The Skyff were nomadic horse-riders who first came into contact with the Greek world in around 500 BC. Some historians report their range as being between the west coast of the Black Sea and the east coast of the Caspian Sea, while others estimate it reached from Central Europe all the way to the western hinterlands of China. Regardless, around the 3rd century BC, the Skyff began farming and building permanent settlements – the most important of which being Skyffa, in the area of modern-day Moldova.
Previously it was thought that the Skyff left no written record. However, a set of parchments has recently been discovered that blows away any former theories. Apparently, a bronze stylus was used to make markings on wet pieces of leather. Then the leather was dried to preserve the text. The characters are obviously borrowed from Greek, but they are used to represent sounds in the Skyff language.
The written history of the Skyff begins with a victory over the Thracians at Getae.
Chapter One – The Thracian War
270 BC: The fearless King Zapo has lead us to victory again! After which, the wise and strong Zapo decides not to put the Thracian villagers to the sword, but civilize them to the Skyff ways. We add Getae to our townships of Skyffa, Samartae, and Tanais. The fortuitous and farseeing Zapo also decrees that we should expand to the southwest because, “they take their naps on heaps of denarii.”
To that end, Warlord Partatua (Zapo's eldest son) is ordered to build a look-out tower on the river Don, leaving just one group of trusted horsemen to guard our 'backdoor', and sends the rest of his men westward. Meanwhile, Warlord Belni (Zapo's second) takes 3 horse and 1 group of foot-archers to explore the Krim Peninsula.
Roads are built around every Skyff town to facilitate trade. Unfortunately, the territory is so vast that the roads do not reach from town to town. East-West travel remains an arduous undertaking.
269 BC: King Zapo's youngest, Palo, comes of age in Getae. His tutors say he shows a knack for diplomacy. Warlord Belni discovers the city-state Chersonesos and lays siege.
268 BC: After a long siege, Chersonesos surrenders without a fight. Belni spares everyone and promises to rule them as his own. He changes the town's name to Herson because he can't pronounce “Hersonososo...”
267 BC: King Zapo marches south with his son-in-law Affeus, son Palo, and the full force gathered in Getae.
-------------------part 2---------------------------------
266 BC: Skyffs cross to the south of the Danube River for the first time. Lead by fearless King Zapo, we capture a Thracian watch-tower which was to warn of our advance. The wise Zapo orders us to make camp. He wants to draw the Thracians out into the open.
The Thracians take the bait; an army of 232, lead by Byzas (heir to the throne), comes to meet us on the field of battle. That includes 3 warlord cavalry units, 7 peltast units, 1 phalanx of hoplites, 1 falxmen, and 3 javelin cavalries. With the intrepid King Zapo are 3 warlord cavalry, 5 horse-archer, and 2 foot-archer units, numbering 125 souls.
We have the high-ground, because we were waiting for them – but it is only a bump in the rolling landscape. The archers are aligned in the middle, the horse-archers on each flank, and the warlord cavalries randomly in the rear (this is to confuse enemies about where the main charge would be).
As is our way, the battle begins with a hail of arrows. Before enemy peltasts can close range, they are already dying by the dozens. Their general Byzas can't stand it any longer and charges our foot-archers... only to be charged from every side by our warlords and 2 horse-archers. Byzas is killed almost immediately and 2 units of peltasts are trampled on the way. The heaviest casualty units start to rout. Meanwhile their vaunted falxmen charge the center hoping to save their chieftains from certain death, and come into direct fire from our archers. The falxmen are riddled with arrows before their come into contact with any of our units. Now the most dangerous enemy on the field is the hoplites, but they are too slow to give chase. So the wise King Zapo orders all units to pull back to new firing positions. The archer cavalry are able to form a half-circle around the foe... and the decimation begins. The hoplites are routed without a fight and the rest of the peltasts are trampled under hoof as all our glorious cavalry ride down any remaining enemies. A clear victory with 206 Thracians dead, and only 26 of our brave warriors.
Without waiting for the corpses to cool, Zapo orders a march on Tylis, certain that they now have less troops guarding the city. We arrive to find that our spy has unlocked the side gates. We storm the city immediately. The Thracian King and 2 warlords fight bravely with their 99 men, and they fight to the death... their king the last to fall.
The wise King Zapo, acknowledging that the Thracians in Getae are not assimilating fast enough, orders over 4000 in Tylis to be put to the sword. The Thracian culture is finished.
Our spy finds a city-state called Byzantium, which in their language means 'gold coins'. King Zapo replies, “It sounds like an invitation!”
Previously it was thought that the Skyff left no written record. However, a set of parchments has recently been discovered that blows away any former theories. Apparently, a bronze stylus was used to make markings on wet pieces of leather. Then the leather was dried to preserve the text. The characters are obviously borrowed from Greek, but they are used to represent sounds in the Skyff language.
The written history of the Skyff begins with a victory over the Thracians at Getae.
270 BC: The fearless King Zapo has lead us to victory again! After which, the wise and strong Zapo decides not to put the Thracian villagers to the sword, but civilize them to the Skyff ways. We add Getae to our townships of Skyffa, Samartae, and Tanais. The fortuitous and farseeing Zapo also decrees that we should expand to the southwest because, “they take their naps on heaps of denarii.”
To that end, Warlord Partatua (Zapo's eldest son) is ordered to build a look-out tower on the river Don, leaving just one group of trusted horsemen to guard our 'backdoor', and sends the rest of his men westward. Meanwhile, Warlord Belni (Zapo's second) takes 3 horse and 1 group of foot-archers to explore the Krim Peninsula.
Roads are built around every Skyff town to facilitate trade. Unfortunately, the territory is so vast that the roads do not reach from town to town. East-West travel remains an arduous undertaking.
269 BC: King Zapo's youngest, Palo, comes of age in Getae. His tutors say he shows a knack for diplomacy. Warlord Belni discovers the city-state Chersonesos and lays siege.
268 BC: After a long siege, Chersonesos surrenders without a fight. Belni spares everyone and promises to rule them as his own. He changes the town's name to Herson because he can't pronounce “Hersonososo...”
267 BC: King Zapo marches south with his son-in-law Affeus, son Palo, and the full force gathered in Getae.
-------------------part 2---------------------------------
266 BC: Skyffs cross to the south of the Danube River for the first time. Lead by fearless King Zapo, we capture a Thracian watch-tower which was to warn of our advance. The wise Zapo orders us to make camp. He wants to draw the Thracians out into the open.
The Thracians take the bait; an army of 232, lead by Byzas (heir to the throne), comes to meet us on the field of battle. That includes 3 warlord cavalry units, 7 peltast units, 1 phalanx of hoplites, 1 falxmen, and 3 javelin cavalries. With the intrepid King Zapo are 3 warlord cavalry, 5 horse-archer, and 2 foot-archer units, numbering 125 souls.
We have the high-ground, because we were waiting for them – but it is only a bump in the rolling landscape. The archers are aligned in the middle, the horse-archers on each flank, and the warlord cavalries randomly in the rear (this is to confuse enemies about where the main charge would be).
As is our way, the battle begins with a hail of arrows. Before enemy peltasts can close range, they are already dying by the dozens. Their general Byzas can't stand it any longer and charges our foot-archers... only to be charged from every side by our warlords and 2 horse-archers. Byzas is killed almost immediately and 2 units of peltasts are trampled on the way. The heaviest casualty units start to rout. Meanwhile their vaunted falxmen charge the center hoping to save their chieftains from certain death, and come into direct fire from our archers. The falxmen are riddled with arrows before their come into contact with any of our units. Now the most dangerous enemy on the field is the hoplites, but they are too slow to give chase. So the wise King Zapo orders all units to pull back to new firing positions. The archer cavalry are able to form a half-circle around the foe... and the decimation begins. The hoplites are routed without a fight and the rest of the peltasts are trampled under hoof as all our glorious cavalry ride down any remaining enemies. A clear victory with 206 Thracians dead, and only 26 of our brave warriors.
Without waiting for the corpses to cool, Zapo orders a march on Tylis, certain that they now have less troops guarding the city. We arrive to find that our spy has unlocked the side gates. We storm the city immediately. The Thracian King and 2 warlords fight bravely with their 99 men, and they fight to the death... their king the last to fall.
The wise King Zapo, acknowledging that the Thracians in Getae are not assimilating fast enough, orders over 4000 in Tylis to be put to the sword. The Thracian culture is finished.
Our spy finds a city-state called Byzantium, which in their language means 'gold coins'. King Zapo replies, “It sounds like an invitation!”
[This message has been edited by Rurik II (edited 02-25-2013 @ 03:39 PM).]