Angst

A deputation from the cities of the Lower Danube arrived in Sombor a few days ago, led by Hermes, Earl of the Lower Danube and Baron of Arad. He explained that whilst Turnu and Lugoj, with their Slavonian majorities, were willing and ready to join the Confederation Dunarica, the cities of Hateg and Arad wanted a clear statement that these two essentially Wallachians cities would be accorded equal status etc etc.
Drusus was away on military business but Rheann unhesitatingly accepted these conditions, confident that Drusus would approve, and the relevant treaties and documents are now being drawn up. The deputation has been feasted and entertained, though not unduly lavishly.
That Gallic speaking Thracian ambassador and his light cavalry escort and the guides provided by Drusus duly reached Davos (not via Vasvar!) where he presented his credentials to Earl Destrier. It is said that he claimed that Pontus wished to help Cerdic in his struggle against Carthage … well, against Sancho and Leo.
Rather to his surprise the Earl introduced him to an emissary who, having travelled through the winter, had recently arrived from Cerdic with gifts and proposals for Drusus: a fine horse and armour and an offer of an alliance and trade links and an invitation to invade Italy. It seems that further gifts are on their way … mounts and some equipment … which will wait in the Upper Bern Vale.
At the urging of Cerdic’s emissary Destrier sent 100 or so of his infantry to reinforce Cerdic’s garrison (“But they went long since; they passed here and have not been replaced since.” “To replace the caretakers then!”) in the fort at the summit of the pass to the Po Valley and Verona.
This force found the pass still under snow and deemed it adequate (and prudent: they fear the summit fort is held by Tuscans) to occupy the fort at the foot of the pass at its northern end.
A second force of about 100 cavalry was despatched westwards along the Royal Road to the Bern Vale whence they are to occupy the fort at the summit of the Bern to Milan pass. They learned that four wagons and a thousand or so horses from Cerdic have arrived in Bern. The cavalry has just set off south up the track towards Milan, now almost clear of snow.
Cerdic’s emissary has been hastened on his way to Drusus and is likely to reach him in a few days or so. Demetriaces’ emissary is awaiting events as Destrier’s guest.
Destrier has gathered the rest of his men at Davos.
Drusus has established an Agricultural Academy of Excellence in Sombor which is being staffed by practical experts with a generous annual budget.
He has also established a Mining Academy of Excellence in Sombor, similarly to be staffed by experts.
Drusus has invited the leading Slavonian merchants to a series of meetings which culminated in the formation of the Dunarican Merchants Guild.
Drusus, after a rigorous selection process, has established a personal elite guard, the Heart Guard, 20 strong. Rheann has a smaller similar guard.
Drusus ordered the recruitment of more paid troops from the Sombor militia. His paid forces have been training assiduously and by the end of the month were in Graz.

A weary and shifty looking traveller was arrested at the Turnu ferry by Demetriaces’ men. His claim to be an emissary from Cerdic who had been travelling all winter, en route to the Pontic court, was viewed with some suspicion but he was escorted to Demetriaces, arriving a couple of days ago.
He reluctantly told Demetriaces that Cerdic had sent another emissary to Drusus to urge the Dunaricans to invade Italy (“That is just not possible.” “Via the Milan pass which Cerdic controls.” “Oh.”) and that Cerdic hoped (“It is very much in your own interests!”) that Pontus would help, eg by paying Drusus.
Kelerunos and his division have arrived at the southern Turnu ferry terminal and have started preparations to build a fort there to house the ferry guards.

Demetriaces’ army has moved up the Marit to Philipopolis: small detachments have been sent to watch the two fords near Nis.
Demetriaces himself has moved to Gallipoli with his court.

Mustasha Sr’s aide, Djelicaces, has been appointed admiral of the growing Thracian fleet. It is rumoured that oarsmen have been lured from the Lebanon by the high rates of pay offered.

Arne Loppson’s army has refused orders to go to Turnu on the not unreasonable grounds that they have not received relevant orders from Thorsson, their paymaster. Rumours of a transfer to Gaul have made the men restless.
Plagiar has received a rather pessimistic report from the military engineers who have surveyed the harbour. The harbour can hold about 50 ships and is protected by moles which would be adequate for low outer walls or parapets but which are not strong enough to support proper fortifications.
Further, although the harbour entrance can be closed with a boom, the Bosphorus is too wide to be so closed.
Plagiar has set Wolledates men to building a parapet along the moles.

Dagamo and his 6 surviving warships of the Portuguese navy had sat out the winter on the edge of the large natural harbour at Muros licking their wounds and repairing their ships.
Now ready to sail south, back to their Gib base, they were astonished to hear that Leon was rebelling and that Amerigo had left Muros with the fighting men to join Philipo and Carmino.
At dawn on the 3rd Dagamo and most of his men entered Muros: the few remaining guards were very slow to realise that these were no longer the friends who had been their drinking companions for months.
The Leonese merchant fleet was burned as it lay at anchor or alongside the wharves, apart from four ships which were found to be laden with grain. These were taken.
Sadly for Dagamo, and unknown to him, at Philipo’s request Amerigo had taken the bulk of the Provincial treasury with him. Dagamo was none the less more than satisfied with what he found in the city and provincial treasuries.
For over a week the Portuguese looted the town though it has to be said that they were almost apologetic, and certainly not unduly bloodthirsty. They then sailed south.
On the 19th they reached the mouth of the Douro. The four merchant ships were at first left anchored offshore with small crews but later moved up to Porto.
On the 20th the warships sailed up on the tide to an unsuspecting Porto which they entered unopposed. Here the inhabitants put up a stiffer fight and the Portuguese rather ill-temperedly burned the ferry.
The elderly but still lecherous ruler, Miguel de la Mancha, unfortunately died of shock when the attackers burst into his room where, despite the hour, he was pursuing his favourite past-time with more vigour than sense.
The Portuguese are still in Porto looting.

As the last (he hoped) of the winter storms died away Villeneuve set sail southwards with his fleet, a mixture of veterans and newly trained crews … and half a dozen ponies. Despite unfavourable winds his fleet reached Bilbao on the 6th without loss. There they went ashore to replenish supplies and to see what was what and who was where.
A few hundred miserable Tolosan Umbrelliacs offered a sullen welcome, but no supplies: only water was plentiful.
Onward after a brief stay, virtually into the teeth of the near gale-force winds. They rounded the north cape on the 24th, delayed not only by the wind and weather but also by the need to forage along that bleak coast. Villeneuve had refused to let them eat the ponies apart from one that fell in the bad weather and broke its leg: 1 pony between 4,000 men hardly seemed enough.
They reached Muros at noon on the 30th.

Zorro and Tonto with their 5,000 or so warriors, having gathered in Najera, took the low pass to Arevalo, avoiding the still snow-bound high passes.
They were seen as they crossed the Douro ford during the morning of the 7th. Panic! The town gates were closed in time but the manning of the timber and earth walls by the fighting men still in the town was inadequate: too few and too slow.
The Basques enthusiastically seized any valuables, goods, and women they found in the town, killing all who opposed them. After a week the raiders fired the town, recrossed the river, and set off down the Duoro valley, looting as they went. They are now about halfway to Freixo, somewhat scattered!

A number of shifty men have perished at the hands of the Woodsmen of Entcopse in the great central Iberian forest. They proved to be a very talkative lot before they succumbed and even though there is no evidence that Carmino or Philipo had sent them, both they and their interlocutors assumed that to be the case.
Some of them were carrying and offered to donate significant sums of money but to no avail: too late really.

Unaware of these events Carmino pushed scouts cautiously across the Tajo.
Philipo publicly offered his loyalty to Sancho and made sure that the news of this reached Sancho’s men in Portugal: unfortunately it also reached his men in Leon.
Philipo sent men to Muros but even though they carried garlic these men have not reached Muros, either eaten by undead of some sort or killed by Basques.
Julio, with light troops pushed well ahead, marched briskly to reach Anchuras with his main body late on the 5th. Crossing the still full Guadiana caused some delay but his light troops and cavalry, first across, drove back the cautious Leonese scouts.
Julio then pushed on to the Tajo and crossed the river at the ford some 50 miles or so upstream of Toledo near the forest edge. Leonese scouts fairly accurately estimated the Portuguese to number less than 20,000.
Despite the delays at the Guadiana and the Tajo, Julio had crossed by midday on the 18th. He now knew that he was only outnumbered by rather less than 2:1 so led his men briskly down the right bank of the Tajo with a handful of light troops keeping pace down the left bank.
Amazed by their good fortune, on the 22nd Philipo and Carmino drew up east of Toledo with their right flank resting on the river, a strong detachment holding the ford, and baggage and non-combatants safe in the city.
Julio withheld his right (or open) flank, well aware that the Leonese cavalry would be more numerous than his (4:1 in the event) and that he would also be outflanked by the more numerous rebel foot. He in person led a reserve of 300 fully armoured noble cavalry, positioned behind the right of his infantry line, hoping that the shock of their charge would break the inevitable Leonese outflanking move.
It was not to be. The shock of the impact of the Portuguese infantry was too much for the Leonese foot. Some fled as the Portuguese started their charge, many more broke on impact, and soon there was but the Leonese left wing, still manoeuvring to outflank the Portuguese. They thought better of it.
We hear that Julio was really upset when he realised that the Leonese had fled before he could launch his master-stroke. “Craven bastards!”
Toledo may have stone walls, but they were only designed to hold 5-6,000. A lot of the Leonese lighter infantry got away and indeed many of the armoured Leonese found it convenient to cast away their heavier gear.
Despite this, a few more than 10,000 Leonese are thought to have perished, against just under 1,000 Portuguese.
It is thought that Carmino and Philipo, being mounted, escaped, probably towards Muros.
The citizens of Toledo opened the city gates when Julio explained what would happen if they didn’t. The city was looted with some enthusiasm for a few days but pickings were meagre: and too few women.
Julio not only captured the contents of the city treasury, but much of the Leonese treasury, abandoned by its guards in their efforts to flee.

On the 28th Julio led most of his men down the Tajo Valley. He sent emissaries ahead to Tajo and Cartaxo to inform Urgelo and Calamo that he was coming and advising them to welcome him and his men with unalloyed joy, and to hand over any traitors for execution.
Julio asked Barloclos to go to Barrax in Taragon province and to enlighten the provincial leaders as to the seriousness of their misjudgement.
Barloclos took 3-4,000 men, confident that the Taragonese would be cowed enough by the news from Toledo to cause no trouble.
He sent emissaries ahead to summon the Taragonese leaders, both native Taragonese and Punic, to meet him in Barrax … or else.
It is anticipated that he will reach Barrax in another 7-10 days

Sancho asked Leo to take strategic command of his men whilst he was away, with Grau Roig as acting CinC. He appointed Salvadoro, the superstitious but courageous young warrior from Gib, as subgeneral to replace Escaldes.
Sancho then hastened south with 3 brigades of cavalry, each man with a spare horse, forcing marches.
On the 9th they rested in Aloala whence Sancho sent a proclamation to the Leonese “… put down your weapons and go home now or face death … any town failing to open its gates to my forces or harbouring Philipo will be razed.”
Then on down the coast road to Malaga (leaving a trail of alarmed Taragonese officials in his wake: they are all the more likely to hasten to Barrax when they get Barloclos’ orders!) and then inland to reach Cordoba on the 20th where Sancho was alarmed to hear that Julio had never received his instructions and had gone to give battle.
On the 21st Sancho pushed light cavalry scouts north and west to find out where Julio had gone, while he rested the remainder of his men and their mounts for a day.
Sancho then moved cautiously to Anchuras where he was met by his scouts accompanied by a few of Julio’s injured but jubilant men.
Sancho and his men are resting in Anchuras.

Fabricio had finally made it to Vichy where he and his men over-wintered.
Early in Wapenry he recrossed the Loire ford east of Vichy: he was joined by a couple of brigades of Exorcette’s cavalry and this force then continued eastwards to cross the Saone before turning south. An infantry force was left to hold the Vichy bridge.
They crossed the Upper Rhone and are now about 40 miles from the ford-at-the-island that lies about 30 or so miles north of St Etienne.

The Iberians and Italians have continued to loot systematically and ruthlessly, whilst scouting aggressively along the line of the Loire and the Allier.

All very quiet: some rotation of garrisons in Tuscany, particularly around Marseilles.

A small squadron of small galleys has been sighted on occasion off the northern coast of Carthage, peacefully heading west.
A number of ships, perhaps as many as 40 though some were merchantmen, have recently left Malta, though we have as yet no reports as to the direction taken.

Admiral Philip and his 4th fleet, including several new galleys, have been training between Amasra and Kish.

The tragic death of Thorstein is reported. He was drowned in a boating accident which all too clearly pointed up his incompetence and unsuitability for command … that Gylfi tried so valiantly to save him after he had fallen overboard is a charming reflection on Gylfi’s character. Gylfi was fortunately able to recover the anchor.
Anders and Gylfi have been training their crews: they have established bases on Ighland, the island to the east of Baku, and on the larger of the Eyl Isles. They recently set off northwards, perhaps rather optimistically to survey the rather less hospitable Moosh Rock.
Admiral Sinbad has detailed 5 light triremes to escort a merchant fleet from Tehran to Gemsa. 40 or more merchantmen have gathered in Tehran where it is rumoured that there are to be 80 merchant ships in this great fleet, gathered from Bukhara, Amol, and Tehran itself.
At 3 gp per week per ship there is no shortage of volunteers, though we hear that in view of the hazardous route proposed they are demanding cash in advance.
Two biremes of Nyfører’s river fleet have arrived in the estuary off Tehran, but it seems that they are unlikely to attempt the hazardous voyage to Gemsa.

All very quiet: Seg is touring Siberia and Lagoda with his army: his levies have not been called.
He is currently in Inner Siberia where a deputation has sworn permanent fealty (Trans: until you stop winning) and has begged their noble Highest Khan to free any remaining Siberian captives that he may hold … ransoms have been mentioned.

Ptelnet inaugurated a recruiting drive and some reorganisation of the divisions of the Immortals and the UPA. We hear that several thousand new recruits are now about to leave Alexandria to join their divisions.
Skaphos and the 2nd division of the Immortals went to Cairo where they collected a couple of wagons before continuing onwards via Said to Gaza where they rested briefly. They are expected to reach Petra in another 3 days.
Skaphos was accompanied as far as Said by Kyriaces with Ptelnet’s Parthian division but all being peaceful the latter have moved ahead more rapidly and have just reached Damascus.
Ptelnet with the 1st, 3rd, and 4th divisions of the Immortals, about 10,000 men, marched into West Nile province with the avowed intention of restoring law and order.
On the 10th as he approached El Giza after a cautious but uneventful march … minor harassment soon stopped when the would-be heroes found the Immortals rather more competent than they had hoped … Nash'ir bin Nash came to meet, nay to welcome, his new Emperor, the Golden Horus, Sharanshar of Sassanidia, Pharaoh of Egypt.
(The Editor is grateful: Stephanus the Golden had a whole page full of titles.)
You may recollect that Nash’ir had been the hereditary Sheikh of El Giza but had been replaced in 118, though he had continued to lead his tribe. Following the death of the peasant-Sheikh Ar Tolovs, Nash’ir had cautiously re-established his rule.
He informed the Golden Horus that the rebels, led by various P&O … errrm … renegades, had fled south towards El Minya, where Nash’ir’s second cousin Q'biq bin Q'binn still ruled his tribe though he too had been replaced as Sheikh in 118 by the peasant Ar Magrevs … now deceased.
Nash’ir swore fealty to Ptelnet who confirmed him in his post. After 5 days during which courts were re-established with the task of ensuring justice for all Persians, Ptelnet took the road south to El Minya with guides led by Nasser bin Nash’ir, the eldest son of Nash’ir.
Harassment on the march became more persistent but still remained rather ineffective and on the 24th Ptelnet’s scouts reached the town.
El Minya is only 2-300 yards square but has high stone walls and a citadel. The gates were closed and remained so despite polite requests to open them to admit the Golden Horus.
Q’biq was not in the town: on the 26th having received a promise of safe conduct he cautiously approached Ptelnet’s camp where he was overjoyed to find Nasser who was able to reassure the nervous Q’biq.
Q’biq averred that there were 1-2,000 rebel Nubian Sassanids and 2-3,000 rebels from the West Nile province in the town.
Seemingly they have gathered supplies, perhaps sufficient for some months as they have driven out most of the usual inhabitants of El Minya … apart for some womenfolk who were not allowed to leave.

The 1st and 2nd divisions of the UPA, having received their new recruits, are about to depart up the Nile Valley, escorting a number of slaves.

In an effort to reverse the effect of years of neglect Ptelnet has appointed a team of engineers to survey the extent of the silting up of the canal and to supervise its clearing.
Early estimates suggest that the canal should be usable by shallow draught river craft in a few weeks, but that to allow the passage of sea-going merchantmen will take at least a year.
A workforce of some 2,000 or slaves has been sent under guard. It has proved impossible to insure their lives.

Ar Mergevs, the once-upon-a-time peasant leader who rose during the troubled times to become Emir of the Nile Valley and Bey of Memphis, was killed as he left a ceremony of thanksgiving to the Earth Mother.
An able and vigorous though unpopular man who still adhered strongly to the old religion … there is no evidence that he was involved in human sacrifice despite the rumours … he leaves no obvious successor to either of his posts.
Who killed him? Why, Sassanids of course. He was attacked by half a dozen mounted men who scattered his few guards and speared him as he tried to flee.

Salammbo and the Heir (“No, no! He is the Emperor! There should be no doubt about it.) have moved to Paender with her guards.
Zaranissa has sent a number of emissaries:-
To Moloch:
he is welcome to come to Tanistat to swear fealty to the emperor and be confirmed as Provincial Governor of Primas and commander of the Primas forces.
To Faron:
he is invited to publicly acknowledge Harribal as Emperor and be confirmed in post and receive a cash bonus of 5,000gp.
To Ban’kher and Horus:
they and their men can be welcomed back into the arms of Baal (much better than receiving Baal’s sun blessing!!) – simply acknowledge Harribal as Emperor, receive 3,000gp between you to share, your men will get 1gp each, and publicly forswear the Prophet Motiph for the love of Baal.
There has not yet been time for replies to be received.
The Trias army has moved to Tanistat whence scouts have been pushed towards Xenaxros, Kys, Schkender, and Lucca.
The levies have also been summonsed to Tanistat. 10,000 or more of Zaranissa’s followers have gathered there but many of Salammbo’s followers have chosen to join her in Paender: we would guess that there are less than 10,000 in Tanistat and perhaps 15,000 in Paender.

Faron is now thought to be in effect a captive of Ban’kher and Horus: he is rarely seen out and about and is then always guarded by Motiph infantry, as indeed he is when carrying out his official duties.

Cyrus, the elderly Bey of Aral and Emir of Bashkan, as far as the post still exists, died peacefully in his sleep, attended by many of his wives … and also by his nephew Phlateries. Despite this no suspicious circumstances attend the demise of the increasingly senile 83 year old.
Loyal, but in his younger days a noted troublemaker with a reputation for venality, he has been succeeded by that 62 year old nephew who had in all but name become the Bey of Aral “… to help my beloved Uncle, the Emir Cyrus.”
Phlateries has announced that as well as becoming Bey, he intends to reinvigorate the post of Emir, a post to which he asserts that he naturally succeeds.
Gilgamesh has announced that an Academy of Taxation and Bureaucracy is to be established and young nobles from the city-states of Bashkan and Kazakh are to be enrolled: men from Baykal and Baykonur in particular are urged to study diligently and apply what they learn in an effort to bring order to their home cities.

Erik, at Hrunting’s suggestion, has given generous gifts to the Jarls and lesser leaders throughout Estonia.
They have also shipped grain to the cities of the Dvina Vale to alleviate shortages.

Kalevard, with several important Bruxellois in attendance, journeyed to Krefeld where he met and was welcomed by Friederich to whom he pledged his fealty.
After the ceremony 1,000 or so light Visigoth cavalry move through Bruxelles cautiously, scouting.
Friederich has called out the local Visigoth levies, and these have taken up defensive positions along the Rhine.

The Ostragoth levy, some 10-15,000 strong, has gathered at Friederichshavn under Johan. They were joined by Harda Knut’s mercenary levy and by his new paid force. A number of would-be emigrants has also arrived; they prudently are waiting to follow when it seems safe to do so.
When Friederich arrived a mock battle was staged between Harda’s paid men and an equal number of Johan’s Ostragoths, to try a new fighting technique. Everyone else watched.
There is no doubt that the Ostragoths won but it was pointed out that the Ostragoths were all veterans chosen for this combat.
Harda Knut has sacrificed generously to Odin and Thor to ensure the favour of the gods in the coming season. Raven banners have also been distributed to the worthy.

In what may have been a drunken diatribe towards the end of a feast for his new captains, Bjarni all too publicly complained that he was asked to buy longships when none were available, and to prepare for war when he had few competent crews: and that fool Harda Knut will march across the sea to our assistance! When his wife, Uliv, tried to hush him he rounded on her and intemperately accused her of an inappropriately close relationship with her redoubtable father.
There was a deafening silence, followed by an uneasy shuffling of chairs, followed by a rapid emptying of the hall as his guests fled took their leave.

Sardanes, Poignas, and Diamanjani are in Van city: they are to visit Mus: something to do with mining.

Two brigades of Boson’s foot and one of Laganides’ cavalry have just arrived at the bridge over the Firat (or Mus) river, just south of Sivas. They have stayed on the south side of the river and have made neither effort to cross nor to impede traffic.
They have told the curious that they are to build a fort … just timber and earth … on the southern end of the bridge.

Calcaneus has been welcomed by Suren as a trusted advisor.
Kerashkes has visited Suren who, we hear, apologised for the mismanagement of communications. Kerashkes was offered and accepted the posts of Vizier and of CinC of the infantry in the new reorganised Chaldean forces, with Abraham continuing to lead the levy and Tomeniaces commanding the cavalry.
We hear that Kerashkes’ eldest son is to marry into the Hamid Qabal.
Abraham has visited Atenatra at the Great Oasis and we hear that Suren is also to pay his respects in the near future.
The 2nd division of the Seljux Army has set off to join the 1st division.

A brigade of Kublai’s armoured cavalry has arrived and having paid their respects to the Emperor, has settled down to wait.

Shalman and his court and army have returned to Sivas in Iberia. Empress Polonova is said to be missing her bosom friend, the other Empress.

Macdonix, the brilliant 33 year old second cousin of Macalix has been appointed to command the 77th army