Stories Thread

**johnhughthom** · 10-14-2008, 00:42

Two men sat beside a smouldering fire, a number of tents surrounded them, the desert sands swirled around the air. The larger man was poking the fire with an old sword.

"You can stop that Heronius, you will never get it started with all this sand flying about"
"I know that, it just gives me something to do. I am starting to grow weary of this damnable crusade. Who the hell cares what a bunch of Jews want, why didn't the Basileus just take their money and tell them to get stuffed. Bloody pagans, one God indeed..."
"You will soon change your tune when we get to Hierosolyma first old friend. Just imagine the fighting eh, first we will have to scale the walls. Then the fighting in cramped streets clambering over the fallen to get at your enemy, not knowing whether that house on your right holds cowering peasants or enemy soldiers ready to jump out at you. Finally the town square, the enemy holding tight, fighting to the last man even though they know it's hopeless, that final brutal clash as we kill them one by one"
The Corinthian veteran allowed himself a smile.
"Yes, I remember you after that battle outside Asaak. You were high for days, battle is for you what poppy and wine were for me. That was a long time ago now. Remember me when I stopped smoking? How I used to lose my temper at the slightest provocation, and snap at the simplest request? What is happening to you is similar, you haven't fought in so long you aren't yourself"
Heronius smiled again, he was fully aware of this but he didn't want to hurt his masters feelings, such insightful thoughts were rare for Lykikos
"You are right, I guess the best thing for me to do is to drive the men forward, try to win the race."
"Of course I'm right you foolish Greek, don't feel bad though, we can't all have divine blood. Becoming King of the Jews will only be the start of my rise to Godhood."

The two men stared at the fire, now completely cold, one dreaming of battle, blood and death the other wondering how he should address Athena when he finally became a fully fledged God.

**GMaximus** · 10-17-2008, 22:16

Antiocheia, City Streets

Two horsemen slowly made their way down the street. Their apparel made it quite obvious that they were not simply citizens – one of them wore fine garments, evidently Persian in design, and wore nothing more than a bronze lamellar cuirass in the way of armor. The other was clad in extravagant armor worthy of a Hetairoi.

“Just look at them, Polymarches. Going about their daily lives, only slightly aware of what plans are woven in the far away Seleukeia. Wouldn’t it be great to be so blissfully ignorant of the happenings ourselves?” The robed one gestured at the ever-shifting crowd, quickly reaching down for his pouch and tossing a coin to a nearby beggar. His companion shook his head slightly in disapproval.

“Whatever you say, Lord Mikithion.” A simple reply came.

Mikithion Kalamou Phoinikikes sighed softly. “Stop being so grumpy and enjoy the little joys of life. I’ve nearly let your ruin our visit to Athenai already, you and your mood won’t do the same to this trip.”

“Would you mind telling me where exactly will this trip take us, Lord Mikithion?” Polymarches inquired, leaning forward on his horse.

Mikithion did not hurry to respond – instead, the Strategos of Arche Seleukeia slowly tied his pouch shut, then leaned back, obviously relaxing his body. All the rest I can get. A journey to Hellas and back from Syria is exhausting. The Hellene muttered under his breath, before finally turning to his companion.

“We’ll ride north, to Kappadokia. Away from the war - we’re going to relax our body and spirit; I do not want some uneducated barbarian from Aigyptos ruining this.” Emphasis was put on the words ‘uneducated barbarian from Aigyptos’ – the otherwise calm and collected Hellene put as much venom as he could into those words.

Polymarches again shook his head in disapproval – he preferred staying close to the war, so that if need be, they could reach the stage of war quickly. Mikithion chuckled at his companion’s behaviour.

“Athena help me, Polymarches, you’re the worst companion to find at times of relative peace.”

**Celtic_Punk** · 10-18-2008, 01:33

"What the hell is that?"
"They call it a turban or something, I believe..."
"You are one strange Celt." retorted Achaikos
Cunobelinus glared at Achaikos"To Hell with you stupid Greek, look at your chapped lips. Mine are plump and beautiful!"Cunobelinus removed the piece covering his mouth to show his incredible lips, he had a ear to ear grin on his face. "All the ladies are going to be allll over me in Jerusalem."
"Enjoy the noses. Hope they won't get in the way! ha ha ha! Achaikos punched his friend in the shoulder
"Don't you think thats a myth?! Damnit I wanted to find a wife in that city. Maybe they don't all have massive noses. Its not really that bad to be honest... My son would be an exceptional hunter, with a great sense of-"
"If he can see in front of him... It might block his vision!"
"You are truly a bastard Achaikos. Where are we?"
"Good question shouldn't you know? You are supposed to be leading this army."
"

... no I am seriously lost, You honestly think I know Judea? This country is one big flipping desert! The only thing that lets you SORT of know where you are is the occasional mountain or plateau. We must find us a guide before long. I am not getting surrounded by Ptolemy before we reach Jerusalem."
"Well we were going in the right direction before the sandstorm. We stopped and didn't change direction."Achaikos took his helmet off looked around and scratched his head"Hmmmm. We should be good." His look of neutrality turned to discontent"I am beginning to regret agreeing to come with you on this trip. You said it'd be a quickie. Tarsos was a quickie. This is just gruelling, and We haven't seen a friendly face since we left Syria. I miss the whores in Tarsos."
"Heh, isn't it time you found a wife? Then again the same could be said about me... We need to find ourselves some nice girls... And not the two we found in Kypros... They were insane. I still have a scar from the blonde one!" Cunobelinus shows a huge white slashing scar going from his wrist to his elbow"In any case, I want a legitimate son. Not some son of a whore."
"right you've got a whole set of them."
"ha ha ha, of course! Don't know where they are or what they look like though..."
"All that is going to change though?" enquired Achaikos
"Of course, with a wife I'm obliged by my peoples law to be faithful. Or she can leave me! Anyway, What do you think we should do when we get to Jerusalem? Sap the walls or use Towers?"
"Two sap points. Towers if we need 'em and afford the time." Achaikos nods as does his friend.
Cunobelinus now thinking of the massive task ahead takes a sip of water and pulls the cloth back over his face.

**johnhughthom** · 10-19-2008, 00:37

A group of twenty or so horsemen were travelling along the dirty road to Damaskos. In the middle of the group two men rode together, one looking miserable the other stony faced, staring straight ahead. The angry looking man finally turned and spoke.

"A dream, a bloody dream and you turn us away within sight of the city walls."
"Don't be angry Heronius, it's hard to explain."
"I'm not angry, that's just it. Two years ago I would have expected this from you, I thought you had grown up, I thought you could begin something and follow it through. I'm simply disappointed you are just the same as you always were. As soon as you got in sight of the city and realised what was in front of you, you made up a

story about a dream and legged it. What about those soldiers who have to find a way home with no pay? What about Parthiakes? He agreed to team up with you and you go and leave him in the lurch, you may have made an enemy there you know."
"It wasn't one dream Heronius, it was the same dream every night for a week. This was before we got to Hierosolyma, and remember I have never been there in my life. When I saw the city it was exactly as it was in my dream, thats when I realised that the dream would come true if we attacked the city."
"So we have to ride away like cowards, what will they say when we get back to Babylon? "There goes Lykikos, he dreamt he was going to die and ran away." And I will get tarred with the same brush, thank you very much. If word gets back to Corinth I may as well kill myself."
"I wasn't quite honest with you Heronius, I didn't dream I was going to die. I dreamt you were."

Lykikos rode ahead as Heronius stared after him

**johnhughthom** · 10-20-2008, 15:40

A small group of horsemen rode slowly through the Ishtar Gates into the city of Babylon. At the front of the group one man carefully held the reigns of anothers horse

"Well Polyxenidos, we are finally back in Babylon."
"Yes, it still smells the same, I can catch the faint odour of poppy behind the

."
"Well, we are near your house, the smell probably lingered"
"..."
"Can you see anything, the day is bright, I have to cover my eyes from the sun."
"No, nothing. I guess I have to face the fact I am blind. My career as a Strategos is over, I will never lead an army again. I am useless, I may as well go back to my old ways, passing the day with wine, poppy and prostitutes."
"Look, we both know you were useless as a general, we got lucky near Asaak. The reinforcements coming from the city meant we were able to surround the brigands, even then your orders lost us more men than we should."
"You have a strange way of trying to cheer me up Heronius."
"I'm not trying to cheer you up, I am making sure you don't start to wallow in self pity. You are a woeful general, but you are a more than capable politician, look at how you stirred up the last council meeting with your opposition to the sacking of Alexandria and your edict to vote in the Basileus' heir. You thought you would lose your head over that but here you are, alive. You are known now, you could become a force in Seleukeia, the Basileus knows you as a man of ideas not a man of courage and tactical nous."
"You are right, again. Seleukeia is not far, perhaps my career is not over. Perhaps it is only just beginning."

The horsemen rode through the city, the blind man more confident in his movement back in the city he had lived most of his life.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Roka** · 10-20-2008, 22:48

Outside Antiocheia, a contingent of horsemen are riding towards a large army camp

"There it is! My brother's army! This brings back great memories of my younger years, so many men waiting on me to decide if and when they shall be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Arche!" The man at the head of the column, dressed in fine armour, exclaimed with a glint in his eye.
"My lord, i hear the rankers call you the invisible strategos!" The man by his side, dressed in traditional attire of a Jew replied.
"Is that so Saul? It seems i'll have to win their respect by acts of valour on the battlefield!"

**Celtic_Punk** · 10-21-2008, 15:55

"

! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
"I am sorry sir, they almost had me!"
"You cowardly Greek, you did not even have the decency to die like a man! Now you will not be seen as a traitor to the Ptolemy, but an agent working for me! Do you have any idea what this could mean?!" Cunobelinus turns to Achaikos and Alexandros "We leave Judea! Now. The Liberation armies will be taken and given to the new 'King' If he decides to remove us, we'll have to retreat to Syria. I'm going farther North to meet up with the Syrian Army. Thats well out of reach of Judea. Make arrangements, and we leave on the next morn. As for you..." Cunobelinus draws his sword and slices the saboteur's head off before any of the men could blink.

**Celtic_Punk** · 11-24-2008, 01:59

Just outside the 1st Syrian Army fort East of Sinope

"

! It's bloody cold!! Why can't we just go back to Galatia?!" Cried Achaikos, jogging on the spot.
"Quit your whining you dirty Greek. We just got here!" Laughed Cunobelinus
"

cold...

trees...

country..."
"You just don't shut up do you Achaikos? Quit yer bloody whining. You are my best friend in the entire world. But even now you are starting to tick me off. We are here for a reason... Lets enjoy it?Cunobelinus picks up some snow and throws it at Achaikos
"Ha ha ha, Ok I guess so.. I figure, War is 2 things... 80% boredom and 20% excitement. The trick is to be prepared for that 20%, right?" Achaikos theorized.
"Maybe, quit it with the philosophy, lets have some fun! Achaikos was hit square in the forehead by Cunobelinus Ha-ha-ha! Thats 2! I'm winning!"
"Alright alright... whatever you say... but for that one, I'm not going to save you stupid ass if you need it in Sinope!"The two young men continue throwing snowballs at eachother for quite some time before they are interrupted by a scout

"SIR! No evidence of Pontic forces around Sinope, It seems we have a clear run to the city! Also, Nolon was able to enter the city and the garrison is just the Pontic King. We heard that a force West of Sinope is moving east, and could possibly reinforce the King."
"Hmmmm, We move now! We don't have time to wait for Alexandros and Anyon here. We'll make seige and wait for them there, but we must be quick to prevent that Army from digging in the city, or else they will hold the walls, and we will never get in. Achaikos, prepare the men, tell them we move out at dawn. The young Commander smirks Alexandros better hurry his ass up!"

**GMaximus** · 11-26-2008, 15:48

Ankyra, Streets

"Isn't it great, Polymarches, to trod around the city we won by our sweat and blood? Glorious conquerors enjoying the fruits of their work." Mikithion sighed, leaning back on his horse. Lysimakes was nowhere to be seen - the old man was not a warrior, and he had stayed behind in the camp, wandering off to collect some herbs as the battle raged. This only made Mikithion less worried about his herbalist, as the old man seemed to be protected by the Gods during his wandering. On their road to Ipsus, for example, Lysimakes wandered off away from the group during the night, and returned only next morning, when Mikithion had lost all hope of meeting the old herbalist again.

Polymarches simply nodded. The Spear Carrier seemed to be in a good mood - he was a man of battle, and the storming of Ankyra apparently made his week. To the point he actually allowed Lysimakes get away with wandering off and not comming to battle without any grumbling, something his Hellene lord made note and approved of.

"I wonder how is Alexander doing in Seleukeia... He never struck me as the diplomatic sort, but he seems to really enjoy traveling a lot." The Spear Carrier finally grumbled under his nose. This time, it was Mikithion who did not answer.

After a moment of silence, Mikithion and Polymarches made their way to the gate that the Peltastai under Mikithion had battered open. Slowly, Mikithion dismounted his horse, walking through the still open gate. Plymarches followed, also dismounted. The battle was just won, and no one had even moved the ram away yet.

"Send someone to congratulate Kleronomos Sarpedon of this victory and his slaying of the Pontic general - if rumors have it correctly, he killed the fool himself. And find Lysimakes - I'll be at ease to know the old man is fine." With those words, Mikithion dropped on the grass, leaned against the wooden wall and moved his helmet on his eyes, falling asleep soon after. Polymarches could only shrug at such an odd choice for rest and go off to carry out the orders. He dealt with it quickly, then immediately returned to watch over the sleeping Mikithion - after all, there was no telling what the Keltoi that still inhabbited this town could come up with.

**Alerion** · 12-04-2008, 01:28

At the border to Ptolemaoi Territory, south of Sidon

Strategos Theodoros Syriakos moved around in his command tent, waiting for the messenger he called. His bodyguard was stationed outside and suddenly a man opened the entrance to state: "He's here, Sire."

Theodoros looked up: "Well, let him in, Akhaios." The bodyguard nodded and guided a young man into the tent. The messenger bowed before his master and asked: "Sire, where do you need to send me? Seleukia?" Theodoros shook his head and smiled. "Nowhere, young Alexander. I just need your clothes."
"My clothes..."
"Yes, Alexander, your clothes. The Royal council is coming together for the regular session and I need to be there. I cannot let the Egyptians think that the leader of this army has left it. They might take that chance to attack and though I fully trust my captains here to be able to defeat some Ptolemaoi swine I'd regret not having the chance to slaughter some myself. You have about my stature and therefore are going to replace me here." Theodoros approached the boy and gave him a pat on the back. "You will live the life of a Strategos for some time. You are lucky." He smiled. "Of course you will not be in command here, but it will look like you were. Anytime you are outside this tent, you will behave as though you were me. Captain Sositratos will command the army while I am gone. Any questions?" Alexander looked like as though he wanted to say something but he couldn't think of what so Theodoros just continued: "Wonderful. Now let us exchange our garments."

As soon as it was done Alexander was dressed in the armor of a Seleukian general and Theodoros himself looked just like a little messenger. "Now, where is your horse, Alexander?"
"My horse, Sire?" Theodoros sighed. "Yes, Alexander your horse. Do you think any enemy would believe that I would give my trusty warhorse to a lowly messenger? No offence meant." Alexander nodded, finally understanding his face lightened up: "I will watch over your horse with care. Mine is right behind the tent of your personal servants. It might not be as glorious as yours but it will carry you swiftly to the council and back here."
"Great. Now let us go outside, so you can order your servant to deliver a message to Seleukia." Again Alexanders face took the form of a question mark and Theodoros was just about to sigh again when the boy understood. He smiled and the two of them walked outside where Theodoros bowed before his 'master' and then moved to the servant's tent, took the horse and rode off into the northeast, all under the watchful eyes of ptolemaoi spies.

**Roka** · 12-20-2008, 20:09

Nikanor Kybiosaktes is sitting in the garden of his house in Hieroselyma enjoying a jug of wine with his most trusted friend, and mentor Phillipos

"So Niko, you have clearly impressed the Basileus." Phillipos said, draining his up of wine
"Yes, my friend, it would seem that I have. I just hope i can repay the trust he has shown in me by leading the men well." Replied the Makedon.
"You'll do fine my boy...."

**YouHaveRecieved** · 12-22-2008, 22:23

Personal Journal of Phormion Epiphaneion Armeniakon, Winter 262 BC

I am starting this journal in hope that one day it will be read and remembered by historians of the future and my families name be remembered throughout history. I am Phormion Epiphaneion, Strategos of the Arche Seleukeia. Around a month ago I was promoted to the rank of Strategos. I suppose it was because of my growing public awareness and my skills in running little towns and villages.

My family can be traced back through the ages. My grandfather, a Macedonian, fought for the Megas Alexandros during his war against the Persians. He was young then and quickly rose in ranks and quickly became one of the highest commanding officers of the cavalry in the whole army. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately depending on how you view it) he broke a rib where his own armour had punctured a hole in his chest. It wasn’t life threatening but he decided it was the end of his military career. At this time he was a middle aged man of around 30, so he went to the biggest city furthest away from his old life, Babylon.

Two generations later and I am the heir of the Armeniakon’s family name. My father lives out the rest of his days in Babylon, reading histories of wars and battles. Like his father before him he was a commander of me, this time leading the Phalangites. He ended up lower in rank than his predecessor but respected all the same.

I on the other hand, failed all school classes my father sent me to, seemed too dull to warrant a place in a military school. Instead I was left to run the family armourer business in which I succeeded well in. My father worked hard to get me elected as a local magistrate and eventually I moved up to take charge of a minor area near the mountains in Assyrie.

The region held local election for a Strategos and I won by a convincing margin. I inherited a handful of seasoned veterans for bodyguards, all of them big and imposing. The only I have came to know well is my clerk, who I had sent to Seleukeia to act as my scribe. I was surprised when he returned a few days later with a message from the Basileus to attend the Royal Council.

This is where I am now, sat in a backroom of a brothel with a prostitute asleep next to me. Tomorrow I ride to Edessa, gather my troops and ride for Persepolis.