[IB AAR] Spite of Severus

[Kallum]

nice update

[andrewmc]

An interesting twist to this AAR, wonder if there will be anymore twists?

[Pliniux]

Really good and interesting!

[Edward lV]

nice AAR!!! Update soon?

[Kátz]

excellent!!! I'll like to see to what extend Severus' plan would become

[bomberboy]

Great job, the Picts got slaughtered in that battle. I wonder whats Severus' plan is next?

[Juvenal]

Sorry for not posting here earlier, I am amazed and gratified at the number of you who have posted encouragement.

@bomberboy - Thank you, looks like you are my most loyal fan (15 posts in this thread). Severus of course plans to bump off Angus and claim the throne when the time is right.

@wr1ght, @twking, @Pliniux @Kallum - Thanks very much for posting your support. It is great to see new people here (and of course Kallum again).

@andrewmc - There definitely are more twists coming.

@Redolegna - I am glad you find Severus interesting, he isn't quite as bad as you might think. Drest is a rival that Severus wants brought down, he only manipulated things a bit to encourage Drest to over-reach himself. In battle it is inevitable that men die, and Severus is actually more sympathetic with the Romans than the Picts - provided that their current leadership can be done away with of course. As for Angus, Severus considers him a dangerous beast, to be dispatched if possible when no longer useful.

@Mr. Cursed - Yes, ouch indeed. Now you see how hard it is to win with Picts (I really was trying to win that battle).

@Master Magic Mage, @Xavier Dragnesi, @belisarius12 - Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate anyone who takes the trouble to post, especially if they say something nice.

@SBH - Yes, the showdown with Angus is coming in the next update (coming soon).

[Legio]

I, for one, am on the edge of my seat, Juvanal.

[Juvenal]

XVII: THE FALL OF ISCA SILURUM

sic transit gloria mundi
(So passes away earthly glory)

More spearmen joined the army, ready to feed Angus's dreams of empire. My own stock seemed to have risen with Angus after the defeat of Drest and I found myself in effective control of the army for the campaign against Isca Silurum (Angus in nominal command from his carriage).

I felt that our main protection against Sennianus was the distance between us, so I ordered an immediate advance, making sure that scouts went out a day's march in all directions from our column to ensure we were not surprised.



We marched boldly along the main road to Isca, and met with no opposition, Tasciovanus staying up in the mountains while we marched along the coast. My agent Brennus went on ahead to marshal the activities of my spies within the town.

Before the week was out we had invested Isca, The garrison was small, just the Equites of Tribune Belenus and two ordines of infantry. Our mere presence here at the Romano British capital was enough to paralyse their government, preventing the raising of new soldiers and the payment of existing ones. If we waited long enough I was sure that the whole Romano-British Army would come to greet us.

But I had no intention of waiting. The army marched smartly up to one of the gates which obediently fell open for us (Brennus having arranged for the removal of the hinges).



The ordo of Foederati that had been facing us was subjected to a concentrated volley from my Elbharu through the broken gateway. They fell like ninepins and the whole ordo recoiled from the gate. My men surged forward while my Fleet archers harassed the departing Romans who left a trail of bodies along their line of retreat. I do believe that not a single one made it to the mound of the hill fort around which Isca was built.

With the formality of the battle of the wall concluded, my men trudged up the earthwork slope to the central fort of Isca. I was hoping that we could give them a good treatment of arrows, bolts and javelins before we went in, but Belenus was having none of that. He charged out with his whole vexillation straight into my Chodoaer.



I directed some of my Gairlom spears into the fight, and circled around to the other side of the mound with my Mormaers. By the time I got there, Belenus was down and my ragged foot soldiers were surging around the final ordo (of Pedites) who were making a stand at the sacred stone of Isca.

I was slightly disappointed that by the time I had got the Mormaers ready to charge, there were no Romans left to fight. I had been hoping to fuel a few sagas with my heroic conduct in my lovely new scale armour at the head of my brave Mormaers, but in the end I didn't even get it dirty.



Isca was a crude and filthy place, nothing like the civilised east, but the central area made a good place to burn the dead and celebrate our victory. The realm of the Vortigern was no more and the remaining Roman armies would only be able to sustain themselves now by brigandage.

As night descended and the bitter winter wind cut through my clothing I found myself unconsciously huddling closer to the funeral pyres which were beginning to light up the night sky amid sparks and billowing smoke from the green wood.

Angus was carried up to the sacred stone and, in a strange repetition of his act after I had first persuaded him to embark on this war, had himself lifted upright in the flickering light of the flames to give a speech.

In a hoarse dry voice he spoke of his destiny to subjugate the evil Brigantes and extinguish the affront of Roman culture from the realm of Greater Alba. He congratulated the warriors present on their manly virtues, reminding them that they were only acting in rightful revenge for the depredations of the Romans, bringing to them that which they had freely bestowed upon the Picts and Gaels for so many years. He lamented the deaths of our warriors, promising that their departing spirits would travel far, to the very home of the Gods, where their bravery and rectitude in life would be repaid a thousand-fold in the eternity of the afterlife, and their stories would return in the form of dreams to generations of warriors yet to come.

It was all rather grand and unusually wistful for the normally surly Angus. At the end he stood straight and raised high the sword Excalibur (taken from the Vortigern), to call for the blessing of the gods upon the righteous dead. But his stanza was left incomplete, because he was stopped in mid-sentence by a terrible spasm that wracked his body. Then he fell, a ghastly rattling issuing from his bloody foam-flecked lips. These were the last words of Angus, High King of Alba.

It was in this manner that I became ruler of Britannia.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

Another great update Juvenal Great to see Severus getting what he wants

[Lysimachos]

Another great update Juvenal Great to see Severus getting what he wants

Seconded, but I'd like to see if he will be getting what he deserves

[Kátz]

another wonderful chapter Juvenal!!!!!!

[Selifator]

Nice! I wonder what Severus is going to do now, maybe build some boats to cross into the unknown.

[andrewmc]

good update, what lye's a head?

[bomberboy]

Yes! Angus is dead it was about time too. I found him quite annoying in that update.

[Selifator]

Perhaps because we see everything from Severus' viewpoint. Angus might have been a rather enjoyable barbarian.

[bomberboy]

He might not be an enjoyable barbarian, but still he's dead and he didn't really deserve it. Who killed him Juvenal? I know Severus may have orderded it.

[Juvenal]

He might not be an enjoyable barbarian, but still he's dead and he didn't really deserve it. Who killed him Juvenal? I know Severus may have orderded it.

In part XV you may recall...

I entrusted Felix with poison and instructions that Angus not be allowed to fully recover from his wounds.

Severus had been keeping Angus sick until the conquest of Britannia was completed. Now that is has, Angus has been allowed to die. The exact timing was fortuitous, but perhaps not surprising since Angus exerted himself to the utmost in order to give the eulogy for his fallen warriors.

Severus doesn't intentionally lie to us, but he has blindspots. For instance, the last act of Angus was rather noble and demonstrated his love for his people and belief in the justice of his cause. Severus reports it, but cynicism prevents him from recognising it for what it is.

The story isn't over yet, Severus will have to accomodate some painful alterations to his plans.

[bomberboy]

They poisoned him, yeah I remember now.

[Kallum]

great update and nice ending to the first sage of Severus may many stories await him