Vandalarius: The One Sword of The Romano-Gothic Empire [COMPLETED]- Updated May 24th '19

**Lugotorix** · March 14, 2015, 06:44 PM

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THE ENTIRE 395-519 HISTORY- MAJOR SPOILER ALERT- Alternate Ending-Final Story Edition

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: TRAPSTILICUS AMALIUS VANDALARIUS :

THE RISE OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE

Faction- Ostrogoths
Mods- Vanilla Attila: TW
Difficulty- Hard
Graphics Card- 970 GTX Gaming Series

TABLE OF CONTENTS AND INDEX- WITHIN SPOILERS

ACT I- THE RISE OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE

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ACT II- THE FALL OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE

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ACT III- THE EXILE OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE

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ACT IV- THE RESURGENCE OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE

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ACT V- THE ONE SWORD OF THE ROMANO GOTHIC EMPIRE

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-DRAMATIS PERSONAE- CAST OF CHARACTERS-

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Gothic Lancers await the arrival of Flavius Stilicho!

PROLOGUE: THE ORIGINS OF THE OSTROGOTHIC KINGDOM IN ITALY

The Histories of 395-495 A.D.- The Kingdom, The Exodus, Resettlement, and Re-emergence

In the beginning, the clan was tight-knit, but not without problems

The following is the story of the dread king Vithericus, and the seven regents who would follow him in a path that etched their names in the history of Latin Europe. It is the story of the dark age, that which emerged after the Western Roman empire was plunged into darkness by the surge of displaced nomadic Germanic peoples, and the inheritors of Rome, these Ostrogoths, and their long, blood and smoke filled struggle with the scourge of god called Attila, who raged across the steppes and challenged these new guardians of the west and Rome, these men who echoed in the footsteps of Theoderic the Great.

The kings and queens of this era adopted Roman tactics, employed Roman soldiers, and ruled from Roman cities, and their relationship with Roman emperors and generals of the time was not neccessarily hostile. In fact, many marriages connected the Roman aristocracy and military with the Ostrogothic Kingdom, and this is also the story of that tapestry of relations and political maneuvering. In fact, contemporary historians such as Isidore have referred to the Ostrogoths as the 'Roman Goths.' and Theoderic himself has been referred to as the 'Augustus of the Goths.' after historically seizing Italy from Odoacer.

Our story starts from the years after 370 A.D. When the Greuthungian Empire, a Gothic Kingdom that stretched from the Baltic, where they were known as the Tervingi, as far back as 270, all the way south to the Volga, and east the Urals, was brought to a clasped heel by the cruel and savage Huns. Ermanric was known as the Alexander of the Goths, and his reign over Scythia and Germania was long, believed to have died only at the age of one hundred and ten.

The Ostrogoths, like the Visigoths, were a Germanic people, renowned for their use of the comati lance as well as horse, and skill with the long-sword and skirmishing and bow ability.

Their golden crafts had a good reputation, such as the golden bow fibulae on their banners themselves, and they were prone to drapes and curtains, corsages, and bibs, being good weavers. Iron and jewel working were well established in their towns. Gems for adornment of women, and iron for the slaying of enemies.

They would become civilized and devout practicioners of Latin Christianity as they gained more holdings in Italy, and their disdain for migratory life would only increase from that point. As the years go on, this cavalry tradition enters the level of feudalism with Gothic Nobles fighting for their estates and possessions, while the people work the fallow land for a harvest to sustain their burgeoning numbers, to many of whom, the only escape is prowess within the military hierarchy.

Their king in 370, was this Ermanicus, known by many names to the Latin and Germanic worlds. The legend of Jordanes states that he had once put to death a young woman due to her infidileties, by the use of horses, a story long remembered in Gothiscandzra lore, and at which point he was wounded and crippled by the brothers Sarus and Ammius. In his old age, rather than face subjugation by the Huns, that sallow tide of archers with their stout legs, and deformed skulls, was to kill himself, and so he did, but not before passing the mantle to Vithimiris, who suffered many defeats at the hands of the Alani and their Hun masters.

He had many soldiers, and the powerful noble that would suceed him after his suicide, was Vithimiris, the father of Vithericus Vandalarius, the boy prince of a conquered kingdom. This man, a noble of the Amali dynasty would rule only for a year, before dying at the hands of the forces of Balamber, the Hunnic king who hunted him down. This mythical king was suceeded by Uldin, who was very real and dangerous.

Our king, Vithericus was far to young to assume the mantle of leadership upon his father's death, so instead, stewardship was appointed to Saphrax, a general, to rule until the Amali prince was of age to continue his people's struggle. From this decision sprung hope, fore Saphrax allied with the Goths who had pushed south of the Danube after many conflicts between the two at Olbia and elsewhere, and defeated the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens himself at Adrianople. After Valens' defeat, Saphrax formed a brief alliance with Theodosius, although it was not to last.

The High King and his fighting dagger, destined for Greatness

The story which Theodahad was told, one one that he believes, is that as a boy warrior, he was wounded in what would amount to a mortal blow by a javelin. Bleeding from the face, he called an impasse to the fighting, killed the Roman soldier with his pugio, and then continued the battle.

The young king, with his short sword and shield.

This event, in 378, changed the position for the Ostrogoths. Saphrax, once the administrator of a town for the Roman authorities, was an outlaw, and the choices he would make would be pushed onwards by the headstrong Vithericus known as Vandalarius. His aim, of course, was to settle in a Roman kingdom, safe from the lashes of the Hunnic and Alani raiding and sacking that had laid his old empire to waste.

With the Emperor slain by the Goths, a lasting alliance was formed between Saphrax and Alaric, king of the Vesi, which continued until 395, when the displaced peoples of the Greuthungi, the Ostrogoths, stood on the precipace, with the hordes of the Alans and the Huns blowing behind, them, their seeming only option to cross the Danube and begin pillaging the Eastern Roman Empire themselves. He was lively, with an epic poet in his company and a propensity for looting places stark bereft.

Vithericus had always had a mean streak to him, with bone pale skin, black of hair, with a straight beard, and no whiskers, with piercing icy thin eyes. Cruelty, and his monsterous reputation, would have to be learned, through years of brutal command, infighting and war. Saphrax, with his numbers of soldiers swelling, tried to convince Vithericus that it was crucial to extort the Western Romans for tribute, as the Huns did, but the young king would settle for nothing less than invasion, and settling in the ripe, fertile valleys of Italy, where the Gothic people would be safe from the Huns, and the encroaching winter that grew worse every year. He would enlist their soldiers and work with those generals who would look for advancement under the new Kingship. The rags and graffiti were rich with tales of new tyrants coming for Rome, and making the ultimate sacrifice for the Emperor and civilization. The Ostrogoths were civilized, of course, and their plunder meant they they paid well and maintained what they would take.

His first actions were to ensure non-aggression with the Vandals, led by Godigisel, an outlaw who was already betrayed by the Western Romans and nearly Saphrax's age and his son Gunderic, and make peace with the Iazyges and Roxolanians, nomadic steppe peoples who had also crossed the Danube into Eastern Roman territory.

He instructed Saphrax to sack Viminacium. Once there, he saw the prospect of installing a loyal governor of the territories in Dardania. The governor of Dacia, Domatius, was a great canidate, and Saphrax and he had ties going back to the Ostrogothic presence north of the Danube. Together with the governor of Illyria, these two men rose up against the authority of Arcadius and Honorius, thankful to the armies of Saphrax that pushed westwards.
Vithericus' half-brother, by way of Vithimiris was Egica, a blonde man considered handsome by some, though none could see the relation, but with beads for eyes, and more progeny already than the young Vithericus, who was the legitimate heir of the Amali. None of these sons were legitimate, however Vithericus had an older sister, Vitarit, and she immediately saw Saphrax at the age of fifty, as a prospect for advancement, and the two eloped.

Saphrax was promoted to Elder within the council of chieftains and judges, and Vithericus was left to rule. Egica felt out of favor as a result of these maneuverings. Furthermore moving into the rich town of Domavia, and giving it to his usurping Roman allies, he set his sights on Salona, where the court of Macedonian Romans encouraged him to grant them a degree of sovereignty.

His early victories swelled his ranks with Gothic warbands, and soon the coffers were drained by the immense number of fighting men who needed to be paid. The Taifali rode south-west to join the horde, along with many other Germanic peoples they remained friendly with and those that had felt the lash and the rapine slaughter of the Huns before.

The High King, young Vithericus' first wife gave birth to two sons, Widimir, who was declared heir to the leadership, and Saphrax, named after the general who was acting on their behalf. At Salona, the Romans rose into rebellion, and the close proximity to the Hunnic king Uldin was no cause for tension. They would cross south, dissuaded by the numbers of Goths, and the Goths would rise north-west, with their allies in Alaric and Ataulf looting the interior of the Balkans. Now, with the Domatius' ruling over Dacia and Illyria, and the genius of Agorius ruling from Salona as a Macedonian state, as a pretender emperor, loyal to the Goths, he had the Roman backing to move into Italy. These two generals were vital in keeping stability in the territory that had just been looted by the Goths. Their promotion to inheritors of the region as Roman administrators, gave claim to the Gothic incursion into Venetia, and proper Roman generals who could convince the populace to forgive past transgressions. This was Vithericus' strategy, to endear himself with the mob of Rome, if he was to one day rule over it's lands, a sedentary Kingdom, rich in wealth and stability.

Flavius Honorius Augustus' generals Flavius Eutychianus and Flavius Stilicho, the real ruler of Rome, some would say, guarded the west, but the Goths and their Dacian partners were entering the fold, and not even Stilicho, himself a Vandal, would dissuade Vithericus from his objectives of settling the hordes of Saphrax and his in Aquileia and Verona, and the prize, of Ancona and Ravenna. Mediolanum, called Milan by the Goths, was the first to fall, with it's siege bolstered by the Vandals, who were pushing into northern Italy. The Romans struck back, offended by the unbalanced seizure of power in the north-east, and Stilicho himself sacked Verona, immediately after it was first taken, before climbing back aboard his boats and sailing down the Adriatic. He would be faced again, in the Tyrhennian, in a more decisive battle.

Vithericus gave the word to his bannermen, the respected judge Filimer, who some said was endebted to Egica, the warchiefs, Sisinand, Hethin and poor phlegmatic Scipuar, and Egica, who had sired two sons, bastard Ataulf, and Wisimar. War against the western Roman empire was coming. He would march to the gates of Rome himself, and build siege engines to take the great city of seven hills. He adopted the Latin Christian religion immediately, as many of his subjects were already partial to it, and did not want to be seen as an invader, but rather, alongside his Roman generals, a liberator from the corruption and weakness of Honorius' rule. He cared little for the faith himself, rather saw it as a way to control his subjects, to make the lower castes turn the other cheek to outrageous taxes demanded by the rigors of war. He was known for being a tad arrogant, but a cunning warrior who led from the front. He was becoming an accomplished raider who inspired fear in the Romans.

Even the Budinians, who pushed through central Europe, were included in the non-aggression, and it was only the Slavs of the Anteans under King Leogivild who remained aloof to the offers of peace. Scipuar was sent to determine his intentions: He had fallen out of favor due to being under the command of meandering Sisinand, and was desperate to prove himself. The Quadian King to the north was reportedly conducting a romance with Vitarit, in spite of the aging Saphrax.

As the hordes of the Ostrogoths made their pacts with the Gepids they had abandoned, and peace came with Uldin, King of the Huns, they crossed into the fertile lowlands of Venetia. The dynasty of the Amali was coming into it's own, and conquest and real responsibility and territory awaited. Scipuar was ordered to maintain the vanguard as they began settling in Venetia. Sisinand was ordered to push into Liguria, and confront Flavius Stilicho directly at Genua. The hordes cut their tents and settled in the cities of Aquileia, with a capital at Verona, where the populace welcomed them begrudgingly. This was a matter that would need to be seen to, and it was resolved with an edict emphasizing their common faith, in a Christian mission. Romans, enticed by the lordship given to the Agorians and Domitians, began enlisting in the Gothic army, hesitantly, in the early years. Comatensis spears joined at first, compared to the Palatina defectors that would join once the area was more stable. It was no mere desertion at the time, it was deemed treason by Honorius.

As they baptized their citizens, who were very much considered Arian foederati previously, the Pope in Rome made a demand of the Ostrogoths and the King. He demanded war against the Quadians, whose king Bertram practiced Germanic Paganism. Four years of campaigning from the Danube into Venetia, and King Bertram had other plans. Saphrax had died at the age of fifty four, and Vithericus was now a man. The pope would be denied, for the sake of alliance. Bertram offered a dowry in alternative for a defensive alliance, to give his heart what it needed, and ensure peace in the same breath.

The Latin Church arbitrates between it's Christian adherants against the pagan crowns.

Let no creed tear apart. Vithericus gives his sister away to the Quadian king Bertram

Instead, these humble flagulent men would be met in Rome, on Vithericus' terms. Previously a follower of Arius, the King would put his own house in order. He also made efforts to begin assessing the loyalty of strange Sisinand and Filimer, who was making political obstructions on behalf of Egica. In return, Vithericus tried to buy Filimer's loyalty by appointing him the position just vacated by Saphrax, as elder, this too, was met with meddling. The man considered himself, already a judge, above the office.

The king was determined to have his way and made insistence by decree. Filimer was flouting his integrity in Egica's interests. This would have to be confronted, when the time was appropriate. With the tenth legion closing in on northern Italy, and Leovigild refusing any audience, now was not a safe time. Scipuar sent his scouts to see what the Anteans were plotting. Sisinand, despite known for being indecisive, and Hethin were quickly becoming the most powerful generals in the settlements of Venetia, and Vithericus made the consideration that behind every powerful man, would be a more powerful woman. With the marriage to a noble woman of the Amali dynasty, Hethin would be adopted into the Amali line, under Vithericus. Hethin, a gruff bearded man, agreed, but first he would have to meet this diamond of a woman, whose name was Gaatha. He hoped she was not a known poisoner, such as Vithericus' wife, Queen Goiswintha. It was well known that some advantage was keeping the young man from being usurped by Egica, whose own wife, Scarilo, was quite cunning. Hethin, of course, was privy to this secret.

The true power in Rome, at the head of the Legio X Geminae.

The capture of Verona was significant not only because it gave the Ostrogoths a center for customs and immigration and mint, it also gave them high quality olive oil, a good resource to sweeten the incentive for trade, which soon after came from the Vandals who had settled at Hadrumentum, and nearly all of the nearby Germanic kingdom. The province of Venetia, with the marsh of Aquileia porting goods across the Byzantine trade lanes, gave an immense source of Mediterranean income for the mainland Goths, and riches and luxuries they had never seen before, such as fine silks, spices, and perfumes.

To Be Continued In: Chapter One- Gaatha and Hethin, the Kingslayer, and the Fall of Rome

**Lugotorix** · March 15, 2015, 12:51 AM

CHAPTER I- GAATHA AND HETHIN, THE KINGSLAYER SCIPUAR, AND THE FALL OF ROME

Spring 398 A.D.

Verona, Venetia, Italy

PART I- GAATHA AND HETHIN AND THE BATTLE OF GENUA

Hethin has lost the use of his arm, in battle against Celsus Geganius at Salona.

Giving them some urgency to leave the ships.

The fall of Roman Italy was a lightning seizure of estates and property. The Ostrogothic ways of enlisting troops ensured that Romans were given their own commands, and the foederati were quick to join a true Germanic army. The Roman patricians who would assimilate to the new order made off well, and those they resisted were usually killed to the last man in the battles. The Roman empire was dealing with corruption on a massive scale, such as that which had forced the move to Mediolanum, and the Gothic presence in Italy often meant an absolution from debts and a new beginning for many Romans. The leadership of the Goths spoke Latin, and were well accustomed to Roman military life and regiments. Defectors came from far and wide, but also the provincial administrators encouraged incorporation of the old guard into the new, as if Vithericus was a new Caesar.

It was a dark time for the Western Roman Empire. Flavius Stilicho was dead, impaled upon an Ostrogothic pike in Genua, as an example before burial. He had been very popular amongst the Vandals, but had chosen his side, even after the massacre that had incited Alaric, and the Visigoths mourned him neither, as both of their armies sat to the south of Mediolanum called Milano in Italian. Attila had been born, and was considered a prince of the Huns destined for greatness.

None in Genua viewed the Goths as liberators, though the situation was different in Verona. Far to the south, the king Vithericus was nearing Rome, which he would besiege and take at any cost. Repeated suits for peace by Honorius were met with demands for the surrender of all Italy, which he would never agree to, for Vithericus to serve as Vicar of the Emperor of the Domitian and Agorian lineages. Rumors grew of insurrection in Gaul, of Western Roman Separatists staking their own claim to the seat at Rome.
Vithericus would verify which candidate would serve him best, and he would serve him most, in the securement of the Kingdom of Ancona, Verona and Ravenna. Aquileia, bolstered by Germanic immigration, was already subjugated.

Companion Rittern Hethin, fresh from his victory over Flavius Stilicho, the Magister Miletum of the Western Roman Empire, was on his way to see a very notable woman. He had been knighted and soon he would be one of the Amali himself, in all but blood. He walked with his guard through the ashen streets of Verona. Dilapidated cobble steps, stained from the last time Stilicho had paid a visit to Verona.

The city was gray, the only colors, the bright clothing of the Roman citizens who walked the streets with their heads bowed, and the carriage tents, emblazoned with this merchant symbol or another.

It was a city of marble steps and white alabaster that had been scorched. There was a forum, and it was there where he would find if the Amali bride was suitable. Suitable enough for the King to vouch his name as one of the Amali himself. If he refused, the queen would poison his mushrooms, as she often dealt special dishes to traitors. A good way of sorting out dinner parties, he supposed.

No wonder Egica, with his foreign interests and sympathies, was paranoid. He knew all the worst of the poisons that ranged the world, being a traveler, the perfumes that could turn a man, or woman, and the excesses that could make a man keel in his tent. They were not in tents now, they were in a town of pillars and palisades, alleys and stairs, this the capital of a dark, beseiged Venetian kingdom. Ravenna would be next to fall. It was second city of the Western empire, though the capital was once in Mediolanum, a city that had already fallen to the Ostrogoth armies. Argrimund, a disciple of Saphrax, had seen to that, looting the city for almost two thousand in gold, and then occupying it, rebellion from Italian dissenters be damned. The generals of the Western Roman Empire were stretched thin, and preferred to strike from abroad, the seas, or the corridor leading from Narbonensis where their presence was most powerful.

Hethin grunted approval as he noticed some of the hand-maidens of the woman waving his approach. The Taifali guards nodded in approval and smiled broadly. There might be something in this pact for them as well. One never knew who would catch the roses.

Gaatha was her name, niece of Vithericus, who was thirty years of age in the year of his lord Christ 398 Anno Dominae. It had been a bloody harbor at Genua, under the command of Sisinand, who was maturing into a capable, general, if not a reliable man. This niece of Vithericus must be beautiful, for that crying, crushing pit of an ordeal. The falxmen had caught fire during the battle, set alight by the Gothic archers hawking for the Palatina guard and Limatanei bodyguards of Stilicho. They had met him in the center of the city and there he had perished, after his Palatina began to flee back for the boats that had brought them there. Hethin had came from the north east, while his commander came from the south. The corpse of the bearded Magister had been recovered, and now sat upon a pike in Genua.

Vithericus, already a byword for cruelty, had learned much from his youth subjugated under the Huns and Alans. Those barbaric Alans with their scalps at their saddles, it was quite fortunate that the nomads had been made friends by the king, fore Hethin wanted none of their desecration. It also warded the new conquests from the attentions of the Huns. Uldin was not to be trusted, and a younger brother of the prince Bleda, Attila, had been born, an event with much fanfare in Scythia. The Hunnic hordes sensed greatness in the child, and used him as a rallying cry already for further threats on the west. Peace and alliance had come with the Marcomans and other central Germanic tribes, and the Quadians, married to the Princess Vitarit, would never make war, while the marriage was intact.

Hethin wore a leather tunic, with furs at his neck, with chainmail over it in heaps at his shoulders. A hood of leather, hid his thinning hair, he would have no need to hide his missing and rotted teeth, those remaining from the rich grain diet that persisted before the famine had come to the horde: this was a marriage of convenience. He rubbed the strawberries to his beard, and slapped some of the flower pistols over his neck. Good impressions were important, as to not make that convenience miserable. The famine had given his face a cut on bone appearance, good, he thought, lean is better than slovenly.

One of the hand-maidens approached from the forum steps in a white robe, and let loose a white dove. The dove soiled itself at the sight of tall and grim Hethin. She, a very young woman, made the signal of the cross with her hand and introduced herself as Guitfruida. 'I am Guitifrida, Sister of Christ merciful, I will escort you to see Princess Gaatha.' She pronounced the name 'guy-atha.'

' I've heard you have no love for the Arian king Vithericus, the king who would have you. What do you think of our Lord of Heaven as master?' She asked him, hesitantly, but pleasantly.

'His followers are easier to kill, if not bed.' He jested rudely. He pulled his hood tighter. The smell of rain was in the air. It killed the smoldering on stones from the sack by Stilicho, the scorched earth tactics that would typify the war, but never the important cities such as Rome or Ravenna or Tarentum, the true prizes.

'Yes, little Scipuar has told us of your affliction of bloodlust.' Guitifrida answered. No-one liked little vain, handsome, mustachioed Scipuar. Many were hoping that he would be killed by the king of the Antean Slavs, so a more capable general could eliminate their warband this far west, and south.

'I don't like him much, either, that one. I hope Leovigild the Slav sends us his head back from negotiations.' Hethin answered.

'One must be kind to everyone they meet, everyone is fighting a rough battle. Do unto others, so sayeth the lord.'

'Even Vithericus?' Hethin answered as he barged through the wooden doors of the outer wall of the forum. He used one arm as a club as he did so, it was maimed from a long slash of a puglio at Salona against the Roman defenders. He could not fire a bow, and fought with one arm as a result. His Taifali guards with their bows on their backs entered behind him. The Romans within the forum, bowed, and then turned to each-other and continued their discussion.

'No, he'd see it as a sign of weakness.' Said a girl's loud clarion voice. It was a very young woman in a green gown with dark flaxen hair, and beautiful intelligent eyes. Her statement made her seem all the more intelligent.
'Indeed he would. You have depth to you, m'lady.' Hethin crowed, removing his hood and dropping to a knee.

'Stand, brute.' She told him. ' I have questions for you.' She said in Latin.

'This one wears the boots, eh?' He grumbled in old German to his guards. They laughed, while the Romans present made remarks and observations about the Germanic foederati. They seemed studious about it, as if remarking about a phenomenon of nature.

'Tell me of the battle for Genua.' She said, narrowing her eyes. 'Tell me of your worth.'

'My worth!? My damned arm was maimed at Salona in the opening salvos against the Western Romans. It is for that that I cannot take your hand, in the literal sense.'

She didn't looked dissuaded from hearing about the battle, or him.

Hethin looked inwards, then continued, at pace. 'Very well, I will tell you of the battle.'

We occupied the city with a bloody quickening. Bolts and arrows cut through the place while our horses pressed hard, brigands and mounted warbands all. Stilicho's fleet was late and I made an example of Varro first to show him I meant business. This goaded him into trying to take the coast quickly, rather than gathering his strength down the Ligurian coast. His Levas armatures landed alongside the archers, and we ordered our archers who had taken place in the town square to ignite their arrows and fire on any ship that came near to us. The beach was full of clangeddin but we won the clash sure enough.

We had Comati lancers, true Gothic nobles with us, and they ran down the left flank on the coast of skirmishers. By the time all of Stilicho's infantry had landed, they were under pressure from Sisinands march which had reached the city. We cut like a clamp on him just outside the cities outskirts, and they were torn between the two forces. We lit our arrows and rained fire on the Comitensis and Limitanei. It was a bonfire, of both our men. The naked falxmen didn't take so quickly to the flames as the leathers of the Romans.

We held reserves, Sisinand of course couldn't decide whether to hold or commit.

Hethin's bodyguards stand with the Gothic Lancers.

So I blew hard on the horn and ordered my own superior's guard to rush his troops to join me in the center. The Palatina guards fought the hardest, in their chainmail with parmas, but it was futile, a short straw for Stilicho. As soon as his formation broke we ordered the mounted lancers in, and they ran him down like a dog. I killed five or six, my bodyguard killed a hundred and our combined forces killed thousands. If their was an eulogy for Honorius, it was there and then, girl. The day grew dark and one of our horsemen reported the the Magister had been slain. We set the remaining boats afire and torched every guard tower in the first push for the city, some of it, caught aflame during the battle, but we just cut the dykes and it was out, just like Honorius' ambitions

Guitifruida blanched at the thought of this terror, while Gaatha smiled upon it. 'A commander is expected to kill. I've heard you took losses. You wouldn't be a bad romp, I'd guess.' Guitifrida simply walked away expecting better than this from a woman of nobility.

'No. But I'll have to bow lower to brother Vithericus. And his slings as older brother are a bit worse that the slings of the Romans.'

'Yes.' She answered. ' I'll let you in on a secret.' She said, hushed, but concerned.

'What would that be?' Hethin answered, swaggering over to a citizen and attempting to make small talk while he waited for her to answer.

She snapped her fingers. ' He's stronger and more cunning than us. He's taken a pilum to the face. That disfiguring scar, that tangle of blue-white spiderwebs, was meant to kill him, but by God's grace he survived to teach us humility. That's the only reason we must suffer his abuses. Because he was a man before he was king, and he learned the art of killing from a veteran of the battle of Adrianople.' She said sternly.

Hethin nodded. 'And when he's weak and old. Will he no longer be king? That sounds like Egica, or Filimer.' He was providing something to the arrangement as well. All of his nobles would become entirely loyal to the commands of the one king, without the interference of a mediator such as Saphrax.

'They won't be around to espouse such wisdom. His harshness is matched only by his ruthlessness. Vithericus was born into battle, and he'll die in in, not as some old wizened codger.' Gaatha answered.
'What will become of his ruthlessness then?' ' A righteous king? A queen?' He looked hard at her: He clearly meant the two of them.

'Careful Hethin, you forget that I am his kin, and that I am his ruthlessness. Widimir is a strong boy, that will become stronger.'
'As you say.' Hethin answered, looking away.

Now only Flavius Eutychianus stood to oppose Vithericus from deposing Honorius, but he himself had fled Rome for Sicily. He was eager to gain revenge for Stilicho's death, but instead was remaining cagy, as if ready to spring a trap. By the winter of 398, the siege engines had been built, and the city of Rome fell to the army of Vithericus, the Seekers of Glory. The church was entirely dependent on Vithericus' mercy, which he gave, to sway the people to his cause. Ravenna had fell in the winter of 397 and fortifications were already being built around Ancona, where pastures would sustain the light durable horses of the Gothic Lancers. The city would be converted to a burg, a Gothic city of mostly wooden buildings, next to the existing Roman infrastucture, complete with sanitation and aqueducts. Rome was looted, and the war effort benefited greatly from the influx of denarii into Gothic hands.

Rome is in Ostrogoth control. The Vandals and Visigoths have been beaten to the task.

Like him or hate him, Hethin is now Vithericus' property.

**Lugotorix** · March 15, 2015, 02:06 PM

PART II- THE KINGSLAYER

THE PHYRRIC BATTLE OF SISCIA

Winter, going into SPRING 404 A.D.

The east collapses under betrayal by the Slavs. Who will stop them in time?

' The game is over Filimer. You are gambling of the fate of the chosen of the High King.' - Gaatha.

Scipuar was not a man that was easy to like. Uncharismatic and cold, his youthful good looks were envied by others. He had other, more important virtues. He was lively, never sleeping for more than four hours, and energetic at all times. And, of course the reason he was alive, he was keen, humble and loyal. Humble about everything but his appearance. He hoped it was not damaged in the battle to come.

Leovigild of the Antean Slavs had betrayed the peace between the Venetian Goths and the Slavic horde, at Siscia, in Dalmatia. He set fire to the town twice, and looted it of all valuables, a breach of trust by the Illyrian Domitians. They had depended on King Vithericus to defend them from such predations. Vithericus coldly sent the missive for Scipuar to meet him in battle and emerge victorious, or not at all. As a result, many of the Cohors of Agorius participated in the coming battle, and marched with the Goths.

Leovigild had others under his command, but the Crushers, was his personal host, of fair haired, giant Slavs, and they were brutal in their rape and sack of Siscia. More Anteans would be coming, and they would not stop until Salona was in ashes, along with Ancona and Ravenna. The threat to the kingdom, struck unwares, was dire.

But all hoped the little man would make a dent in their numbers before a more capable commander in Sisinand could be found. Sisinand was promoted to Judge, next to Filimer, this year, and was expected to confront the Anteans once they had crossed near Aquileia.

The two armies, the Blood Oath of the Ostrogoths, and the Crushers of the Anteans, had met on a field in Dalmatia, not far from Siscia, where the breach had occurred. The Anteans had set up a fort there, but confident in their superior numbers, ranged far from it, and ordered their onagers past the range of it's towers to bombard the approaching legions of Hethin and Scipuar. The Blood Boars under Hethin were reinforcing, and arrived in uncanny time to even the odds, too late for the tired Antean army to retreat back to the fort. It was a field of terraces and rickety fences, a land of husbandry, and flowers grew all around from the manure of the livestock. There were carts to serve as obstacles, and cabbage and lettuce.

A seemly place to die. Scipuar's force was outnumbered, and he could imagine Filimer and Sisinand taking bets on how soon into the battle cowardice would get the better of meek Scipuar, and send him running to a disgraceful grave. The Anteans had brought an onager, and it wreaked havoc in the Ostrogothic approach of cavalry. His plan was to isolate and eliminate the skirmishers who would pose a danger after a battle on a protracted time on a protracted line. The Cohors of Agorius would do the aggressive fighting alongside the warbands, and hold the melee constant and painful on the right flank, otherwise exposed by the initial charge of Gothic lancers and brigands.

Scipuar would do no such thing as retreat. He met the enemy in an even line. Shouting his order from just behind the pikes, which were effective against the Slavic light horses. The quality of the Gothic troops had perhaps surprised Leovigild, and his wide formation, was met with an even thinner and longer Gothic line, one that could not break at any time, nor be surpassed, lest the general, and the hope of victory fall. The Blood Boars were seasoned warriors, but their ranks had been diminished in quality by absorbing pardoned rebels of Rome into their ranks.

Aghast at their numbers, he shouted shrilly until they king himself, frustrated with the tenacity of the Ostrogothic pikes ordered a charge. These tall men, with red hair and blue eyes, terrified the Ostrogoths, some of them imposing themselves, fore they fought as if possessed. Leovigild could be seen in his moment of triumph as the Ostrogothic line began to sieve, laughing and shouting to crush the weak Germanic army so that an invasion of Venetia could resume. The onager stones crashed around, shattering the bones of horses.

Hethin, who had been ordered to support Scipuar, also led from the back, with his club arm. Only going through the motions of killing a dying man to to give him men strength of will.

The initial charge of four regiments of cavalry on the right flank had been wasted. The skirmishing contingent of the Antean army was still intact, though some had been forced into a rout. Scipuar seized the moment and ordered what little cavalry had had remaining, wide to both sides. His spearmen were ordered to headhunt for the king himself, while the lancers honed in on Leogivild.

The hurlers of the enemy meet the lancers, who abandon their comati in these close quarters.

Leovigild, High King of the Antean Slavs

Naturally, the horses were brought down by the capable guard of Leovigild. They clubbed at the legs of the horses and their spears sent so many screaming mounts to the ground in crushing waves. Scipuar knew death was coming for him. The nobles about him began to flee, crying that the day was lost, including Hethin, but Scipuar instead blew on his horn and ordered the nobles to make for Leovigild himself. The nobles screamed that their own archers were firing upon that position, and made to abandon Scipuar, but some joined him, including the husband of Gaatha. He pushed through the quavering front line and desperately looked for Leovigild.

Scipuar leads the lancers for one last charge. He his thrown from his horse and continues on foot for the great king.

It was in irony, the king who had betrayed himself. He shouted, 'Slaughter these whelp Goth nobles, their women have been yearning for us!' just as Scipuar was hit on the chest with a mace and he fell to his back. The king's guard was indeed butchering his men, those brave enough to come forward, but the king had come into a struggle with strapping Hethin, the ally of Scipuar's.

Scipuar slashed the leg of the man who had knocked him down with his sword, and lept like some ermine, piling onto the back of two of the guards of Leovigild. They heaved him off and punched some of his teeth out, turning to hack him to bits. Again, Scipuar lept, like a spring, onto the men, who had maces and hammers, not swords, and could not dispatch the young commander at this close distance. They pummeled him, but something happened then. Hethin struggling with the king had lost his courage and begun backing away. In a mist of fury Leovigild pursued him, just close enough for Scipuar who was wrestling with the king's guard to punch his sword to his throat.

Crimson rose in fount, and the bodyguard looked in surprise to their gasping king, drowning in his own blood, yellow hair, blue teeth, and that familiar red, his face turning pale as the moon. Their anger turned to Scipuar but the banners had begun edging back as shouts of dismay echoed across the battlefield. They swung at him wildly, but he backed away with his friend, grinning, lucky to be alive. And arrow whizzed through the melee that remained and struck down Hethin, husband of Gaatha.

Scipuar shouted for his men to abandon the field, but already the Slavs had begun a retreat of their own. The loss of Hethin made victory a bit sweeter in heart of hearts. The King would need new men to rely on.

Forever since, Scipuar was known to the Anteans and Ostrogoths alike as the kingslayer, and for his act of bravery, his men who led the charge were appointed as companions, and he was adopted by Vithericus as his champion, a lethal weasel of a man. He was humble from the experience seeing so many of his men die, and the look of horror on Leovigild's face, but not so humble as to not rub the victory in the face of Filimer, the governor of Venetia, who had not expected him to return at all, in fact, fond of gambling, had bet against it. Scipuar took his place beside Vithericus, whose legend was growing, and named his first son Leovigild, named after the life he had taken and given him his spurs and his reputation.

These Hyperboreans were just a taste of the terrors the steppe had in store for the Ostrogoths.

It had proven that an inexperienced commander could defeat a strong accomplished general of the steppe, but not great numbers of experienced leader who lived from the saddle, and that one death could send ripples of fear and uncertainly through even the largest force. Nearly a thousand were killed on both sides.

Although the Anteans were effectively stopped from their opportune betrayal and conquest of Venetia, many more nomadic grounds were being pushed west, by a growing fearsome force of nature. The Huns were massing, and becoming uncontrollable in their lust for loot and conquest, and soon the entire east would be in flames.

The youth of Attila was marked with another occasion. The King Vithericus and his wife Goiswintha had given birth to a second son, Ammius. He was legitimate, and would be reserved for military command in the footsteps of his father. Widimir was a young teen at this time, and growing into a man that resembled the judge Filimer in many respects. Goiswintha checked the poisoning of Scipuar off of her list. He would be her brother now.

PART II Continues in GAATHA, THEODAHAD AND FILIMER- INTRIGUE

**Lugotorix** · March 15, 2015, 04:55 PM

Notable Idiot.

THE SECOND BATTLE OF SISCIA AND THE INTRIGUE OF GAATHA, THEODAHAD, AND FILIMER

The Palatina of Seneca has already killed Agrimund from afar.

Gratianus Seneca meets with the enemy in Siscia! For Rome and Honorius!

-The battle for Siscia-

Theodahad, a criminal, was the chief spy of Vithericus. He knew many doors, but not the door to the thick-headed warband leader and noble Argrimund's skull. That the man wasn't bright was common knowlege, but that he would try to execute the very Siscian nobles he had tried to extort, to exhonerate himself of the crime itself, was extraordinary. He wore a long beard that hid needles and pins, used for pricking his enemies with the venom of a gaboon viper, or krait, Gedrosian snakes from the Sassanid Empire.
Before long, the entire garrison left at Siscia after Hethin's death had risen against Argrimund, seen as capable in the siege of Mediolanum and risen in arms supporting a Roman loyal to Honorius, Gratianus Seneca.

Seneca himself was a renowned brigand, but it seemed, the time had come for patriotism, the last resort of a scoundrel, and that patriotism was a desperate last stand of his guard, designated to be Palatina by Honorius, at Siscia. Argrimund had not only let them take control of the city, but also bolster that force with a heavy onager, the very one that would eventually crush that thick, thick skull.

The beginning of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy. Only Segusio and Syracuse remain elusive.

Theodahad had entered into the service of the King, much the same way Guitifrida had, by being caught working for the Romans, and rather than being flogged, flayed or executed by slow strangulation, he was employed by Vithericus, giving himself credit for catching such a renowned thief and scout, who hadn't feigned being German, just being a Roman spy. She had been caught being disloyal to a man, and now served as a vestal of old Roman times, or so she professed, in service of the Christ god, Jesus, who had been crucified some three hundered years ago, by Pontius Pilate, the governor of Palestine. Now Aelia was capital of those lands, firmly under control of the Eastern Romans led by Arcadius.

He was in the parlor of Gaatha, discussing the rise of the Separatist Romans of the West that had risen up in Belgica and Gaul, all the way to Aquitaine. His mistress, the ambitious Gaatha, recently widowed, would need his eyes and ears for such an assignment, determining the intentions of the Western Roman Seperatists. These generals had determined that Italy was a lost cause, and would allow the King Vithericus to be it's regent, provided they remained on good relations with the East, and submitted to the authority of the Pope, as well as the new Emperor.

Realistically, this was not that unreasonable a request. The cost of converting much of the north had drained the coffers, and the King yearned for a peace, in almost ten years of war on the eastern front of the empire. Now, with Tarentum besieged, the entire Italian peninsula was in Gothic occupation. The Vandals and Vesi maintained a presence in the north, but much of the peninsula, freshly captured was under a tentative guard, one that would crumble if the Seperatists managed to build alliances among the other Germans, such as the Marcomanni and Alemanni. Both the Vandals and Quadians had freshly signed alliances with the Ostrogoths.

'I've heard the new King will be Bleda the Hun.' He said softly to Gaatha.

'Of course he will. We can never turn a blind eye to the actions in the west and this new Emperor Saturninus in the future, when Hunnic armies march over Italy and Dalmatia in the present. Bleda will want war when he's old enough. He's an extortionist.' Gaatha replied.

' We will need someone to adjudge Egica's actions before he gets too greedy. Internal strife would devastate our High King's new realm' Theodahad answered. 'Could we could on Egica's own man, Filimer to make that decision?'

'No, that is why I need you to look into Filimer's activities, and gauge his own loyalty. We will blackmail him into doing the right thing. If civil war is to be avoided we must acquire the judge, and bring him in line, to chastise the King's half-brother.' Gaatha answered.

Even now, Filimer was making accusations that Gaatha had sent Hethin to assist Scipuar, now her brother, that she was a black widow. She was manipulative, but had wished no harm to the brute: Now her talents would serve the king soley until she found a new, powerful husband. Due to their marriage, she was in the graces of the court, but she needed the puglio of Theodahad to stay useful, and her purses, all three of them, ensured that.

'King Vithericus has ensured his loyalty with Scipuar now pledging fealty, but it will not last. Anyone with the vices of drinking, whoring, and cursing like Filimer, has others also.It will be done, Gaatha.'

'I suggest you start with why the bearded judge has no wife. He's not the ugliest of sorts.'

Theodahad moussed his long braided beard. ' You're not suggesting...'

'That I would marry him? Never.' She pricked his finger with her nail.
'That he may be strange is what I implied.' Theodahad answered, seriously, retracting his hand, with distaste. He associated pricks of pain with poison to the eyes.

'No, I've seen to that already. He loves my sweets. There must be some other reason.' Travel to the besieged city of Siscia. Make sure the populace is ready to incite against this Gratianus Seneca. Honorius' time has passed. Perhaps Gratianus' defeat will lead to the surrender of Sicily by Eutychianus Flavius.'

Argrimund was a brutal man, and he attempted to deal with the rebel in a brutal way. He led his forces into an alley at the center of the city, after taking direct hits from the onager to his general's companions.

A pike wall is made at the entrance to the city: The Roman horses crash on it, while only the brave warbands travel beyond it's range.

His men were shaken, perhaps from following an idiot, but a few of the wiser ones ordered their horses to the far side of the city and seized a guard tower there after clashing with skirmishers who had been left to defend it. The Legio and Cohors were well equipped and ready to confront Argrimund at the gates. He lost many men in the fight, and it was only by the three pronged attack at the three front entrances to the town that he was able to prevail with his superior numbers.

The very young titular Trapstila makes an impression that will last with his axe.

The swastika, sun symbol, was as common as the helios disc, eagles, or dragons and other fantastical creatures in the heraldry of the day.

The man did not live to see his victory through. Although the onager was set afire, it crushed the queller's commander with a stone before he reached the gates. Too many had died to his devices already, supposed Theodahad, who wore the uniform of a Gothic warband soldier as they siezed the city once more. He inquired of the name of the captain of the horsemen who had siezed the guard tower, taking initiative, and found that it was a fifteen year old captain named Trapstila. The ranks were running thin, due to the famine, if they were enlisting children. The populace rose up, just as Theodahad had arranged through bribery and promises of Agorius and Domitius.

Word was sent to Flavius Eutychianus of the suicide of Seneca, who had in fact escaped to fight another day, somewhere in the Roman dominion of Agorius. Eutychianus, planning on making peace with the Emperor of the Separatists, Saturninus, declined to surrender and found himself beseiged at Syracuse by Vithericus the next year.

Honorius begged for peace with the court of Vithericus this year, to which Vithericus and his council gave a resounding answer of 'no.' 'Here he is, minus a head.' Was the actual original German translation regarding the diplomat.
Conscripts of Roman troops were ordered and the famine was taken to task. Farmsteads, pastures and fields, sprung up in Italia and Venetia, as well as the south, where Tarentum was emerging as a Gothic port of call from the Balkans.

The Visigoths began to ally and coordinate more closely with their Greuthungi brothers. The Kingdom of Italy was beginning to forment. Peace was made with the new king of the Anteans, and a defensive alliance came soon afterwards with Genseric, son of Godigisel, king of Vandals. Vithericus made an offer of two thousand three hundered talents to the Macedonian Emperor Agorius Tuberta for a military alliance, which was accepted. Now a new order was emerging in the west.

Agorius approves of the new leadership in Italy. He declares himself Emperor of the West, to Saturninus' chagrin.

Genseric of Hadrumentum, the historical kingdom of North Africa, is now a partner of the African Romans in Carthage, and a defensive ally of the King Vithericus.

Theodahad learned that one obstacle lay in opposition to it: Egica and his foreign interests, particularly Hunnic and Bastarnian ones, that dated back to the subjugated period under Vithimiris. Filimer was devoted to the half-brothers cause, so Theodahad went to meet Filimer in disguise, to learn more about the man, and both of their ties to the Huns and the Bastarnians, who had since turned on the Gepids.

**Hitai de Bodemloze** · March 16, 2015, 07:23 AM

Awesome stuff

A really interesting angle for an AAR. I'm liking the episodic nature of the updates, each concerning different characters. Keen to hear how the Ostrogtohs deal with Eutychianus, Saturninus and the last of the Romans.

**Lugotorix** · March 16, 2015, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Hitai de Bodemloze

Awesome stuff

A really interesting angle for an AAR. I'm liking the episodic nature of the updates, each concerning different characters. Keen to hear how the Ostrogtohs deal with Eutychianus, Saturninus and the last of the Romans.

Thanks Hitai! The Romans aren't nearly finished as an entity. I'm considering waiting for blood and gore to make this gritty world really come to life.

**Lugotorix** · March 18, 2015, 08:27 PM

THE PEACE OF THE OSTROGOTHIC KINGDOM IN ITALY

Filimer finally accepts a station suitable to his true power in the Kingdom.

The Vandals and Pontus convert to Latin and Greek Christianity respectively.

The fair bride who's name is tarnished later by Wulfila

In the autumn of 404 Scipuar married the mother of his child, Leovigild, Teus, and the Vandals converted to Latin Christianity from Arian Christianity. The two major Arian Christian hordes were now under the authority of Rome, and the pontificate forgave the refusal to declare war on the Quadians, by bringing those that had settled in the south in Africa into the fold.

The Ostrogothic Kingdom at it's near height of stability

An impressive fleet was built in Aquileia, called Venezia, under the command of Admiral Wulfila, and dispatched to the south to deal with Eutychianus, who was under siege and outnumbered already by Vithericus and the Seekers of Glory. Anicius Gavius Symmachus, persisted in his opposition at Ajax, and was leading the last major legion of the Western Empire outside of Narbonensis and Spain against occupied Caralis, when Honorius called a truce and sued for peace for a second time. Wulfila soon began to abuse his unique position, and began spreading rumors about Teus, the wife of Scipuar, saying that she had only ingratiated herself to the court and the kingslayer for it's benefits to her.

Around the times of peace, a mercenary commander named Tribigild traveled to the court at Verona, and offered his services in sacking Aquiae Sextiae in Narbonensis. With the Roman leadership thrown off there, it would improve drastically the relationship between Viridius and Saturninus who had risen in rebellion to the north of Narbonensis. The king accepted the mercenaries offer, and Aquiae, near Massalia, fell into Ostrogoth hands. This was the capital of the Western Roman Empire during their civil war at this time, and the king had led his people well and superseded them as the third most powerful of nations as far as Persia. This sent ripples of panic through Honorius' ranks and most of his remaining generals outside of Hispania joined the Separatists in central Gaul.

The mercenary chieftain Tribigild delivers on him promise to assist in the capture of Aquiae Sextiae in Narbonensis. The Septimanian patrician class and governor agreed to rule of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, giving them a counterbalance to Virinius and Saturninus' empire.

The battle for Sicily was a bloody one, a great battle that perhaps marked the end of Honorius' control outside of Hispania and the western mediterannean, but Vithericus emerged victorious and the Romans sailed away to the west in a retreat, watching smoke on the horizon. The Ulpia Victrix in tatters.

The Flavian line grows thin: Honorius is almost isolated, from his territories in Hispania, which are already in revolt, The Roman governor of the Aquitaine and Gallica joins forces with Saturninus.

Hostilities resumed, and in 405 the fleet of Wulfila participated in the army that had occupied Insularae Occidentalis in crushing the Roman resistance.

Wulfila married Munifrida, with the King's begrudged acknowledgement, although it was a matter of passion and not court politics, which gave some the impression that his control on matters was edging away. In the same year of 405, Wulfila appointed himself a companion of Egica. Egica and Filmer ruled from Italia and Venetia as governors respectively. So there was a growing rift between the military establishment of the King, and the governing bodies of his half-brother.

To make matters worse, Egica blocked the appointment of a sage mentor of Theodahad, Gelimer, who assumed the command of Agrimund's legion in the north of Liguria, for knighthood by the king. There was happy news as well, when another cunning noblewoman woman named Munifrida, married the young son of Vithericus, Widimir, who had just come of fighting age. Unfortunately, Widimir was not faithful, and just two years later, he sired a boy named Eutharic with a noblewoman named Fridilo.

A ROYAL WEDDING

Egica the procrastinating gambler, makes his gamble

Egica's 'healthy interest.' in cosmopolitan matters had him compromised in loyalty, and with the birth to the sons Liuva and Gesalec, and the daughter Hunila, to his wife Scarilo, he now had his own dynasty to attend to. With the prospect of Agorius and the Latin Church judging Vithericus to be the sacred king of all Italy, tensions were rising between the governors, navy, and ground forces. The governors kept to their vices, such as gambling, and were known as a ruder, more worldly type of administrators.

It was in this year, 405, that the High King of the Marcomans, Alboin, and Manitore, King of the Maurians, signed a military alliance with the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy against Rome, which had now pushed into Segusio, and had a monopoly on the central mediterranean. The alliance strengthened when Bertram, who was suspicious of other regional powers, died, and his brother Chagnoald assumed kingship of the Quadians, with the marriage already in place, a military alliance was signed with the Quadians as well.

The Germanic tide had stopped and a great peace settled over the west, with the accension of Saturninus over the Western Roman Separatists, which bordered Belgica and inner Raetia, Germania, and held all of Gaul, and soon, Narbonensis, with the exception of Aquiae, which was a walled vast city, a prize that Vithericus held over Saturninus' head. He appointed as his Magister Miletum, Sextus Viridius Funarius, who quickly established trade with Vithericus' kingdom.

The diplomats of the Ostrogoths were brought a treaty and offer of tribute for joining Emperor Agorius by Gnaeus Attius Praetextatus, the insurgent governor of Africa, to which the King agreed. Now any dispute between the Romans in Africa and the Vandals could be mediated by the Ostrogothic office of Sacred King of Italy, which had taken one and a half years to acquire, and Agorius. Attius had difficulty deciding between which claim to support. This is where the King appeared to have a fork-tongue. He had signed a defensive alliance with the Garamantians, and was on the cusp of signing a military alliance with the Rugians who were in the crosshairs of the Hunnic hordes, as well as Saturninus' empire. Garamantia was friendly to Attius and the Vandals, but not on even terms with the Gaetulians who also relied on the protection of the King's armies. Alliances with the powerful were never to be trusted. The Rugians would find this out soon enough. The Germans favored the less territorially strong Agorius as Emperor of the West, while the Seperatists favored Saturninus and Viridius as Co-Emperor. This bone of contention was irrelevant to the peace and new order that settled, but would be an issue in the future.

Going into 406, Alaric, King of the Vesi, was killed in Dyrhacchium, fighting against rebels of the rule of Agorius, and the Visigoths were absorbed into the Ostrogothic kingdom as citizens, with full settling rights. It was during these years that the Goths began to be recognized as one inexorably tied people.

Both Sisinand and Filimer were appointed to the Elder council in 406 with the victory over Ancius Gavius Symmachus, by Sisinand, and it was on the day of their appointments that Theodahad went to meet with Filimer.
The way he had done this was by putting his protege, Sindered, into the service of Egica, and then having the spy Sindered propose that Filimer, the governor of Venetian, would meet a wealthy Roman who was discontent with the military's rule, Theodahad, as we already have mentioned, being fluent in Latin.

Theodahad spoke with a thick Italian accent, his hair combed forward, in the rich manse of Filimer not far from Verona. Filimer had a noted artist Gento, in his retinue, and he was sketching the triumph through Venezia on a canvass. The sun shone in on Theodahad's golden brown hair and olives and sorties were brought by servants on trays, as he sat entertaining the company of tall, imposing Filimer, with his white blonde hair, and yellow beard, a foot in length.

'And here we are at peace. A good time for a man such as you.' He chewed a grape offered to him. 'I'm told Vithericus plans to offer you more estates and a stake as Elder, the position held previously only by the mighty Saphrax. Seems to reflect the times. Where a man of letters and seals would be honored, rather than he of the ragged blade.'

Filimer, with his long blonde beard, swilled heartily. He was known for being bibulous to excess, but Theodahad hadn't fathomed how much.

' Of course, it's been kind to me: we're having a flutter later and you are of course invited, just don't bring any plebes to drink with the best- time's are changing Vorenius Cato, and as with all relics, the boots and pomp will be set aside like a candle at the days end.'

'Quite like Diocletian, this man Vithericus, but he goes too far in his vindications. Stilicho was a man we all admired. Egica, however, who I trust will be at the game, has a better temper, and more progeny, better boys I might add, that Widimir has already just past sixteen bedded rich Fridilo and produced an embarrassment to the King.' Vorenius Cato replied.

'Sacred King, to be fair. Not sacred behavior. He knows little of what Bleda and their Bastarnian hounds have planned for the Germanic alliance as far as the north of Gaul under control of the Alamans, nor where through. I've been tending to affairs in this province for years, and have become quite attached to it, and Vithericus would demand no path at all for Bleda, rather than another one, over the alps.' Filimer said loudly.
'You mean to pay Bleda his ransom, then?' Vorenius Cato asked, interested.

'Far more. I will deliver him the cruel piking bastard and his squirming children himself rather than be cursed to see the day where Venetia, and Siscia to the east sees the terrors of the Huns. While our king was marching about south of the Danube, Egica was forming an alliance with the Gepids, the Greuthungi, the Bastarnians. They will not pass through our lands.' Filimer replied flatly. 'Which is why I need true Romans such as you to count on, Cato, when the time comes.' He said lazily.

Theodad answered ' I would need assurances for my safety. A patricians privileges. The names of men I can rely on within the military, if we'd need one at the time.' He said narrowly.

' I am giving them to you now!' Filimer barged his hands down. He quickly took down some wine, and looked the 'Roman' in the eyes, with icy precision.

' Egica takes the taxes of Italy. Give what to Caesar is Caesar's and God, what is Gods. Vithericus belong to God. Rules are rules, as Egica would say. Cut the sauce, Theodahad called Vorenius Alanus. Egica is heir to this kingdom by rights, and he is promising you a peaceful estate in this peaceful land should Vithericus go on some self-righteous crusade for the Germans to the north. Now I will have wine and women, I tire of talk of these mountains of men and their military drills.'
Guards emerged from the portico to see Theodahad out.

Theodahad listened for his own sake. 'I just have one question. Why is it that you prefer many before one?' He said in Germanic.

Filimer, imbibed, looked at him leeringly. 'Do you really think the governor of Venetia, the first kingdom of Italy, would be allowed to marry by a man, if you can call Gothic gargoyles, men, such as Vithericus? Now, go, you narry a decent rat.' He waved him away.

Theodahad had much to consider. His loyalty was to Gelimer before Vithericus, but perhaps he should report immediately to the King and Gaatha. As he left, he noticed Sindered following him. I supposed the geniture and civilized make the coins, he laughed to himself bitterly: they were growing in power. He supposed the name Hunila might have been a clue. Gaatha would decide the next best course of action to take.

Alaric has been slain.

During these three years, the military machine continued it's conquest under Scipuar in the East, and captured Serdica, Sofia, a fortification in Dardania, for the security of the Co-Emperor Domitius

**Lugotorix** · March 24, 2015, 11:07 PM

Spoilers ahead: Campaign finished before Tin Isles Mercenaries

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Lugotorix** · March 25, 2015, 11:39 PM

Five Years
409-413 A.D.
The Calm Before the Storm/The Light Before the Darkness

The Name's Amalius, Amalius Vithericus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This man keep men buried up to their heads in sand with a box full of sun spiders over their face.

THE FATE OF PREFECT GAVIUS SYMMACHUS

In 409, a solution was resolved by Vithericus, King of Rome, that Saturninus and Viridius Funarius should serve as co-emperor to Agorius Tuberta. This would be the triumvirate that the Ostrogothic Kingdom would serve as a glue between and preserve the Western Empire.

To consolidate his power, some two years later, when Honorius had fled to northern Tarraconensis, it's governor, Anatolius Labienus Lepidus declared the former emperor a criminal on behalf of Saturninus, by way of a hefty bribe by the Separatist leader. Honorius was captured and beheaded, and the Flavian line ended, with the governor of Gaul and Hispania siezing what was left of their territory.

Agorius' armies were swelling the Italian ranks of Widimir, who had come to command, and travelled with his loyal wife Munifrida. Meanwhile, in Ajax and Caralis, in Corsica and Sardinia, and outbreak of measles was decimating the isolated legion of Vithericus, and the already scar-faced king was given a pocked appearance, sharing in the suffering of his men. One effort that improved the loyalty of Egica was the King's developing reputation as a torturer.

Also in 409, the Admiral Wulfila of the fleet, the Storms of Maeotis sent retainers to the court of Saturninus, and sent word to Vithericus in secret that the navy would answer to Egica and the governor of Sardinia should the Emperor of the West give the word. Vithericus was compelled to pay Wulfila the admiral's demands for his silence, but would not forgive his brother, or the govenor, recently pardoned, of the affront. What Wulfila had not told him was that he also suspected that little Widimir, was in fact, Filimer's child, through the King's wife Goiswintha. Goiswintha would poison him at the accusation, but was prepared to make the King heirless save little Ammius in the eyes of Saturninus nonetheless. Wulfila was becoming pompous, wearing the armor of the higher nobility, on a ship, no less. Vithericus ought to tell him to get wrecked, and sink in that armor of his.

He led his half brother to a ranch in Caralis, and there he showed him the import of the pastures from the Berber and Mauri territories that had returned to the control of the Gaetuli and his African ally Attius in Carthage. He ordered the former governor to get on his knees and kiss a camel, and then added a sun-spider to make the menagerie interesting. Egica became chilled at his brother's behavior, but began to respect him more, as everyone on the island was afflicted by the plague, and Vithericus kept Egica sheltered by those tainted, and sent him back to Rome in good health.

Widimir ruled from Mediolanum, called Milano, with the support of the general Gelimer, who had crushed several minor revolts, and ranged as far as Aquiae Sextiae in his drills. Always prepared for Western Separatist incursions. Saturninus tested the boy by crossing his troops into Narbonensis, the Heirs of Mars, his proudest legion, flaunting their might in range of the city. Succeeding Sisinand as a powerful general was the not very bright, yet surely cunning tactician Sigeric. A handsome Germanic noble, he had joined Widimir's cohort and soon found work for himself devising way to seize on the desires of the rabble that rose up in Liguria. Usually by manipulating one against another into his army for a chance to hold court with the rest that had bent the knee.

The saber-rattling begins. Saturninus will not be satisfied as co-emperor, having just had Honorius dispatched.

Who will inherit the laurel of the fallen Flavian Emperor?

Still, Vithericus had heard word of Filimer's pact with the Bastarnians and Huns, and knew that man was the lynch pin to Egica's loyalty, as he was now an official judge, as well as the governor of Venetia. Saturninus was also complicit in this, as their travels towards his lands would remove the Germanic alliances of Langobards, Thuringians, Alamans and others, who he was not in good faith with. Vithericus had never forgotten his father, and grand-sire's fate at the hand of the Huns, nor the sacrifices Saphrax had commited after Adrianople, both entering and leaving the good graces of Theodosius, and becoming a criminal. A criminal that had groomed a king, and that king would never bow to the hunched half-horse creatures of rank that ate raw salted meat, and bound their children's skulls from birth. The Nokkors and Devils would be denied, and if they marched on Siscia or near Venetia, he very much intended to meet them in battle, and never condemn the other tribes to live as their clients.

He also did not trust Bleda, nor his Turkic rascal of a brother Attila, to keep their word, being extortionists, and if Saturninus and Funarius' bribes worked, he believed they would soon turn their sights on Italy, where Magister Funarius could play the hero of Rome and fill the power vacuum.

War breaks out, too soon between the Romans and up and coming barbarian kingdoms.

Tensions came to a high point, when a Germanic horde of the Rugians, recently dispossessed by the Western Emperor, under Vithericus' protection, was hunted as a rogue group by the Emperor and his Magister. Rather than declare war on behalf of his defensive ally, the Rugians, the King allowed them to be hunted down and destroyed by the West. This sent alarms across the other Germanic kingdoms that Vithericus, on his island lair of filth, was not to be trusted, and a message to ascendant Bleda, heir of Uldin, and Kipsca, his Nokkor lieutennant, that internal conflict was almost ripe in his intended targets.

Vithericus noticed the disturbance immediately, and attempted to put his court in order. And so, Gaatha met Filimer in Verona, close to the army of Widimir, son and heir to the King, in case anything would go awry. Filimer, as judge, had recently interfered with the appointment of misshapen Gelimer, mentor of Theodahad, from his appropriate stature as deemed by the King, and was growing angry at Sisinand appointment to Judge alongside him on the council. Sisinand controlled the military, and would pass it's reigns to Widimir, with the courts as his witness and certification, and that boded unwell for the provincial governors.

' This happens every year. The Gaelic king, Moritex, son of Vosenios, demands a bride for some purpose. What sordid things from that emerald island and it's moors and cold.' She explained to Filimer, sitting in the mead hall of Verona.
'I'd bet he makes a bloody mess of them.' Filimer cursed, and swilled his mead. The Irish were known raiders, and had violently seized a kingdom of Sws Breinechog for their own in Brythonic Dyffed, formerly under Roman control at Vindiacorum. The Caledonians, Britannic Romans and Ebdanian Irish had formed an alliance for control of the islands.

'Hopefully.' She twisted her lips as if making a joke. ' Valdermerca, demanded for his young son Rebriccos, others, for sacrifice to Toutatis.' She said, drearily.

'No more screaming mouths to feed around the palace at Saint Apollinare.' Filimer raised a toast.

'Vithericus loves them, as he loves me. Yet he gives into the cruel Hibernian just as well. He compromises, for the defensive alliance with the Ebdani. And now he offers a different kind of sacrifice. To a man he would have as a warrior.' She placed her hands in his. She almost had to drink some wine first, at the thought of it: The man resembled an older Widimir, giving clout to Wulfila's rumors almost passed to Saturninus that the young warchief was Filimer's and not Vithericus' Filimer would laugh heartily should he ever hear that, but he'd much rather bed his kin, than his wife, and so she was convinced that the man would agree. With a marriage in place, Vithericus could instruct his brother through the judge himself. Given time, Filimer would lead armies and become the tribal chief. For all his rudeness, the man was very influential, charismatic even, with his dark sense of humor. It held weight within the ranks of the men. This was not a woman's world, nor a time for niceties that the court required. Filimer was officious at work, but crudely playful when about the cities, and he became known for his rising power and boasting character.

Moritex the Hibernian, demander of brides

A defensive alliance with the Irish is signed by Vithericus.

'A warrior against whom?' Filimer asked seriously.

'Bleda, the swine of a devilish Hun.' She replied, optimistically.

Filimer drank again, and grinned. 'I'd much rather go to war on his fine cousin in you. If it's worth the asking, I'll pledge the army of Verona and Ravenna. If not, well I suppose it's on you to do the convincing. Just the milk of poppy and then something warm for nights at a time until I'm convinced.'

Gaatha wasnt happy with his words, she wanted a commitment, not more procrastination, and with her body as tribute. The irresolute bastard. She suddenly grew cold at the sight of the man, and shuddered a bit, she drank some wine, nervously.

' What's the matter, Gaatha, not the whore you thought you were?' Filmer laughed to his guards. They smiled, saying nothing. They took her proposal, from a woman, no less, seriously and did not want to offend her dignity. Some of them had been paid in full earlier that night for holding their tongue, and their blades for the night.

'I only proposed marriage, my lord, vows under Guitfrida and the sight of God.' She said meekly.

'In the sight of God your faithful to the corpse Hethin, I'll not become another for Vithericus. Bleda and I are agreed.' Filimer answered, ceasing laughing and become droll, and drumming his hands down savagely.
Gaatha stood up, finished her drink, and threw the glass down on the table, spilling a bit of brandy on the High Judge. 'You are not yourself. Un-befitting of your station.'

As she left, she saw a drunk crawling around in a hall. He wore a thick hood, and stank of too many nights here at this very tavern. To some, he would appear to be a vagrant, a man without a home. She knew better. She hunched over him, and cradled his head. 'You poor thing. Some silver. Get home and be well with Christ.' She said. She then tapped on her head, then shook her head, and tapped on her knee. The drunk, as if crawling to a sow, climbed to her knee. She tapped harder on her knee. He muttered something crude and fell off of her knee. She curtsied and left the mead hall.

Later that night, as the mead hall was expounding it's frequenters, and the lords had left, Filimer was still drinking, as usual. The drunk crawled to a carriage outside of the great hall, where mist rose from horse dung and water in the cobbled cold streets of Verona. The drunk mumbled something to the carriage driver, which hid a cataphrunct.

'Sod off, lecherous drunk. I don't care how sweet she was.' He shouted, pushing him. He turned to his cargo, footpads all. 'Oh, Lord protect us. That's a job for a hammer, and we've already brought swords.' The coach driver said, handing him coin. Beneath the cloak, was the face of Theodahad, his voice, smoke in the dark ghostly air. He smiled grimly.

**Lugotorix** · March 26, 2015, 05:00 AM

CHAPTER II: THE BLIND MAGISTRATE OF ITALY

Part I: Gaatha, and Sindered, hands of the King

January 414 A.D.

ROMA, ITALIA

Filimer's leg was being tended to by a chirugeon doctor. The femur had been splinter fractured by a hammer. They had kicked him, the dogs, during the ambush, but he would not yield. 'Let's see if you can fight.' They had brazenly jested. His guards hadn't caught one of the assailants. The cuts around his neck, had required his long beard to be hacked off, and his nose was broken in two places, giving his squinting eyes two black furrows.

He lay on his cot, waiting for a cup of porridge. Yes, food, that's what he needed, not the sour sauce. The guards, he had them all disbanded and replaced. One could never be too careful. The King hadn't relieved him of his duties as chief magistrate, nor governor of Venetia, and it was in Rome where he stayed. The days grew short, and rumors emerged of the Huns devastating the lands to the east, burning crops and making the land barren. Thousands of refugees pouring into the Germanic kingdoms. Bleda and Rugila were on the move! Widimir had promised him assurances for his safety as he recovered. Good boy, not like the bat King. The bat would visit him, from day to day, and tell him of the worsening relations with the pretender Emperor Saturninus, almost as if rubbing it in that Vithericus would side with his Germanic brothers against Bleda, and Reva, who had succeeded Uldin, then in January of 414 Anno Dominae.

That this man could call himself a Christian King was a miscarriage of justice, but at least he had promised that Gaatha, whom he suspected of ordering the attack, would not trouble him again. 'You'll not see much more of her.' Vithericus compassionately explained, massaging Filimer's shoulders. The bat, the gargoyle, had left him then, assuring that he would serve the Kingdom in his best capacity for years to come.

He explained to him calmly that Saturninus was spurning the idea of a triumvirate with Viridius as Magister of the Sacred King and the Two Emperors, much as Filimer had spurned Gaatha, and hell, as they say, had no fury, like a woman scorned. Rome's nature would be revealed to her enemies. He was known as the Amali Caesar in these days, and carried court with both Agorius and a grudging Viridius who made the terms of the Empire apparent. He was now speaking what Filimer and Egica would only say in private before. The Germanic kingdoms were liabilities, to be given no shelter from the Hunnic menace, save a foederati, not full citizens on their lands, serving the empire. The Bastarnians, Magyars, Budinians, and Gepids would be welcomed into their lands, as well as the distant and exotic Abgasians of the Caucausian mountains north of Armenia, on the coast of the Black Sea.

Widimir was urging for confrontation with Saturninus, annoyed that the Magister not only marched his armies from Lugdunensis into Liguria, for a bully at the brigands that ran the roads, or to visit this group of daughters or another who maintained their ties with the Romans in Gaul, but held court in Rome as well. The sovereignty of the Kingdom must be maintained, swore the heir. He was pressing Agorius for a military alliance with the Alamans, who shared the northern border of Gaul and Belgica with the West and would be the first in their line of fire, should they be abandoned to the mercy of the Huns. The senate seemed indifferent, but insisted that Italy remain free of these scourges of god, the inhuman and barbaric, nomadic Huns, under any circumstances. Vithericus could not guarantee that. He was an assessor, and he took the taxation of Roman citizens very seriously, but left them free to their affairs, being culturally and religiously tolerant, much like Moritex, King of the Ebdani, who had initiated so many marriages.

He had a visitor on this snowy day, as he was stuffed away recuperating, and it was his loyal servant and scout, Sindered. He spoke in confidence, knowing that the King could not be far, but that Sindered was loyal for the sums he had paid him. 'Can we rely on Cato!? Gaius Duronius Caesar must give answer to this outrage!' He seethed as Sindered entered the room. 'Of course.' Replied Sindered. 'You needn't worry about that now. You must prepare for your promotion. Vithericus is convinced that you are the best magistrate in his service and has no intention of releasing you from his service.'

'Good. We must summon Cato immediately. Those dogs nearly killed me on Gaatha's behalf.' Sindered gave a wicked smile. 'Oh, her, more good news. Gaatha has decided to take you up on your offer. She knows you like what you see.' Filimer was astounded. 'How did you learn this from the enemy.' He said gravely. Peering deeply into the spies eyes. Sindered looked away. 'She is here for you now, my friend.' He placed a slap on Filimer's femur. Filimer winced. Sindered walked to the door. 'Farewell, I will see you in the courthouse. Nothing sinister, Filimer.'

Gaatha entered the doorway, removed her leggings, and straddled atop Filimer. He grunted from the pain and exertion of keeping her from falling. ' Gaatha, think very carefully about what you do.' He warned. He tried to push her off of him but was in no condition to. He felt frail. 'You do like what you see, Filimer. Now make your lustful war on the kin of Vithericus as you promised.' He was shocked, he looked for signs of help, a knife, anything. The doctor closed the door behind him. There was nothing nearby. He began sweating and whimpering, he grasped for something, anything, but found only her soft garments with his calloused hands, eager to be torn from her sinewy body.

'I'm in pain, Gaatha.' He pleaded. She smiled, and undressed herself casually. 'I will do the needed work for you, Magistrate, Governor of Venice. And I have a gift for you. 'Milk of poppy, for your pain.' She brought forth a thimble tincture of nod. This was the harvest of the Eastern Empire, and the Sassanids, it made men delirious and full of pleasure, numbed their senses, dulled them from pain. She poured it in his eyes. His mouth went numb before he could protest. He could see perfectly fine through the sappy discharge, but his face was becoming numb. Her gorgeous body, was basted in oils and honey, as if she had prepared for his last night on earth. 'Enjoy yourself, magistrate. It is my honor. Vithericus will be blessing you with a far more suitable wife than me, a priestess, the beautiful Ereluva, for your afflictions. As he said, you'll be seeing a lot less of me.' She began to rock him.

He tried to scream, but his mouth was a mushy, slack jawed numb mess, he slurred a guttural utterance instead, like some sort of animal. He found himself in full rigor of intercourse, screaming through glassy eyes, muffled on her naked gleaming body. ' Now you won't feel any pain, but you will feel something cold and hard, just a little tug. Two tugs, in fact. Your wife in Christ will care for the crippled, the afflicted.' She let him resort to his animal instincts through the pain and enjoy her beauty: he had longed for her, and the despoilment that came with her, for years, though not under the same circumstances. He cried out in agreement.

The Alemanni press their case for war.

Vithericus walked on his way to the forum, in his black robes and scholar's cap. Sindered had joined the cause against the Huns for an incentive that he could kill their princes, and a well off portion of gold and a villa. He intended to make good on promoting Filimer. First he would be promoted to Clan Chief, and then warchief. If he disagreed, in his new state of impairment, he would simply be led to Tomas' pig farm near Neapolis. He was a sound judge, and stripped of his senses his decisions would be more expedient and wise in times of war. Gaatha would still need to remain from public sight, Vithericus laughed to himself, for some time. Preparations would be made with the Roman senate, for General Cato, who was under the authority of Duronius Caesar, two of the most powerful generals in the Western empire to be handed over to the Kingdom's authority by Magister Miletum Viridius Funarius, or that of the Alamanni allies.

. If Saturninus refused, then the Alamanni would strike from the north, while he cut them at the seams, straight for the richest city in Gaul, Lugdunum. Austrigusa, King of the Alamans, would want war with Saturninus soon. Filimer would make a fine impartial clan chief, and a more disciplined tactician in defense of Venetia.

Going into the fall season, the integrity of this man will be pushed to the limits

**Lugotorix** · March 26, 2015, 05:53 PM

Fall of 414 A.D.
Three Caesars
THE SENATE IN ROME

Seasons had passed, and Filimer's crippling had become gossip of the cruel nature of the King, and any who would oppose ambitious Gaatha, then nothing, as he ascended to Tribal Chieftain, the old oriface of Saphrax. No-one was willing to touch the influential Gaatha, though she was now known as a venus fly trap. In the eyes of the church, Filimer was un-chaste and impure as her, and in no bargaining power to assault a relative of the High King.

Sacred King of the Ostrogoths and Italy, Vithericus, sat in the pews of the senate. Saturninus had taken the floor, and was shouting that the word of one blind judge, who was in the very service of the Kingdom still, could not be trusted for Duronius Caesar to arrest Cato and place him in the custody of the Ostrogoths. He used the Roman way of eloquence to persuade the Roman Senators, Saiones of the Gothic martial culture, and Comites of the Roman installation that remained. He railed against the aggression of the Alamanni, who even now pressed against his eastern frontier from Belgica and Brittany.

'And so, senatore, Austrigusa has clearly plotted with this very man to ensure my claim for dominion over the west remains unheard, and a lavations of the barbarian hordes course into the very rich cradle of the Roman Empire.' Saturninus shouted. Gaatha was in attendance, and clapped mightily. The preceding were a farce. As farcical as Filimer being in the very room, at the magistrates table, unable to see her, or the man he was being accused by. The High Court of Italy and Venetia would make the final determination.

'I will not surrender Cato, nor will I order Duronius to hand him over. In fact, Duronius is prepared for the assault of the Alamanni, as well as any of Agorius' beligerants.' He roared for all to hear.

Agorius was present, and held a stolid expression. This was a game of laurels with barbarian pawns, and the Emperor Saturninus had some pawns of his own: The Ripurian Franks and the Saxons and Angles had joined the coalition of Gaul, Hispania, and the West, whilst the Ebdanians offered a good sum for military access to continenal Gaul.

Labienus of Spain, thankfully for his sake, was not present. To kill an Emperor was uncivilized, and Vithericus had already killed many governors. The man was devoted to the emperors cause.

Far to the northwest, Widimir was riding hard with the cohorts of Agorius. His legitimate daughter, princess Chlotuinsintha had just been born, and he had never been prouder, nor more confident that he could be a better man, and prince of Goths. He had made a final plea, to Viridius Funarius, who declined to speak for the Emperor, before reaching Lugdununum and encircling the city, marauding the nearby villages of Gaul. His target, the rich goldmines of Avaricum in south central Gaul. The Emperor in Rome, was of course unaware of this.

'I will not sit idly as the true emperor, while this barbarian judge, himself a blind enemy of Vithericus, deems my own defense against the Alemanni at Augusta Trevorum, with Vesontio itself threatened, to be poisonous, and in league with the Hunnic swarms, more barbarous than the greatest heathen in this great Capitol.'

Filimer walked to his podium, with a walking stick. He was becoming accustomed to being blind and tripped a bit on his way in. His eyes were not gouged, as Gaatha had claimed, but rather white as sugar by some ether. He spoke in a raspy voice, clearly humbled by his disfigurement.

'I am no man to deny the will of the Co-Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, regarding the custody of his own senior generals. By Gothic martial law, that has persisted since the times of the Greuthungian Empire, we have no cause in aggression against the enemies of the Alamanni, since only a non-aggression pact has been signed with them, unlike the Germanic kingdoms to their east, whom we are devoted to, as sacred protectors, but whose relations are strained at present with the honorable Caesar Saturninus.'

'Then you are a friend, indeed!' Saturninus spat boldly, gesturing with his scepter and fasces. The man had the curls of Caesar, and was indeed worthy of that name, having usurped Honorius and most of his territory through battle.
'However.' Filimer continued, as if he were at a funeral or wake.

Saturninus became red in the face, and used every sinew in his body to keep himself from lunging at the blind magistrate for even that last word.
'It is the decree of the Sacred King of Italy and Rome that Agorius Tuberta is Caesar of the West, alongside the Domatian Prefects of Illyria and Dacia, and as of now, not any potential co-emperor, who insults the Chieftain of Goths, and that any neutrality to the affairs of the Alemanni, would be a grievous affont, and amount to an attack on the honorable Austigusa.' He cleared his throat, and rubbed his white blank eyes.

'Therefore, no assurances of non-aggression can be given to Saturninus called Caesar. By the powers entrusted to me by the High King of the Amali and the Goths, Vithericus Vandarius, Saturninus called Caesar is expelled from this capitol of Rome, and any binding agreements between our states are void.' Filimer pounded a stick gavel, and bowed and walked from his platform. He limped away. Saturninus would kill him now if he could. There was commotion on the hill, the hub of the Empire outside of Ravenna. Outcries of injustice could be heard, and fist and thumbs wagged in the seats.

'Comites! Men of Rome! To Caesar! To your Emperor! The King disrespects this hallowed place of council.' Shouted Saturninus. His guards did this, as did many senators and justices of the late Roman court. He was too late. Sometimes one has to call it a day. Elite Ostrogothic pikemen entered the room in their gleaming scale armor and rallied around Vithericus.

'You have heard the words of honorable blind Filimer, who has given his eyes to my nation, chieftain of Goths, and Governor of Ravenna, Aquileia, Ancona and Ravenna. Leaves this Senate at once.' Growled Vithericus. 'You are dismissed in peace, make not ready for war, fore it is upon your lands and the treasonous generals you protect. Their Hun bidders will not see me as a skinny wolf Romulus, but a well fed one, therefore tremble and depart, Remus called Saturninus Caesar.'

Widimir and Sisinand beseige Lugdunum, one of the most populous cities in Gaul: They have underestimated it's defenses.

In the Autumn of 414, Widimir was dealt a crushing defeat outside of Lugdunum by Publius Ummidius Carbo, whose men killed the great general and Magistrate Sisinand. Gratianus Pettilius Cato was the first to die, and he was ordered to be killed at any expense by Widimir and Sisinand upon order by the King.

The second great general of the Goths time has come

Upon retreat, his numbers were in turn bolstered by Sigeric the Daft, and a young ambitious general, Alaric, whose loyalty was ebbing towards the provincial governors. He demanded a large bribe for the loyalty of his nobles and those on his land, when Munifrida, wife of Widimir attempted to secure his loyalty.

Alaric grows greedier than a Csestiphon souk merchant.

Not wanting to expose her husbands frailty in the Gallic war, she agreed in secret to pay pagan Alaric who deified Lugus, in fact named his legion the vanguard of the hero, to bolster Widimir's forces. Widimir pushed north from recovering with his army from attrition in Massalia, and sacked Vienna, on the border of the West. He turned his sights on the transalpine village of Octoduron, and won a payback in tough dice there siezing the alpine crossing from Separatist forces. During this time, Agorius was called Caesar, and the West once again called Separatists. The Separatists had rallied far from the towers of the town itself and confronted Widimir and his noble swords and Cohors and Legio loyal to the Domitians and Agorians.

He had also brought Gothic falxmen to the fight, and they cleaved through the Romans as if the Fall was time for anything but harvest. The horses fell in the approach.

The approach of Octodurum

Brutal slayers

It was no longer the day of the gladius for the Legions. These Illyrian and Dacian fighters of Domatian fight with longswords and chain armor. The lorica segmata is long gone.

He had brought many Gothic archers, and they dwindled the Roman infantry than approached, which were then broken by the Gothic lancers which struck in pincer from the flanks. The scout equites fell to the spears of the Cohorts, and Octoduron belonged to the Italian forces. The war had just begun, and Egica, disheartened by the castigating of his friend Filimer, was losing faith in the humanity of the High King, as were Alaric and his most trusted noble, a general also named Widimir. Both of them were pagans, believing firmly in the old Gothic gods of Gothiscandzra. With the Empire torn asunder, the war would have to be ended quickly, and if that meant bringing the diseased Seekers of Glory into Narbonensis than so be it.

Far to the north, Austrigusa was making gains against the Separatist holdings, but disaster struck when what would be a long-standing vendetta emerged between Labienus of Hispania who saw that Widimir's province of Narbonensis was encroaching on his lands, and High King Vithericus, and Hispania joined the forces of Saturninus.

**Lugotorix** · March 26, 2015, 07:33 PM

Coming next- The Battle of Avaricum and the Momentum of the War

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Lugotorix** · March 27, 2015, 09:26 PM

THE BATTLE OF AVARICUM

FALL 414 A.D.

Filimer was married to Ereluva, a priestess, true to Gaatha's word. He finally had a wife to care for him in his now loyal state. To the north, the spurs of glory were inciting a different type of disloyalty. Disobedience and lust. Of course, the temptress Gaatha was at play.

The battle of Avaricum in Gaul was somewhat of a misnomer. The lands on which it was fought were rich in gold, but it was more the greed of Widimir, son of Vithericus that made it notable, and named as such in the annals.
After defeating Petillius Cato, known for his wisdom, and taking the whole of Narbonensis, even as far north as Vienna, Widimir made several efforts to secure his power at home and in Ravenna, with two generals in the Vanguard of Lugus dispositioned not to his enemies, amongst the provincial governors, but the opposite end of the spectrum, the Germanic pagan reactionaries of the houses of old Gothiscandzra, at their head, Alaric, who had become quite richer after several fights among the general's tents with the young heir. Within the military, Widimir still had many allies, even with the death of Sisinand, including Scipuar, who had just given birth to his second born son, named Savva, and simply had too much to lose, and too much faith invested within the church to have questionable loyalties to his adoptive brother, Vithericus.

This element of the military made strange bedfellows with the governors, even with Filimer humbled, and if there would be anyone to wrest power from the un-accomplished and once defeated heir, it would be the military, starting at Lugdunum. To restore order in the military, Widimir marched north into the Aquitaine and the rich gold mines that were found there, upon the hill of which, he made a stand against the defending generals of Saturninus, who had, after seeing trade severed and being sent home from Rome, declared a war against the Gothic kingdom, and intended to see it through to it's conclusion, hopefully in Rome, where his soldiers belonged.

Viridius Funarius was ordered to confront Widimir, in a three pronged attack with the already embittered Publius Carbo on his heavily entrenched onager positions in the hills south of Avaricum, one of the richest hubs in the Western Empire. With the onagers were mounted brigands, and Gothic lancers, all eager for the rich spoils that could no doubt buy even the most zealous of pagans or Arianist. Upcoming in Carthage, would be the testimony of the ascetic Pelagius, as to whether he was guilty of heresy, and although Vithericus was religiously tolerant, he had learned of the trade between his daughter-in-law Munifrida and Alaric, and was considering making worship of the old Norse and Germanic gods treasonous, to expunge the old guard, and make his lands fertile for peace within, by the seed of Christ, killing two birds with one stone.

With Bertram dead and Vitarit widowed, and having just gone to war on behalf of the Germanic kingdoms, he would gain favor for himself within Rome, while outwardly expanding it, from St. Apollinare in Ravenna. The pagan element were no friends of Romans, in fact, hated them for their treachery against one another. Young Eutharic was becoming enchanted with the old gods, and feared the Roman ways as much as them.

It was around this time, that a turncoat approached from the Comites of the Romans, named Achilius. He promised state secrets of the Western Empire, should Vithericus give him protection. Vithericus, rathering than having him tortured for his treason, and gaining his words that way, enlisted him into the spy service run by Theodahad and Sindered. He would report directly to Vithericus and travel deep into the territory of Saturninus, promising that he had changed loyalty once more.

Unleash the Ninth Circle!!!!

He had warned his son not to trepse this far into Separatist territory, in fact, made this public that a conservative approach was needed to end the war, once Austrigusa and the Alemanni had pummeled the Romans into submission to Emperor Agorius, but was not heeded, and Widimir found himself at a defendable position, against uneven odds. What had begun as a skirmish, had led him to the high ground, and now it was his to keep.
It was a clear but cold, blue day, on the green fields of Gaul, when the Romans first tried their ascent to take on the onagers. First he bombarded the approaching cohorts of Publius Carbo, which were already damaged from the previous clash for Lugdunum. The clean air was filled with smog from burning hair and skin, and howls of the dismembered and disemboweled, echoing across the hills.

Just ensuring that they stay down.

This was a savory sound to Widimir, who knew this would affect morale of the two other forces, knowing one of them, never reached their target.
From the woods to the north, emerged the main line of Limanatei, and while the Lancers and brigands were busy scattering Carbo's force into routing on the southern hills, they made an attempt, under Viridius' command for the onagers, hidden in the forest.

Here, Franks and Alemanni don't see eye to eye.

Bulls-eye

Widimir realized he was outnumbered three to one, and led the troops into the woods while the Lancers shattered Carbo's men. The brigands were soon in the range of the foederati under Rufus' command. Viridius called for Widimir to surrender, but he was soon joined with the remaining brigands and they urged him to fight, knowing that riches were better than imprisonment or slavery.

The second charge of the Gothic lancers.

He fought bravely in the forest, but just as Viridius' Limanatei were close to breaking, and the Gothic lancers were close to returning from their charge, a Praetorian of the Magister Miletum that Widimir was pushing against stepped forward and struck Widimir at his shield. Enraged, Widimir, known for being lively and keen to reconaissance, which he had failed in on this occasion, lured by the promises victory would hold, ordered his men after the offender, and led a charge deep into the Roman ranks. He was stabbed through the heart with a spear by a towering Roman, perhaps a foederati, a clean kill, but a lethal blow to the holding forces on the high ground. His men were more disheartened to learn that Gallic Equestrians led by Servius Rufus had overidden the onagers and had kept them intact: they would be used against the Prince's vengeful father.

Fighting downhill, the melee is joined against Viridius' Praetorians.

Widimir fights valiantly, but his petulance get's the better of him.

The Equites of Viridius flanked them then, and they were pushed into panic at the edge of the forest.

In irony, it was Widimir of the Vanguards of Lugus who took up the Prince's banner and led the retreat from Servius Rufus' force of cavalry, cutting through the encircling troops and saving some of the blood, if not dignity of the soldiers. He suffered a maimed leg from the incident and blamed Widimir even in death, for his limp. When he returned to the city of Lugdunum, he began plotting with Alaric for a means to end the war. By nightfall the city was divided into two camps, calling calamity into the war's progress. But by morning they had learned that the King himself, accompanied by Scipuar were riding hard to relieve Lugdunum and take control of the war effort, still not having learnt of his son's death. He had also learned of the disloyal Widimir managing an affair with Gaatha, and meant to put an end to the affair in the eyes of God, with finality, for the Gothic Kingdom to see, to silence all rumors, and reign in his disputable behavior at the fort in Lugdenensis.

In cold reality, in this year of 414, the measles that Vithericus had brought with the Seekers of Glory from Corsica, afflicted Leovigild, the son of Scipuar at the tender age of eleven and the child was dead. Infant mortality was a real risk in this dark age. This would be a grim winter of funerals and mourning, but also revenge, for the Goths.

**Hitai de Bodemloze** · March 30, 2015, 12:23 PM

Riveting stuff

I'm enjoying the tension between the court and the local governors, as well as the crumbling of the Roman empire. A character list would be a nice aid though, as it's a bit complicated to follow along at times. Looking forward to what happens next with Vithericus and the ever encroaching shadow of the Huns.

**Tigellinus** · March 30, 2015, 01:34 PM

Dammit Lugotorix, you've truly forced my hand.

I have to buy Attila now.

On the other hand, the fact you've done that is truly fantastic!

Brilliant work my friend! Though now I am spending $51 (NZ, of course) on Attila! "Sigh" But, it seems like it is worth it!

Thanks

Tigellinus

**Lugotorix** · March 31, 2015, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by Hitai de Bodemloze

Riveting stuff

I'm enjoying the tension between the court and the local governors, as well as the crumbling of the Roman empire. A character list would be a nice aid though, as it's a bit complicated to follow along at times. Looking forward to what happens next with Vithericus and the ever encroaching shadow of the Huns.

Thanks, guys. A positive reception is powerful motivation to keep this going at a good pace. I went through an Ebdanian Minor victory last night in one day 0)o. The character list is up as per request, Hitai. I felt it was needed also. Have fun Tig, there are so many different ways a campaign can turn out, I've realized through replay, I'm sure yours will be equally as fun, immersive, and engaging!

**Lugotorix** · April 02, 2015, 11:16 PM

The Two Year Civil War

and

THE WRATH OF THE HUNS

LUGDUNUM- 415 A.D.

It was the beginning of the year 415. Winter had passed, and with it, the commemoration of Widimir the Heir and his fallen brothers from the battlefield. They were given Christian burials with the Lord's prayer, and sent to their rest, under the black consuming fertile soil of the north.

The affair between Widimir of Lugus the pagan, and Gaatha had been exposed, and the forty three year old High King Vithericus had made demands of Gaatha that she marry Widimir, to consecrate their union before the lord, Christ.

To make no mistake, both of the brothers of Lugus, Widimir and Alaric, held a deep seated hatred for the Romans, with their straight roads, clean aqueducts, and bent noses, not excluding the Separatists of Saturninus, but the rebellious elements in the camp demanded peace with them nonetheless.

Alaric was becoming quite influential, and had been sent prior to Vithericus' arrival to Lugdunum and the northern frontier, to bargain for peace on behalf of the Governor of Rome and Italia, Amalius Egica.

Already in their old Gothic warpath they wished upon Gaul, they had enlisted and taught Widimir's young bastard son Eutharic to fear and hate the Romans, which would be an obstacle if he were to ever reach the throne, as he would be appointed Sacred King of Rome, naturally a city of Romans.

With the death of Widimir, Vithericus swore revenge and called off any notion of truce, before declaring his teenage son Ammius, a scholar of warfare and history to be his heir, should he fall in combat to the north of Lugdunum.
Lugus was the god of the skillful and swift black hand, deified by the Celts, and so Lugdunum had received this name. More recently it was associated with the Roman god Mercury, and by Alaric and Widimir, Tiwaz. They saw their legions unique position at Lugdunum as a sign from the pagan gods of the Goths that they were mandated to rule Maxima Sequorum and the Aquitaine, and all of newly held Gaul that would be taken from the Roman enemy.

Truth be told, for all they told their men, Achilius had determined that Widimir would become the Governor of Ludenensis, with Alaric serving as a king in this fugue, a border territory set up between Italy and Gaul, until both Alaric and Viridius Funarius could march on Rome, the gates of which would be opened by Egica, when the time came.

Gaatha part in this ploy could not be determined as of yet by the turncoat Achilius, so he was sent to spy on the wedding tent of Widimir and her, the night of the wedding, before Vithericus commited to the most unforgivable of sins. If she was complicit, or had indeed conspired with Egica and Alaric, she would not be pardoned.

The Romans within their ranks, Comitensis among them, saw no scruples with the employment of Alaric, as he paid well, being rich alongside most Goths, and would only become richer, now that Vithericus had forced his hand to marry the wealthy thirty six year old domina Amalia Gaatha.

The night of the wedding in Lugdunum was black, with red lights from torches casting a golden sheen on the iron and steel that hung on racks in Lugdunum, the braziers flickering up quick licks of embers so chaotic, hot and ephemeral, like the god himself.

The ceremony was brief, but already Alaric had called into question it's integrity. He first demanded that the Gothic gods be honored at the wedding, and would not hold his tongue among the men, until he was paid a weightsome bribe. The attendants saw to reminding him that their Lord was a jealous one, and that the inclusion of the Germanic spring figure of Freya would invoke his curse on the proceedings, in fact that they could not be truly ordained with the words included. Gaatha was quick to find a saint of of similarity, using her wits, who would stand in proxy to the pagan goddess. This, by appearances, satisfied Alaric, who was paid more for his continued silence.

Vithericus was silent and grim at the wedding, much as he had been at Hethin's, but furthermore was wrathful in spirits, particularly towards the retainers of Egica, his brother.

Achilius wore the guards chainmail and tunic, emblazoned with the bow of the Gothic armies, and the standard of the Vanguard of Lugus.
To his surprise, they were fighting with words, within the tent already.

Egica entered his chambers in his tent, between dividers, and walked past his armor. He was wearing a red and gold silk shirt, that stank with sweat, and was exhausted, having danced for most of the night. With his bright wife Scarilo back in Rome, there was no-one to comfort, and he would sleep well, having gambled with his guards earlier, who had become quite drunk and all retired to their vices. Surely no enemy would think to act on a night such as this. He mussed his golden hair, and extinguished the flames from the brazier, pushing them down with a fist, as people often did when drunk. He had not drunk in excess, but with the lights out, he began to take off his sandalions from his stinking feet so he could crawl to his bed.

There was something stirring in the night, but he could not care for it, as tired as he was. He pulled the shoe from his foot, kneeling. Something struck him on the back on the head with a thud as he removed his shoes. He had not heard anything unsheathed. 'With your own sword.' Hissed some unseen assailant. Egica cradled his bleeding skull, and crawled towards the weapons drawer. 'My wooden sword, it would seem, fool. Alarum!' He shouted in the darkness. He whirled on the assailant with a spear taken from the rack. He could see nothing but stabbed into the darkness, searching for his foe, crying out the alarm at once. His guards were coming. He felt his leg break with a sturdy sweave. He cried out for his men again and again.

Gaatha was near weeping, shrilly screaming at Widimir. 'Vithericus will kill you. He will feed your face to spiders, and you will beg for death, you cripple.'
'Not without his army. Not with the gates of Rome lowered by his own blood.' Said Widimir calmly. She threw a dish at him. 'I agreed to peace, not treason.' She sobbed.

'What should we do?' He asked his guard, quickly.
'My wife is coming with us, to Saturninus' protection. She will stay in the tower if she continues her tirade.' The guard answered.
'You heathens, you've lost your minds. Saturninus will kill you for desertion from his own Empire's army. He knows of your debauched ways and hate for the Latins, and you have doomed so many practicing Gothic men to death for your treason. My confidant Achilius had told them!' She answered, being taken into manacles by the guard.

Achilius walked into the tent. 'You're both under arrest.' They were brave words, perhaps even stupid, drunk words, but they sure stopped Gaatha's detention in a hurry.

'Ritter's companion Achila, this man plans to....' She was knocked unconscious by Widimir's cane. She fell to the sheeted ground of the tent with a thump.

'You're under arrest too Gaatha.' He said looking at the unconscious woman.' There is to be no peace with the Magister Miletum.' Achilius answered.

'This is your plan?' Widimir looked increduously to Achila. He limped on his maimed leg for his sword and laughed. 'One man, arresting the entire Vanguard of Lugus.'
Achila took several steps forward, looking to make sure Gaatha was unharmed. He smiled. 'It's my duty.' Achila answered snidely. He unsheathed his sword and made for Widimir.
'I say she would not perform hers. It's your word against mine.' Soldiers from the Vanguard of Lugus began filling up the tent. Their commander came to the ear of Widimir.
'The, ah, rebel, Vithericus is approaching our position.' Said the commander.

'With how many men?' Widimir the pagan asked, annoyed.
'The entire army.' The commander answered, bowing.

Widimir spat. And tried to quickly come up with a response. ' Comites, Kill this interloper and make for your horses, flee north, the Vanguard of Lugus has alread departed for Avaricum with the King, Alaric.'
The first guard said. 'And lady Gaatha?' Widimir pushed a spear from the nearest post into his arms. 'Do you think I care?' He shouted. 'To your horses, all of you. If you can't find yours, steal one of theirs, no, in the name of Lugus, steal two!'

Egica fled from the encampment in Lugdunum the second his guards arrived, never learning more of the assailant. He had taken a hard blow to the head and leg, and was delirious in the carriage for the entire trip to Rome.

Upon learning of the civil revolt in Lugdenensis, Reva the Hun, Bleda's warchief, declared war on the Gothic positions in Siscia with a surprise attack. Creepy white haired Gelimer moved to defend the town, alongside Ataulf, son of Egica. Upon learning of the attack, rumors were ablaze of the ceremony to appease the old gods, invoking the one god's wrath, and that the Huns were punishment for this and many other sins of Vithericus. He became unpopular overnight, owing as much to the very real civil uprising that had arisen in Gaul. The next two years saw Widimir fleeing deeper into the north, with Saturninus' protection, and Alaric, now king of the Gothic Separatists, raiding the gold mines, and trade roads of rich Avaricum and the Aquitaine.

REVA THE HUN, MASTER OF BLEDA AND ATTILA

While Widimir the Heir's body had just become cold, Moritex, leader of the Ebdanian Irish, like a Vulture circling, demanded his young bride Munifrida to become his wife. For purposes of the alliance, this was agreed.

In Carthage in Africa, the papal council of Carthage determined the accused heretic Pelagius, who taught that original sin had never occurred, and that God was not needed to absolve all sin, was tried under the protection of Attius, Governor of Africa. The missive delivered by the Gothic delegation of Sister Guitifrida found him not guilty of heresy, and his followers were grateful to the Gothic Bishop and Guitifrida for this. The Gothic pagans, just as Gaatha had said, were treated as enemies following the outbreak of the civil war. Gaatha was recovered and confined to a tower in Ancona for her scheming of peace over Widimir's body with her husband.

Thorismund, who had succeeded Filimer to the position of High Judge, immediately declared the two commanders of Lugus criminals, and was approached by both Goiswintha and Teus, the wife of Scipuar to secure his loyalty in all decisions. This was one of several efforts by the Queen of Goths to gain support during the civil uprising. Soon after Teus made her intentions clear to Thorismund, he began spreading rumors of her infidelity, offered favors, to Scipuar, to seal his trust beyond what he already possessed. He claimed he had never been erring in judgement and that being pushed offended his loyalty itself, which was beyond reproach according to himself. Scipuar was not pleased.

Filimer was appointed to warchief in 416, and ordered a force to relieve beleaguered Siscia. To the north, the Marcomanni held Sopianae, and were allied to the Goths alongside the Langobards who were ordered to hunt down Widimir the pagan.

The Huns were undeterred and burnt the Marcomanni fortifications at Sopianae to the ground. Thousands of Marcomanni refugees flooded into Venetia, telling of the horrors of the Hunnic warriors and their trophy taking, and the typhus and consumption that wracked them into surrender.

THE BATTLE OF SISCIA

Autumn 417 A.D.

The Huns at Siscia were nothing the Gothic Kingdom had ever encountered before, their numbers had swelled, and their commander, Kipsca, with impaled Gothic soldiers ringing the town, and Marcomanni commanders' heads planted on his banners, ordered his men to fight from the edges of the town, slowing any attempt to break the siege with downpours of arrows and ropes, nets, and lassos. The devil had indeed come to visit the Goths, along with the famine that would follow the sowing of salt over the lands, and the grueling sieges that pushed over Salona and much of Dardania.

The fierce Gothic war-bands fight with years of memories of the subjugation goading them to blood-lust. A time for lamentation is also a time for revenge.

The battlefield is slick with gore. The Uar Warriors fight on!!!! A moments hesitation to observe the battle might mean death.

Watch your back! They may be discouraged, but like savage beasts are never subdued.

The guard towers on the edge of the town did not last long, and the Uar, previously unencountered by the Ostrogoths, entered a melee with the defenders, who fell one by one to the utter shade of wave after wave of Hunnic arrows. The defender's worst fears were confirmed when they saw Germanic soldiers fighting under the Hunnic banners. The Huns had turned to their old practice of subjugating peoples to the same fate the Ostrogoths once had suffered, and now they were fodder for the enemy. Kipsca led the charge of these foreigners with his motley savage men, seemingly indistinguishable from their saddles.

Kipsca leads his Huns on order of Reva and Bleda, perhaps the more human of the attacking Huns.

He shouts orders in his Turkic language, that may as well be the gutter utterances of a bear or beast to the Goths. The Roman Legio fight for his head.

The carnage is absolute! Flames engulf the Uar after the Gothic Lancers charge, heads roll, and bodies burn.

Soon, the Nokkors and Devil Cavalry of the Huns, found gaps in the Gothic line, and pushed to the inner hill-fort of Siscia, abandoning their bows and using swords and lances, where they met with Gelimer's reserves and nobles. Gelimer was killed in battle trying to attack Kipsca's formation, who was eventually killed himself by Palatina loyal to the Agorian Romans who reinforced the the town.

Gelimer has been slain. The Uar begin to retreat. Ataulf carries on the fight against the Huns.

The Gothic archers pushed back, and many of the lancers of the Huns were slain in their retreat from the edge of Siscia. Gelimer had won a close victory, but was killed in the struggle for the city. The dead were taken down from their impalement and given Christian burials.

Filimer was appointed to lead the war effort in defense of Venetia, while Vithericus held Lugdunum. The old blind man had seen his plan go to waste, and war had now come to the very border of Venice. Sindered traveled to the east, and injured the Hunnic commander who was nearing Salona after the battle of Siscia, sending him back to suffer in whatever hell of the steppes these numbers of Huns were coming from.

In 417, Egica, still recooperating, was approached by the Palatina Guard of Vithericus. He would serve as a retainer, accompanying his brother in his travels, while delegating his decisions as Governor of Italy. He would be kept close. His plans had gone to ruin as well. The Huns were preparing their great host to bring war to all of Roman and Germanic Europe, and Pannonia and the Goths were right in their path.

**Lugotorix** · April 04, 2015, 01:19 PM

CHAPTER III- THE SHORT RISE AND VIOLENT FALL OF THE GOTHIC EMPIRE

THE BIRTH OF THE ROMANO-GOTHIC EMPIRE AND THE COMING HELL OF ATTILA THE HUN

418-422 A.D.

If he will not bend, he will be taught to kneel

Some men are less interested in marriage than others

Although he was illegitimatly sired, the death of Ataulf, in 418, devastated Egica. The young man was as sweet as he was disgraceful, and had done the family a great honor. He had done the empire a great honor, Egica reminded himself, even though he was now the family hound.

An arrow to the throat of the Hun with the deformed skull who got Ataulf killed. The young man shields himself from the spray of blood!

Ataulf had been sent with a scouting band of pikes and horsemen to evaluate the Huns capabilities and was killed shortly before Siscia, leaving Gesalec as the sole male heir of Egica. Gesalec was his true son and also known for his being loyal, respectful, of course seeing what had happened to Filimer and his father, and mindful and careful with appropriating funding. He was soon appointed at the head of the treasury.

Affairs were changing within the Roman empire as well. The Gothic and Alemanni victories over Saturninus, had given Agorius Tuberta dominion over Gaul, but his premature death, perhaps by poisoning, accounts differ, led to the ascension of his Macedonian general Ummidius, Decimus Curvus, to claim the laurel for himself. Decimus Curvus was the cousin of Carbo, the general of the Separatists that had defeated Widimir, which was a cause for tension, although he had remained loyal to Agorius throughout the war, and was previously a citizen of the eastern empire. Still, blood was blood, and Ammius complained often about this inconvenience, and how it might have been part of the circumstances of Tuberta's death. Ammius' vendetta influenced his father. This resulted in a declaration of independance from the Ostrogothic Sacred King Vithericus, declaring himself and the Amali family, the protectors of Rome, and himself Emperor of the Western Empire, with only the Kingdom of Gallica and the claim of Tranquilus Insteius to strive for the inheritance of the West. Their vying as well and the resolution of the first conflict with Hispania will be covered further. As Caesar, Vithericus appointed Guitifrida as his female Bishop and sent her from Rome to commit the King's errands of incitement and fervor.

In a man's world, this woman has found her place in the ministry: She will become quite influential

To placate Ummidius, he was given two thousand pounds of gold, to maintain their military alliance, and the Macedonian and Hellenic Romans became known as the Central Roman Empire, more of governors for the Gothic administration.

Egica, if he ever expected to rule, would first serve, in the court of Vithericus Vandalarius. Ammius, called 'Redbeard.' the favorite son of Vithericus, and clearly his own child, was pronounced to be the heir to the Empire. He had a vendetta against the Romans, and absolutely despised the horse-loving nomads such as the Huns. He believed they were another race not entirely human. In addition to this, he paid attention to his mother, not just military scholars, and had a blood feud agains the blind and dying Filimer and his uncle Egica.

He had a long red beard, by the age of nineteen, hinting at the Queen of the Goths Thracian roots, and terrified his uncle. For in becoming an adult, he had studied military philosophy well, and respected war-like Theoderic more than any former bean-counter of Rome, who had presided over thousands of cases and appeals.

PRINCE AMMIUS RED-BEARD

When Egica's strange son's body was recovered, soaked with blood, it was first assumed that he had been butchered, but examination of the battle site indicated that he had bravely sacrificed himself for some of his men to escape, when the captain of the Hunnic warband had been pierced with an arrow through the throat, and collapse with his horse upon Ataulf and the defenders in the sort.

This allowed Egica to escape some of the blame of having bisexual bastard in formal court.

With his crooked, penguin like way of walking, the broken leg never having fully healed, Egica was expected to serve as a retainer under the tutelage of the High and Sacred King, his brother Vithericus. Goiswintha, Queen of the Goths, considered him persona non gratis, and it was rumored that she blamed him for the outbreak of civil war in the north, though she couldn't prove it.

Since she served all of his meals now, Egica was becoming pale and skinny, a skeleton of a man, ever fearful of her special cooking. His brother made him bow and scrape, and he would supplicate all support to the military order in the Romano-Gothic Empire.
The main generals of this period were sanguine but stubborn Sigeric, Theoderic, Theoderic's lieutennant, Trapstila, known as Trapstilicus, and mighty, bearded Gundulf.

Two sieges marked 418-419, the siege at Augusta Trevorum, and Vesontio, which fell first. Saturninus' reserves were failing and although the Alemanni remained neutral in attitude to the Goths, they coordinated their seizure of Belgica and northern Maxima Sequornum with Vithericus, dividing the Western Roman Empire into two pieces with the King: in addition, a payment of two thousand pounds of gold was given to Austrigusa, for the capture of Saturninus as well as the Ostrogothic Separatist King Alaric, who had fled to the north.

This plan later changed when Saturninus surrendered himself, and he was spared from execution, instead imprisoned, to gain the respect of the citizens of Roman Gaul.

Widimir the traitor was killed in battle by the forces of the young Theoderic, a gifted general who would learn much in the following years, and create a pedigree of Comites generals. At the age of thirty six, Theoderic was appointed to the Elder council, the youngest to be given such an honor. Theoderic was a Thracian known for wielding a Rhomphaia into battle, and had an oddly shaped skull, by some accounts.

His chief of guards was given a military command himself, and Trapstila soon became known for keeping order in Italy. Trapstila was believed to have come from the lineage of Scipuar, who had since faded into retirement, and had only one son that survived into adulthood, Savva. Trapstila had one daughter, Valdarmerca.

The Alemanni had also migrated to Hispania, where the Kingdom of Baetica resided, under Alemanni kings, and the two kingdoms were separated by the Roman Gauls of The Kingdom of Gallica, as well as the hostile Labienus of Hispania.

Labienus was brave, an in 419, he set Narbo to the torch, sacking and burning it to the ground, raping it's women, as reprisal against the Goths for their deposition of Viridius Funarius, who wanted control of the entire Septimanian province, and were willing to give control to rival Roman administrators.

With Viridius killed at Augusta Trevorum and Saturninus having abdicated and surrendered, with no territory left to govern, and the Gothic kingdom reached it highest zenith yet, with control over all of Italy, Pannonia, Dardania, and Gaul. Before long, Austrigusa had captured Alaric and his band of mercenaries and had them put to death for the Emperor Vithericus.

AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS A PALE HORSE

ATTILA! FLAGELLUM DEI!

At the turn of the second decade of the fifth century, the order was changing within the Hunnic Empire as well. Reva's control began to slip to Rugila, Bleda, and Attila. At Viramacium, Attila fury could be seen as he burned the city to the ground with his vast dread host. The Huns were growing in number, and Attila was becoming a fear instilling figure amongst the Germanic defenders.

He slew all of the Domatian generals who had been sent against him, and made martyrs of priests all throughout Dardania, and held Magister Domatianus, who was now the vassal of Vithericus, hostage. His offers of extortion and payment for his forgiveness or choosing another path had been refused by Lethuc and the Marcomanni, who instead wanted revenge, and Vithericus too, wanted war against them, on their new-found territory, in Pannonia and Dardania.

Attila, growing in power even over his brother Bleda, then instructed his loyal Hunnic nobleman Iskalm, and his thousands of horses to march north against the surviving Marcomanni led by Gebhard, who fled from the sack of Sopianae, and the Langobards under the command of Wahlafrid, who marched to confront the Huns alongside their Roman and Gothic allies.

EMPEROR VITHERICUS VANDALARIUS WILL NOT BIDE HIS TIME- A WAR LIKE NONE OTHER IS COMING

Watching this turmoil all along, with a troubled brow, was Vithericus, who came with the night upon horseback in scouting expeditions to watch the Huns pillage from their inseparable beasts, expert bowmen all, with lassos and ropes, and plotted ways to end the doom that was the rampage of Attila. Assassination would be the King's first approach, and he ordered the skillful and nimble Achilius to stand by for such an effort. He had figured that a rope or bow string would be the most fitting end for the war-chief.

The Langobard king, Lethuc, knew that if Pannonia were to fall, not only Italy but all of inner Germania would be threatened by the Huns. He was eager to whet his mens blades and clubs in the blood of the savages and their horses, in the name of their Odin figure, Wodan. The Lombard forces were not accustomed to fighting on horseback, and had long bladed regiments whose outfitting was designed to slay horses, and repel cavalry advances.

Wahlafrid set up a fortification in the region of Virunum in Pannonia, with two onagers and crossbowmen, a sign of the times, and awaited the arrival of Iskalm and his Hunnic reinforcing army led by Ernac. Unbeknownst to the Huns, a forced march by Theoderic's general, the handsome and charismatic Argebaud, had reached range of the fort on a grey misty day, and were marching to aid their Lombard cousins, who shared a common origin with the Goths in the Baltic sea area.

BATTLE OF BABOON HEAD FORT, NEAR VIRUNUM, IN PANNONIA

The Lombards first met with their Marcomanni refugees under their protection, and mustered within the the fort. They sallied forth, within range of their archer towers, and the flaming bolts they spewed. The skies were grey and the terraces nearby were nearly barren. A great famine of winter was descending upon all the land, growing cold and desolate.

What greenness still remained on the soil, would soon be red, along with the brilliant contrast of the daisies that grew tall. They chanted prayers and oaths to their god Godan and that of the lord Christ, while rattling their shields, and Wahlafrid ordered his crossbowmen to man the barricades at the entrance of the fort. Again, like at Siscia, the arrows rained, but this time, there were defenses, in the form of towering wooden walls that blocked the horses from firing in their great waves in Parthian shot formation.

Ernac and Iskalm's Huns were drawn to the entrance of the fort, from initial clashes outside the walls, and once inside realized too late that the horses of the Goths had ridden ahead and rallied by the monolith that bore the banner of the longbeards. There were not only lancers, and soon Gothic Noblemen and scores of pike-men began swarming the place, holding tight to the guard towers, goading the enemy horses to come closer and feel their own volleys, the ranged portion of the army that had reach the back of the fort.

Between pike walls and noble swords, the Uar warriors are brought down!

Back and forth the momentum pushed, with the Huns being driven out, and then pushing back into the fort, until the Marcomanni were completely destroyed in fighting capacity and only the Lombards, and a few of Argebaud's men remained with their pikes, holding the center.
The remaining lancers charged for the generals of the Huns, and managed to take them down amid arrow fire, finally crushing the elite Hunnic archers, while the Scirii warriors and Uar battled within the fort, trying in desperation to take the towers of the Lombards.

The lancers crash into the foot-archers of the Huns!

The crossbows cut through the horses like scythes with their bolts, and Gothic archers in reserve rained down on those horses foolish enough to push pass the stakes at the entrance.

It was a bloody day, but victory was won for the allies. Soon after the battle, one eyed Lethuc began to favor Christ, and converted to Latin Christianity to both appease the populace which was changing, and his Gothic and Roman allies who had helped him so decisively in the battle. The Huns were completely driven from Virunum, and began massing in the south near Sirmium in Dardania. Ernac had survived the battle, but was soon thereafter dealt with by the garrote wire of Achilius.

Reports from the south indicated that the largest massing of Huns in history was surrounding Sirmium.

Whether the city would fall would depend on Vithericus' arrival, with his three other legions, one of which was lorded over by Ammius, his eighteen year old son. Ammius was married in 420. Theoderic would join him in the battle, and it would be an epic clash against Attila himself that would define how long these Gothic inheritors of Rome had against the pale horse, and upon it, death. Attila's kingship was nearing.

A young wedding for Ammius Red-beard, chosen son of Emperor Vithericus. Fridilo has one previous child, the bastard Eutharic, son of Widimir, Ammius' brother

Attila stands before the gates of Sirmium!!!!

THE GOTHIC KINGDOM, PROTECTOR OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE- AT IT'S PRE-WAR HEIGHT

**Lugotorix** · April 05, 2015, 06:38 AM

THE PALADIUM IN RAVENNA

EASTER 421 A.D.

'Do they always pay afterwards, Achilius?'

THEODERIC THE TAIFALI GIANT, FIRST AMONG GENERALS

'It is said that this nation of the Taifali was so profligate, and so immersed in the foulest obscenities of life, that they indulged in all kinds of unnatural lusts, exhausting the vigour both of youth and manhood in the most polluted defilements of debauchery. But if any adult caught a boar or slew a bear single-handed, he was then exempted from all compulsion of submitting to such ignominious pollution.' -Ammianus Marcellinus, writing of the Taifals before their conversion to Christianity.

The curtains along the columns of the palace hid the occupants, who stayed above the stairs below, that led to the courtyard. It was dusk, and bats and birds flew to every roost on the palace heights. The Gothic spires on the buildings were a new thatching, and they creaked way for rats and squirrels, too damp for nesting, as it had rained not long ago.

Torches ringed the courtyard, and on the grounds themselves were patrolling guards, and more than that, Palatina guards, and Taifali nobles, ready for the long march to Sirmium, and meeting with Attila's four hordes, the horsemen of the apocalypse, some gullible men said.

Ammius Redbeard sparred with a tall Taifali with a shining bald misshapen head, in the courtyard.

'Christ Savior is born! I feel spring in my bones, and my ligures become fresh. I yearn for the head of King Bleda in my hands, and his body for the meal of ravens. Such is the lord's work.' His thrust, his sword batted away by his Taifali sparring partner, Theoderic.

'We only mettle such for peace, Ammius, remember that.' The bald giant who looked like an Alan replied.

'They have slain Blind Filimer. No man would turn his cheek to such savages and the example of their sky-god and the winds. Besides, my beautiful wife Fridilo has demanded I sacrifice them to the old gods, for their trespasses.' Ammius answered, batting away with his rudius.

Filimer had been killed during one of the waves of attacks on Siscia, where he was staying. The Huns had stormed the building, stealing and pillaging anything of value and killed the poor blind old man, considering it mercy. The women, they had raped, before being caught in the act and killed themselves.

'They cannot be blamed. Mere beasts, not men, these creatures from the Hyperborean swamps and marshes and cold barren steppe. And when the eagle is scuttled by javelins, and his obese feathered corpse, fat from so many innocents, lies slain and pickered, we shall feast and make merry, not take trivilage.' Theoderic answered. He whipped Ammius on the back with his very keen and steel blade. 'Their mastery of the bow, unequaled. Their endurance to the elements, admirable.' He grinded with his words, testing the might of Ammius.

'But Attila has demanded more than a man can use from Emperor Marcian of the East. He's out of his element, know not what he asks of men, and how to use any gift, but for the hiring of Bastarnians and Gepids, and Ostrogoths from the other side of the world for slaughter.'

'A greedy extortionist. Deserving of the justice we will deliver at Sirmium.' Ammius answered, toasting with his sword.

'A beast, an eagle upon the lamb, the lamb of God almighty! The Pope be saved.' Theoderic answered. He didn't use the word eagle lightly. Ammius had sworn revenge against not only Saturninus and his cousin Caninius, but the Half-Goth Roman King Tranquilus and Labienus. Theoderic knew the fury it would instill in his disciple, and the boy flew into a rage, hacking and whirling like dervish with his rudius.

Theoderic was pleased with this slayer of centaurs. He was becoming a cunning warrior. 'Good! Now receive your instructions from the Emperor.' He slapped him on the back briskly.

Soon after the razing of Narbo, and the killing of it's Septimanian governor who ruled for the Emperor from Aquiae Sextae, the Western Roman empire saw a resurgence on the island of Sardinia, under the rebellion of Saturninus Caninius, a relative of the former Emperor, who had escaped his captivity in Lugdunensis, and whose current whereabout were unknown. This was highly irrelevant as even though the Huns were bringing Pannonia to the sword, Italy and Gaul remained firmly in the grasp of Emperor Vithericus.

The Kingdom of Gallica, under Tranquilus Insteibus was the last claimant to the Western Empire, with Domatianus confined to the walls of Sirmium, which were blazing from the attrition of the siege led by Attila, and even he acting as Magister. Although the Balkan Romans of Ummidius made gains in Noricum, it was clear that the authority of the Gothic Emperor was not to be questioned in rule of the West.

The King of Gallica's attitude was somewhat neutral to the Goths, from his capital in Burdigala, ruling all the way down past the pyrenees into northern Cantabria, and Tarraconensis, even going so far, in 420 to sign a non-aggression pact with the Germanic alliance, including Vithericus. Insteius was the inheritor of the Kingdom of Toulouse, and shared a border with the Alamans, and was a half Visigoth himself, and Egica and other diplomats were always told to ply to this virtue, as the would see it.

This was the first task of Egica under the tutelage of Vithericus. He was being taught to hold his tongue, and use eloquence when demanded, smooth talking he was being instructed on how to deliver by his half-brother, who was well known for it.

With the conversion of the Lombards, now the Alemanni, and Goths were all Latin Christians, and the pontiff, Leo's authority was supreme, in his cloisters in Rome.
Insteius even went so far as to offer Achilius shelter and hiding, after he made an attempt on the life of Labienus of Hispania for retaliation of the burning of Narbo.

'A stiletto to the pelvis for Labienus, suiting of such a gash of a man.' Theoderic said in his strong voice. He had broken narry a sweat from the exercises earlier. The redbeard would have to put on his dress clothes and crown, and bathe before meeting with his father. He was sitting at the round table, the one adorned with the Vandal swaskika in emblazoned mustard yellow and bright crimson on marble, with Vithericus and Sigeric, Egica and Achilius. And the wildcard, in the corner, by the draped window of alabaster in Rome, equal in age to blonde Sigeric with his bulbous nose, Trapstila and his moustache of the orient.
On the table was a golden lamp in the effigy of a swan, burning myrr and frankincense.

'Now he won't walk the same again, and has warmed to us.' Vithericus said placidly, pressing his hands on the table.

'The reaction of most women when they meet Achilius.' Trapstila said steelily, tearing into some mutton of lamb.

'Perhaps more respect is due, when speaking of the peace treaty with the city of Pompeilo.' Egica said warily, flinching from the waving hand of Vithericus.

'He's just like new, I'm sure. Like the savior.' Today, of all days, had been Easter Mass. Those who knew the Emperor knew he was tolerant of the Pope and Christianity, but found it incompatible with the sacrifices and war that would be forced on himself and the people. And so Trapstila had reminded him, to always kill with righteousness, as if the Huns, those curved spined centaurs, had given them any choice. Every one of their croaking burps of crusted blood was a prayer, smelling like the metals and oils of the church, and a soul wasted in service of the high criminal, Attila, and his King, Bleda.

'Or mother Mary.' Trapstila added a word in, waving a finger, jibbing.

'He'll be dead soon, I swear it by holy Mary.' Ammius Redbeard said, entering the hall.

'Speak not in vain! I have ordered peace with this little fief, and it's crippled toy mastiff, my son.' Vithericus answered coldly. Ammius looked up into his eyes, and bowed his head a bit, unable to meet them. The scar from the pilum looked fresh as the healthy Emperor in his late forties looked at his son disapprovingly.

'Yes. But I have come for orders. When do we leave to relieve Sirmium and confront the beasts.' Ammius asked.

'You will be leaving tomorrow, at the head of the Blood-boars and Trapstila and Sigeric at the head of the Bear-Sons. We'll show them bestiary, if that's what these killers of Filimer desire.' Answered Vithericus.
'Will you lead the legions at Sirmium, father? Or Theoderic?'

'Theoderic will be standing among his many reserves with the infantry and archers, alongside me before he travels back to Gaul to maintain order. I will be watching with my Imperial Saiones guards. You will be leading the breaking of the siege.' Vithericus answered, with a slight smile.

'I have entrusted Trapstila and Achilius with your safety. I am sending Achilius to kill Attila, should he escape the battlefield. Bleda is not there. He is cowering at his main encampment beyond the Danube.' Vithericus said drolly. He was angered that Bleda was not with his brother so the Roman and Gothic armies could kill two birds with one stone.

'Father, I am honored. To what am I owed?' Ammius said, surprised, his heart pounding, his stomach in knots. He was out of breath to say even these words.

'A warrior prince is the thing of the people's dreams. I will give them what they love. And you will give me victory, from a safe distance.' He added to Ammius, stressing the words. It was a true warning. Ammius had a tendency to get a bit carried away when the Hunnic lancers came close.

Sigeric added a word or two, hesitantly. 'I cannot guarantee victory, my Emperor.' He stuttered.

' Redbeard Ammius will return home with victory, or Egica will be my heir. Magister Domatianus is pledging all of his men to this effort.'

'But you said I'd never be your successor. You've told me many times.' Egica said humbly, gritting his teeth as he leaned on his broken leg.

'Yes. I think you're learning, Egica.' Vithericus said. He nodded for Trapstila to brief young Ammius on the coming battle, and the long march that would be fraught with attacks and skirmishes of the horse archer Hunnic patrols. Ummidius' envoy entered and began speaking in Latin to the officials present in Ravenna. He would be putting a sizable investment of manpower into the war-effort and expected this cooperation to pay off, although his territories were already being sacked by the Huns, and they were very much in a state of war. The senate would be convening and the Emperor would make his cause for an expedition to Pannonia very clear.

**McScottish** · April 07, 2015, 06:01 AM

By Odin's beard! Just let me read through this...then I shall make my judgement...

Thread: Vandalarius: The One Sword of The Romano-Gothic Empire [COMPLETED]- Updated May 24th '19

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Vandalarius: The One Sword of The Romano-Gothic Empire [COMPLETED]- Updated May 24th '19

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