Trunk of dreams: Literature, ARR's, player exp. (Update: Marcus Clodius Ballist)

[Prythax]

A first person account of my current character, Cináed mac Aodhagán.

My name is Cináed mac Aodhagán. I hail from the lands north of Hadrian's Wall, where some say civilization ends and outside the walls begin a whole new, mysterious land. I am a Pict, or at least that is what they call me. I call myself Cináed, son of Aodhagán. My father, Aodhagán, was a farmer, a simple man. I spent my early childhood helping him in the field, grazing the livestock and tending to my younger siblings. Only at a much older age, when the hairs on my face had begun to show, was I sent to become a blacksmith's apprentice in the port city of Dun Foither. There, I was to make a living, hammering steel into blades and axes to be fought with in great battles and wars. For some years I lived in Duin Foither, away from my home, growing in age and in strength from the work of a blacksmith. As time passed, I received word that bandits had ravaged the countryside, plundering and razing villages to the ground wherever they passed. Fearful for my family's safety, I rode out to my home village, only to be met with ash and dust. Lives laid scattered on the earth, lifeless, their eyes frozen in fear. Some were spared, weeping in corners blackened by flame and smoke. I found my father and mother laying outside my father's house, swords slashed against their faces and holes pierced their chests. My sister and younger brother were missing. From then on fate had guided me away from the life of a blacksmith, and placed the sword in my hand and a shield in the other. Gathering those able to fight we swore to have our vengeance and to find my sister and brother. To this day I search for the villains who slaughtered my family, so that I may return the favor.

 

[AndrewJHarisson]

Idibil, i have a problem.
I wanted add my Hindefuns story but my mother language is italian.
I can try, but my english will have some mistakes.    '

You think there's a place in Dark Ages history also for a half literate "Angle"? 

You can try add in both languages, first english and then italian, important is that everybody can read it 

Or, he could translate his Italians to English with Google Translate,.right?

 

[Ambrois LeGaillard]

(AAR) Traces from a Distant Past: The Saga of Hindefuns

BBC News, 11/17/2012: during researches on South England monastery site, a team of Cambridge historians have found traces of a VII century saga, regarding an unknown Germanic warrior, Hindefuns the Clever. We are proud to present then some extracts from the life of a real man of these times.

Prelude: after the translation, our team has discovered that probably this Hindefuns was a Germanic immigrate, maybe a Theod came in England from central Germany, and known as a fierce and able warrior. Some part of the text refer to him as "Hindefuns the Clever" because his ability to survive, command mens in the battlefield, and realize his objectives.
Here's some Hindefuns notes, translated in modern English.

Note: as many warriors of his time, Hindefuns wasn't a great writer, then some terms will be harder to understand in our modern English.

-----


"(636, 20 April):
I leaved the army of king Pervus of East Seaxna: after months at his orders, I have gained a very good infos about Saxons in te battlefield, now I want see the Brytons, that here are portrayed like a people of rabbits unable to fight as real mens"

(Unreadable day, probably May of the same year)
"I joined lord.......fhief o' Kellik intho Dumnonia. These Brytons aren't poor as I have heard....they are very clever. Brytons use archers in first rank, for soffthen the enemy, then charge with hygh cries, destroyng allso the hardest army senth against them. Brytons are verhy good Christens and have a good faith. I lyke them." 

([This note seem was written some days after the last, maybe the 15 or 20 of May)
"Near Searoburh....assaulted a Seaxe army of thousandh and more men, destroyng and taking lhot o' prysoners.
I studied well these Brytons and when in his capitol I get a bow and arrows for a small sum of schillingas. I wyll learn to launch arrows lyke them, b'cause I think this is a good thyng to do. Brytons plyse me every day more andh more, and theyr wamens are beauty lyke goddessess of my ancient Germanic elder"

-----

(continue)

 

[Ambrois LeGaillard]

Historia Hindefunsis

BBC News: "The Historia Hindefunsis".
During their searches for new clues about Hindefuns the Clever, the Cambridge historians group has found in South Wales a book of the same age of the other writes, named "Historia Hindefunsis" .
This chronicle writer result to be a monk, Ultan of Gotoddyn, that seem was very close to him, and depict Hindefuns as a capable warrior and leader, but also very interested to Briton culture, and with some knowledge about Romans and their life. Probably Hindefuns Germanic parents was in contact with Romans, and learned something about their customs.

In his chronicle, Ultan wrote:



"In opposition to many other barbarians, Hindefuns shaved her chin, and mantained this custom for all his life. Usually barbarians never acted like this, then I think that his elders have learned to shave beard from Romans before the fell of their Empire."


In his life, Hindefuns adopted  a mixture of styles: Ultan write that he mantained his hair longer and was very fond about use axes and lances[/i], like every other Germanic immigrant, but at the same time, often dressed with tartan cloaks, and used Briton armors in the battlefiled. Here's another part of the chronicle:



"in the battlefiled he  wore tartan cloaks or Briton helms, and armor. Some times he dressed also old Roman loricae, and I think that Britain has done a great impression on him, because seem really one of us, and like our customs and traditions. "



As many mens of his times, Hindefuns seem was very religious: Ultan write that was baptised in the Roman way, but when he came in England he not adopted the Celtic religious customs, nor he changed with Druidism or paganism. Especially pagans was a target for him, and especially Penda and his Mercians was considered enemies, and avoided or attacked when he has a chance to do this safely. Here's what Ultan say about his beliefs:



"Hindefuns was a sworn enemy for Mercians and his king Penda: he never accepted Pagans and attacked a lot of times pagan priests and their followers, as also Mercians if he had a chance to do this safely. Also if his lord or king made some treaty with Penda, he limited to ignore them, but continued to attack pagan priests, and distrust old druids faith."



A final intersesting note about Hindefuns was found in a chapter of Ultan chronicle: seem Hindefuns was capable to spend thousand of shillingas for have what he wanted, or reach a particular objective. About this flaw, Ultan wrote [1]:




"My lord Hindefuns told me that once a time for get a horse spent something like three thousand shillingas of his own hard gained gold, and some day ago spent something like a thousand shillingas only for gain fame from some Seax village and his elder. He will be sure a great warrior but he don't have a clue about save his money."



([1] - Considering that Ultan came from the Edinburgh area, and was of Scottish stock, hear about these fool expenses sure caused a real shock to the good monk)


(continue)

 

[Ambrois LeGaillard]

BBC History Channel, "Historia Hindefunsis"

Many people think that the usual talks about time was a modern invention related to XIX century England, but our researchers team proved this as false, this matter was already known from many time.
In the Hindefuns saga, there's a note writed by Ultan that depict the confusion of the Germanic lord about this matter:



Today my lord Hindefuns told me that he has never seen a place rainy as Britannia. He said that all 2 first battles under Jute king was fought under the rain, as many others. My lord Hindefuns said also that a day he asked to a Briton peasant if in his homeland was normal all this rain, and the peasant replied to him calmly "I don't know m'lord, I'm only 25 years old". From this day, my lord started to dress heavily for protect better hisself, and never asked more about rain.