Brennus the Immortal

[marcuspeddle]

Upon returning from my very fruitful trip to meet the Japanese, I was met with the news that the Zulu were expanding to the southwest. Their new city was near their territory and not a threat to us but the news impressed upon me the importance of blocking Zulu settlements into the frontier lands. As my foreign advisor told me this news, my science advisor informed me that a metal called iron would be perfect for making sharp, hard weapons as well as tools and that useable deposits had been found on Brennus Mountain. I immediately instructed my public works manager to build a road to the iron so we can utilise it in bettering the life of our people through sturdy tools and in weapons to protect our empire.

In 1175 BCE the town of Richborough was founded. With the founding of this town, our borders stretched from sea to sea, cutting off the Zulu from the frontier. The 1st Frontier Warriors continued their exploration of the north and entered the jungles. Although travelling through the jungles was difficult, they found many things to benefit our people such as dyes to colour our clothes and bananas to eat and trade. Alesia was struck by disease several times but thanks to the fertility of the flood plains, they quickly recovered and built a city larger than before.
In 1075 a traveller from Japan told me that his people were building a wonder called the Oracle. He claimed that in this building there would be housed a woman capable of telling the future! I asked my wise men to look into it. In the same year, Zulu warriors were noticed coming up from the south and approaching our borders. They could be just exploring or . . . . . .

[SKILORD]

A little too much focus onb the timeline for my own palate, but a noble offering nonetheless.

[marcuspeddle]

There's not much happening in the game right now so I'm 'writing history' as it were. If there are wars later then I think it will lose that timeline feel. Thanks for reading.

[SKILORD]

awesome.

can't wait.

[marcuspeddle]

Once again my fears were unfounded. A single unit of Zulu warriors was making it’s way up the coast and avoiding our borders. Perhaps I am wrong to have little faith in the Zulu. Perhaps I should strengthen my ties with them.
Camulodunum builds its first ship which is named the Explorer. This is a rather unoriginal name by the people of that city but I must let them keep it to keep their spirits high. The vessel leaves port and sails to the north along the coast. While I am at the departure party, the people of Camulodunum petition me to let them build a temple where they can pray for the safe voyage and return of the ship and its sailors. I allow this and construction begins even before I can leave the city and return home. Although I cannot wait to lay the first stone, I promise to return for the first sacrifice to be held in the temple. While heading home, I hear a rumour of a people called the Portugese who have built a very large statue at the mouth of one of their harbours. They call it the Colossus and someday I expect to see it with my own eyes.
But I had no need to be envious of giant statues. The peace and prosperity of my people was enough for me. The town of Brennusfoot was founded next to Brennus Mountain to process iron, the Zulu taught us how to make the wheel and chariots, and the frontier warriors headed farther west.

[Paddy]

Bring it on

[marcuspeddle]

Tensions, Refusals, and Preparations

One warm spring day as I was preparing for the fertility rites, my advisors all arrived at the same time in a state of extreme agitation.
¡°Is something burning?¡± I asked.
¡°No, my Lord.¡± they replied.
¡°Are thieves ransacking the palace? Are Japanese warriors murdering your children?¡± I asked.
¡°No, my lord. Nothing like that.¡±
¡°Then,¡± I told them, ¡°return tomorrow when the rites are finished and we are all rested.¡± My advisors bowed and went out.
The next day the advisors were at my door even before the sun¡¯s lazy eye rose blurrily over the palace walls. From my second floor window I could see the advisors gaggling nervously at the palace gates like schoolchildren guilty of breaking a neighbour¡¯s window. Opening my window I called out to them. ¡°Enter and wait for me in the dining room. We may as well have breakfast together.¡± They bowed several times and entered the palace grounds.
In the dining room we were served toast, blueberry jam, boiled eggs, ham, and sweet tea with milk. While I ate slowly and enjoyed every mouthful, my advisors looked nervous and eager to start talking.
¡°Do you know the secret to keeping your sanity if you¡¯re an immortal?¡± I asked. No one replied but they all kept their eyes on me. ¡°Doing everything very slowly. Now, you are not immortals but I really think taking things slowly will make your lives much, much more pleasant.¡± They looked at each other and then each of them picked up a piece of toast and started to chew slowly. I looked them over.
After breakfast we retired to the conference room for more tea and talk.
¡°Well, what was it that needed my immediate attention?¡±
¡°Sir,¡± said my Caradoc, my foreign advisor. ¡°A group of Zulu settlers and warrior guards have entered our territory to the south. I think they are headed for the eastern peninsula. What should we do?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll tell you what we can do¡± said Conan the military advisor. ¡°We can send men down there to teach them a lesson!¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s just ask them politely to go back and we¡¯ll see what happens. They¡¯ve been very understanding, you know. I¡¯m sure we can work this out diplomatically. Do you think so, Caradoc?¡±
¡°No doubt, my lord. I will send messengers right away to tell the Zulu they are trespassing.¡±

Several days later Caradoc returned to the palace and met me for dinner. After our meal of baked rabbit and potatoes fried in sage we began to discuss business.
¡°So, any news about the Zulu?¡±
¡°Yes, sire. We requested they leave our territory and go back to their own. They apologised for the intrusion and said they would immediately turn back after one of their leaders got over a slight sickness.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s it then. Crisis solved, yes?¡±
¡°Well, no. We left spies to make sure they left but they report that the Zulu have continued east into our lands. I then sent more messengers to insist they turn back but this time they sat stony-faced, said they would turn back, and, as soon as our messengers left their camp, continued on their way east. They are now not technically in our lands but I¡¯m not sure we should let this defiance go unpunished.¡±
¡°You¡¯re quite right, Caradoc. But let¡¯s not go rushing into a war we¡¯re not prepared to handle. Let us quietly build barracks in our cities, get iron to our weaponsmiths, and then head south to teach the Zulu a lesson I think they need. Tell Conan to begin preparations but warn him not to get too excited. We need to keep an eye on him. But, leave that for tomorrow morning. Another cup of tea, my dear?¡±

[SKILORD]

Awesome, let's see some more.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Great stuff Masuro, nice build up going on and Im looking forward to your recounting of the Zulu lesson giving

[marcuspeddle]

Thank you for the comments. A few more things to write up before I press the big red WAR button. ^^

[marcuspeddle]

The preparations for war went smoothly but we were struck by bad fortune several times. Our army was being formed in Alesia when disease struck that city again. Although my heart went out to the unfortunate men and women who live there, we were fortunate that none of our soldiers fell victim. In a way, I almost felt that the large number of soldiers living there contributed to the crowded conditions and filth that spread disease. Well, I thought, they are leaving for Zululand soon so that problem will be cleared up.
Our army was formed of horsemen, catapults for the sieges, spearmen to add defence, and a unit of Gallic swordsmen, the flower of the Celtic military. These warriors were extremely loyal to me and vowed they would use their iron swords to destroy any enemy I named.
During the final stages of preparation, Caradoc came to me to make her report.
¡°Brennus, my lord. I have much news to tell you. First, the Zulu have built a town they call Isandhiwana very close to Camulodunum. It is an insult.
¡°Yes, Caradoc. That¡¯s why we are going to war.¡±
¡°Second, the Zulu sent settlers and Impi warriors into our lands. This time they were heading north. We sent guarded messengers to ensure they turned back. They turned back without argument and were last seen heading back to their capital. Third, The 1st Frontier Warriors have sent back reports. They have met the Americans, the Inca, and found the Japanese homeland. All of these peoples are very dangerous and, I¡¯m afraid to add, more technologically advanced then we. The good news, however, is that none of their cities can compare to ours. Their temples are like mud huts whereas ours sparkle with jewels and have magnificent friezes. I also have some bad news, I¡¯m afraid. The Japanese demand that we teach them mathematics. Or else.¡±
¡°Well, what can we do at the moment. We only have one army. We will have to give in to their demands and hope they will eventually become our friends and allies. Send dipomats to Japan with math instructors and establish an embassy there.¡±
¡°Yes, sir. I will. And Conan reports that he is ready to march any day.¡±
¡°Very well. Tell him the glory and the honour of the Celts are in his hands. Now leave me. I have much to think about. It is a dangerous world and we must walk carefully in it.¡±

[marcuspeddle]

Deciding that it woud not be proper to sit in the capital while my brave soldiers went to war, I decided to travel to Alesia with Caradoc and join the army as it marched to Zululand. We missed the army by a day but the next morning strong horses brought us swiftly to the army within a few hours. Armies really do march terribly slow. We trotted alongside the main line of the army giving encouragement as we went. At last we arrived at the head of the column where Conan was riding a fine steed and singing war songs. I suppose he must have written them himself as this was our first war.
¡°Well, Conan. Are things going well?¡±
¡°Yes, my lord! Very nice to have you here with us. It¡¯ll really boost the morale of the men. Shall I report? We¡¯ll travel all today and rest just outside the Zulu borders. Tomorrow morning we will cross their border and head for the city of Ulundi. I don¡¯t expect a lot of resistance there as we are not giving the Zulu time to prepare for war. We also have a unit of Gallic Swordsmen crossing the Zulu border in the west to distract the enemy and possibly pillage some of their land. I have instructed them not to attack any cities.¡±
¡°Sounds like you have this all worked out. I trust everything to you.¡±
¡°Yes, my lord. You can count on me.¡± With that, he took a flask of whisky out of his saddle bag and handed it around to his commanders. He then started in on another song about the dark-skinned lasses who would be welcoming him in Hlobane. Caradoc looked somewhat embarrassed so we fell back a bit to have a look at the catapults that would soon be hurling stones into the midst of the Zulu cities.

[marcuspeddle]

The next morning the sky was overcast and a gloom hung over the army like a prophesy. Many of the men kissed holy symbols as they packed up tents, put out fires and prepared to march. Conan was possibly the only person in the camp in high spirits. He soon got the men on the move and we crossed the Zulu border after an hour or so.
¡°Just one day¡¯s march from here, me lads!¡± cried Conan. Luckily for our army, the overcast skies kept the hot desert sun from dehydrating our men and to our right was the great river that supplied us with both water and food. The troops were under strict orders not to pillage the fields along the way though they could take what they liked from the river to supplement their rations.
Just after the midday meal, a tall Zulu warrior rode into camp looking for the leader. When he was brought to me he started to speak in a rage.
¡°How dare you bring war to our land! The great Shaka demands you leave now before you are utterly destroyed and forgotten even to history!¡±
¡°Why is it the Zulu may cross Celtic lands and ignore our polite requests to leave but we may not? Shaka has overstepped the bounds of friendship and now he must be taught a lesson. We cannot let you ignore the Celts and become an example for other nations. We will teach you a lesson and then other nations will know they must respect the Celtic borders.¡±
The Zulu warrior looked as though he was about to strike me with his fist but he turned and walked angrily back to his horse. He rode off and shouted that we had not seem the last of him.
Our advance spies came and went all day. They reported that workers had been recalled to Hlobane and the gates shut tight. Some spies found tunnels that led under the city and used these to report news from within the city. By evening the army arrived at Hlobane and set up camp and defensive positions just out of archer range. Under the cover of darkness our engineers set up the seige engines and consulted with spies about where best to send boulders into the city. Late at night spies reported to Conan that the city seemed to be defended wholly by Impi warriors. Conan seemed to think this was very bad news and sat up all night pondering strategy.

[Paddy]

wow, you have the touch

good work mate

[marcuspeddle]

Originally posted by Paddy the Scot
wow, you have the touch

Wasn't that a song from the 80s?

Thanks for the compliment.