NationStates Jolt Archive


The Ninth.

The Lost Legions
28-10-2005, 19:46
A vaguely recognizable region of ancient england, heavily fortified roman temporary town/camp, surrounding a druidic 'portal'

The commander addressing his troops, pre-operation.
Velites, prepare to assume your positions! There are to be -no- mistakes, no foolishness, and best of all, half rations! We have no idea what is beyond this filthy portal, only that it leads to something that needs to be shown the real might of true Romans!, and as such it is to be assumed to be a wasteland, corrupted by our enemies. Dont worry, soldiers of the legion, for you shall be well supplied, and only due in part to the current restrictions on rations! We shall prevail!

Edging slightly to the side so as to converse with his second in command, he grumbles in a properly authoritarian fashion. Remember that at no stage will this be a conventional operation, and as such textbook tactics will not apply in most cases. I personally believe there to be a high possibility of uncivilized horrors existing on the other side, as it has no doubt been infected by the degenerate druidic filth that formerly inhabited this place before our divine blessed might cleansed them. Move the Hastati and the first half of the Principes through this 'portal', as you have termed it, to be supported by the rest following communication by the first. The Triarii are to guard our personal move through, the velites to pack up this camp, carry what they can with them and burn the rest. The remaining equites to provide scouting AFTER we have established ourselves there.

He edges back to his former position, and exhorts the troops to carry out their mission in the face of uncertaintity, to prove themselves worthy of the title 'Roman', and perhaps most of all, that they will return to the streets of Rome as heroes, legends among the common people.

Days later, among the hastily constructed street(s) of this increasingly fortified town, other side of the portal.

The forward war room of this effort, the commander and his aides examining an increasingly large map of the area explored so far. ...From there through to there. Terrain runs the gamut from Forest to grassland, snow capped mountains to open sea to even a desert at one point. It is fortunate that the equites discovered such an advantageous viewpoint. Though they can see such a vast distance, we have no idea of the peoples that populate this land..nor am I even convinced of the presence of demons any longer. We are to be wary of these metal birds the forward scouts have reported seeing, and we cannot risk being attacked by sea so fortifications and a low grade port will have to be constucted within a very short time.

Fortunate as we are, having so many natural resources close at hand, this shall be a relatively easy task. It shall be excellent work for the men, and for the slaves.
Outside, in among the great row of soldiers quarters, one of the older Triarii by the name of Quinius lazes against a supporting pillar, out of sight of his commanding officer, slightly offput by recent events. ..Those metal birds Decius saw were certainly not of the gods, they were...man-made. I fear we have encountered something here that is completely out of our league..and I highly doubt our preparedness for it, in spite of the excessive fortifications here. Even those odd blinking chunks of metal some of the slaves have unearthed were definately made by an earthly force. There is a force in this world that we are going to be incapable of understanding, let along dealing with...
Dreaming Tree
01-11-2005, 17:44
Equanamity. For every action there is a reaction.

For the killing of worshippers, retribution. For the rise of a mighty empire, an antithesis. For the rise of an all-devouring menace, an anthrophage. But that purpose could not yet be unveiled.

For now, through the thin layer of a parallel universe, it felt the loss of the righteous to the steel-toed march of the takers.

Really, it was unfair to them. Perhaps they shouldn't be recycled, since they were only predecessors to the great evil that came later. He decided he would explore their nature before he struck.

Hmm, let's see now, messengers. He lightly felt the unconscious, discovered a fitting idea, and accelerated the cycles so that one was produced rather quickly from the nearest goat population.

---

The equite probably was having trouble with his horse, which seemed at first extremely playful, frolicking and disobeying commands, and then somewhat frightened, until at last a little voice from down below said "Hello."

From the tip of its horns to its hoofs, the satyr was taken straight from the pages of Greco-Roman mythology, except perhaps hairier and with an elongated snout. It stroked its goatee for a second and then whistled. Whistles erupted from in the trees above and from behind, and perhaps the equite could perhaps spot the glint of some kind of metal as well.

The satyr-king, for thats what he was, grinned. "What brings you to the forest of which there is already a Master?"

As this was said, a subtle change was infiltrating the soldier's mind. He felt...drunken, to be sure. The only way to describe it. And it was getting stronger.
Zepplin Manufacturers
03-11-2005, 02:29
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