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Post by Svetovida Sviatislav on Jun 7, 2016 16:54:16 GMT
After their ravaging of Noricum Ivaylo and his horde pass into the Po valley. The horde makes its way towards the ancient city of Venice!
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Post by Admin on Jun 7, 2016 22:32:50 GMT
A Roman army of 1,000 elite Scholae cavalry and 6,000 Palatina guards is arrayed to intercept the approaching Slavs. It is only a small force, but the Romans are hoping that the inevitable bloody fight is enough to encourage the Sclavenians to talk. They are lead by the Praetorian Prefect for Italy, Atilius Corinthus. Corinthus requests a meeting with the leaders of the Sclavenians, Heruli and Scirians. He wishes to hire them as Foederati and neutralise them as a threat, or otherwise encourage them to leave Italy.
Some of the newly acquired Latin Robi of the Sclavenes have a suggestion to offer their new liege. "Corinthus is a noble of high patrician standing. The sort of man who could be Emperor. He will speak to you with only a few guards, and under the pretence of accepting foederati status, we might easily overcome his guards and become his new protectors. I say that we surround him with good Scirians and Sclavenes, and make him our puppet, then proclaim him as emperor of the west. With Corinthus as our man, we might march on Rome or Ravenna, and the entire Roman state will be ours to milk for gold."
OoC: You may enter negotiations with the prefect, or make battle, or elevate Corinthus to the purple, making him ruler of the WRE dominated by the barbarian faction, your puppet.
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Post by Svetovida Sviatislav on Jun 8, 2016 11:03:39 GMT
With his army spilling out onto the plains and preparing for battle, Ivaylo decides that this time, violence may not be the answer.
Taking Peruns thunderers and his own expanded bodyguard to meet Corinthus....
The two groups met under a solitary olive tree next to a small brook between the two armies. Ivaylo and half of his men dismounted whilst the rest remained on their horses a few feet to the rear. When Corinthus and his men approached Ivaylo saw a clear look of anxiety on the Romans face. Nonetheless he dismounted and met Ivaylo.
"Corinthus! You have made me an offer I can ill afford to refuse. My people grow tired of war and death, the Huns have plagued us and we wish nothing now but peace and prosperity. We have seen how other peoples have prospered under the Empire and wish such a future for ourselves and our descendants."
After hearing Corinthus' reply Ivaylo grips him by the forearm and pulls him close enough to whisper into his ear "We bow to no one." with those words Ivaylo head buts Corinthus with enough force to send the Roman reeling.
At that moment the dismounted Sclavenes attack, thrusting swords and hurling spears into the men of Corinthus' guard, the mounted contingent also sweeps around the flanks, cutting off any escape route and herding any surrendering Romans into a small circle.
When Cornithus comes around he finds himself sat up against the tree, he isn't tied and the only thing missing is his sword. He soon realises where it has gone though.
"You Romans really are naive aren't you? Is that what civilisation brings? All the years I spent doing the dirty and unpleasant work of the Empire, all to keep civilised men like you soft. You are soft aren't you civilised? Well, once again men like me, men who don't mind bleeding, are going to keep you soft. I'm elevating you to the purple civilised. You will marshal your men and together we shall march on Ravenna. You will be surrounded by my brave Sclavenes and you shall never leave my side. You will rule for me and in return you will live, and live well."
Ivaylo takes the sword that he had been spinning in his hand and offers it to Corinthus.
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Post by Admin on Jun 8, 2016 21:48:34 GMT
The necessary ceremonials are taken care of. A rosy-foreheaded Corinthus arrives back at the Roman camp with a mixed bodyguard of Slavic and Germanic barbarians. He announces his success at having pacified the barbarians:
"Unlike the absentee Constantius, who controls the coward Honorius, holed away in the swamps of Ravenna, I came here willing to fight, I came here knowing that our numbers were small but our Roman blood ran true! I know that a legion of true Romans is all an honest man needs to subdue the world! And what do I see before me, but a full legion of the empire's finest - you are all experienced men, you are all true Romans, and you have today put such fear into the hearts of these barbarians that they surrender without a fight! Now, with our homes safe and the barbarians truly in their place, it is time to return home. Though it saddens me that we alone amongst our people still have the spirit of Julius Caesar in our veins, and that we alone are willing to defend the patria, there is nothing I can do."
Upon this cue, a few well-placed Romans begin their shouting. A few refuse to leave while Rome still needs them, the suggestion is made that Corinthus would make a better emperor than Honorius, and then begins the chating of 'Augustus! Augustus!'. Like sheep, the men soon appear unanimous in their acclamation, perhaps only for the bonus they know is coming, perhaps out of true dissatisfaction with the current regime. Atilius Corinthus Augustus is dressed in purple robes, and adorned with a helical crown. A Christian service is held throughout the night, and the Palatina legions are plied with wine and gold. 1,000 Aurei of this gold, by necessity, comes from the Sclavenian treasure, but Corinthius promises manifold repayment once the Imperial Bureaucracy is under his control.
The Army of Italia is now in rebellion, to install Atilius Corinthus as Augustus of the West. He is supported by the Sclavenian Confederacy, that will dominate his court if he is successful.
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