hill. Everyone seemed to be getting an early start to the day.
Casticos had begun to back up when he heard a horn trumpet. Casticos dropped to his stomach and watched. A yell accompanied by a chorus of grunts followed. A group of about forty men ran from one of the large buildings and started to run around the town square. The men where whooping in unison and stomping their feet on every other step. After approximately three minutes of that, they turned and marched out the north side of the village and headed down the path towards the forest.
A flash of horror jumped down his spine. The militia was heading towards the Boii camp. Casticos slowly backed his way back down the hill and dashed back towards the camp.
<<<<<<<<[Arnthur]>>>>>>>>
The chirping of the birds awoke Arnthur with a start. They where such beautiful birds that he laid in bed for a few minutes before he realized his brothers were stirring. Arnthur pushed the blanket from his body and stepped into his sandals. He blindly reached for his tunic and pulled it over his head.
As he groped for the door in the early light, the doorway flipped open and his father burst in. He embraced his son in what could only be called a bear hug. He backed away and tousled his hair.
“Well son, seven winters ago, you were a wee one” Thresu grinned to his son. He gave him another hug and smiled again. “Now, just because it is your birthday, does not mean you can slack off. We are going to go up to the fields today, and you are going to help us cut the wheat.”
“Yay!!! Thank you Papa” Arnthur jumped up and down. Thresu grabbed Arnthur’s hand as they walked into the great room. Arnthur’s two brothers were already waiting when they walked in. They picked up the scythes and stepped into the morning air.
Birds were singing their songs and the wilderness was making its music. People were waking up. Rasce the merchant was setting up his shop and yelling at his wife. Always bickering those two. The daily horn bellowed and the telltale roars signaled the beginning of the morning training of the militia. More yells and roars implied that the militia was not waking up fast enough for Verix.
Arnthur’s father took the main road and left the village to the east. The wheat field on the hillside was like a golden patch on the quilt-work of the earth. The sight always made him gasp. Just as he did so, the sun rose over the hill and blinded him. As he looked away, towards the hill, he caught sight of movement in the bushes on the northwest hill. Probably a deer, he thought.
>>>>>>>[Venthi]<<<<<<<
The horn woke him as usual. Always that stupid horn. It always seemed to blare on such inopportune moments, especially when he was dreaming. For once in his life, Venthi wanted to sleep in. Just to feel what it felt like to feel rested. Today was not that day.
The horn blared again and again, this time closer. Finally it blared right in his ear and caused him to jump from his bed. His eyes opened only to have them closed in anguish when he was gifted with a vicious kick to the gut. He looked up at the grizzled soldier and grinned. He received a bloody mouth in exchange.
“Don’t you look at me like that, you slave!!!!” Verix roared. “Stand up!!!” Venthi stood sleepily. “You do this again and I’ll have you executed!!!”
“Yes Sir!!” replied Venthi who was not the least bit amused. He scratched his rear before returning to attention. The men all stood in an orderly line. The bunks surrounded them on either side. Wool blankets lay thrown everywhere. The only sound was the slight drip of the well.
“MOVE OUT!!!” Yelled Verix, as he sounded the horn again.
“HOO WAH!!” replied the unit. They formed an orderly line as they jogged out of the barracks. On the way out each man picked up his spear from the collection bucket next to the door, and slung on their shields from the wall outside the building. They did approximately four or five laps around the town center before jogging out to the north entrance of town.
<<<<<<<[Casticos]>>>>>>>
The Ligurians were getting closer. Their foot falls were getting more powerful. Casticos and the other twenty Boii were hiding in the forest. Each warrior was equipped with his finely honed sword and a large thureos shield. A small leather cuirass and a helm finished off the protective clothing. Another twenty waited on the other side of the clearing. They were the scum of the army, each being equipped for a light fight. No armor and a small spear. The ambush would be perfect.
The ligurians had slowed their pace and were looking around suspiciously. Casticos took a step back further into the darkness of the wood. Casticos marked his man. He would go for the one with the armor and the red hair. A Celt no doubt. He would most likely be the only warrior worth fighting.
Suddenly, the Celt bellowed something in their foul tongue. Then the men formed a circular formation. Spears pointed out and shields covering from shoulder to thigh. Casticos realized they had been discovered. He smashed his sword into his own shield and ordered the charge. They threw themselves into the ligurian formation. Shield and bone smashed into each other.
The first ligurian was hacked down by Dumnon. The wound started from the left shoulder down to his sternum. The boy fell backwards on the soldier behind him and caused the entire formation to falter. Man after man fell. The morale of the ligurians was begging to waver.
Finally Casticos found the Celtic officer. Dumnon reached him first. The brave warrior charged Dumnon and gutted him. Dumnon fell on his knees and was quickly decapitated. The move was so smooth that it could be compared to slicing through warm butter. Casticos, seeing his friend killed, jumped on the red haired warrior. The man savagely kicked Casticos in the groin and forced him off of him. Casticos rolled away and glared up at the Celt.
The officer towered over Casticos. Just as his sword reached where Casticos’ head should have been, he rolled out of the way. The Celt was stunned. Casticos jumped from the ground and smashed his sword into the skull of the soldier. As the skull caved in, blood sprayed from the mouth and nose of the officer.
>>>>>>>[Venthi]<<<<<<<
Venthi was bored. Running every day was really beginning to get on his nerves. He failed to see as to why running is helpful for war. Killing was all one needed, in his opinion. Running was a waste of energy and sweat. He would rather walk to the training area.
He glanced over at the woods and gasped. A glint of light caught his attention. He reached forward and tapped six times on his comrade’s shoulder; the typical sign for an ambush. The next shoulder was tapped until it reached Verix. The officer reached into his flaming hair and whistled the call of the quail.
The unit slowed its pace began to walk. Venthi fingered his spear and grasped it strongly. Suddenly war seemed scary. War was not something that the ligurians were used to. Venthi began to shiver.
Suddenly, Verix gave the hand signal to stop,
“Hedgehog Formation!” Verix bellowed, over the march.
Venthi stopped walking and joined his brethren in making the formation. He took his rehearsed place in the formation. He looked into the woods and strained his eyes to see how many they would be facing.
Venthi jumped when a loud bang cracked through the air. A roar of anger echoed the bang as soldiers jumped form the woods and charged the ligurians. A large barbarian crashed into the line and cleaved Thefarie in two. Blood gushed onto the crazed warrior and seemed to invigorate him. As Thefarie fell, the row he occupied fell. The Gaul jumped on the next warrior and ripped his stomach open.
Venthi was awakened from his astonishment when a sword glanced his shield. Venthi’s reaction was fast; he whipped his spear from its down position and sliced into the throat of a charging enemy, throwing him back into the dust in a bloody puddle. Just as Venthi turned, another sword swiped past his head and nicked his ear. The ligur reached forward and tore his fist into the face of the Gaul. Enraged by his attack, the barbarian leaped at Venthi and attempted to stab him in the gut. Venthi sidestepped the attack and jumped behind the attacker. Before his adversary had a chance to regain his footing, Venthi viciously kicked him on the back and sent his muscular body sprawling in the dirt. Venthi stabbed him in the back before he could regain his composure.
Just then, Venthi looked up from his foe and looked for the Suebi, Verix. Just then a roar thundered over the din. Venthi looked forward towards the sound’s maker and saw Verix’s head implode in a bloody mess. Venthi gaped at the sight of his leader’s demise. He never thought that such a strong man as Verix could be killed.
Suddenly someone yelled retreat. The Ligurians took flight and began a mad dash towards the village. In the confusion that ensued, a few men were trampled underneath their comrades’ feet. Venthi ran with all his might.
As he ran he was struck by something. A spear dug itself into his leg. As it dug itself into his leg, it popped his knee cap out of joint and dislocated his knee. He smashed face first into the dirt track, some three hundred feet from the town. He painfully rolled him self over and looked up towards the sun. Venthi struggled to reach for his spear as he realized that a Gaul was running towards him.
<<<<<<<[Casticos]>>>>>>>
The Ligurians had broken. Someone had screamed something and the wave of panic spread. They dashed form the wood and began their decent down the hill back towards the village.
“CHARGE!!!” Roared Casticos as he thundered down the hill. The other Boii rallied to his voice and stampeded after the ligurians.
Anyone who did not want to fight was left with the wounded. The wounded were left to be retrieved by the shamans of the tribe. Dead were of no use to the Boii. Of course, not many were dead. Few were dangerously wounded. They were in the hands of the gods.
A few of the ligurians turned to fight, but were hacked down by the wave of barbarians. One older warrior turned and killed two Boii before being overcome. The others were not so skilled. Most died.
By now, screams could be heard from the village. A few horses could be seen dashing from the town into the forest to the south of the village. A few villagers seemed to be gathering to fight back. Such a futile effort.
Casticos marked a new target. He chose a younger one running shortly in front of him. Casticos reached down and pulled appear from the body of a dead ligurian and threw it. The spear drove itself into the back of the knee joint of his target. This brought him to the ground. Blood spattered the grass around his body and caused him to slip. Casticos pressed onward and drove his sword into the boy as he rolled over.
>>>>>>[Arnthur]<<<<<<
Screams shattered the crisp morning air. Arnthur looked up from the field and looked towards the source. He saw people charging down the hillside and people falling. He turned and looked for his father and brothers. They too, were staring at the hill. But they looked different from Arnthur. While Arnthur had a look of confusion, they had something quite different…fear
“Father! What is going on?” Arnthur pleaded with his father. Thresu ran forward and grabbed Arnthur in his arms. Arnthur screamed. “Father, what is happening!!!??”
Thresu ran towards his horse. He tossed Arnthur on top of it and called for his sons.
“They are coming, look” He said as he pointed down the hill towards a group of barbarians coming up the hill towards the field. He told Arnthur’s brothers to get their horses fast.
“You must ride. Do not stop until you reach Patavium. Understand? Do not stop. You life depends upon it!” He ordered his children. Arnthur pleaded with father.
“Nooo. I don’t want to go. Papa. Please. Don’t go. I don’t want to leave you!”
“No son. Go!!” He stated as he smacked the horse and made it gallop. Arnthur’s brothers followed and took hold of the reins of Arnthur’s horse.
Arnthur looked back at his father. He was walking calmly towards the people coming up the hill. He picked up the rusty old scythe and stepped out of the field. The other men broke into a run and charged Thresu. He raised the scythe and brought it down, hard, on the first one. Unfortunately, he missed the second. He fell with four swords stabbed into his chest.
Arnthur began to cry…
[I know that this has a lack of screens but, it is kinda hard to make the screens match the story. Screens should be included in part 2]
Re: "Ambrones: People of the Water"---An Epic Ligurian AAR
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