Event 4 - The End of the World we know!

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Event 4 - The End of the World we know!

This is what Cunobelinus' pilgrimage was all about.
Not power, not lust, not even money or fame.
Freedom.
The Basileus had grown into a tyrant, and not only did his old fashioned beliefs encroach upon the freedom of the people, but his neglect of the outlying settlements had forged a dangerous instability throughout the empire.
They were old friends, the Celt and the King.
But the next time they met face to face they would be enemies.
Cunobelinus had been very quiet about what he'd been planning, keeping it between the few men he had working for him.
He was not even going to assume the throne himself.
Instead he had a relative of Antioch with a claim to the throne who would take control.
Cunobelinus and his close friend Aratos would serve as protectors of the state, assuring that a repeat of Sarpedon's rule or worse would never happen again.
It was the will of the Gods. Freedom for all, it was Cunobelinus who would serve as arbiter for the Gods in this righteous task.
The future of the Eastern world rested on his shoulders.
Was he prepared to meet the challenge?

Event Rules

1. All players must declare neutrality or swear loyalty to the Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos (The Celtic Viking) or to the Rebellion. All declarations must be made in this thread. Players who declare neutrality may not join in the war later on, their role in the game is over and they will become simple spectators. Anyone who swears loyalty to either side of this Civil War will be considered an ally of that side and will join any nearby battles on that side of the Civil War. All players must also state whether they are willing to fight multiplayer battles or whether they prefer Tabletop Battles. People will have 5 real days to pick a side and decide whether they want to gather units or move during the first round.

2. Every movement round, all players will submit movement orders by PM to Ibn-Khaldun indicating where they want to move their avatar on the game map. Instead of stating the exact spot where you wish to move, players should indicate the province you are marching to. Each Army can move 3 provinces per movement round. All movements will be considered to take place simultaneously after all PMs have been received. Ibn-Khaldun will move all units in the game himself.

3. Players may choose to gather units during this Event by not moving for a single turn. When this turn is complete (after any battles have been fought), any player who chooses this option will have every unit gathered into his army.This includes all units in city garrisons, forts and captain led stacks. This does not include units owned by allies. As this may result in armies larger than 20 units (the maximum size of a stack), the normal rules allowing a player to control only a single stack are abolished. Any units in excess of 20 will march alongside the avatar's main stack and will participate in any battles the main stack fights. However, players may not have more than 1 additional stack during this Event.
3.a. Gathering units

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

(A)Rebels can gather units from every province they enter if they so choose. In that case all units in that province will go through a loyalty test(Die roll 1-3=Loyalists;Die roll 4-6=Rebels). Loyalist units will be disbanded. Rebels can't recruit any new units during this Event.
(B)Basileus can gather units from every province he enter if he so choose. However, units gathered by Basileus will not go through loyalty test. Basileus can also decide to recruit a unit(per turn) instead of gathering existing ones from the province. Also, at the start of this Event Basileus can recruit 3 units from any province he have directly under his rule. Allies of the Basileus can gather units in normal way but they don't have the ability to recruit units.

4. No recruitment(except noted in Rule 3), construction, diplomacy, or other such typical TW in-game activities will occur during the Event. It will consist exclusively of movement of military units and battles. The game year will not advance during the Event, and all movements will be made using console commands.

5. Battles will be fought whenever Ibn-Khaldun determines that two or more armies loyal to either side of Civil War participants have entered into the same province. All battles will be fought according to the normal rules PvP Battles, with the following exceptions:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

(A) The type of battle (Multiplayer, Tabletop) will be determined by the preferences of the participants, not a general vote.
(B) All players must tell the Umpire at the start of the battle whether they will surrender or fight to the death if faced with such a situation. This decision will be permanent for the duration of the battle and cannot be reversed. Players who die in a battle will be permanently killed off and will not be allowed to respawn with a new avatar.
(C) No player will receive any reward (units, traits, or ancillaries) as the result of a battle.
(D) Players will have exclusive control of all units they owned at the start of a battle, though control of units can also be voluntarily handed over to allied avatars who are present in the same battle. Players may use their units in any way they see fit during a battle, including attacking their allies.
(E) Surviving generals on the losing side can choose to switch sides after the battle is completed, taking their surviving units with them. Those who have survived by withdrawing from the field can keep their loyalty and attempt to escape in the next movement phase. Those who have survived by being captured must change their loyalty or be executed or imprisoned, both of which will permanently remove that avatar from further participation in the Event.
(F) When a Basileus is captured or killed The Rebel side will choose a new Basileus and thus will end this Event.

6. The side who wins(either Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos or the newly elected Basileus by the Rebel side) will be allowed to write the epilogue to the game, determining the future of the Arche Seleukeia in whatever manner he deems appropriate.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Event Story is written by Celtic Punk.

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

I, Strategos Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes Throw in my lot with the true Basileus of Arche Selukeia, Sarpedon Syriakos. I have let one Rebellion pass me by already, and will not just sit back for the second. LONG LIVE THE BASILEUS!!!!

[johnhughthom]

Zelys Lykikos announces his neutrality and retirement from public life.

[Celtic_Punk]

Cowards!

[MerlinusCDXX]

The Kingdom of Persia hereby announces that her way forward to her rightful place in history cannot be realized under the current Basileios of the Arche Seleukeia. We approach Pharaoh Aratos and the Strategos from Galatia in friendship, and indeed will offer our friendship to the next Basileios of Seleukeia, whom I understand to be a great warrior and a true statesman besides. We have been left to our own devices, so we do not see the need to bend the knee to a King not of our people who will not defend us. We hereby offer the flower of our military might to assist the mighty Pharaoh and his men to retake the Arche for its people, however, the Kingdom of Persia shall find her own path to the greatness she once possessed. Unlike the previous Achaemenid kings, we bear the Hellenes no rancor, and would gladly offer our hand in friendship, that we may cooperate as peace loving nations do and pursue prosperity for our respective peoples.

Sincerely, Shahanshah Phanias I of Parthava

[Incitatus]

Alexandros Syriakos hereby announces his loyalty to the rebel cause and defies the pretender Basileus Sarpedon to defeat the invincible 1st Syrian Army.

[Celtic_Punk]

The Pretender Basilius must die for the freedom of the entire Arche. Any who leave the side of the Basileus will be treated as a friend, and all that stay neutral shall aswell. We do not ask any of you to join our battle. We ask you to stay at your homes with your families and defend your homes from the Basileus. I fear for you if we fail in our righteous task that the Basileus will seek you out as enemies. Your freedom will be forever insured when we establish a new state and order to the land. There will be total change within the system freedmen will be truely free from now on. This uprising is not usurpation. All of you can see that the basileus is abandoning his satraps. Lydia was basically undefended! I personally had to break the basileus' law to insure protection of the Satrapy of Egypt. Persia has been left on her own for decades. We must act now to insure prosperity and safety of all we claim it is our job to protect and SERVE as council members. If you join the Basileus, you fight against freedom for the common good man. I am a freedman myself, and now I have become an accomplished General and Governor of an important city. Does this not show that we can accomplish so much more if we treat the common man as an equal and is given equal chance to those who happened to be born into money? Most of the best men I've known in my life were dirt poor, and have never known the life of luxury all of the council memebers are privvy to. You all shall face judgement, the Basileus has reached his court date.

Duty
Honour
Sacrifice

Cunobelinus

[Cultured Drizzt fan]

What is this hypocrisy you speak of? Is it not due to these very civil wars that places like Lydia have been left defenseless? Persia has been left to her own devices under the expert care of Phanias, a man who has been chancellor more times than can be counted. To say it has been hung out to dry is the words of a fool. If you are a freedman than why do you fight against a man who has shown you nothing then kindness? Your cause is a shame, you ideals weak. The Basileus has done his best to make all heard, and has shown nothing but kindness to his people. He has given us things other rulers would not dare, has given us more freedom than many, and this is how you see fit to repay him. I promise you that it will be YOU who falls in this war, and I pray you live through it to see how much better our Basileus makes the Arche after your fall.

Death to the Traitors!

[Celtic_Punk]

Then you are a lost soul. And a coward who has not lifted a finger for years. Your council is nothing to be heeded. I will seek much wiser men than you in matters of importance. You are a weak mind, sheep to the slaughter, led by a greedy snake in the grass. The General Cunobelinus is a wise and cunning man. Charged by God on a sacred duty to bring change to the long oppressed East He is a pawn to the gods!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

actual trait I decided to play loool

The future of the Arche is a number of states within a confederacy for mutual protection from outside threats. Each nation will govern her own affairs her own way. Borders will stay the same, and free trade without tariffs between states will insure a powerful economy in the confederacy. The only catch is by law in times of emergency of an outside or internal threat to the saftey of any state, states would have to provide soldiers. A general would be nominated from each state, and the commanders would be elected by representatives from each state. Does this system not seem much more like liberty than the Egotistical maniac, who's connections to the makedonians and stall to take on the Makedonians is quite suspect. Don't let the sooth talker fool you. Return to your family.

[MerlinusCDXX]

Who are you? I address the one who spoke of hypocrisy. I was not aware of your presence during the recent troubles. Would your name even be known if the tyrant didn't need another stooge to lead an army into Mikra Asia while he robs the Arche with his expensive toys. Boy, I have served as the Chancellor since before you were born, so I've seen first hand how he robs the Arche. Do you not think that it pained me every time good young men died because he spent the m'nai on frivolities, every time cities withered on the vine due to lack of m'nai wasted on paying men to don armor and march around. Do not speak to me of hypocrisy until you have agonized over deaths that you had the money to prevent snatched away from you by a tyrant. That is why I support the Celt's vision, and throw my lot with the Pharaoh. You fool, if you support that powermad brat, you sign your own death warrant, even if there were no opposition. His father is the one we should be looking to for an example of wise kingship, gods rest his soul. The boy is not half the man his father was. Megas Antiochos was a true friend of mine, and a great man. As for the brat, him I owe no more blood other than his own.

[The Celtic Viking]

"'Powermad'? Me?! Don't make me laugh, you old fool. My father gave you a satrapy, and I gave you lots of freedom, not only within your own satrapy, but within my kingdom as well. Your thanks for this is shown by taking up arms against me because you want even more, and yet somehow the 'powermad' person here is I?! I who have only ruled my kingdom as is my divine right, and have let people who have no such authority in on the decision making progress? I, who have upheld and honoured the Council that my own father created, giving other people a chance to help decide things they have no right to decide except through my good will?

Your lies would be far more believable if they weren't clinically insane. The hypocrisy is self-evident to anyone with half a brain, and no man of honour would follow the foolish barbarian, who knows nothing of honour himself, into this shameful uprising of criminal thugs and would-be tyrants.

For make no mistake: tyrants is exactly what they wish to be, even though with their forked tongues they would have you believe otherwise. But how could you trust them? These are people who for how long have been saying they were loyal to me, before stabbing me in my back. How could you believe them when they say they won't stab you in your your back as well? Their actions show their words can't be trusted, and their actions say the want power for themselves. Not to forget, either, is the fact that the man leading this rebellion is a Celt of all possible people! Have you forgotten what happened after Pyrrhos trusted them?

On the other hand, I, unlike them, have always kept my word. I promised the generals of the Kingdom of the Crescent that, if they laid down their weapons prior to taking to battle against me, they would receive a full pardon and be reinstated into my kingdom with no dishonour left on their record. When Hermokrates Parthikos did, I honoured my promise, spared his life has have spoken no ill of him, and permitted no one to speak ill of him on account to those dealings. My word you can trust. Theirs you cannot. To do so now would be the hight of gullibility.

There is no doubt that if these shameless liars and godless parasites would get to have it their way, all that Megas Alexandros fought for - and that I have fought to reclaim - would be lost. His great accomplishments would be all but lost, never to return. He would come as a destroyer, not a liberator; a defiler, not a cleanser; a bringer of death and famine, not of life and plenty. To align yourself to him is to align yourself to doom, and there can be no worse blasphemy against righteousness and good.

The people need a strong leader. The gods know it, Megas Alexandros knew it - hell, even the the most uneducated barbarian should know this. It is evident through the history of the world, and it is no surprise or coincidence that even the gods themselves need a king to rule the others. Amongst gods, Zeus holds that divine right, amongst men, I do: my legitimacy as Basileus cannot be put into question. Without a king, a strong man for the people to look up to, the populace all over the lands would've erupted in hubris-driven rebellions - such as is happening now. It is, if anything, obvious that I allowed these men too much freedom and leisure for their own good.

I would advice people not to be fooled by the Fool of Fools, or the Pharaoh of Aigyptos, who is nothing but a barbarian usurper, giving his own people a bad name."

[Celtic_Punk]

You've abandoned your own generals to ruin. Borders are undefended, and You sat idly while Lydia was attacked by your friends the Makedonnes. Explain yourself hypocrite! DESPOT! TYRANT! LIAR! THIEF! You call my general a barbarian and a savage, but you no nothing of his culture. A culture that looks up to truth, sacrifice, and a sense of duty, and honour. You've grown jealous of your old friend's glory in battle. He has no intention of ruling this land, and has stated that already. Do you not think the people would do something if all of a sudden he usurped the throne? You are the snake in the grass! Be mindful fellow men! Freedom has a price. The Gods have come to collect. And Sarpedon's black soul is on the bill.

[MerlinusCDXX]

Ha, your true colors show, you arrogant Makedone. "If it goes that you are meant to rule the world, does it follow that others wish to be slaves?" You seem to forget that I AM A BARBARIAN YOU SPOILED FOOL. I've heard your views on "the Eastern rabble" and how they don't matter. You "fortunate sons" of Alexandros' generals are all the same, claiming a divine right to an empire you didn't build, so it was with Ptolemy, so it is with Antigonos, and so it is with you. You forget that the Arche was built for you before you were sparkle in your daddy's eye. And it shows. You treat it like a personal toy. You speak of Alexandros as if his land grabbing adventurism was a good thing. We are sick of you arrogant Makedones acting as if Persia was your ancestral homeland. Your culture is not ours, your values are not ours, and your speech is not ours. No one invited you Makedones here. Oh sure, we were willing to put up with you, for a while, but YOUR mismanagement of OUR land changed that.

[Celtic_Punk]

The future of the Arche will be carved up into states that mirror the differentiating cultures of the Arche itself. Bablyonians will govern themselves, as will the Egyptians, Jews, Galatia, and Persians. Borders will be held by amalgamated armies of all states, and led by an elected general. Antiochus' Syrian dynasty will stay in Syria. Alexandros, will govern his people. But you, Sarpedon... You have a choice. Get the hell out of here like the Coward you are or die on field of honour. If you had any sense of duty to your country you'd challenge the General to a one on one fight, face to face. But we all know who'd win. And we all know you are too afraid. You won't be the first King that General Cunobelinus has felled. Hopefully you will have to be the last.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

1.

Rebels moved fast to secure their holdings and gather more troops under their banner. One of the Rebels leaders, Arrhenides "Cunobelinus" Gedrosianos, Took his troops and moved north to Alexandria. Satrap Aratos Arethousas Syriakes, long time friend of Cunobelinos, declared himself neutral in this Civil War. The same illness that made him stay away from governing his Satrapy had come back. Arrhenides' plan to get all units currently in Alexandreia under his command failed. Some soldiers were still loyal to Basileus Sarpedon and refused to surrender but in a bloody battle on the streets of Alexandreia they were all killed.

In south, Alexandros Syriakos moved with his army, former 1st Syrian, to Diospolis-Megale. Pantodapoi unit from it's garrison joined Alexandros but Toxotai unit refused to do that. They decided to disband their unit instead.

Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes, Shahanshah of Persia as he called himself, moved with his army to Asaak. It's garrison welcomed Phanias as their Commander and on that night great feast was held. However, next morning revealed that two units of Pantodapoi were gone. Investigation showed that those poor Greek settlers had returned their homes.

Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos reinforced his Royal Army with Asiatikoi Hippakontistai from Karkatiokerta and then moved to Sidon. Fleet with Thorakitai units had just arrived there and garrisoned the city. Using his personal funds Sarpedon recruited Hippeis Thessalonikoi and some Curepos to reinforce Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes' army.

Euandros had planned to head west against Mekedonians but this Civil War changed his plans and he moved to Antiocheia. There he gathered it's small garrison and made them part of his army.

Now, on this spring the fate of Arche Seleukeia will be decided..

Arche Seleukeia


Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Rebels


Arrhenides "Cunobelinus" Gedrosianos

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Alexandros Syriakos

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Current Map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Provinces under Basileus' control
Provinces under Rebel control
AS provinces besieged by Makedonia
AS provinces besieged by Ptolemaioi

From the besieged settlements you can't gather units. Also, You can not attack besieging armies.

I would like to receive movement orders within the next 24 hours.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

2.

In east, Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes have marched to Alexandreia-Ariane to gather his troops garrisoning the town. He currently have under his command the largest army in Arche Seleukeia.

In west, Arrhenides "Cunobelinus" Gedrosianus and Alexandros Syriakos joined their forces near Alexandreia. This was a wise decision since soon they received reports from scouts that two large armies are heading towards Alexandreia.

Those two armies were led by Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos and Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes. Sarpedon had recruited a small number of Iodaioi Taxeis into his army. He also ordered Thorakitai units from Sidon to join his army and headed south. Near the border of Ioudaia Euandros finally catch Sarpedon and their two armies entered Delta Neilou together.

A battle will be fought.. A battle that could either end Rebellion or Basileus Sarpedons rule..

Arche Seleukeia


Basileus Sarpedon Syriakos

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes

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Rebels


Arrhenides "Cunobelinus" Gedrosianos

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Alexandros Syriakos

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes

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Captain Arrhidaios

Current Map:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Provinces under Basileus' control
Provinces under Rebel control
AS provinces besieged by Makedonia
AS provinces besieged by Ptolemaioi
Battle location -

From the besieged settlements you can't gather units. Also, You can not attack besieging armies.

OOC: I will try to get the map and battle details up this evening.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

3.

The second day of the Battle of Delta Neilou is shrouded with mysteries. Not much is known what happened then and most of the information comes from people who lived 2-3 centuries after these events. Also, fire in the Library of Alexandria in 48 BC destroyed many documents from those troubled times in Arche Seleukeia.

The following is brief summary on what happened after the Battle of Delta Neilou by majority of historians:

On the second day of the battle Basileus Sarpedon attacked weakened Rebel armies commanded by Arrhenides Gedrosianus (aka Cunobelinus) and Alexandros Syriakos. It was a massacre for both sides but Basileus' fresh barbarian infantry(including his feared Gaesatae) decided the fate of this battle. Cunobelinus was killed but not before he managed to wound Basileus Sarpedon. His son Hippolochos Gedrosianos went west and became mercenary. He fought almost in every major battle there from 240BC to 212BC. It's been said that he fell when he tried to protect Archimedes in Syracuse.

After his defeat Alexandros moved south hoping to gather another army. He was captured by locals near Memphis who handed him to the Basileus of the Ptolemaic Empire(or what was left of it). Most likely he was killed soon after that.

Sarpedon Syriakos died about month after that battle. His body was brought to Antioch where he was buried in a Mausoleum near the coast. During the turbulent times of 11th and 12th Century it's building blocks were used to build a castle near by.

After Sarpedons death rebellions and uprisings spread all over the empire. Euandros Stratonikeias Karikes spent his last years fighting against all these rebels and usurpers. He was killed by Diognetos Syriakos, son of Sarpedon and later known as Seleukos II Kallinikos, because Euandros had become too strong and was too difficult to control.

In east Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes, Shahanshah Phanias I of Parthava, conquered in the following years Persia and most of the Arche Seleukeia eastern provinces. His armies made constant attacks against Mesopotamian cities. However his empire collapsed when he died of old age just before his great campaign against Seleukeia and Babylon. His multi-national army returned to their homes and Great Parthava was quickly destroyed by it's neighbors. His son Laomedon Laodikeias Lydikes, Shahanshah Laomedon I, fought guerilla war almost ten years against Pahlava, Bactria and Arche Seleukeia.

Some men, Kleonemos Syriakos, Zelys Lykikos and Aratos Arethousas Syriakes, left from the lands of Arche Seleukeia and spent their lives peacefully in different parts of Greece.

There are historians who argue that these characters did not exist but we know better...