Thebes, Life Blood of Old Egypt

[Pericles of Athens]

Karnak by the River, the Temple City

Imhotepian Family

Name: Imhotep Nicknames: The Sphinx Age: 33 (born 356) Marital Status: Married - Ahaneith, Daughter of a fellow Egyptian noblemen, Born 354 (Age 31) Issue: 2 sons, 1 daughter - Ankhkherednefer (male) Born 338 (Age 15) - Tawerettenru (female) Born 336 (Age 13) - Wadjmose (male) Born 334 (Age 11)

Imhotepian Realm

Capital: Thebes (60) Provinces: Herkleopolis (56) Aswan (62) Elephantine (61) (59) (58)

Imhotepian Military

9,000 Professional (+2 in native AOR) - Serpent Guard: 1000 men (5,000 points) (elite) - Mounted Serpent Guard: 750 men (3,750 points) (elite) - African Elephants: 50 (250 points) (elite) - Egyptian Heavy Spears: 1,500 men (3,000 points) (heavy infantry) - Egyptian Heavy Axes: 3,000 men (6,000 points) (heavy infantry) - Egyptian Shock Cavalry: 2,000 men (6,000 points) (cavalry) - Egyptian Skirmisher Cavalry: 700 men (2,100 points) (cavalry) 3,000 Allied (no bonuses) - Libyan Heavy Spears: 1,200 men (2,400 points) (heavy infantry) - Libyan Archers: 1,800 men (1,800 points) (archers) 6,000 Levy (+2 in home) - Native Heavy Axes: 1,500 men (3,000 points) (heavy infantry) - Native Cavalry: 900 men (2,700 points) (cavalry) - Native Spears: 1,800 men (1,800 points) (light infantry) - Native Archers: 1,800 men (1,800 points) (archers) Total: 18,000 men Total: 38,400 points

[Oznerol]

Let's erase what happened and start again:

A group of riders in the name of Antigonus arrive to Thebes.

[Pericles of Athens]

A large army was assembled near Thebes, a call back to a bygone era - levied Egyptian men stood beside professional Nubians and Lybians faces painted bone white, hide shields and scale armor, with axes and spears though in this age bronze had given way to iron and steel.

The emissaries are brought through the great halls of Thebes to meet with Imhotep the man proclaimed Satrap of Upper Egypt by Alexnader himself. His chambers were large but not gaudy, and he dressed himself in simple white linens - more the garb of a vizier than a king. The lord of Upper Egypt sat at his desk writing something in Egyptian though he looked up quizzically from the papyrus when the men entered. I'll assume you come from one of my would be overlords, yes? There are just so many Pharaohs to keep track of these days.

[Oznerol]

A large army was assembled near Thebes, a call back to a bygone era - levied Egyptian men stood beside professional Nubians and Lybians faces painted bone white, hide shields and scale armor, with axes and spears though in this age bronze had given way to iron and steel.

The emissaries are brought through the great halls of Thebes to meet with Imhotep the man proclaimed Satrap of Upper Egypt by Alexnader himself. His chambers were large but not gaudy, and he dressed himself in simple white linens - more the garb of a vizier than a king. The lord of Upper Egypt sat at his desk writing something in Egyptian though he looked up quizzically from the papyrus when the men entered. I'll assume you come from one of my would be overlords, yes? There are just so many Pharaohs to keep track of these days.

An old man, balding head and fierce beard, both white as snow, speaks; he is Demetrius, uncle of Antigonus. Hot-headed, however the old Macedonian smiles kindly:

"Not one of many, but the sole Pharao of these lands, crowned in Memphis by the High Priest of Path, following the traditional ceremonies and customs of this land, and also appointed ruler of Egypt as successor of Alexander himself. Blessed by the oracle of Apis, and recognized as ruler by the oracle of Amun-Re at Ammonium"

[Pericles of Athens]

Truly? I don't recall Alexander granting him kingship of these lands, nor the priesthood in Karnak making mention of his new found divinity. The man looked rather uninterested as he continued writing on his parchment, careful to form every symbol just right in the blackness of his ink. Bold words considering your adversary, though delegates from the Nubian might say the same things and delegates from the Nubian might be right. Tell me, how many men does your Pharaoh command?

[Oznerol]

Truly? I don't recall Alexander granting him kingship of these lands, nor the priesthood in Karnak making mention of his new found divinity. The man looked rather uninterested as he continued writing on his parchment, careful to form every symbol just right in the blackness of his ink. Bold words considering your adversary, though delegates from the Nubian might say the same things and delegates from the Nubian might be right. Tell me, how many men does your Pharaoh command?

Demetrius stoop proud, ignoring the man's insolence:

"More than twenty thousand men, including veterans from the wars of Alexander Megas, fierce and undefeated men. Add to that the friendship and alliance of Timaeus Makedon, Great Protector of the Jew, whose troops number nine thousand men"

"I come here, in peace, to make you a proposition: if you recognize Antigonus rule you shall be confirmed as satrap of this lands, as the God Alexander did; you would be honored and rewarded, counting with the friendship of my King. Thus we will avoid the bloodshed, and we could defeat easily the Nubian, traditional foes of this kingdom"

[Pericles of Athens]

Funny that you would call the other pretender when he commands more men than you, all of them my countrymen and kin. He continued forming his symbols on the parchment, chuckling a slight. From what has reached my ears the Jews don't much like their Great Protector. He placed the quill down for a moment, stretching out his fingers and rotating his wrist. I am already Satrap of these lands, Alexander made it so - though with the chaos consuming this land that could very well change. But tell me, why should I bow to your God King when there's another, with more men and some might say a better claim directly on my border?

[Oznerol]

Funny that you would call the other pretender when he commands more men than you, all of them my countrymen and kin. He continued forming his symbols on the parchment, chuckling a slight. From what has reached my ears the Jews don't much like their Great Protector. He placed the quill down for a moment, stretching out his fingers and rotating his wrist. I am already Satrap of these lands, Alexander made it so - though with the chaos consuming this land that could very well change. But tell me, why should I bow to your God King when there's another, with more men and some might say a better claim directly on my border?

"They are Nubians! The walls of your temples are filled with old pharaohs smiting the head of those peoples! They are not you kin. However nor is my King"

"Althought Antigonus has been appointed as King by the High Priest of Path and the High Priest of Amun-Re at the oracle of Ammonium, receiving their blessings"

He looks directly to the Egyptian

"Furthermore our army is not comprised of lightly armored Nubians, but hardened veterans comprising the fearsome phalanxes that led Alexander to the victory, from Issos to the Indus. With those troops we could smash armies twice our numbers"

"Ours is an offer of peace, of prosperity. South and North rejoined. The riches coming through the Delta and its harbors flowing into the whole country by the Nile. Spare your people of a war they cannot fight, and let them rejoice under an united rule, a sole Pharaoh, my King"

[Pericles of Athens]

Many thousands of his men are Egyptians, like myself, who have flocked toward a native banner instead of one so foreign as yours. Beside the point that you apparently know little of our histories. Nubians and Egyptians have an interwoven past, filled with blood and brotherhood, in times they have made us bleed in others they have bled beside us, more than one of their kind has been Pharaoh. He continued writing. The First Prophet of Amun sits in Karnak just across the way and he denies this Greek's divinity, emphatically.

That made him look up from his sheet of papyrus. If you could smash armies twice your size you wouldn't be here attempting to curry my favor, your king would smite me with his left hand and the Nubian with his right. I will remind you that Upper Egypt has been united under my rule and that I command almost as many men as your master. Do not attempt to frighten me or mock my people, Alexander made your armies great but Alexander is gone.

Yours is an offer of cowardliness to bolster your own strength. You would have us willingly take on Greek chains, no better than the Persian ones I suffered under in my youth, for empty promises of wealth and prosperity. You foreigners are all the same - you come here and pretend to understand our ways even as you mock us in your cups. You act like you understand these lands but you don't, the Nile is our home many invaders have come and we've endured them all.

[Oznerol]

Demetrius wanted to tore off the papyrus the fool idiot was writing.

"I don't need to know about your stories, I'm an envoy not a philosopher. And Alexander freed you from the Persian domain, you should be grateful that his successor has chosen to unite again the land of Egypt. But instead you are refusing our offers"

"The Nubian will tore your chest and eat your heart, he will smash your fragile armies. Alexander is gone, but my master was one of his commanders for years! Riding by his side, learning and fighting. Do not defy the might of my King. You have endured invaders as slaves, I don't see honor or pride in that. If you refuse to collaborate... So be it; shall Hecate eat your soul, Zeus smite you with his thunders and Seth rape your corpse"