Will of the Thengoz - An interactive Swêbóz AAR

[Tyrfingr]

~ Opening of the Thengoz ~
( 262 BC )

On the slopes of the holy mountain, in the grove of Limios Alsos, the next thengoz was assembled. Barely a year ago, the grove had been filled with the hanged corpses of sacrificed silengi but now Hêruwulfáz had cleared the grove and restored order to the lands of the Silengoz. As the members and representatives of the thengoz gathered in the grove, Hêruwulfáz watched them with a satisfied smile of in his face, the thengoz had grown to a gathering of men since the day he became king ten years ago. Then it had just been handful men, now the thengoz comprised of several hundreds. Hêruwulfáz took the stand in the circle:

"- Members of the thengoz! I welcome you to the lands of the silengoz, conquered and incorporated in our glorious confederation. The silengoz have been punished for their insults, their leaders have been sacrificed to the gods and their shame is no more, the Silengoz are now to be counted amongst us and treated as equals. Words have also reached me that the Sueni of the north have been subdued by mighty Ansuhárjaz of the Markomannoz, and that the north now bow to our will."

*On the command of Hêruwulfáz, a large map painted on a cow's hide was brought in front of the thengoz*

"- This is our world, continued Hêruwulfáz. In the west lives the celtae, rich and currently divided by civil war. In the south, beyond the mountains, lives a tribe who calls themselves romani. In the east, few has dared to venture as the tribes there know no lords. Even further in the east, a sea of grass opens up where the horsemen of Scythia roams."

"- We stand at a gateway, noble members of the thengoz! We could go west and plunder the lands of the celtae for instant richness beyond imagination, or we could march east and secure rich soil and prosperous land that could feed the largest armies ever seen!

WEST or EAST?

[Olaf Blackeyes]

(Richemer steps forth from the crowd)

My King, I wish to thank you for such a great campaign. This axe that i picked up is a GREAT prize. (Pulls out the well-balanced, steel axe, and swings it for a little while.) It will do very well when i next go into battle.
As for whom our next... Victims? Shall be? Well to the east are a large number of Slavos tribes that are united in harmony. To the south are the minor Celtae kingdoms of Ebornum, and Vinceoppoles. These will be easy to crush, and are not even worthy of mentioning. The Celtae to the west, now there's a challenge worth taking. They have more than enough weapons to fuel a war to prove our peoples rightful destiny. Also the Celtae should have more than enough golden things to please my daughters, as they were from the loot that i reaped from the Silengozez. So in my view the Celtae to the west should fall. And with the amount of discord amongst them it will be easy enough to do, it will still be a good fight.

(Richemer steps back into the crowd)

[Vasiliyi]

Volker stands up Swiftly, but pauses to collect his thoughts.

My King! I have fought countless battles, and have many scars to prove it. I will fight anyone who stands in the way of our greatness, but i wish to say one thing. (turns to the rest of the Thengoz) Do you all see my left arm?! Neither do I! Those basterd Celts took it from me! I say, lets kill them all, and take their gold and land! (turns back to the king) I would gladly lose my right arm for you My King, just tell me which direction to charge! (sits down and awaits a responce)

[SwissBarbar]

Arnulf steps foreward.

I agree with Richemer. The Celts must fall!

[the man with no name]

(Herumannoz steps forward)

The celts must die! They have done to much to be spared. Kill them all and let them burn in hell!
(There are roars from all the tribes of the Germanic confederation)

[gamegeek2]

Germanic tribes don't have hell, they have the underworld.

[SwissBarbar]

They had "Helheim" AFAIK, ruled by the goddess "Hel". You see the similarity to "Hell". But actually it's more a kind of an underworld than a hell in the christian sense. I'm not sure if this counts for all Germanic Tribes or only the nordic ones.

[HunGeneral]

Hadubrand steps forward ans speaks:

I agrre with all who have spoken so far - I have nothing else to say. Let us bring down the Celts - the next harvest on there land shall feed our warriors, there gold will fill our chest, there sons shall be our slaves.

To war Warriors of Germania!!!

[the man with no name]

Germanic tribes don't have hell, they have the underworld.

Yeah i know i plat AOM 2 don't ya know?

Edit: I also did it for the affect.

[the man with no name]

(Herumannoz steps forward)

Yes to war my friends to war!!!!!!
And a cheer went up. UP THE BOBON AND DOWN WITH MONEYBAGS. lol jk. Realy it was TO WAR SONS OF THOR, TO WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tyrfingr]

Hêruwulfáz had remained silent for the entire thengoz, when he finally rose to the stand and spoke to the gathered men:

- I have listened to the thengoz, and the wish of many men are that we march west. The west it is then, the celtae shall feel our wrath! However, the land of the Sequani is allied to the tribe of the Arverni and heavily defended. An army for such an expedition would take years to muster and train. I suggest we go through the land of the Nervae. The tribes of the belgae have been weakened by the strife of the Auedi and Arverni, and should easily fall to our warriors.

- The army will march for Bagacos, the capital of the Nervae. From there, the bellovacae belgae will be next, and then our armies will fall over Galla like the killing snow of the vargavinter!

~~~

Thengoz closed

(When the thengoz is closed, I ask you not to make any in-character post)

[Tyrfingr]

First, I thought I was going to post an update today but I'm attending a funeral so no update. A new chapter will probably be posted this weekend.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

I hope its no one that was close.
I sorry.

[the man with no name]

R.I.P.

[Tyrfingr]

~ Chapter II ~

(262BC - 261BC)

Coughs and Corpses

For whole of the next year Hêruwulfáz traveled all corners of his kingdom, summoning warriors, young and old, for the coming war in the west against the celtae. The thengoz had decided, against the inner feeling of himself, that the western land were more prosperous and ready to be conquered. Hêruwulfáz knew that an invasion of the celtae lands would have to gather many warriors to his armies, unless it would fail.

Hêruwulfáz' lieutenants had advised to start the invasion to the north, through the land of the nervae. The Nervae was of the belgae, a celtae tribe, and lived isolated from their southern kin. The civil war between the Aedui and Arverni had further isolated the belgae tribes, and greatly weakened the nervae tribe.

When Hêruwulfáz finally had gathered a large army capable of invading the belgae lands, strange coughs became to haunt him. The coughing lingered for a week, then progressed into a fever that toppled even the most vigorous of the Swêbóz warriors, and Hêruwulfáz was forced to the furs of the bed for several days.

In his place, he sent his most trusted general, the leader of the Markomannoz, Ansuhárjáz to lead the army. His oldest son, Hárjáwulfáz, followed the army as second-in-command and to be the eyes and ears of the throne. Winter had come to the north, the Swêbóz army crossed the frozen rivers, into the lands of the belgae and laid siege to the city of Bagacos. From Bagacos, the nobles of the Nervae ruled their tribe and the capture of the city would surely subdue the entire tribe.

The winter lingered longer for every year, it seemed, and when spring finally came only a short summer followed, with a cold fall with renewed snowfalls earlier than usual. The siege of Bagacos lasted for almost a year, with no signs of submission, when Ansuhárjáz and Hárjáwulfáz finally decided that the city had to be taken by force. Rams were constructed, and the 14.000 strong army of the Swêbóz broke camp and marched for the city gates.

The nervae were outnumbered by one third, and numbered only 10.000 men. The belgae were never numerous, but their courage and fierceness counted as several men and led by the general Cogidubnos, the Nervae would prove a fair match for the Swêbóz.

There had been ill rumors about the "mighty walls of Bagacos", but they were soon found to be false, the mighty walls of Bagacos were barely more than a fence, probably better to keep out wolves than hungry germans. Ansuhárjáz had his archers fire arrows across the walls and had the defenders hide amongst the houses and trees until the hail of arrows stopped. Meanwhile, Hárjáwulfáz and his personal bodyguard pushed the ram for the gates, as war knows no birth rights and treats every man equal.

On the other side of the walls, the Taramonnos - light cavalry of the belgae tribes, defied both the arrows of the Swêbóz and orders of their leaders and broke cover to harass the men pushing the ram. The arrows did not miss their targets...

As the gates flung open, Ansuhárjáz personally led the nobles and their huscarls through the breach and formed a tight shield wall, determined to stand fast against anything the nervae would throw against them. Among the nervae counted several hundreds of horsemen of the fierce belgae tribe of the Remi, and they were the first to taste the blades of the Swêbóz.

The Remi Mairepos pushed the Swêbóz line further and further backwards, but Ansuhárjáz managed to hold the line. Frustrated by the success of the attackers, Cogidubnos first sent his infantry, the famous Milnaht ("Great Men") and then led his chariot-riding bodyguard into the fray.

On his chariot, a large golden bird - the symbol of The Free Nervae, Cogidubnos rode into battle. The charge of Cogidubnos surprised even Ansuhárjáz and almost threw him off guard, and the Swêbòz were now almost pushed back through the gates when the brass horn blasted three times...

This was the signal that Hárjáwulfáz had waited for. While Ansuhárjáz had charged through the broken gates and chased the nervae out of their hiding places, Hárjáwulfáz had gathered the Swêbóz youths outside the walls, waiting for the three blasts from Ansuhárjáz. The jugunthiz now threw volley after volley of javelins and spears over the walls, causing great despair and casualty amongst the nervae, who fell like flies.

It was in this cruel "rain" that Cogidubnos fell, pierced through the chest by a javelin just as when he was about to gather his men for a final blow against the invaders. As Cogidubnos chariot was toppled, and the golden bird of the Nervae fell to the ground (and mysteriously "lost" and only recovered decades later in the house of a certain Rugóz merchant), the Nervae lost their spirit to fight and began to retreat. Hárjáwulfáz led the youths through the gates and set chase after the running belgae. The nobles under Ansuhárjáz were tired, but the renewed energy of their young comrades enlightened their spirits and joined the chase, a cruel chase were no one was spared the spears and swords of the Swêbóz.

When the soothing dark of the night finally came, the streets of Bagacos were paved with the corpses of the nervae warriors. The victory was nothing less than heroic, as the Swêbóz casualties were 2000 killed and 3000 injured but the entire nervae force had been destroyed. Many of the Swêbóz warriors remembered the raping of the Silengoz with joy, but Ansuhárjáz was different from Hêruwulfáz and furthermore, had other plans for the belgae lands. He forbid any looting taking place, and installed himself as regional governor of Swêbóz Belgae.

Hárjáwulfáz reported everything back to his father, who had been recovering lately and was soon to call for a new gathering of the thengoz...

[Tolg]

Great chapter. Oh and a nice bird. *Waiting for the next Thengoz to start*

[Tyrfingr]

~ Chapter III ~

(259BC)

King of The Belgae

While the thengoz was about to gather, Ansuhárjáz rejected the summoning and sent Hárjáwulfáz in his place. Ansuhárjáz had other plans, set in motion when he first claimed leadership over the Nervae. In Bagacos, where he had set up court, he gathered several thousands belgae warriors around him. One might find it strange for the belgae to accept a new master so quickly, but the promise made by Ansuhárjáz made many hungry men gather around him. Not only would the nervae be part of the glorious Swêbóz Confederation, but they would also be the first amongst the belgae tribes.

In the spring of 259BC, an army of 10.000 Nervae under the command of Ansuhárjáz marched for the land of the Bellovaci and their capital of Bratosporios. After the fall of Bagacos, the Bellovaci had offer the refuge for all free belgae and their city of Bratosporios was one of the largest cities in the north by this time. However, the conquest of Bagacos had left many belgae under Swêbóz control and there was only a puny army of 7.000 belgae led by a Caradog to stop the Swêbóz onslaught.

Just as many times before, Ansuhárjáz surrounded Bratosporios with relative ease. Over the last years he had became a master of sieges, although one could argue that the small villages of Germania and even the cities of the belgae was easy picking in comparison to the oppidums of the Aedui and Arverni. Rest assure, Ansuhárjáz would have to put his skills in siegework later on. Bratosporios on the other hand, was a standard job and just as before, Ansuhárjáz had the city isolated and ready to fall when the first snow fell.

The belgae warriors, strong in both mind and muscle, pushed the rams with ease all the way up to the gate, surprising even Ansuhárjáz. The belgae would be a fine addition to his forces, perhaps the spearhead, he thought to himself. The celtic slingers, called Iaosatae in their own tongue and reminded much of the Swêbóz youth, pelted the enemy with stones through the heavy snowfall while the ram touched the walls.

The gates flung open, and Ansuhárjáz ordered his bodyguard and the other nobles to rush the gate. The tactic was well developed, by personally leading his men into the settlement, Ansuhárjáz would create a near-impregnable shieldwall with his experienced men and draw the enemy into an engagement while the younger, less experienced men either scaled the walls or knocked another hole to charge the enemy in the back.

Caradog was a war-hardened general, but according to other belgae often too rash in his decisions, and today this would cost him his life. Caradog, who did not see the trap that Ansuhárjáz had sprung for him, order his men for full frontal attack and try to break the Swêbóz shieldwall. As the bellovaci got more and more bogged down, trying to reach their enemy, screams in their common belgae language was heard in the back, but it was not of their own warriors. They had walked into a trap!

Nervae spearmen had made another breach in the wall, and now poured like water through the breach, drowning every man of the bellovaci. Caradog and his entire army was caught between Ansuhárjáz and the Swêbóz nobles, and the spears of the Nervae. The Nervae had not forgot previous insults between them and the bellovaci and the casualties were great amongst both sides, as the bellovaci fought in panic. When he realised everything was lost, Caradog undressed his battle gear and threw himself on the sword and passed from this world without a sound.

Ansuhárjáz was once more victorious, and the victory equal as glorious as the previous victory over the Nervae. The Swêbóz losses had been few, about 500 dead and 1.000 injured, while the bellovaci army was no more. Ansuhárjáz was now King of All Belgae, and the Belgae would in time answer only to the House of Ansuhárjáz, a constant thorn in Hêruwulfáz's side. But for now, Hêruwulfáz was satisfied with his general's success and the road into the west seemed open, but spies had been sent out to scout the lands of the Celtae and they had not return when Hêruwulfáz gathered the next Althengoz in the spring of 258BC...

[Olaf Blackeyes]

My civil war senses are tingling.

[Tyrfingr]

My civil war senses are tingling.

I'm sorry to dissapoint you, but Ansuhárjáz is ever loyal ;) He's just my way of playing the AAR without any guidelines from the thengoz ;)

The next thengoz will open tomorrow by the way...stay tuned.

[the man with no name]

Good chapters.

[Tyrfingr]

~ Opening of the Thengoz ~
( 258BC )

The thengoz had been delayed for several days now, and the representatives, whether they were priest, warriors or just tradesmen started to grow weary. Sure, the longhouses which in they were housed were not too bad, and both women and spirits were pleantiful, but something was ailing the members of the thengoz.

Rumors had it that Ansuhárjáz had rejected the summoning, and that Hárjáwulfáz had come in his place. Surely, the king's own son would have some authority over the generals, but then again, Ansuhárjáz was both older and far stronger in mind and body. And where was the king himself? Hêruwulfáz had been gone for several days, speaking with men from the west who did not speak the language of the Swêbóz tribes. When the thengoz was finally gathered, the relief was great but did not last long. The cold day had all the members of the thengoz gather in the largest longhouse and it was in the light of a great fire that Hêruwulfáz stepped forward and adressed the thengoz:

" - I declare this thengoz, third in line since my succession as Druhtênoz Theudónóm Aláizôm, open and I welcome you all to these lands. We are near the borders of Galla, and it is from here where I thought the main assault on the celtae lands would start. I have however an announcement to make, that the invasion of Galla would have to wait. Four days ago, I received both good and ill news. In the west, Ansuhárjáz have subdued all of the belgae and they now march in our armies..."

*Hêruwulfáz was interrupted by high cheers and shouts*

"- However, Hêruwulfáz continued, as the town know to the Belgae as Bagacos fell, my son Hárjáwulfáz lead a group of spies into the west and south to scout the lands of the Aedui and Sequani, allies of the Arverni. Hárjáwulfáz is with us today, and will adress the thengoz for the first time with the reports of his travels in the celtae lands."

*Hêruwulfáz steps down as his son, Hárjáwulfáz, prepares his first statement in the thengoz*

"- I am Hárjáwulfáz, some of you know me, others might not. I come from the west, to represent the general Ansuhárjáz and to give my report on my travels in Galla. My father has postponed the invasion of Galla, as an invasion would prove disastrous to our confederation. As me and my companions traveled the western lands, we quickly became aware that the civil war between the Aedui and Arverni has slowed down to a armed truce with the armies standing ready all the time. I witnessed one of the army camps of the Aedui and I counted easy over 25.000 men, and my companions reported of two more camps with just as many soldiers in them. As we traveled back east to deliver the news, we had to pass through the lands of the Sequani, allies of the Arverni, and got just past their entire army, counting way over 20.000 men. The short version, the west is closed."

*Hárjáwulfáz stepped down, as the thengoz got more and more confused. Hêruwulfáz took the stand once more*

"- It would takes us years before we can muster the armies to match the Sequani, and I would be grey and old before we could even think of attacking the Aedui. The west is closed, for now, but we cannot sit idle. The Rûgoz has long desired to take control of the amber trade route in the east, the háttôz has provided me with information that the city of Vindelicoppidos does not count to the Arverni alliance anymore, and words have reached me about our kin the Bástárnôz in the south-east is under great pressure from a mounted tribe known as scythians. The word is free for anyone who wishes to speak..."

[Olaf Blackeyes]

(Richmer steps forward to speak)

My High King, our brothers, the Bastarnoz, are in desperate need of our support. However it is far to get to the Great Grass Ocean, on which they live on the edge of. It will take much time to get our warriors to their aid, even more so when we have to march through several kingdoms (( and the ****ing AI scripters)) to get there. This sounds like a lot of fun to me but it also sounds like suicide. I say we must CRUSH the kingdoms before us.
But where to go, this is the true question. I say we need to secure our backside before we take on the Kingdoms of the East. Vindelicoppidos needs to fall to our forces. We are lucky that they have withdrawn from their alliance with the Arverni bastards. This is our time to strike them. Maybe ill even get a few new slaves.
FOR Germanlandam!!!!!!!!

(Richmer steps back into the crowd)

[Tyrfingr]

*A tall man, wrapped in wolves' hides and a terrible blade on his back takes the stand. The look in his eyes is grim as he speaks to the thengoz with a thundering voice*

"- I am Hádáhárjáz, son of Hôder and I come to you on the behalf of my people the bástárnôz, as a brother begging another brother for help. We worship the same gods, we speak the same tongue and although it has been ages since we lived together, there are still elders amongst us who remembers the frozen forests from where we all hail."

"- We the bástárnôz have always been a proud tribe, true to our germanic heritage and valued our own ways high. For several years we held the scythians of The Sea of Grass at bay, but finally they overrun our villages and fortresses. At first, the horse masters respected our gods and we kept our ways. But when the old king died, his son struck down hard on us, destroyed our temples and installed loyal scythians in our councils."

"- I come to this hallowed thengoz to request...no, to beg, for your assistance against the scythians. The bástárnôz is scattered and leaderless, as all our elders, including my father, was caught and murdered to secure the scythians' grip over us. Our eternal gratitude and alliance with the Swêbóz confederation will be yours, if you free us from the riders from the east!"

[Olaf Blackeyes]

(WOW this is dramatic. Also WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE??!?!?!?)

[HunGeneral]

Hadubrand steps forward with signs of deep thought on his face.

“Brothers, warriors, men off all Germanic tribes. No true people would be able to abandon there brothers. Peoples of the south might be able to do so but there not true men trust me I know….

I also vote we support our Bastarnoz brothers. Any Samânónz tribesmen should do so.
But I warn you from overconfident actions. The horsemen of the east are fierce warriors and in the ocean of grass there almost undefeatable. One can’t just walk into there lands… I have heard many tales of vast armies who went out to challenge these horsemen … and none returned.

If we are to march to war against these centaurs then we must be prepared …. we must gather all Skutjonez (Spelling? - archers) and warriors from the tribes and if possible we should also take foreign men who sell themselves out as mercenaries and use them as arrow –fodder. Rather should they die under the hails of arrows the eastern horsemen darken the sky with then our german warriors".

Hadubrand steps back among the Samânónz to see what reaction the Thengoz will give to his words.

[SwissBarbar]

Arnulf stepped forward. The young Heruskôz looked sharp at Hádáhárjáz, son of Hôder, and spoke:

I am Arnulf, son of Swidger, from the proud tribe of the Heruskôz. All of you know, that in my opinion it is our destiny to exterminate those filthy Celts in the west. Especially all Belgae-tribes. Therefore I don't like our eyes gazing east.

However, I cannot stand the thought, that a Germanic tribe is subjugated by any foreign ruler. How could that happen? Now we have to make a preventive strike, before other peoples start considering us to be as weak as the Bástárnôz. He growled to Hádáhárjáz and turned around, speaking to the others. I say let's slaughter those Scythians, take their wifes, enslave their children and eat their men's livers and hearts, just to be sure...

Arnulf almost smiled. He didn't intend to eat anyones liver, but that kind of dark humour was just a part of his nature, even when he meant things as serious as hell. Meanwhile the others knew that.

[Olaf Blackeyes]

(Richmer steps out of the crowd)
As our brothers of the Bastarnoz have so pleaded, we must help them. These horse-beasts need to put in their place. However there are MANY armies between us and the Bastarnoz. We NEED to plan this carefully or we will become one of those armies that never returns. However i will be amongst the FIRST to volunteer to go. I just wish we had more time to prepare.
(Richmer steps back into the crowd)

[everyone]

(WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE??!?!?!?)

here!

anyway:
Theudanaz, appearing more grizzled from the campaign in Belgae, stood to speak.
"It seems our western front is closed; and probably secured. of the other three directions we may expand the kingdom, I support helping the Bastarnoz for they are still of Germanic blood; we must not let Germanic blood by shed by foul horse-beasts. Also if those horse-beasts are allowed to subjugate more Germanic tribes, we would see our homelands threatened directly; and those horse beasts are cunning in combat; firing at us from afar and running off and not shedding a drop of blood in the process. We must prevent that from happening; and I hear that they have exotic treasures from the far east to plunder. I shall also volunteer myself to go; the west would not see much combat for now."

[Tyrfingr]

*Hêruwulfáz listened to the speeches in the thengoz, and after having made up his mind, he took the stand and proclaimed his ambitions*

"- Theudanaz is right, said Hêruwulfáz. We can not sit idle here in our, protected by the black forests and hoping the scythians will never reach us, for they will if they´re not stopped. The bástárnôz is on the frontline, and where the fight must take place. I will personally lead the army eastwards and take the scythians head on. Our friends among the bástárnôz have spoken of the scythians as primary mounted archers, which suits us well. Many are the archers and youths that has arrived from the west, experienced veterans from the subjugation of the Remi and belgae Taramonnos."

"- However, my actions in the east will not be the only one. Hádáwulfáz, chieftain of the Rûgoz has asked for the thengoz's permisson to secure the northern shores where the amber trade routes starts. His request is that a number of 10.000 men is recruited for this northern campaign. However, Hárjáwulfáz could with 13.000 men march south and capture Vindelicoppidos. What says the thengoz?

[SwissBarbar]

If you want, march northwards. I have nothing against it. Myself, I will join the army going east. Let's see how long it will take until these Sarmatian horsemen rather ride into the great sea instead of facing my sword.