Post by Admin on Jul 1, 2016 15:48:01 GMT
Never Trust a Sclavene
Perun's Strike (1)
The Slavs of Perun's Thunderers strike deep into the Roman siege camp. Constantius did not suspect such an immediate act of betrayal, though he was wary of Ivaylo. Running from his command tent, Constantius grabs a sword, hastily puts on a helmet, and rushes out to command the defence personally, gathering together the Palatina to hold a fall-back line against the Slavs. He sends his Scholae to lead the Huns and Alans out of the camp to flank the Slavs. The element of surprise is a wonderful thing, but it cannot protect Perun against the complete and utter numerical and qualitative superiority of the Roman army. The Slavs are disappointed, and Constantius confused, to discover that the Visigoths have simply taken the surprise attack as a chance to take a rest and to take down some of the undermining efforts of Constantius. The Visigoths are in constant communication with Slavenicus in Ravenna, and Athaulf is too wary to attack before the full plan is in place. Facing the western Consul's army alone, Perun fights bravely, but his men are slaughtered. Shouts of "Perun! PERUN!" continue even as the last of the men are hacked apart, but Perun's death forces the surrender of what few men remain. Angered by the sacrilege and brutality of the Slavs, the Romans ignore the chance to take them as slaves or recruit them as foederati, and slaughter them down to a man.
As the battle rages in the imperial camp, the remnants of Ivaylo's army and his Germanic allies stream past, evidently in quite a hurry.
Lombards March South (2)
Having received final orders from Constantinople, the Eastern Imperial Army heads south to relieve the siege of Ariminum.
The Command Tent of Flavius Constantius
"We can't just let them run amuck; look what they did in Noricum!" yelled Antonius.
"We can't just chase after them. We still have the Lombards and Visigoths to face, and our lives are all at risk - we are all technically traitors," warned Constantius.
"What about the negotiations?" added Decimus.
"They're a farce. Marcellinus is clearly bidding high, and I am in two minds about whether he means to negotiate at all. I hope a settlement can be reached that can allow us all to keep out positions, and our lives, but it may come to battle. We do not need a decisive victory, so long as we can hold them off long enough, they will be forced to come to terms."
"But the Praesentile legions are on their way!" blurted Decimus.
"Rumours, rumours," Constantius muttered dismissively. "It is still possible that we might convince the Visigothic malcontents to stage a coup, or we could even give in to Athaulf's preposterous demands. I'd rather see a Gothic bastard play dress-up Romans than watch as Rome's lasy hope is extinguished. That's us, by the way," he smiled to Antonius and Decimus.
"And so the Slavs are allowed to roam free?" asked Decimus.
"And we are to fight a last stand against the will of two emperors?" groaned Antonius. "Will the men even fight?"
Constantius began to try and assuage their fears, and spoke much of how Honorius was a prisoner of the east in need of liberation, how all their deeds would be exonerated so long as they emerge victorious. As he spoke in a panicked rush, his eyes shot red with fatigue, and his face visibly aged, Antonius gave a brief nod to one of the guards. A second later a commander of the Scholae burst into the command tent.
"Consul, an urgent message!" he yelled. "Tremendous news!" he added.
Constantius motioned for the commander to approach, and turned around. Antonius and Decimus moved to stand beside their Consul, and swiftly grabbed him, each holding one arm. The commander drew his sword and with one swift step plunged it into Flavius Constantius's stomach, pushing his whole bodyweight into the blow, so that the sword emerged bloodied on the other side.
"Marcellinus sends his regards."
The Eastern Coalition Triumphant
After the assassination of Constantius, and the arrival of the Lombard and Illyrian armies, Marcellinus finds the camp open to him, and he is welcomed as well as if he were the emperor himself. The Visigoths stream out of the city to meet with their allies, and Constantius' men lay down their defences. Marcellinus, and the eastern Augustus, are triumphant.
The Visigoths expect to be offered the privilege of protecting the Emperor Honorius, and for preparations to be made for their assumption of their rightful lands in Gaul. The Lombard kings immediately make preparations to head north-west through the mountains to ravage Etruria, which they hear is very nice.
The war is won, but Italy lies in ruins, and the court of Honorius is now a puppet of the east, though the Visigoths feel they have been promised that privilege. The Sclavenes remain at large, safely fleeing into the centre of Italy, around Spoletium, putting them within easy reach of Rome. The army of Italy is gone - slaughtered to a man by treacherous Sclavenes, who now don their armour and wield their Spathas.
Perun's Strike (1)
The Slavs of Perun's Thunderers strike deep into the Roman siege camp. Constantius did not suspect such an immediate act of betrayal, though he was wary of Ivaylo. Running from his command tent, Constantius grabs a sword, hastily puts on a helmet, and rushes out to command the defence personally, gathering together the Palatina to hold a fall-back line against the Slavs. He sends his Scholae to lead the Huns and Alans out of the camp to flank the Slavs. The element of surprise is a wonderful thing, but it cannot protect Perun against the complete and utter numerical and qualitative superiority of the Roman army. The Slavs are disappointed, and Constantius confused, to discover that the Visigoths have simply taken the surprise attack as a chance to take a rest and to take down some of the undermining efforts of Constantius. The Visigoths are in constant communication with Slavenicus in Ravenna, and Athaulf is too wary to attack before the full plan is in place. Facing the western Consul's army alone, Perun fights bravely, but his men are slaughtered. Shouts of "Perun! PERUN!" continue even as the last of the men are hacked apart, but Perun's death forces the surrender of what few men remain. Angered by the sacrilege and brutality of the Slavs, the Romans ignore the chance to take them as slaves or recruit them as foederati, and slaughter them down to a man.
As the battle rages in the imperial camp, the remnants of Ivaylo's army and his Germanic allies stream past, evidently in quite a hurry.
Lombards March South (2)
Having received final orders from Constantinople, the Eastern Imperial Army heads south to relieve the siege of Ariminum.
The Command Tent of Flavius Constantius
"We can't just let them run amuck; look what they did in Noricum!" yelled Antonius.
"We can't just chase after them. We still have the Lombards and Visigoths to face, and our lives are all at risk - we are all technically traitors," warned Constantius.
"What about the negotiations?" added Decimus.
"They're a farce. Marcellinus is clearly bidding high, and I am in two minds about whether he means to negotiate at all. I hope a settlement can be reached that can allow us all to keep out positions, and our lives, but it may come to battle. We do not need a decisive victory, so long as we can hold them off long enough, they will be forced to come to terms."
"But the Praesentile legions are on their way!" blurted Decimus.
"Rumours, rumours," Constantius muttered dismissively. "It is still possible that we might convince the Visigothic malcontents to stage a coup, or we could even give in to Athaulf's preposterous demands. I'd rather see a Gothic bastard play dress-up Romans than watch as Rome's lasy hope is extinguished. That's us, by the way," he smiled to Antonius and Decimus.
"And so the Slavs are allowed to roam free?" asked Decimus.
"And we are to fight a last stand against the will of two emperors?" groaned Antonius. "Will the men even fight?"
Constantius began to try and assuage their fears, and spoke much of how Honorius was a prisoner of the east in need of liberation, how all their deeds would be exonerated so long as they emerge victorious. As he spoke in a panicked rush, his eyes shot red with fatigue, and his face visibly aged, Antonius gave a brief nod to one of the guards. A second later a commander of the Scholae burst into the command tent.
"Consul, an urgent message!" he yelled. "Tremendous news!" he added.
Constantius motioned for the commander to approach, and turned around. Antonius and Decimus moved to stand beside their Consul, and swiftly grabbed him, each holding one arm. The commander drew his sword and with one swift step plunged it into Flavius Constantius's stomach, pushing his whole bodyweight into the blow, so that the sword emerged bloodied on the other side.
"Marcellinus sends his regards."
The Eastern Coalition Triumphant
After the assassination of Constantius, and the arrival of the Lombard and Illyrian armies, Marcellinus finds the camp open to him, and he is welcomed as well as if he were the emperor himself. The Visigoths stream out of the city to meet with their allies, and Constantius' men lay down their defences. Marcellinus, and the eastern Augustus, are triumphant.
The Visigoths expect to be offered the privilege of protecting the Emperor Honorius, and for preparations to be made for their assumption of their rightful lands in Gaul. The Lombard kings immediately make preparations to head north-west through the mountains to ravage Etruria, which they hear is very nice.
The war is won, but Italy lies in ruins, and the court of Honorius is now a puppet of the east, though the Visigoths feel they have been promised that privilege. The Sclavenes remain at large, safely fleeing into the centre of Italy, around Spoletium, putting them within easy reach of Rome. The army of Italy is gone - slaughtered to a man by treacherous Sclavenes, who now don their armour and wield their Spathas.