From there, I went on to Thurii, where I was given a far colder welcome (2d10+2=7). The Thuriians were of ill humor when I arrived, and although their supreme leader, an elected xenologos by the name of Kimon Phileos, was happy to accept the concept of a permanent proxenos of Eretria, the news that I was seeking out an alliance with Krotone significantly angered them. Kimon calmed the people, who had gone so far as to throw insults at me in my wake, and took me into his home, where he treated me kindly and fairly as befits him. He explained the delicate situation; that there was a faction in Thurii that was considering abandoning the Eretrian alliance altogether, and seeking out Athenai as a friend instead. I was mortified at this news, as surely the involvement of Athenai in Italiote affairs could mean nothing good, especially if it went so far as Thurii joining their Delian League. In the end, however, the promise of Herakleia Lukania quelled the people enough to temporarily allay such anger, and many were excited at the prospect of removing the threat Taras posed to them from the north. Still, I received the impression that the alliance with Krotone had deeply angered the people of Thurii, who had felt that they had not gained anything from the war with Taras. The bonds between Eretria and Thurii remain strong, but they are fraying and I fear that if negotiations with Taras break down we could soon lose Thurii as well.
This went over about as well as I'd thought. Now it all but states that we need to get them Herakleia Lukania just to maintain the alliance, otherwise Kimon Phileos is likely on his way out with all that popular anger we're seeing here. Should someone of that other faction get in power, Taras will jettison out of the alliance and we'll have lost the rising sun of the Italiotes for the setting one. I'm also uneasy about the Athenians getting a finger in on Italy with her Delian League; recall that the alliance text with Athens at the start of the game said the following:
Now no longer seeing Eretria simply as a potential ally for its incessant wars with Sparta but as an affectionate friend, the city may look less with covetous eyes at rich Epulia.
We don't have that relationship, so might Athens look on our city with those exact covetous eyes for her riches? They're obviously wanting quite a lot of wealth for this Kleon's military adventures. With not only their dominant naval force and marines but also a strong land power in Italy, the stage would be set for them to bully a lot more of Italy into the Delian League- perhaps even us, should we not be careful. This makes it even more important to see peace with Taras and sweep Lykai before it can appeal to Athens.
Finally I arrived at Rhegion, where the people brought me flowers and grapes on arrival (5d4+3=15) and I was brought to the council chambers of the boule of Rhegion, which had far more power than the assembly of the people and thus the city could be described as a mix of oligarchy and democracy. They owed this to the extraordinary slave-adviser Mikythos, who was honored in the city despite his low background. I was shocked by the wealth and glory of the city of Rhegion. Despite its small size, it seemed as though vast portions of the citizenry were devoted to trade and commerce, more than any city in Italia and rivalling Eretria. All the goods of Carthage flowed from the west, the goods of Hellas from the east, and the goods of Etruria from the north. Truly, this was a city to watch for, as this newfound wealth had come to it only recently as the Carthaginians opened up to trade with the Italiote Hellenes. The only thing I found disturbing, besides the news from Sicilia which I will relay in a moment, is their happiness at the trouble Kymai and the Etruscans of Campania were in. The proboulos Mnester found great joy in the decline or even potential destruction of his Hellene rival, though he apologized when I informed him of Eretria's own care for its daughter city. It appears that in matters of trade the people of Rhegion are as cutthroat as they are proficient.
URRRRGH, the loss stings me so.
The news from Sicilia is what most concerned me, however. It is worse than we had imagined, and I must blame our lack of interest in Sicily for blinding us to this. The Sikeliote League's defeat by Syrakousai during our war with Taras had larger consequences than had been conveyed by Mnemnon, and in fact it seems that a peace faction in the League is gaining sway and may seek to concede defeat to Syrakousai. The strategos Hermokrates, Syrakousai's main representative abroad, has also been touring the isle, and is coming close to turning the city of Selinous. Given that each major power in Sicilia, specifically Rhegion, Syrakousai, the Sikeliote League, Himera, Gela, Akragas, and Selinous have an equal vote in the congress, and Selinous is the only one that has been neutral, it could break the tie that has been held throughout the island and outvote our coalition.
Mounting peace faction, I guess they might have been strengthened by deciding to formally ally Rhegion although from the text this seems like more of a latent threat than one that is about to be empowered. It does bring me much relief that we will do more diplomatic maneuvering in Sicily and not Italy alone, I do really appreciate the matters there for the reasons I previously outlined. It would be quite the diplomatic coup if we could flip Gela or Selinous, or even if only to have them both neutral. I will have to trust Obander when he says that the situation appears salvagable.
In succession I went to Metapontion, Thurii, Krotone, Lokri, Rhegion, and Hyele, along with a number of minor cities along the way such as Kaulonia.
@Cetashwayo, how were we received in Lokri Epixephyrii? I imagine they didn't bring us flowers and grapes, perhaps this was not a matter that Obander wished to dwell on for fear of causing outrage. Also, though I'm not especially concerned about how we were recieved there, why Hyele? That seems kind of far, nearly all the way to Kymai and it doesn't seem to be all that important of a city. I imagine that they can't be terribly comfortable sitting there right next to the Lukanii center at Ostritania.
I wish I could have departed for the island and tour it, but that must wait for next year. I had to return home, you must understand, for staying too long at sea threatened dangerous journeys during the autumn and winter, not to mention the necessity of meeting with Taras. Next year, however, I will devote the sum total of my efforts to Sicilia, and assign deputies and trusted citizens to deal with gathering allies for the Illyrian expedition chosen by the citizenry. The situation remains salvageable; there are many on the island of Sicily who remain suspicious to Syrakousai, and if we devoted enough money and work to the matter we could sway especially the Gelans, who have been traditionally neutral and only recently moved to support Syrakousai outright.
I do somewhat question the priorities; Obander sailed all the way to minor Hyele and back when the equivalent distance could have more than covered going as far as to Himera or Katane. But, there again, he didn't likely spend nearly as much time in Hyele as he did in the more major Italiote cities and spending such a short time in Sicily only to dash out might perhaps insult some cities. I eagerly await the vote next year.
Then, to the south, Athenai has used its control of the island of Kythira south of Lakonia to attack and seize Pylos, capturing much of the Spartan fleet in the process. Pylos is a spit on the coast of Messenia, and its control by the Athenians could destabilize the Spartan hold over their Messenian helots. Then, in a spectacular victory, the Athenians defeated and captured a group of trapped Spartan hoplites on the island of Sphacteria off the coast of Pylos, an utter catastrophe for the Spartiates. Suddenly, the Spartans have been embarrassed on both land and sea, and their coalition has been weakened, with the fear of Sparta greatly diminished among both allies and enemies. With the death of the King of Kings, the accursed Mede Artaxerxes I Makrocheir, they can also expect no support from a Persia locked in a crisis of succession. Kleon's popularity is rising in Athenai, though it has been said that among some members of the Delian League there is a rebellious mood.
Just how many Spartan hoplites did they capture for this to be an utter catastrophe? I mean, most of the Spartan fleet was at Pylos, but aren't they more land-focused anyway and up to tons of campaigns in the north? I'm not really sure why they'd have loaded up this island with enough hoplites for this to be such a spectacular victory.
News from the North! The king Sitalces has become embroiled once more in warfare against the Triballi, though this time they have conducted an invasion against him. The Odryssians are bogged down in fierce fighting against their neighbors. The Northern Etruscans have enlisted their own modest fleets against the Liburni, and have scored a few victories, but the conflict is threatening to drag in the entire Liburnian Confederation and result in an issuance of war by the city of Iadar, which holds the captaincy of the league.
Looks like the entire Liburnian Confederation is getting possibly drawn in just as we're seeking to begin our pirate expedition... well, at least we won't be wanting for targets? I really hope that we and the Etruscans together can take them.
Kipekos the Wide-speaking, whose vigorous arguments for Rhegion are acknowledged and specially rewarded even if they were not successful
Hahaha, Kipekos the Wide-speaking. Thank you for putting that there, although I feel it unearned on my part; I've contemplated coming up with some character before but I've found that I'm especially terrible at affecting the rhetoric of the ancients, frustrating my every attempt. It's easier for me to speak plainly out of character but I have a great respect for everyone who can manage this, in particular
@Satar's excellent post which swayed me to reject the user motion. But, perhaps I will don the chlamys of Kipekos should I develop that skill.
Should Eretria accept a reconciling peace with Taras with the following terms?
- The city of Lykai will come under the protection of Taras.
- The founding families of Lykai (800 citizens) will be expelled to Eretria.
- Taras will transfer protection of Herakleia Lukania to Thurii.
- Taras and Eretria will vow not to make alliances with any power in Hellas for the duration of the war between the Hellene leagues.
- The border between the Messapii and Taras will be accepted and set.
- A proxenos of each city will be placed in the other.
- The mutual hatred and thoughts of revenge on both sides shall be put to rest with the planting of a sacred tree of peace in each city.
I feel that this is definitely necessary. Syrakousai is a challenging enough enemy as is without having Taras set against us as well, and should we not transfer Herakleia Lukania to Thurii we are almost certain for them to spurn our alliance for the bosom of Athens. I don't quite like that vow on avoiding alliances in Hellas until the war's end, but I'll take it as it applies to Taras as well. The founding families of Lykai are a troublesome prospect because enslaving them would make the restored Kerkyra government likely hate us worse than it would already just as it got the protection of Athens whereas moving them to a new colony on the Adriatic would seem to make that quite vulnerable to flipping over to Kerkyra and Athens should they desire more control in the Adriatic. But, I'll take it.
[x] [Taras] Accept the Tarentine terms.
[x] [Spring]
The Return of Persephone. Favored by many married women, the return of Persephone is a re-enaction of the drama of Persephone's departure from Hades. Having been married happily to Hades for six months of the year, for in this interpretation she is not kidnapped but seduced away from her domineering mother, the young Persephone must say goodbye to her beloved husband and lord of the underworld. Persephone is presented here as a traditional woman, but also an icon of femininity, beloved by many women in Eretria for giving them someone to look up to. Embued in mystery and icons of the dead, the Return of Persephone is a festival that celebrates the transition from winter to spring and from death to life, the birth of new children, and draws heavily from the Eleusinian mysteries near Athenai, that famed mystery cult.
[x] [Winter]
The Conquest of the Sea. A grand festival involving mock sea battles and swimming contests which celebrates Poseidon's subjugation of all the creatures of the sea. Poseidon is a popular god across Italia and Sicilia, in sharp contrast to his sometimes muted worship among Ionians on the Mainland. The Conquest of the Sea, conducted in the chilly mid-winter, promises to bring fantastic seafood to the mouths of hungry Eretrians and celebrate the city's naval and commercial traditions as well as thank the Gods for the first voyage that Eretria ever undertook. The greatest part of the festival is the battle between rowers in painted boats representing the dolphins allied to Poseidon and the krakens who oppose him, who conduct a mock ram battle with their boats, trying to tip each other over in the harbor of the fifty masts.
[x] [Honors] The city has no masters except the Gods, none to worship except those in the heavens. To elevate men to such a degree threatens the rise of tyrants.
