Riders from the East

While trade routes always bring new and new riches from the hearts of Asia, the exact situation of the eastern continent is always a mystery to the European man. A new people, however, have migrated closer towards Europe, and will, possibly, break into the continent, searching for a new home.

For now, the Alans have settled down in Anatolia, a region once under control of the Roman Empire. They started their conquest with raiding the area, and then they've finally took over the already weakened areas. Now, they almost border the Greco-Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of Judah, and are sending out raiding parties towards the buffer zones that lie between their new state, and the realms mentioned above.

The Alans are ruled by the Soslan dynasty, with an iron grip. All former lords of the area have been violently executed, even those who surrendered to the Alans. Only members of the Churches have been spared, but they are watched closely by the Alans as well.



Map:

https://i.imgur.com/e4AjKiO.png

Dark Gray Alan regions: Regions owned by the Alan Horde
Light Gray Alan regions: Regions raided by the Alan Horde

Characters:

- Arman Soslan - Chieftain of the Alans (Varasd)
- Gulzar Soslan - First son of Arman (Varasd)
- Jahangir Soslan - Second son of Arman (Varasd)
- Roksana Soslan - Daughter of Arman (Varasd)

- Georgos of Anatolia - Orthodox Bishop in the Alan state (Free)
-

Letter to lands raided by the Alan Horde,

News of the mighty eastern horde from the East has spread quickly, and those of us in the Empire are concerned about their aggression and raiding of innocent peoples. Your regions have experienced raids from these easterners, and it is doubtful they will cease their raiding. I would extend a proposal to you, entailing the following. You would join the Empire, and you would be granted the full protection of her legions. We shall create administrative districts composing your regions, so that you will be more organized and your own forces shall be better able to combat the raiders should they choose to attack. I have little doubt that the so called Alans will attempt to take your lands, as they have done the other lands they have taken. We have heard horrible tales of the original rulers being killed, and I do not wish for such things to happen any more. I implore you consider our offer, for the sake of you and your peoples lives and safety.

Best Regards,

Emperor Varius Corvinus.

The letters from the Emperor were received by only one of the Lords from the raided realms. The others did not arrive, because of the Alan raiders. The Lord who got the message replied quickly, and sent out a pigeon... However, after flying not much longer than an arrowshot, the pigeon was quickly grabbed by a falcon - sending the message to the Soslan clan instead of the Emperor.

Upon realizing that the Greco-Roman Empre would come to aid their raided neighbors, the Alans furiously continued to raid the area. Many people have began to flee towards the Greco-Roman Empire - one such group was slain to the last soul just a kilometer away from the Greco-Roman border. The Byzantine guardsmen in the watchtower could witness the slaughter of more than a thousand men, women and children. After looting all valuables, the bodies were left to rot in the fields...

Word of the atrocities at the border spread quickly, and people began to grow frightened of the alans. They feared they may be next, that the alans would raid imperial villages and towns. Many towns along the border are not as developed, and their people began to worry. In many towns and villages they began to construct palisades, intent on protecting themselves from the alans should they come. Paranoia was rampant among those towns closest to the border, since some of the villagers had witnessed the alans across the border. Farther into imperial lands, people were not so concerned about the alans raiding.

As soon as they learned of the atrocities across the border, the Imperial armies along the border began to mobilize. They had not yet received their orders, but they knew what was coming. They knew what they were about to do.

When word reached Constantinople, plans were quickly formulated, and orders were rushed to the gathered imperial forces. Their orders were simple: Occupy the lands that had suffered raiding from the Alans, and secure them from further raids or incursions. They were to protect the innocent people, and defend their homes. These lands would be under the protection, and command, of the Empire.



Troop numbers:

Arrow 1: 3,000 + 3,000 to be raised in that territory, so 6,000 in total.
Arrow 2: 4,000
Arrow 3: 5,000

The Greco Roman Empire annexing the 3 regions south of the Alan heartlands surprised the Soslan clan. They quickly realized that their existence is in peril, and decided to retaliate. Instead of attacking the southern provinces, they have decided to attack the Third Army of the Empire, which was conquering areas along the Pontic Sea.

Overall, they have mustered 8000 men, with only 2000 left defending their newly conquered lands. With Chieftain Arslan leading the first 4000, and Gulzar, his first son, leading the second 4000, they set out. Chieftain Arslan has led his soldiers to confront the enemy head-on and stop their advance. His son was tasked with a flanking maneuver from the south, to cut the enemy off from reinforcements, and attack them in the rear and the side when a battle takes place.

With the Alans mounting an attack against the third Imperial Army, the imperial forces have began to move once again. The Third army remains in it's current position, and the commander of the army has brought his forces into a wooded area and hastily begun construction of a palisade around their camp. Meanwhile, the second army moves to support the third army and catch the alans between the combined forces of the second and third armies. The First army, now numbering 6,000 thanks to the raising of local troops, marches directly into Alan held territory, to annex it for the Empire.

Elsewhere in Bithynian territory, 3,000 more troops are being raised should they be needed.

After hearing multiple pleas from traders and pilgrims, King Yitzchak has ordered a force of 5,000 men north to secure overland passage between Judea and the Byzantine lands through eastern Cilicia.  The army is led by His Royal Highness Ari ben Yitzchak ben Yehudah, and includes a force of 200 Nazorean Knights led by the Captain of Nazoreans, Aloys de Narbonnes.  The King has sent word to Varius Corvinus of his intention assist in dispersing the Alan threat.

The Battle of the Halys River

Before they could catch the Byzantine army, the Greeks have entrenched themselves in a wooded area, and built a fort for protection.
Arslan knew that he had no chance of defeating the Greeks with their armies combined - and reinforcements were coming soon. He had to attack, and he had to do it now. Gulzar, his son, was close too, and ready to arrive at any minute.


Arslan ordered half his army to dismount and attack the enemy camp head-on. Some of the infantrymen were equipped with torches, while archers shot ignited arrows at the wooden palisade.
The mounted archers, attacking the camp from the sides, were targeting the enemy soldiers, with volleys of arrows shot inside the camp, and at the defenders on the walls.


[OOC INFO:]

Note: the map of the battle is drawn by me and is entirely arbitrary, meaning I have not consulted it's exact layout with Byzantine Bithynia, thus it can be changed in any aspect he chooses to. I have decided for the spot near the river Halys, because of it's vicinity on our regional map, and because I thought that the Byzantine army would camp near a steady source of water. I have drawn a rectangle-shaped camp for the Byzantine army because I figured that they would use Roman methods of making and maintaining camps, yet would not have enough time to build several levels of defense.

Blank map of the Battle:

Map the battle:



Legend:

Light green: Normal terrain
Dark green: Forest terrain
Blue: River Halys
Light blue: River crossing area
Brown area: Palisade walls and Byzantine Camp

Red blob: Cavalry and its movement
Orange blob: Infantry and its movement

As the palisades were completed the camp was on high alert, they expected attack any minute. A guard on one of the watchtowers was the first to see the alans approaching, and he quickly rushed to the commander of the forces.

"Sir, they're on their way."

The commander, Titus Vorenus, had been going over plans with his officers. He nodded to the soldier, who then ran off back to his post.

"Signal the men, no horns or anything of that sort, get them ready without making it too obvious. Don't bother having them pack up the tents, just flatten them. Alright, go."

The officers who would handle this nodded, saluted, and then rushed out to gather the men. The Imperial forces gathered in a rectangular formation, separated into units of about 200 each, with small space between each unit. Each unit contained a mix of infantry and archers. Titus Vorenus and his guard were among the units.


The men stood silently, waiting. When the Alan arrows began to fly over the walls Titus yelled out to the men: "Testudo!"

Each unit quickly formed into the testudo formation, using their shields to create a protective box around them. The soldiers along the outside lowered their spears forward, and so did the troops behind them, forming something of a phalanx on each side of their formation. Inside the archers fired arrows out through gaps in the shields, where they could, to return fire on the alans. Some men fell before the testudos formed, and some after, but now it would be quite a challenge for arrows to defeat the Imperial army.

OOC:

The Cypriot Navy, recently acquired by the Greek Navy, has been tasked with assisting Cybelos' Black Sea provinces.

What was an easy task has become needlessly complicated as of late, there has been one problem for these provinces' ability to trade goods with the east, the Alans.

The port city of Trebizond, a good foothold for merchants looking to trade with Asia and the Muslim countries beyond, had been taken over by the Alans, making trade in the area next to impossible. There was one solution, the Dukes of the Black Sea territories thought, and with approval of their king, an attack was to be launched.

The 2000 Cypriot soldiers, were to land 500 men down the coast, and 500 up the coast from the city, 1000 men forming a blockade around the city's port, waiting on the success or failure of the forlorn hope's objective. The 500 men set up camp on either side of the city, a rider would approach the gate, with a letter for the commander of the city's Alan retainer,

it read as follows::

OOC:

The Battle of the Halys River

Once the walls of the camp here breached at enough places with axes, or set alight with torches, and the Alans had wide enough openings to get through, the full frontal assault has begun.

The Alan infantry has engaged the Byzantines in a full frontal assault. Their initial charge was, of course, broken by the formation of the heavily armored infantry of the Greeks, but they pushed on nonetheless.

Meanwhile, the Alan riders have released almost all of their arrows at the Greeks. After this, they too have charged into the camp through the openings, trying to encircle the Byzantine army.

From the front, the infantry was bleeding heavily but pushed on, and the sides were freshly charged by riders. The most elite units of the Alans have tried to mimic the heavy cavalry tactic and kept together in order to fight more safely.


----------
Trebizond:

As soon as the Greek navy has arrived at the shores and harbour of the city, the locals, almost all of them descendants of Greeks, have grabbed hammers, daggers, pitchforks and any able weaponry in order to capture and kill the few remaining Alans in the city.

Even though the citizens have lost all hope, and were already stolen of their wealth and gold, help has arrived. Trebizond was finally free.

The Siege of Aleppo

Unlike in those cities in the Northern Border, the Alan soldiers were able to hold the city of Aleppo from rebelling - with the simple method of hanging those few whom they considered the leaders of the rebels. The rich city which was also a trade hub did not suffer much from the Alan rule because the nomads didn't raise any taxes at all. For the local Christians, it was even better, for the Jizya tax was finally gone too.

Therefore, once the 5000 strong army of Ari ben Yitzchak ben Yehudah has arrived, there was no surrendering instantly. The Jews of the city were forced to leave the city but unharmed, though were without food. Now, with about 1000 defenders and five times as many attackers, the siege of Aleppo began...

Ari ben Yitzchak ben Yehudah

Ari stood at the table in his command tent, surveying maps of the city and surrounding countryside.

“Aleppo is well held by the Alans, milord,” one of Ari’s captains said. “We can take it, but it would cost many lives. I would prefer we double our at least before we attempted such an action.”

“To take the walls, yes. But in my finding there are often secret ways in and out of cities. Fetch me the Jews of Aleppo. Surely there will be one among them who will know of such ways.”

“I will see to it at one, your highness.” The captain left the tent to do as his prince had commanded. Aloys de Narbonnes stood by the table, thoughtfully stroking his beard.

“What is it Aloys?” asked Ari. Aloys sighed.

“We might have more trouble taking the city than hoped. The Christians of the city are content to accept the end of the Jizya and live with their new Alan lords. Ideally, I would have the soldiers on the walls as worried about what lies within the city as without.”

“So, you think to take the city we must turn the Christians against the Alans. Hm. Did we not have word of a senseless butchery of Christians to the north?”

“Over a thousand souls, including many women and children.”

“There are few things to turn a Christian to hatred than word of such abuses of their brother Christians. We must ensure that the city knows of such. Information is how a war is won. You can have all the soldiers in the world and it won’t make a difference if you don’t know where to put them. Have we found a way to contact our spies in the city?” Ari asked his spymaster.

“By bird at night, but such are of dubious reliability.”

“We need a better means of passing such messages back and forth. Find it.”

“As you will, milord.” Ari nodded then turned from the table and walked out of the tent. He surveyed the walls of the city before turning his eyes to beside his own camp where the engines of the siege were under construction.

The Battle of the Halys River



[OOC: I would like to request an Arbiter to decide the outcome of this clash between the two armies, with a possible end decision of the battle. Since the other participant is out of the RP, the battle itself should be decided with this too.]

Michalis

As was so often the case, it was the children who knew best the secret ways into Aleppo. A Judean man whose father, to his shame, was a Hellenist, used that information to slip into the city unseen several days ago. He had sent a pigeon to Prince Ari letting him know of the success. The Prince’s soldiers may not appreciate such a refuse and waste covered entrance into the city but it was better than charging a shut gate only to die upon it.

He had spent several days learning the city, and had gained lodging in one of the city’s taverns. Nightly he passed information he had gained to his prince who waited outside the city. Tonight he had new orders.

Michalis made his way down to the tavern main hall where denizens of the city drank their sorrows. He took a seat and ordered a drink while listening to the musing of the other patrons. He took several draws before sighing himself.

“Hard times, indeed, my friends. Alans within the city and Judeans without. I’m a trader and I can’t practice my trade while trapped in the city. I cannot move my goods from one place to another. Until the Jews take it or take their leave, I am trapped with these Alan bastards.”

“Oh come now, Michalis. The Alans are not so bad to us. They let us be with our faith, do not charge us the jizya-”

“Oh sure. Because they have their foot firmly planted on our necks here. In Anatolia they slaughtered Christians by the thousands for daring to flee their raids.” A murmur went through the tavern.

“Do you speak the truth?”

“Assuredly. I heard it from the very lips of one of these Alan dogs as I sold him a trinquet for far the less than I could have gotten in Ashkelon or Athens.”

“God in heaven,” one of the patrons invoked. Michalis nodded his agreement and took another draw of his drink. It had begun. The rumors spreading through the city. The distrust of the Alans would grow. Soon the guards at the wall would look in as much as out.

The Siege of Aleppo:

The rumor of the Alans' atrocities against Christians in the North spread as wildfire. Soon, people didn't let their children out to the streets and masses were held in secret instead of in the Churches. The guards grew weary of this too and their distrust towards the population has grown...

One day there was an Alan guard who wanted to buy himself some food while off duty but the tavern keeper has closed his doors as soon as he saw an Alan approach on the streets. The guard, furious, started banging on the door and soon drew his sword which was the last drop to the citizens. The guard was rushed by the bystanders and they've killed him with stones and sticks, then left his body there to rot and soon disappeared.

However, when the other invaders saw what happened to their comrade, revenge followed. Houses were ordered to be raided, and citizens executed, all of which has turned the city into a chaotic place... Trying to keep this as silent and low as possible, the guards were still stationed on the walls in fear of the army of Judah noticing weakness.

Prince Ari ben Yitzchak ben Yehudah

The Prince had waited. Daily he received reports from his spies inside the city of the growing unrest with the Alans. And as the cities current inhabitants tore at each other he waited. And waited. And waited for the perfect night.

The siege towers behind him were a show only. Their construction a ruse to play on the minds of the Alans. They would never move. Instead, on this night of clouded sky, blocking out the light of the moon and the stars, the armies of Judea moved forward to the walls of the city. Each soldier had over him a cloak to match the ground on which they quietly moved. It was tortuously slow as they made their way to the gates.

At times the clouds would clear for some minutes and the moon would shine down upon them. They stood fast, daring not move and draw the attention of the Alan soldiers who still manned the walls.

Slowly, the Judeans moved closer and closer. The ladders were drawn close to the wall. When the time came to spring the attack, they would swing up swiftly and the Judeans would spill upon the walls.

But that was not the only path the sieging army was taking.

---

Aloys de Narbonnes & Michalis

The Nazorean captain removed the cloak he had drawn around himself for his passage through the kennels through which sewage left Aleppo. His small cadre of men did likewise, glad to be free of the smell. A man greeted them. A Judean who spoke more perfect Greek than any other he had ever met.

"Welcome to Aleppo, my lord. Come, we must be prepared to act quickly. The distraction I've arranged for will surely be discovered soon. When that happens, we have to be in place." The Judean spy guided the soldiers through the back ways of the city to the warehouse near the city gates. Inside he distributed the Alan armors he had collected from soldiers fallen in the city's unrest. The Nazoreans dawned the garments and emerged from the warehouse appearing as an Alan patrol.

"How long till your distraction?"

"Should be any minute, my lord."

"And when it happens?"

"Then we proud Alan soldiers arrive to reinforce the gate house. And kill those inside."

---

The device was simple enough. A metal weight was counterbalanced by a bag full of sand. A small hole in the bag slowly drained the sand, allowing the weight to lower onto a lever. The lever released a spring which moved a flint creating a spark. The spark lit dry straw. The straw lit the oil carefully spread in the room. The fire that resulted would catch the attention of all around.

The Siege of Aleppo

The Alan guards only noticed the Judeans when they were already on the walls - they were busy watching their backs constantly as the whole city was in a riot behind them. Even though they were overrun almost instantly, they were able to sound the alarms but that didn't help them get any reinforcements as they have were fighting with angry mobs of the citizens.


-----

Upon noticing more soldiers coming their way, a guard at the gatehouse let out a relieved sigh, even a short laughter. "Finally! Come quick, the Judeans are on the walls now! Get up there, we need every man to fight or we might as well kill ourselves!"


-------

Upon seeing the chaos, the commander of the Alans knew that this was his end. Cut-off from his tribes, his family would never know he died a honourable death... Unless he didn't die at all. He gathered his ten most trusted men quickly and went out to the streets. They have killed the first civilians they have seen and took their clothes - then headed for a possible escape route and if that was blocked, into a hiding spot.

Overhead, the dark clouds finally broke into storm.

They took the walls. Judean swords cleaved Alan flesh. The Alans fought back, but already footholds had been found along the wall. Aloys and his soldiers took the gatehouse, cutting down the guards there. The gates opened. Ari signalled the cavalry forward.

The Alans may have been great horsemen, but there was no time for them to mount up. As Judeans spilled over the walls, as the gates opened for their cavalry, the Alans attempted to flee. In a courtyard, a small group solidified for a final stand against the Judeans. Ari and his cavalry found them waiting. Smoke and fire and the flash of lightning surrounded them. Ari reared up his horse.

A flash of lightning cast his shadow. It was impossible, yet for a moment there was not horse and man but a lion. A cry of war joined with the crack of the lightning to become the roar of a great beast. The Alans looked on and saw truly that they faced the Lion of God.

Ari’s cavalry crashed into their formation. Scattered. Fractured. Those who stood fell. Those who ran were chased and cut down as they fled.

The city was in Judean hands.

---

The morning came, and with it coin for any citizen of Aleppo who would carry the dead out of the city. Ari’s banner graced the gates of the city. Ari himself sat in the hall of the the citadel at the heart of the city, composing a letter.

Father,

Aleppo has fallen, and with it the Alan holdings in Syria. The Christians and Jews of the city are relieved at our success. The Zoroastrians are less enthused. The Musselmen are mixed on the matter, it seems. For now, rest assured that we have secured our borders from the Alan threat. I now ask you your further desires. The heart of the Alan domination in Eastern Anatolia remains, and even now their war with the Hellenics rages. If it is your desire that we march further into their midst and join into battle against them with Alexander's son, then I shall need additional soldiers. My army is bloodied by battle and needs replenishing. If you desire I carry our banner further, send your reply with five thousand fresh soldiers. If not, send it with two thousand to relieve my army and hold your new demesne.

Your Son,
Ari