DUX BRITANNIARUM... THE HENN OGLEDD CHRONICLES...

INTRODVCTION

It's been a couple of years since I last looked at Dux Britanniarum, having made the decision to use Clash of Spears to tell my stories of life in early 6th century Dun Rheged instead. However, I recently discovered a series of videos on YouTube, by the Crusty Colonel, portraying battles between Saxons and Scoti, using Dux Britanniarum and, having seen what an excellent set of combat rules they actually are, I've decided to retrace my steps and give these Too Fat Lardies! rules another look...

BACKGROUND AND DRAMATIS PERSONAE...

Throughout the summer of the year 513AD, Donnchadh Luthmhor of the Scotti tribe has been incessantly leading raids into Alt Clut, from across the border in Dal Riata. Now, in the month of Octobris, his warband are joyfully heading back towards the safety of their homeland with a looted flock of Knotty Dunfleece, a sheep well known for its tasty hogget and luxuriously thick and oily wool.

With Iorwryth, King of Alt Clut, close to death, the Brythonic nobles have remained transfixed, reluctant to commit the King's forces to battle without his personal leadership, as the Scotti rampage and pillage at will across the land, leaving the poor downtrodden peasantry to suffer untold terror and hardship at the hands of a cruel and invidious enemy.

Leaders and Nobles of Dal Riata...

Donnchadh Luthmhor is a warlord of Dal Riata, he is 33 years old, with a mediocre physique, which some, if they have had enough of life, may describe as short and wiry. He is known throughout Henn Ogledd as Donnchadh the Victorious, a soubriquet gained from the numerous battlefield triumphs he has gained over his many years of command. Donnchadh is famous for his thrifty character, which constantly drives him into ever more daring raids to add to his personal wealth. Donnchadh has come a long way since he was born, the son of a Tech, on the tiny island of Innis Mhearnaig, with nothing more than a roof over his head and a small hand cart, used by his father to harvest cow dung, which he dried and sold to their fellow islanders for fuel, making enough profit to purchase their first and only boat. One Spring evening, many years ago, Donnchadh stole the boat and made his way to Dun Add, where he eventually became a warrior in the army of the Great King.

Driven by childhood memories of abject poverty, Donnchadh rose through the ranks of the Great King's army, eventually becoming the warlord that he is today. Always by his side, is Donlad, his personal bodyguard and Champion. Like his master, Donlad has risen from lowly origins and his exploits have made him a legend amongst the people of Dal Riatta. Through the long and bitter nights of the northern winter, the small and common folk huddle around their meagre fires and warm their hearts by singing lusty ballads of their mighty hero:

"Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low,

With dangling bits off to war he goes,

All the lassies say, 'Hello!,

Donlad, where's yer troosers?'"

The most trusted noble in Donnchadh's warband is Amhlaigh, three years older than his Warlord, he is tall and strong, built for war, trustworthy and dependable. Amhlaigh is the very antithesis of Donnchadh, purple born into the noble house of Dun Add, he has always lived a life of luxury and comfort, wanting for nothing, but, desiring little. Despite his lavish and palatial upbringing, he is renowned for his devotion to God, putting Church and faith before all else. He was brought up and educated by the celebrated monk, Brother Grievous, who devoted his entire life to living simply, drinking only water which had been passed by several others and eating nothing but gravel collected from the farmyards of nearby villages. This austere example has greatly influenced Amhlaigh and equipped him well for the arduous life of a raider.

The final noble in Donnchadh's warband is Cailean, tasked with the command of the javelin armed skirmishes, a job he undertakes with a degree of reluctance, preferring to fight alongside the more mettlesome Raiders. He is 24 years old and a man of average build, well suited to the rigours of life leading the skirmishers. As a younger man, he has not, as yet, created a reputation for himself and doubts that he will do so unless he can gain a command with the Raiders. Like Donnchadh, Cailean is a man who desires wealth and his avaricious nature suits the lifestyle he has chosen as a member of a Scotti raiding warband. As a son of a Cenela, Cailean has royal blood flowing through his veins, but, being from a minor kindred branch, he has a long way to go before he can reach the level of command to which he aspires. He is, however, a man of great loyalty and can always be trusted to carry out whatever task he is set by his warlord.

Leaders and Nobles of Alt Clut...

Cadwallon ap Meirion is one of those nobles of Alt Clut who has watched his country ravaged by the Scotti throughout the long hot summer of 613AD. Unable to act without the presence of King Iorwryth, he has lost much to the raiders, but has now decided to act, regardless of the consequences, gathering his fellow nobles around him and calling out the levy to hunt down the raiding Scotti. Cadwallon is 26 years old, a man of medium build and is known as "The Magnificent", owing to his many acts of beneficent donations to the Church. As with all men of power and significance, Cadwallon is not all that he appears to be; our hero is cursed by the sin of lustful covetousness and the wives of many men, regardless of rank or status, have been the target of his lecherous attentions. Cadwallon comes from an ancient family of Honestiore.

Cadwallon's Champion is Serwan ap Ris, a veteran of many wars against Irish raiders, Scotti and the pagan Picts. He is 34 years of age, but has retained his warrior like qualities in spite of numerous battle injuries suffered over the years. His loyalty to Cadwallon is unswerving and some of those injuries were inflicted when Serwan placed himself between his Lord and an assailant.

Cadwallon's chief noble is Cynrig ap Enniaurn, 28 summers old, tall and strong and blessed with a purple born heritage, stretching back far into the mists of time, long before the Romans set foot in Britannia. This noble lord possess the most refined manners, being cultured and highly educated, yet he is capable of fraternizing comfortably with the lowliest of warriors, sharing their privations and hardships during the most trying of campaigns. Cynrig is famed throughout the land as a prodigious athlete, capable of the most extraordinary feats of strength and agility. With such a noble patrimony, Cynrig does have claims to the highest rank in the land and there are many who surround the king who neither like nor trust his motives and would not be saddened to see him fall in battle.

 The final noble who has responded to Cadwallon's call to arms is Brochmail ap Dewydd. At 25 years of age he lacks experience of leadership on the field of battle and so Cadwallon has given him command of the Alt Clut levies. Brochmail is of medium build and a devout follower of the Christian faith. The young noble is an outsider in the Kingdom of Alt Clut, being an exile from the lands of Caer Magnis far to the south. With his dashing good looks and convivial personality, the men of of the levy have taken to their new leader and are sworn to follow him to the very gates of Hell.

And so the characters are ready to take to the stage and the drama is about to begin... read on next time and find out how the first clash between the men of Alt Clut and the Scotti raiders transpires.