My Writing

3/5/2016

“General!”

Belisarioos opened his eyes from his exhausted sleep and rolled upright to face Valentinian’s chiseled scowl of concern.
“Sire, the worthless Rogues we left behind in Ynhynnim and Zihyenth have disappeared and now the Natural Born Killers are at our walls in Karchaba!”
“I told you not to trust that young Cleon and his band of Nero-phytes!” sniped Anastasius from the corner.
“It was Cleon who brought me the report before he collapsed from many knife wounds. He was betrayed”
Belisarioos smiled at his two faithful Praetorian Guards and said,” If you pity rogues, you are no friend of honest men. We knew this could happen if you only leave rogues behind. See to Cleon’s wounds, he is a good young man who is terrible rogue.”
After yawning, Belisarioos looked at Anastasius,
“Well this is a kine fettle of kish! Let me get hold of Truck Runner and skip and see if we can try something else.”
Strapping on his adamantium scale armor and cavorite gladius he strode to the door, but Valentinian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, “General, your helmet?”
Belisarioos took the Golden Phoenix Feather crested Tritanium helmet and placed it snuggly on his head.
“Thank you, my friend. I’ll be back with a new plan, alert the legion.”

An hour later, Belisarioos strode through the doorway with a smug look on his face.
“We are off to the northwest of Tuulech!”
Valentinian smiled, “more indirect madness ehh?”
Belisarioos grinned, “You know that’s always best. That’s what’s always worked for us.”
“But how do we get out of Karchaba?” Anastasius asked.
Belisarioos kept grinning, “Remember cjjordan of Honor Bound, I asked him to come in and take over, so we could leave. You know it’s always better to be nice to other guilds when you can.”
Valentinian snarled, “Can we trust him?”
“Don’t care doesn’t matter, we’ll be on the other side of the continent. He gets a sector that wasn’t his to begin with and we can always remind him of the favor in the future. Val, you are the one always tauting guile over strength.”
Anastasius said, “Yes, but strength guarantees peace.”
“You are right Anastasius, but right now our strength will be used to assault Karchagu tomorrow.”

Two days later in Parbuthi, a tired, sweaty trio of brother warriors sat on camp stools around a small fire drinking strong ale from their matching liter mugs. Their weapons and armor hung glistening above a wretched gore and muck pile after their field cleaning.
Anastasius spoke up, “General, I’d forgotten how devious you left the defense armies of our old IronClaw guild in Tuulech.”
Valentinian chuckled, “that’s what you get when you want peace through strength. I’m not surprised all this land was never taken.”
Belisarioos cradled his mug in his lap and said, “we were surrounded by good friends then and never bothered anyone, so why shouldn’t they have lasted so long. Besides you two remember you were the ones who trained them. They served us well in IronClaw.”
“General, you think it wise to have sent Cleon back to Karchaba to spy?” Anastasius wondered?
“Well, Val? Can we trust him?” Belisarioos said nodding to Valentian.
“After his bad experience in Ynhynnim and Zihyenth and the speedy recovery he made using those magic beans you gave him, I think so. We’ll see when he reports back.”
“If he reports. Remember what you said about rogues a couple of days ago.” Anastasius said with his upper lip stiff.
“He’ll come back, I’ve offered him to be my squire and a chance to become a Centurion.”
Valentinian spoke up, “We’ll see. What I want to know is where did you get those magic beans?”
“Val, have you never been in the cellar of our Tavern in Darat? You have never dined at the table of Semiraimis?”

Anastasius spoke up, “That wonderful old woman is Semiraimis? She has mixed me many a remedy when asked. I just know her as Mira. Isn’t she the lady we rescued in Ain-el-harb when we left IronClaw the first time?”
Belisarioos nodded. “Yes, and now she has figured out a way to turn the leaves of Yggdrasil into potions of all kinds.”
Valentinian mused out loud, “hmmm I’ll have to visit the cellar sometime.”
Just then, Cleon burst into the room. Gasping for breath he blurted, “General, Klngalmighty has returned with the reborn Roman Empire, Karchuba has fallen. His Army is marching on the Armies of Wynners.”
Cleon then collapsed.

Anastasius hoisted Cleon over his shoulder and headed for the infirmary. He patted the back of Cleon’s lolling head murmuring, “The General has faith in you kid. He better keep the faith.”
Belisarioos reached in his loculus and grabbed the ansible.
After several squawks, two beeps, and a boop; a gentle hiss was followed by the baritone voice of Truck Runner, legendary General of the Wynners.
“Hello Bel, what do you want?”
“TIRE (The Imperial Roman Empire) is attacking. They have taken Parsulba, Vatneba, and Kolim. Looks like we’ll have to hold up advancing through the Western Roman Empire if we want to hold the IronClaw land we have.”
“Maybe, let me talk to skip and see what he thinks.”
“OK. Let me get in touch with Klngalmighty. We used to be friends when I led IronClaw.”
Valentinian sipped his beer and said, “Isn’t Klngalmighty the guy that we finally convinced that diplomacy and being nice was better than constantly notching your sword and wasting your soldiers?”
“Yeah, that was the guy. He actually became an honorable leader. I need to talk to swordssmith, an old friend and mentor from the Spartan Alliance.”
“Fine, you like all that diplomatic parley business. I’ll go get us some food and more beer. What kind of beer was this anyway?
“Val, it’s always Arrogant Bast**rd Ale.”
“Of course, I was hoping for a Lil Sumptin’ Sumtin.  I’ll be back, let me know if I need to do any knifework.”
Belisarioos picked up the Ansible and look at it thinking, ‘hope these guys are still reasonable.’

Belisarioos had just put down the ansible and slumped back against the back of his camp stool. He let out a satisfied sigh.
Suddenly Valentinian appeared from the darkness with baskets of food.
“General, you done diplomaticizing? Can we eat?”
“Yes Val. What’s tonight’s field rations?”
“We are in luck, no ones heard about the trouble at the front, so they are still celebrating. We have a large portion of cheesy cena, three big slabs of baccala, dried figs, and sadly posca to drink.”
“Sounds great. Posca’s what the soldiers drink. We will drink it too.”
Just then Anastasius entered the small leaders camp with a wobbly young Cena.
“Ah, welcome. Just in time for dinner while I explain how we are going to succeed in the upcoming campaign.”

“Sire, let me help you with that.” Cleon said reaching for the Eagle clasps on Belisarioos armor.
“Thank you young man.”
Holding the shining adamantium at arms length, Cleon blurted, “Wow! Not a scratch, dent, or ding! I coulda swore I saw you take a ballista bolt in the gut! Is this stuff magic?”
Valentinian chirped, “ Not magic kid, just tough; but look at the General’s gut now…”
Cleon gasped, “Sire! That one ugly bruise! Can I get you something?”
“Sure, go down in the cellar and ask Semiraimis for something. She’ll know what I need.”
Cleon raced out the door shouting, “Right away sir!”
After a moment three warriors looked up at each other.
Anastasius spoke into the silence, “Well we did it again. Increased our kingdom, made a friend, and we won’t have to deal with all the ankle-biting baby alligators.”
Valentinian laughed, “Stash, never heard you speak so colorfully!”
Belisarioos, “I’m just happy swordssmith is still around and that people listen to him. KlngAlmighty can be quick to anger, especially when General Spock of the Annukai is involved. The current campaign seems to over except for the battles in the south where the Klng and swordssmith clean out the, what did you call them Anastasius? Ankle-biting baby alligators? That’s pretty good.
By the way, did you install the defense armies using the usual combat arms mix?”
Anastasius replied in his command voice, “Yes sir any invader will have to fight to the death one at a time. 144 troops, no rogues.”
Valentinian asked, “Okay, what’s next?”
Belisarioos smiled and said, “Why don’t you guys take a three-week furlough? I’m taking Antonia Jean to France and see if we can find a wine we like.”

Valentinian said, “Hmmm, think I’ll go back to Azerbaijan and look for some new exotic knives. I hear they have some made from meteorites, oosic, or coprolite.”
Anastasius quipped, “ Hey, I can go find old Vegetius and talk tactics.”
Just then Cleon appeared with a big basket with clanging mugs.
“Semiraimis said you’d all enjoy this stuff.”
Valentinian said, “Waddya got kid?”
“Some kind of dark ale only fit for worthy Arrogant Bast**rds and Magic Bean salad.”
Belisarioos laughed heartily and said, “good job young man.”

4/4/2017

Honored Wolves of IronClaw. I just want to express my thanks and appreciation for all the members of this Guild. Since the founding in the Spring of 2015 by RustFang & Adreena of Shamrock we have grown to 27th of 248 current Guilds in Tuulech. Since March First we have seen our prestige rise from 632 to 1068. This Prestige rise is directly attributable to our GvG gains, especially Big Daddy Rat’s expedition into Post Modern Age. There are 5,908 Active Players in Tuulech (and over 6,000 inactive) and we have 8 Wolves in the top 800. Of the 938 who have more than 1,000,000 points, we have 8. sidearmer is one of 33 players in Tuulech with over 10K battles. We are consistently in the top three of GE adding to our daily prestige ranking. Truly amazing are the contributions of our farmers and traders as we support each others efforts to grow our cities.
When Adreena of Shamrock and RustFang had to withdraw for RL reasons (jobs & children) “Rusty” brought in Irishgriff to supervise a transition during an extremely tumultuous time. He formed our Leader Council and King Bucknuts led Big Daddy Rat, Calynn Nerva, and myself to get on this successful path we are still following. Our Guild has a respected reputation throughout Tuulech because of your efforts supporting our goals. I (like many of you) am in Guilds in six other worlds and when I compare my experience elsewhere to the Den of Wolves here, this is a great place to game. We help each other and fight GvG & GE fiercely. 

7/10/2016

The cold ocean wind filled the sails of the Fifth Macedonians’s sails on the way to Taryba in Tuulech.

Belisarioos pulled his ermine scarf tighter around his neck keeping the back of his icy praetorinan helmet off his neck and drew his mug of kongo coffee to lips to sip.vIt was cold, so he tossed it into the wind watching the liquid crystalize in tiny brown bits. He went amidship to the Captains Cabin to get a fresh cup. As he entered the cabin, his two faithful companion protectors turned to face him, Valentian, peered through his tight lidded eyes and scowled. Anastasia, bolted upright slapping his massive metal gloved hand to his chest in salutation and said, “My Lord, are we in sight of land?”
Belisarioos smiled and said, “No my friend, just need more of this warm navy sludge they call coffee.”
After he poured the steaming viscous fluid into his porcelain travel mug he glanced at Valentian and said, “Val your scowl and furrowed brow begs me to ask, what is it?”
Valentian unwound from the wooden couch and yawned, stretching his sinewy, chiseled body to face Belisarioos. “Are you sure we have to fight our first campaign for the Lady Rhthwyn’s Wynners with Iron Age tools? What about our armored vehicles? Our flying weapons? At least cannons and swordsman!”
“Not to worry Val, all that is in our inventory will follow us to our new home in Tuulech. General Truck wants to resurrect the Wynners Empire in the Iron Age first. Remember when we first started to Forge our Empire years ago, it was the Wynners who let us into Tuulech by sharing there space in the Iron Age.”
Anastasias sighed, “Yes, those were high times learning to crush armies without Rogues with only our developing small Statues of Zeus, with our Cathedral in Aachen and Castel del Monte under construction and just our wits and the snarling wolves of Ironclaw at our side. Remember Rustfang? Big Daddy Rat? and Deaths Dealer who always showed up late and delivered the coupe des grace! Great times those were.”
Belisarioos grinned through the vapors rising from his mug. “Yes indeed. Those were the days. And now we have unleashed the Kraken, built many modern factories that add to our combat effectiveness, and have turned our prison of Alcatraz into a massive troop depot.”
Anastasia tossed Valentian a slice of Bison Jerky and exclaimed, “And Val we thank you for recruiting our legion of thousands of mercenary rogues chartered by Sir William de Chetulton, Sir John de Legh and notorious gangster James Stafford.”
Just then the trumpets sounded and the ships bell clamored.
Anastasia looked out the door and then turned to face his liege,
“Sir, Taryba in sight. We make landfall!”
Belisarioos grinned as he thought,
“The boredom is ended.”

The Ballista is basically a giant crossbow. The word Ballista comes from the Greek word “Ballistes” meaning throw. Believed to have been invented by the Greeks and later modified by the Romans. The Ballista was created to amply to range and power of the crossbow and was the earliest catapult. Two wood arms (looks similar to a bow laid on its side, but with a middle section cut out) are attached to a piece of rope. The rope was usually made of human hair or animal sinew.  The rope was attached to a winch and pulled back, bending the arm back. When released the Ballista would shoot large arrow, or darts toward the enemy with deadly accuracy. Despite its accuracy it lacked the power of the Mongonel and the Trebuchet. 

The Springald
The Springald was a smaller version of the Ballista used in tighter confines such as castles or towers. It was utilized mostly as an antipersonnel weapon. 

A large ballista could launch an imposing javelin weighing up to 10 pounds. The steel bolt might be four to six feet long with a shaft two-and-a-half inches in diameter. The “feathering” consisted of about eight inches worth of wood, horn, or brass laminates.

The maximum range was over 500 yards (460 m), but effective combat range for many targets was far shorter. The Romans continued the development of the ballista, and it became a highly prized and valued weapon in the army of the Roman Empire.

The potential energy is stored in the tension of the rope and bent arms of the “bow”.
This tension acts as a spring, therefore potential energy is stored using the equation. The k constant is different for each rope/arm and must be determined experimentally.
 U=½kx^{2
This potential energy is then converted to kinetic energy. Assuming that loss of energy due to friction is minimal the Kinetic energy of the bow as it exits the system will be equal to the potential energy of the tension.}

As technologies improved, by the beginning of the 2nd century CE artillery did become increasingly mobile, adding a new and lethal dimension to ancient warfare. Trajan‘s Column in Rome provides relief sculptures showing cart-mounted carroballista bolt-firing weapons. These were an improvement on older catapults as their spring mechanisms were set wider apart giving the weapon greater firing accuracy. In addition, the all iron frame not only made the whole apparatus lighter and more mobile but allowed the arm to be pulled back even further, giving 25% more power. Vegetius states that each legion was equipped with 55 carroballista and, indeed, every legion had its own dedicated specialists in artillery who not only fired the weapons but also made, repaired and improved them.

The ancient Roman legions usually marched in silence to maintain order in their ranks, but once they encountered the enemy, their lines would erupt with intimidating war cries that some described as resembling the sound of a stampeding elephant. The late-Roman army was particularly fond of the “Barritus,” a guttural cry that had been borrowed from Germanic warriors, many of whom had joined their ranks. The ancient chronicler Tacitus described the Barritus as a “harsh, intermittent roar” that built in volume, and noted that the troops would “hold their shield in front of their mouths, so that the sound is amplified into a deeper crescendo by the reverberation.” The result was a low, ominous murmur that slowly gathered into a terrifying bellow.

Anabasis – Journey up-country from the sea.
Anabasis (/əˈnæbəsɪs/; Greek: Ἀνάβασις [anábasis] (literally “a journey up-country from the sea”)^[1] is the most famous work, published in seven books, of the Greek professional soldier and writer Xenophon. The text was composed around the year 370 BC, and in translations, Anabasis is rendered The March of the Ten Thousand or The March Up Country. The journey it narrates is his best known accomplishment and “one of the great adventures in human history,” as Will Durant expressed it.^[2] Although the content of the book is lively, written in the style of someone who has participated in the adventures he describes, the story recounted in the Anabasis is completely uncorroborated.^[3]

CATAPULTS
Manogel.
A mangonel was a type of catapult or siege engine used in the medieval period to throw projectiles at a castle‘s walls. A mangonel had poorer accuracy than a trebuchet (which was introduced later, shortly before the discovery and widespread usage of gunpowder). The mangonel threw projectiles on a lower trajectory and at a higher velocity than the trebuchet, with the intention of destroying walls, rather than hurling projectiles over them. It was more suited to field battles.
OnagerThe onager was a Roman siege engine that is a type of catapult that uses a torsional force, generally from twisted rope, to store energy for the shot. The onager consisted of a large frame placed on the ground to whose front end a vertical frame of solid timber was rigidly fixed. A vertical spoke that passed through a rope bundle fastened to the frame had a sling attached which contained a projectile.

HEAVY CAVALRY
Cataphracts [Valentinian & Anastasius]A cataphract was a form of armored heavy cavalry used in ancient warfare by a number of peoples in Western Eurasia and the Eurasian Steppe.
The English word is derived from the Greek κατάφρακτος Kataphraktos (plural: κατάφρακτοι Kataphraktoi), literally meaning “armored” or “completely enclosed”. Historically, the cataphract was a very heavily armored horseman, with both the rider and steed draped from head to toe in scale armor, while typically wielding a kontos or lance as their weapon.
Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Knights Templar
Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the order became a favoured charity throughout Christendom and grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades.^[5] Non-combatant members of the order managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom, innovating financial techniques that were an early form of banking, and building fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land.
HEAVY CAVALRY
The Stirrup
The stirrup, which gives greater stability to a rider, has been described as one of the most significant inventions in the history of warfare, prior to gunpowder. As a tool allowing expanded use of horses in warfare, the stirrup is often called the third revolutionary step in equipment, after the chariot and the saddle. The basic tactics of mounted warfare were significantly altered by the stirrup. A rider supported by stirrups was less likely to fall off while fighting, and could deliver a blow with a weapon that more fully employed the weight and momentum of horse and rider. Among other advantages, stirrups provided greater balance and support to the rider, which allowed the knight to use a sword more efficiently without falling, especially against infantry adversaries.

MERCENARIES
1. The Ten Thousand (Ancient Greek: οἱ Μύριοι) were a group of mercenary units, mainly Greek, drawn up by Cyrus the Younger to attempt to wrest the throne of the Persian Empire from his brother, Artaxerxes II. Their march to the Battle of Cunaxa and back to Greece (401–399 BC) was recorded by Xenophon (one of its leaders) in his work, The Anabasis.
2. The White Company (Italian: Compagnia Bianca del Falco ) was a 14th-century Italian mercenaryCompany of Adventure (It :compagnia di ventura), led from its arrival in Italy in 1361 to 1365 by the German Albert Sterz and later by the Englishman John Hawkwood. Although the White Company is the name by which it is popularly known, it was initially called the Great Company of English and Germans and would later often be referred to as the English Company (It: Compagnia degli Inglesi, L: Societas Angliciis).
3. The Catalan Company of the East (Catalan: Companyia Catalana d’Orient, IPA: [kumpəˈɲi.ə kətəˈɫanə ðuɾiˈen]), officially the Magna Societas Catalanorum, sometimes called the Grand Company and widely known as the Catalan Company, was a free company of mercenaries founded by Roger de Flor in the early 14th century.
De Flor recruited soldiers left unemployed with the Peace of Caltabellotta in 1302 by the Crown of Aragon, who opposed the French dynasty of Anjou.
4. Arnaud de Cervole, also de Cervolles, de Cervolle, Arnaut de Cervole or Arnold of Cervoles (c. 1300 – 25 May 1366), known as l’Archiprêtre (The Archpriest), was a French mercenary soldier and Brigand of the Hundred Years War in the 14th century. He was born into the minor nobility at Lot-et-Garonne in the Périgord somehere around the year 1300. Even though a layman, he possessed the ecclesiastical fief of Velines in Dordogne; because of it he was called the Archpriest of Vélines (Archiprêtre de Velines). He was deprived of his benefice by the archbishop of Bordeux because he was mixing “with brigands and men of base extraction”.
The Archpriest quickly made a name in the world of mercenaries specializing in scaling castle walls. His meteoric rise, despite his noble status, astonished his contemporaries.In the early 1350s, Arnaud commanded a band of 80 men in South-West France, and was known for his skill at taking walled cities and castles by escalade (ladders). He was equally known for repeatedly crossing line between military service and banditry.

MERCENARIES – continued
5. Werner von Urslingen (called in Italian: Guarnieri d’Urslingen or Duca Guarnieri; c. 1308 – 1354) was a mercenary of German-speaking origins in the Holy Roman Empire. He is also known as Werner of Urslingen. In 1342 Werner joined the service of the Republic of Pisa in its war against Florence, whose troops were led by Malatesta III Malatesta. After that war he collected a troop of adventurers under the name “Great Company”, with which he plundered rural Tuscany, Umbria, and the Romagna. He supported Francesco Ordelaffi against the Papal States, and was bribed by his enemy, Malatestino Malatesta of Rimini, to help him in his feud with Ferrantino Malatesta. In 1343 Werner was hired by Taddeo Pepoli of Bologna for a very large sum, to fight against Obizzo III d’Este of Modena; but he switched to the Este side and went on to ravage several cities, including Correggio. His company was subsequently expelled from the Ferrara area, and Werner of Urslingen returned to Germany with some of his men.
6. Bascot de Mauléon was a Basque soldier, mercenary and Brigand of the Hundred Years’ War in the 14th century.  In 1363, after the Treaty of Brétigny, Bascot de Mauléon^[1] and his men began to pillage the countryside. His was one of the many so called Tard-Venus, groups of mercenaries left without employment by the end of hostilities.  His troops attacked Avignon and ransomed the Pope. They then plunderedBurgundy. He took part in the Battle of Brignais where troops raised by the king were routed due to the betrayal of the Archpriest.
ARMORED INFANTRY. 
Jannisary. The Janissaries (Ottoman Turkish:meaning “new soldier”) were elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan‘s household troops and bodyguards. Sultan Murad I created the force in 1383. They began as an elite corps of slaves made up of kidnapped young Christian boys, and became famed for internal cohesion cemented by strict discipline and order. By 1620, they were hereditary, corrupt, and an impediment to reform. The corps was abolished by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826 in the Auspicious Incident in which 6,000 or more were executed. The Janissaries became the first Ottoman standing army, replacing forces that consisted mostly of tribal warriors (ghazis) whose loyalty and morale were not always guaranteed.
Housecarls. In medieval Scandinavia were either non-servile manservants, or household troops in personal service of someone, equivalent to a bodyguard to Scandinavian lords and kings. This institution also existed in Anglo-Saxon England after its conquest by the kingdom of Denmark in the 11th century. In England, the royal housecarls had a number of roles, both military and administrative; they are well known for having fought under Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. The original Old Norse term, húskarl, literally means “house man”; see also the Anglo-Saxon term churl or ceorl, whose root is the same as the Old Norsekarl, and which also means “a man, a non-servile peasant”. These were well trained men who were paid as they were full-time soldiers.

ARMORED INFANTRY – continued
Swiss Tercios. Swiss mercenaries (Reisläufer) were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment. Their service as mercenaries was at its peak during the Renaissance, when their proven battlefield capabilities made them sought-after mercenary troops. There followed a period of decline, as technological and organizational advances counteracted the Swiss’ advantages. Switzerland‘s military isolationism largely put an end to organized mercenary activity; the principal remnant of the practice is the Swiss Guard at the Vatican.
ROGUES. 
Folvilles, Richard was the fourth of 7 sons born to Sir John Folville (died 1310) of Ashby Folville,Leicestershire. In 1321 he was created rector to the small country parish of Teigh, about 12 km east of Melton Mowbray. However, like his near-contemporaries Thomas De L’Isle or John Rippinghale, his vocation did not deter him from indulging in vigilantism and outlawry. A warrant for Richard’s arrest was issued in March 1326 for his part in connection with the assassination of Sir Roger Bellere, and he was also involved in much of his siblings’ later strifes. Richard seems to have masterminded the abduction and ransom of the justice Sir Richard Willoughby, later Chief Justice of the King’s Bench. The chronicler Henry Knighton, our principal witness to the activities of the Folvilles, claims that the ‘savage, audacious’ Richard was in charge of the socialem comitivam (‘allied company’) which attacked Willoughby. The kidnap occurred in January 1332. Willoughby was seized on the road to Grantham, and escorted into nearby woodland. One indictment claims that he was carried from here to numerous dens and hideouts across the county, ‘from wood to wood’. He was at length made to pay 1300 marks for his release, and forced to swear an oath of loyalty to the Folvilles. Richard was the only member of the Folville gang to suffer official retribution. In either 1340 or 1341, he and some of his retinue were cornered in the church of Teigh by Sir Robert Coalville, a keeper of the King’s peace. After a prolonged struggle, which resulted in at least one fatality as Richard fired arrows from the church, Sir Robert succeeded in drawing Richard from the building. Once in custody Folville was summarily beheaded, in his own churchyard. After the event Pope Clement VI instructed Thomas Bek,Bishop of Lincoln, to absolve Robert and his men for killing the priest, on condition that they were whipped at each of main churches in the area, by way of penance.^[4] This is clearly reminiscent of Henry II‘s penance before the cathedral of Avranches, after the death of Thomas Becket.
Coterel Gang. The Coterel Gang, referred to as “la compagnie sauvage” by one of the gang’s lieutenants Roger de Sauvage, terrorised Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, including Sherwood Forest, from 1328 to 1332. The leader was James Coterel and when he wasn’t busy conducting the gang’s extortion rackets and acts of robbery and murder (sometimes by hire), he was, along with his fellow members, serving Edward III in his wars against the Scots and French. Some of the Coterels even served in the government. In 1335 Nicholas Coterel was made the queen’s bailiff for the High Peak District of Derbyshire. It wasn’t long, however, before he was accused of interfering with tax collections. A jury transcript reveals that James Coterel was accused of recruiting twenty members in the Peak district and Sherwood Forest. Three outlawed associates of the gang, Sir William de Chetulton, Sir John de Legh and notorious gangster James Stafford, were pardoned and commissioned to capture a couple of robbers but only months later they were in Nottingham goal over charges of attempted rape. They subsequently served King Edward III in his Scottish wars in 1336 and were instructed to recruit archers in Cheshire and lead them north into Berwickshire. A notable ally of the Coterel Gang was no less than the Sheriff of Nottingham himself, Sir Robert Ingram. 
Juraj Janosik. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor, a deed often attributed to the famous Robin Hood. The legend was also known in neighbouring Silesia, the Margraviate of Moravia and later spread to the Kingdom of Bohemia. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the Kingdom of Hungary (much in present Slovakia) and among the local Gorals and Polish tourists in the Podhale region north of the Tatras (Tatra). The image of Jánošík as a symbol of resistance to oppression was reinforced when poems about him became part of the Slovak and Czech middle and high school literature curriculum, and then again with the numerous films that propagated his modern legend in the 20th century. During the anti-Nazi Slovak National Uprising, one of the partisan groups bore his name.
James Hind. Captain James Hind (sometimes referred to as John Hind) (baptised 1616, died 1652) was a 17th-century highwayman and Royalist rabble rouser during the English Civil War. He came from the town of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. His partner Thomas Allen was captured when they attempted but failed to rob Oliver Cromwell. He also robbed John Bradshaw, President of the High Court of Justice for the trial of King Charles I. When finally caught during the Protectorate, Hind was charged with treason rather than highway robbery because of his expressed Royalist loyalty and was hanged, drawn and quartered in 1652 at Worcester
Thuggees. Thugs, an organised gang of professional robbers and murderers. Thugs travelled in groups across the Indian sub-continent for six hundred years. Although the Thugs traced their origin to seven Muslim tribes, Hindus appear to have been associated with them at an early period. They were first mentioned in Ẓiyā-ud-Dīn Baranī’s History of Fīrūz Shāh, dated around 1356. During the 1830s, the Thugs were targeted for eradication by Governor-General of India, William Bentinck and his chief captain, William Henry Sleeman. Thugs were apparently destroyed by this effort. To take advantage of their victims, the Thugs would join travellers and gain their confidence; this would allow them to surprise and strangle the travellers with a handkerchief or noose. They would then rob and bury their victims.

4/19/2017

The Ironclaw of Tuulech Colonial campaign began on the anniversary of the former British Colonies instigation of their most uncivil war with the bombardment of Fort Sumter by Confederate Forces commanded by Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard. The garrison under the command of Major Robert Anderson, including Company E, 1st US Artillery commanded by Captain Abner Doubleday (the alleged founder of Major League Baseball) surrendered on April 14th.

Alongside the Fusiliers of General Sidearmer, Belisarioos landed ashore at Haldeaux, the former province of the Belgian Monarchy, with the 4th Musketeers and 5th Light Infantry. Together they made short work of the 49 poodle-fakirs of Wharehouse13 in just 49 minutes. The armies of sidearmer moved at the speed of light dazzling and dumbfounding the hapless harried horseman of the Wharehouse. Immediately after the initial victory, together they moved into Bourhalnac, a quiet mountain retreat for Baroness Sophie Antoinette. The 6th Light Dragoons and a horde of rogues from LKjunior58 and Crazy Cole rapidly reduced the fortress defended mostly by a force of underpaid rusty field gunners and colorfully festooned Zouaves. A festive dinner of mutton and Arrogant Bastard Ale was served after rolling over the doggies to make sure they were croaked!

The campaign moved to Masbarniez and the 4th Prince Albert Victor’s Rajputs with the 1st Halifax-Dartmouth Field Artillery laid siege made more ominous by the arrival on the battlefield of the Legendary Ironclad Warrior Wolf DeathsDealer. The terrifying relentless pounding continues as the rest of the IronClaw Wolves arrive on the dawn. 

The campaign moved to Masbarniez and the 4th Prince Albert Victor’s Rajputs with the 1st Halifax-Dartmouth Field Artillery laid siege made more ominous by the arrival on the battlefield of the Legendary Ironclad Warrior Wolf DeathsDealer. The terrifying relentless pounding continues as the rest of the IronClaw Wolves arrive on the dawn.
At day break, the 4th Bombay Grenadiers, Royal Loyal Musketeers, and Princess Louise Fusilliers arrived. After settling into assembly areas, they munched on a meal of grits, ham and ostrich eggs quaffing decanters of sparkling sweet wine purloined from the captured Wharehouse13 coffers. Consulting with King Bucknuts on the days plan of attack, the Wolves unleashed the Rogues of the Grand Orange Lodge to ferret out the battered and bewildered doggos mistakenly believing that somehow they would prevail. The resulting campaign looked more like a fox hunting expedition ending with piles of dead Wharehouse fighters. The croakers were piled in immense mounds and set ablaze to rid the land of their presence.
As the dusk arrived and the wolves stared north through the macabre sunset with the deathly stench of the pyres drifting north with the warning, “IronClaw is coming”, the wolves awaited the gibbous moon rise.
Sidearmer and the Truck Runner advanced into Masrouseilles at high moon and with methodical, relentless, and at times maniacal fury expunged the hapless Wharehousemen. The victory was coldly efficient and the Wolves of IronClaw dined on mounds of mutton with tankards of Pliny the Younger (found hidden in one of the hidden storerooms of Wharehouse13).
They watched with tired eyes as the acrid smoke of the funeral cairns drifted westward into the southern mountains of Terre Mauvais.
The full might of the Wolves of Ironclad awaits the coming Easter Vigil chanting the Victimae paschali laudes. Pleucodeaux, the Citadel of Wharehouse13 is next.

Saintbainac, last Citadel of Wharehouse 13. Pleucodeaux was a ruined fortress of rubble after the wolves of Ironclad had shredded its fragile foundations and chased the petrified Wharehousemen across the border into the coastal province of Saintbainac. The Military commander of Saintbainac, Jacques Pronis, hastily organized a last stand on the plains before his villa overlooking the harbor. General Sidearmer and a hungry horde of Wolves laid an efficient siege worthy of praise by the Marquis Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. After whittling the beleaguered Wharehousemen into a frightened, desperate mob, Sidearmer turned over the mopping up to Belisarioos.
His steady, dangerous cataphract Captains, Anastasious and Valentinian led a legion of mercenary rogues chartered by Sir William de Chetulton, Sir John de Legh and notorious gangster James Stafford to methodically ground the Pronis troops to mewling, pathetic pulp. Sensing a sure victory at hand at the rising of the midnight’s moon and the approaching exhaustion of Flavius Belisarioos’ troops; Sir William de Chetulton requested to lead the last charge because the duplicitous ner’ do well thought he was going to auto battle to glorious rapid victory. Unknown to the wolves, Roger de Sauvage, a notorious rogue employed by the Wharehousemen, had infiltrated Sir William’s entourage and was providing misleading information about the state of Pronis’ remaining force. Sir William led his rogues into auto battle and to everyone’s horror, they were viciously killed in an instant with no losses suffered by Pronis. Belisarioos then stepped in nd with Anastasious and Valentinian at his side voraciously dismantled the feeble fortress of Pronis, personally dispatching Sauvage by detaching his ugly head from his pencil neck. Warehouse 13 was removed from Terre Mauvais. 

4/25/19

Belisarioos slammed open the door and shouted,
“Anastasius, Valentinian WAKE UP!”
“We’re going to war!”
Belisarioos then pivoted and briskly left the room.
Valentinian cracked an eye and looked over at Anastasius who was already up and drawing his tunic over his head.
“Nasty what time is it?”
“Don’t call me that, it’s an attitude I don’t like.”
“Okay, Anastasius,” Val using his best obsequious voice, “the supreme warrior of the Empire. What time is it?”
Anastasius opened his leatherbound note and its blue glow shone on his face. “Uh let me see, it’s been a while. H’mm it’s the Modern Age. Great we’re paratroops of the 1^st Battalion, 509^th Airborne again! Geronimo!”

Val’s wolfish face sneered, “Great I’m with the rogues and those cantankerous M7 Priest 105’s again.”

They looked each an said with a hearty laugh, “onward 5^th Legion, all hail Belisarioos.!”
They both set about changing into their battledress uniforms and emptied their footlockers of carbines, pistols, and grenades as well as their broadswords they had forged in the Iron Age many years ago in Ironclaw.
Belisarioos burst back through the door shouting, “What the hell’s the hold up? We have enemies to slay for the glory of Antonia Jean.”
Valentinian smiled at his boss and said, “All right, we’re coming.”
After inspecting his paratroops Anastasius entered the operations tent at the airfield on the coast in Itouchi. Valentinian was there with his boots up on the map table, as usual, reeking of oil and grease alongside his chief rogue leader, an almost physical replica of Anastasius.
Anastasius went to him and said, “And who from the minefields of history might you be?”
Snapping to attention he said with ebullient enthusiasm, “ Col Mike Calvert, Chindit Commander of the 77^th Indian Infantry Brigade on loan from General Orde Wingate.”
Raising his eyebrows, Anastasius said, “Whoa, settle down. I’ll just call you. Mike. How many Chindits or rogues do you have?
Valentinian interjected, “Don’t worry. Last time I looked it was around 5000!.”

Belisarioos entered the tent.
“Anastasius, are you ready to jump?”
“Yes sir. I’d say how high, but you never liked that joke.”
“You’re right, I don’t. What’s important though is that you, my ever-faithful Legatus Legionis, are again the spearpoint of my campaign.”
Slapping his arm and fist to his chest, “We will jump and kill your enemies without mercy.”
“Uh ‘scuse me Lord Belisarioos,” Valentinian coughed, “can I ask who we are going to kill?”
Belisarioos in his usual command voice described the enemy.
“Yamamoto Isao in the province of Hirogauchi.
The province is the home of legendary retired Sumo Wrestler Kyoji Hirogouchi and is best known for the Horokuchi Coffee Company, producer of some of the world’s best coffee.
Yamato has three brigades defending the province. One brigade is ninjas with one anti-tank company. This brigade is foolish, we’re not using tanks. The second brigade is more ninjas with a tank company and a mechanized infantry company. Again, not a problem for us as long as we attack aggressively and first. The last brigade is more ninjas and one paratroop company. So far, their jump units tend to run in the forest and get surrounded and eliminated quickly. For these brigades, just be careful of the occasional ninja that get’s too close.”
“So, what’s the plan?” 
“Anastasius will lead the way with multiple assaults with his Geronimo’s. Just keep jumping on them wherever they are anywhere in Itouchi.”
Anastasius nodded and said solemnly, “All the way sir!”
“Valentinian, take your M7 artillery with a couple of ninjas and move in and beat on Yamamoto’s brigades when Anastasius’ Geronimo’s pause to regroup.”
Both of you pursue this campaign with the utmost of speed.”
Belisarioos leaned across the table and put hands behind the necks of his two long time loyal warriors. Looking in their eyes, he smiled and said,
“ Let’s go have some fun. Tomorrow will drink victory beer!”

That night, lounging in the shattered office of the demolished Horokuchi Coffee Company,
Belisarioos took a long guzzle of his favorite beer, Arrogant Bastard Ale from the Stone Brewing Company. His baggage always contained several refrigerated cases and kegs.
“Well men,” brushing foam from his beard, “Victory is ours. Antonia will be well pleased with the prestige we’ll gain from tonight’s fight.”
Placing his clasped hands behind his head, he leaned back and said, “Tell me of your battles.”
Anastasius folded the stock on his brass plated M1A1 carbine and set it beside him.
“Sire, we jumped 21 times and after assembly in each Drop Zone we found it easy to surround and ambush Yamato’s heavy weapons companies. After a couple of skirmishes with each company it turned into virtual execution of the under armed ninjas. The province with the para company defending with ninjas proved a small challenge. We had to find the Yamato para’s who usually hid in the jungles where we had to actually make contact. We suffered minor but acceptable losses. After 18 assaults, we gave way to Valentinian’s Chindits.”
During Anastasius report, Valentinian got up and refilled his mug with beer, scraping the foam off the top with his newest nine inch promethium dirk. Returning to his folding field stool just Anastasius finished, he cleared his throat to a swig of beer and spoke.
“Yes you paras are pesky fighters in the woods. I chose to just roll up to each battle with the artillery on-line and mercilessly pound their tanks and heavy weapons to smoking metal scrapheaps. The ninjas’ ripped rotting carcasses are proving too difficult to depose of and I apologize for the stench and mess I’ve left on the field. After a few battles I got tired of chasing down the enemy airborne in the jungle with my tracked artillery. It was then that I brought in a couple of Calvert’s Chindits to battle them. The enemy ninjas always sought out my Chindits thinking them easy targets. Heh-heh, they were wrong. So what’s next boss?”
Belisarioos looked at his two battle hardened Legatus Legionis and said,
“I do not know. After I dine with my beautiful Antonia Jean, I will inspect our city and look to the maintenance of our new Great Buildings, especially the Terra Cotta Army. Val, why don’t you go on another of your plunder tours with the Voyager Six? Anastasius, you should go to our new Egyptian Settlement and finish off the battles there.”
Anastasius spoke, “Yes sire, but I am anxious to go the new guild province west of Nilak in the Artic Future.”
Belisarioos answered while wagging his finger in the universal sign of caution, “That land has not yet been scouted. Patience my friend, we’ll be there soon.”
Sitting back and sipping more beer, Belisarioos spoke again to both men, “Of course there is always another Guild expedition to start or go see if we can add to our Statue of Honor by taking the Province of Yeraim.”
Valentinian sighed, “Boss I’m just gonna wander around Dara for a while after I get back with Voyager Six. Probably catch up on my sleep at the Castel del Monte if you don’t mind.”
Belisarioos laughed, “Men it’s all a game we can play anytime. Enjoy.”

12/2021

Flavius Belisarius pressed the cloaking system for his new castle refuge and then entered his study. He handed his plasma rifle and quark pistol to his valet Procopius who cleared and placed them on the wall rack alongside all the personal weapons Belisarius had wielded in eras past. The Iridium Sword, the Sabre Tooth Knife, the Henry Knock Flintlock and its’ gleaming persimmon stock, the Brown Bess, the Colt .45, the M19A11, the Garand M-1, the M79, and the many shields, helmets, body armors used by the General through all his battles in Tuulech. Belisarius settled back in his redwood office chair and placed his hands behind his head and sighed.
“Procopius, we got anymore of that Arrogant Bastard Ale?”
“Yes sire, I’ll be right back.”
“Hey tell Val and Anathasius to come on in and bring them something to drink…. And something to eat.”
“Ok boss.”
Belisarius thought to himself, “someday I need to kick his ass for all that online crap he posted about my wife Antonia and her friend Theodora. Hmm, maybe I can leave him in jail with that evil queen from the Early Middle Ages.”
Looking across his ornate Bocote wood desk, Belisarius saw the incoming mail and thought that maybe later he’d go to the Guild Battleground and try some new combat combinations with the sea borne Armies of the Oceanic Future, especially exploring how to use the Nautilus.
The study door opened and two remarkably different dangerous men entered.
The first to enter was dressed in a sleek black leather shirt and trousers. About his waist was a polished obsidian blade unencumbered by a sheaf. His sallow complexion featured a large beaked nose on a face ringed with coarse grey black stubble. His long thin black was tied in a tail centered on his back. He projected a dangerous aura of fearful respect.
He brought his gnarled right hand to his heart and said, “Flavius, the Eels and Turtles are at rest.”
Belisarius nodded, “thank you Valentian. Have a seat.”
Behind him a large well built muscle bulging man barely fit through the door. Across his thick silk shirt was a copper lame’ baldric boarded with two broad red silk stripes. Around the top of his buckskin trousers was a rhino hide belt and a three foot scabbard holding a terbium alloy gladius he found while looting on his first Iron Age campaign. His short blonde hair and beard framed a squared jawed face with piercing blue eyes. In measured steps he stood in front of the General and smacking his massive flat hand against his chest he stated in a command voice, “General, the mechs and flyers are recharging and will be ready for your next command.”
Belisarius smiled, “thank you Anasthasius. Have a seat. It’s time to relax.”
“My friends we have certainly mastered the craft of warfare in Tuulech. Our warrior profession has been lucrative and entertaining to say the least, don’t you agree?
Valetinian snorted, “yeah, we finally got a castle instead of that city hall with all the bean counters. This will be better than building new houses or living in Great Buildings. At least here we can have some privacy and stay away from the bean counters, tavern keepers, salesmen, and emissaries.”
Anasthasius sat up to speak but the study door opened and Procopius pushed a serving cart into the room smiling at the three warriors. “Cold Ale, sesame crackers, and cheese for you mighty warriors.”
“Thank you Procopius. I’ll have water instead of beer,” spoke Anasthasius who turned to Belisarius and said, “My Lord you have guided the Bucellarii with honor and guile since we left Iron Claw. Our journey has brought us great rewards and our reputation as a force to be reckoned with in this Forge of Empires. Now we are members of Volvere Tonitrua (Rolling Thunder) after many prosperous months in Septimious Severus’ Blitz helping to dismantle the tyranny of the Canyon Ranch gang. What do we do next? We are fighters, not farmers.”
Valentinian wiped the foam from his beer off his upper lip and said, “yeah it was fun after we joined the Anti-CR Gang. Every day we just through down Rogues in whatever era we wanted, then took three to six provinces from Canyon Ranch and their Syndicate cronies. Once their back was broken Waterdaggers and Eddard brought fairness and competition back to Tuulech.”
Belisarius grinned. “Yes that was fun. Free wheeling pirate raids and we finally mastered Guild Expeditions. Val, how is Richard Folvilles doing? Still the master of infiltration?”
Valentinian smirked, “he’s doing well. Our most loyal condottiere. He’s still is a ladies man and gets the lady leaders to tell him useful stuff. I don’t know what name he’s using now. You should check with Antonia in Iron Claw. He uses her to make “friendly introductions””.
Belisarius raised an eyebrow, “Hmm she didn’t mention him when I asked her to kick us out of Beria in the High Middle Ages.”
Anasthasius tilted his water glass toward Belisarius, “I still have the same question, What are we doing here?”
“My trusted comrades, indulge me a few moments of ruminating.”
Valentinian said, “sure, but I need another beer.”
Procopius hurried off to the kitchen.
“Okay, so here’s what I think. We will continue to fight in GvG against those we consider despicable and have no honor. We’ll also fight where Volvere Tonitrua wants unless it is against one of our old friends. Swordssmith and Rhythwyn come to mind. We’ll go on Guild Expeditions through level four as often as we have time. We’ll jump back and forth between the Oceanic provinces to pick up more expansions and Guild Battleground seasons to get resources. Above all we need to keep feeding the Trifecta, the Kraken, the Arctic Orangery, Terra Cotta Army, the Chateau Frontenac, and the Blue Galaxy.”
Just then, Procopius entered with two more flagons of ale and more food.
Valentinian and Anasthasius looked at each other, raised their mugs and said, “Victoria dominus meus!”