WTWSMS- To Rome and the World!

[Tiberionus]

Hello! I've been thinking about running my first AAR for awhile, having been inspired by my friend @Crimson_Lionheart and his Third Oddessy AAR (link here if interested). I have decided to do a When the World Stopped Making Sense game, trying to save the Western Roman Empire as Julius Nepos from his runt state in Dalmatia. I won't savescum, if I lose a war, I lose a war, and of course, this is CK2, Im going to try to RP each monarch the best I can based on their traits. Note: I will use console commands for realism, such as granting independence to exclaves, or simulating my own demands in a defensive war as CK2 doesn't allow you to make any.

Mods to be used

• Abdication Plus

• Female Ruler Improvements
  
  
• Purchase Claims
  
  
• Vassalmanagement
  
  
• When the World Stopped Making Sense (duh) and most of its related official submods

I hope you enjoy this! I will be going likely to the Rise of Islam ~630 due to WTWSMS' incomplete nature, however if I feel I can go beyond into the more standard CK2 timeline, I will. Without further ado, let us begin!

Prologue; The Fall of the Old Order
“To Rome and the World, the old order of power as fallen! Flavius Odoacer has overthrown the false Romulus Augustus and has been recognized as rex Italia by the Emperor of the East, Flavius Zeno Augustalus, to serve under Emperor of the West, Flavius Julius Nepos! May he and the Senate of Rome guide us in these uncertain times!”


The Roman Empire, the greatest of states in the known world, had seen much change in the previous hundred years. While in 400 AD, the Empire lay divided in its eastern and western halves, it was, mostly, intact. Infighting, invasion, economic collapse, plague, famine, and so much more had burrowed deep into the roots of the Empire, and thus by 476 AD, the West lay in ruin, with the East standing but weakened. However, just because the Empire had fallen didn’t mean the West was lost and that all Romans had died.


For Julius Nepos continued on desperately in Dalmatia to the claim of Emperor of the West, and Odoacer, while acting increasingly independent, still paid lip service to the Empire, even minting coins with Nepos’ likeness to appease the Eastern Emperor. The Senate, that most enduring of Roman institutions, lived on under Odoacer, acting as an additional leg of “Roman” support for his reign. Beyond Italy, Romans still lived, dreaming of a day where they might be ruled by true Romans once again, but for now, content to try to live their lives in this new world that had arrived in little more than two generations.

coin minted in Ravenna with Nepos’ likeness

While future generations may think to call this the end of an Empire, to the mind of Julius Nepos from his home in Dalmatia, the rise of Odoacer was merely a setback in a long campaign to bring the light of Rome to the western Mediterranean and cast back the barbarians as Caesar had done, and he fully intended to do so.

The Situation of the Known World, 10th December, 476​

 

[Tiberionus]

To Rome and the World! Chapter 2: Damn Odoacer Rebels

“To Rome and the World! The true Augustus of Italy and Western Rome, Julius Nepos, has decreed that those who continue to support the rebellious Odoacer or wish for a return of pretender Augustalus are to be treated as enemies of Rome until such a time they see the light of our benevolent true Domanus!”

Julius Nepos, a proud, ambitious man driven by his hatred of the Goths and those usurpers, that pathetic ‘Augustalus Momyllus’ and his father Oretes. But despite this burning desire to avenge himself and regain Western Rome’s glory, he also knew deep down the odds were stacked against him. Surrounded on all sides by stronger, larger enemies, with only the grace of Xenon having allowed him to keep his holdings in Dalmatia, there was only a very narrow path Nepos could walk, or all would be lost that is truly Roman in the West.

Driving to reform the West from its weak, extremely loose rulership, Nepos would begin a slow process of centralization and reform, targeting the manors and their faux-nobility, seeking compliance from them in at least some limited form on threat of losing their lands to the Imperialum

When Nepos heard of the Burgundian perversion of Roman law by intermiggling it with their barbaric customs, he would go into a fit of rage, promising those near him that “[He] would show those dirt dwelling barbarians the might of Roman civilization in its pure form once the Goths have been killed”

As Italy fell into a civil war, Nepos intensified his own personal training with the aim of leading his legion from the front. He knew he would have to be brutal and fast, as his armies would be heavily reliant on mercenaries, and looting would have to pay for them.

And so, after a month’s preparation on top of the work Nepos had done before to ready for the invasion, he sent word to the rebels to the pretender Odoacer. Submit, or face the wrath of the new Imperial Legion. When they replied with a mocking response, insinuating that Nepos was compensating for something and that he should talk to Xenon first, Nepos flew into a fit of rage and declared war, rallying his legions and prepared mercenaries, forming an army of 6,000 men. Even if it wasn’t campaign season, Nepos was determined to make it so.

Within just a few months, Aqueileia and Carinthia fell to Nepos, who then rested the summer as more mercenaries were hired off the grabbed plunder of the land. The rebels, believing Nepos’ forces to be exhausted, and themselves fleeing from the larger army of Odoacer, moved a relatively small force into the area, only to find themselves beset upon by Nepos’ forces. In the attack, more than half the rebel army was slaughtered before finally managing to disengage and fled out of Aquileia.

Drawn in by the fleeing rebel army, Odoacer himself lead an army to face Nepos and his forces. Along the river Natiso, the two armies faced each other. Under Nepos was a core of a single, full legion of trained heavy infantry, a mix of his veteran herculani seniore and comesentienses forces who stayed loyal to him even through his deposition from power in Italy and his newer recruits. A second legion of mercenaries helped even the numbers, providing much needed archers, spearmen, and skirmishing infantry. Under Odoacer was a heavily calvary centric army that followed many of the same ideas of an Ostrogothic force, belying their fedoerati and ostrogothic origins.

Nepos chose his place well, organizing some distance from the river crossing so as not to discourage an attempt, but close enough so the advantages of it could still be gained. Odoacer, determined to crush these rebellious Romans once and for all, began the battle with a full commitment of his noble heavy cavalry, followed up by the lighter horse meant to exploit the gap the heavy horses would form. This gap would never come, as when the noble horse passed the point of no return, the first line of Nepos’ army stepped back, allowing the front ranks to be replaced by spearmen. The cavalry was stopped in their tracks and impaled upon the spears, with only the lucky rear ranks being able to wheel away in time. By that point, half of Odoacer’s army was on Nepos’ side of the river, and as the wheeling, frightened horses created confusion amongst the ranks of his army, Nepos’s army marched forward, spatha and spear thrusting and slashing as the cream of Odoacer’s army was slaughtered, the other half unable to help due to the bridge being clogged. Recognizing his losses, Odoacer ordered a retreat, realizing desertions would likely become crippling if he let his men continue to watch their brothers in arms be slaughtered, unable to help without becoming yet more pig feed.

As Nepos’ triumphant army marched on, reports suggesting his wife had contracted a venereal disease he did not have began to reach his camp. Infuriated, Nepos immediately ordered his wife to be locked in the darkest dungeon possible to be dealt with upon the conclusion of his campaign.

Soon after this event, word reached Nepos of the Edict of Union passed by Xenon. While secretly envious of Xenon being in such a position he could try to bring the powerful Church fully under his control, openly Nepos sent a tepid condemnation marking his disapproval, but in no strong terms to avoid any potential Eastern retribution for the time.

While much smaller than the previous Battle of Aquileia, the battle of Podva would cement the tide of the war in Nepos’ favor. Especially influential was Nepos’ actions, leading a core of his men in a spearhead through the enemy lines, Nepos himself personally cutting down many dozens of lesser men before engaging Count Armatus in single combat, killing him personally. This action would break the back of the defenders, and the general of the army, the Dux Armatus (no relation), surrendered himself to Nepos’ forces.

With both armies of the rebels and Odoacer driven from northern Italy, both agreed to Nepos’ peace offer, granting him control over much of northern Italy. Pleased with his successful campaign, Nepos immediately moved his court to Verona to be all the closer to Ravenna and Rome. While he lost valuable troops in the fight, the reward was worth it in his mind, now being one step closer to regaining Italy, and with the fertile Po River under his control, Italy would not be able to feed itself well without the food from his lands.

Encouraged by Nepos’ campaign, the Roman senate fled to northern Italy and proclaimed him the true ruler of Italy, saying their approval of Odoacer was a forced sham, and that all true Romans in Italy should rise up to support Nepos’ and therefore true Roman rule to Italy.
​

 

[stnylan]

Welcome to AAR writing - I hope you enjoy yourself.

WtWSMS is always fun.

 

[Nikolai]

Taking every opportunity as they come, like a true Roman.

 

[Jokerang]

Not a bad start to restoring the Western Empire. I do hope you have plans for an heir in mind.

 

[Idhrendur]

Welcome to AAR writing!

 

[vandevere]

Enjoying this...

 

[Tiberionus]

Chapter 3; God, I hate Goths

“To Rome and the World! The true Imperator, Domanus, Augustus of the West, Julius Nepos, has returned the rightful Roman rule to Italy! Yet the Gothic usurper in Rome remains, as the Ostrogoths in Illyrium prowl like hungry wolves, but fear not citizens, for our kind, driven Emperor will see these dangers vanquished and a new era of peace and prosperity restored to our beloved empire! All those that help our beloved Augustus in this task shall be well rewarded with land, citizenship, and a place in history!”

With the northern Italian campaign completed, Julius Nepos would have his infidelous wife dragged before a religious court in chains, as Nepos explained how she had a venereal disease that he did not have, so therefore, their marriage should be voided if his ‘wife’ could not be trusted to maintain her vows for even one campaign. The priests agreed, and the marriage was voided. Immediately after, Nepos would have his ex executed and sent a request for a new marriage to a princess from a desposed, but loyal Eastern dynasty, seeking to cement the two Romes as being one, for the promise of solving one of the major reasons of the collapse, the constant war between Romans, even if deep down, Nepos wished they truly were one under his rule.

The marriage was agreed to, and Nepos requested a dowry in cash, believing it the way to help pay for more mercenaries when the time came to retake Italy proper as his regulars recovered.

Peace did not last though, as mere months later, Odoacer, having recovered from the rebellion and eager to push out these upstart challengers to his Rex Italia, declared war in the first month of 480.

Once again marshalling his troops and mercenaries, Nepos moved to attack the larger army of Odoacer before it could rally all of its Italian forces. In the second Battle of Pavia and a battle outside the walls of the city of Ravenna, the two forces met. In both battles, Julius’ forces would obtain decisive victories, leaving northern Italy open to his army, and Odoacer with a shell of his former strength. With this disaster, Odoacer would sue for peace, leaving Ravenna and all land north of it in the hands of Nepos. Once peace was made, Nepos would march his army into Ravenna as if in a Triumph in the times of Caesar, and proclaim that now, three of Rome’s four hearts; Constantinople, Ravenna, and Alexandria, were now back under the light of Roman civilization, and soon the darkness of barbaric oppression shall be driven from the primary heart, the true home of any true Roman; Rome.

However, Nepos did not intend to march on Rome. Not yet anyway. Not with those Ostrogoth dogs to his back, and with the treaty came a temporary non-aggression pact with Odoacer precisely for this reason. But first, to celebrate the second of seemingly impossible victories, Nepos decreed a grand tournament shall be held in the spirit of the long forgotten gladiators of Rome, for in such troubling times, the old traditions of Rome should be remembered and applauded so that Romans might remember who they were before this era of barbarism and endless war. All part of Nepos’ scheme to rebuild Rome into what it once was, for he had in the long nights in Dalmatia during his exile, studied what went wrong, and believed fully in his vision to revive the Rome of old, when none dared challenged it.

After a week’s long celebration of Roman culture and tradition in the former of gladiatorial, horseback, and other forces of combat showing Roman skill at arms, a man by the name of Decimus would rise to the top. Nepos would grant upon this man a laurel wreath and declared him an example of the new Roman, a man equally skilled in many styles in whatever field he went into, combat or otherwise.

With the tournament completed, desperate for money to pay for the recapture of Italy and to remove a threat, Nepos would declare war on the Ostrogoths in Dalmatia as they were distracted with a war to their north. Bringing his wife on the campaign, fearful of what happened last time, the legions of Nepos would march once more to vanquish one of the groups most responsible for the West’s desperate situation.

As Nepos’ army, now for once strong enough to survive without its mercenaries, took over the border regions with the Ostrogoths with little resistence, a miracle happened. At long last, Nepos’ wife would fall pregnant. While Nepos had had children under his divorcee, both were girls, and with his drive towards traditionalism, trying to crown one heir would be politically infeasible. Nepos was said to have spent a full day and full night in prayer that Leonita and God might grant him a son, and for the strength to live to see his son to maturity.

In a battle in the region of Banja Luka, Rome would see its first victory over a fully Ostrogothic force. Lead by one of Nepos’ most capable commanders, the much larger Roman army would smash the Ostrogothic lines in a battle without much tactics or maneuver, seeing nearly a third of the Ostrogothic army ran down and killed. With this victory and the main army of the Ostrogoths defeated, Nepos felt confident in victory.

Just a couple months later, as his troops were securing Dalmatia, yet more good news came to Julius Nepos. His wife had indeed had a son, one he could make his heir. Nepos would name the newborn Nepotianus as an honorific of his father, for it was clear in Nepos’ mind he was the savior of Rome, and what greater honor would there be than to be named after a man who would be the fourth ‘founder’ of Rome after Romulus, Augustus, and Diocletian?

With peace secured with the Ostrogoths, their strength reduced to a mere shadow of its former self, Nepos felt secure in his position. In Italia, Roman rebels, following the request of the Senate, were breaking Odoacer’s rule apart for him, leaving the despot of Italy weak and unsupported. For the first time since Theodosius the Great, the fortunes of Rome were looking up, and Nepos wept, for soon, Rome would be his, and if God allow, he might live to see its old lands recovered, but if not, he had his son, one he would raise to do it for him should he be unable to retake old west Rome.

Needing a true dedicated bodyguard as the Scholae Palatinae in the west simply were no more, Nepos decided to further revive his ideas of a traditionalist Rome and reformed the Praetorian Guard out of seasoned veterans of his herculani senoire. While he understood the problems the previous Praetorian Guard was responsible for, even beyond disposing Emperors, the need for a return to the old ways, and for a dedicated bodyguard, were greater in this time of need for Rome. With this final cog put into place, Nepos would turn his eye back south, waiting patiently for the non-aggression pact to expire as he reforged Rome anew in the north.

Situation of the former Roman lands, 9 December, 482 AD/CE
​

 

[Nikolai]

Taking Italy, one region at a time... Roma Invicta!

 

[Jokerang]

Slowly reviving Roman rule and custom, and consolidating your position.

Out of curiosity, where does Nepos' new wife hail from? I'm assuming it's the Kingdom of the Suebi.

 

[Tiberionus]

Slowly reviving Roman rule and custom, and consolidating your position.

Out of curiosity, where does Nepos' new wife hail from? I'm assuming it's the Kingdom of the Suebi.

I went back and checked, and found I made a mistake. The 'House of Leon' she hailed from wasnt the Spanish one, but the Byzantine/Eastern Empire one.

 

[stnylan]

Rome was not built in a day, it will take time to restore her to glory.

 

[Crimson Lionheart]

Solid chapters and storytelling so far. Will be following this with great interest, glad I got you introduced to AAR writing

 

[Tiberionus]

Chapter 4: Woe to the Conquerors

“To Rome and the World! Our great Emperor has decreed that no rest shall yet be had, not until those Romans chafing under the usurper’s rule are freed once more! The mighty Nepos shall march on Rome and drag that accursed Odoacer out from his hole to face the cold hand of Roman justice! The Eternal City shall now and forever always be Roman!”

As the new year began in 483, 8 years since Oretes overthrew him, Nepos saw the weakness of the pretender Odoacer laid clear. Italy was fragmenting and revolt under his illegitimate rule, and those that had broken off begged for the return of Nepos, for selfish or patriotic reasons both. Declaring no Roman should rest while their home city lay under foreign occupation, Nepos would declare war once more on Odoacer, the non-aggression pact expired. This time, Nepos had no intention of leaving any land under his or his lackeys control.

The armies of Rome would gather in Ravenna before Nepos would lead them personally on a rapid march on Rome. Ancona and Spoleta would fall in mere weeks each, the demoralized Ostrogoth and fedoratii defenders being easily overwhelmed by the invigorated Romans and a hostile population. Seeing no choice, Odoacer would personally lead his small remaining army against the Romans in a desperate last stand.

On the very fields of Allia in which the Roman army was utterly routed defending against the Gallic invaders in 390 BC, the two sides would meet. Odoacer would order his two generals to direct command each flank of his army, knowing that there could be no retreat, for the Romans would not rest until they were captured and killed utterly. The two sides lined up, Odoacer’s army concentrating its cavalry on the right flank in the hopes that it could be routed. The Romans made no such concentrations, outnumbering the ex-fedoratii as much as they did, nearly two to one, there was no such need in Nepos’ mind.

The Ostrogoth cavalry charged forward, over four thousand stomping hooves thundered forward, the general Brutus at the head of the great wedge. The Romans lock shields, lowered pila, and caught the brunt of the charge head on. Brutus would near immediately be dehorsed in the face of the spearline and slain before his troops. The horse-archers of Odoacer’s forces attempted to circle around, but were met and quickly routed by the Roman light horse, who then circled and hit the enemy cavalry in the flank. With spears to the front, an attack to the flank, and their commander dead, what was left of the cavalry fled.

With this achieved, Nepos ordered an immediate advance into the enemy’s infantry. Seeing the writing on the wall with the collapse of his combat, Odoacer would lead a countercharge into the Roman line. The two sides slammed into each other, but the smaller size of Odoacer’s army lead to it soon finding itself surrounded, and surrendered.

Odoacer captured, his armies destroyed, and Rome in the hands of a Roman emperor once more, the war was won, those that rebelled against Odoacer immediately swore loyalty to the Emperor of the West once more. Nepos had achieved the seemingly impossible, and for the first time in decades, the people of Rome were not just hopeful for the future, but excited for what it would bring. Nepos would make a speech upon the old rostum of the forum, declaring that just as Italy had been retaken so too shall all of old Rome. Gaul, Hispania, Africa, even Britannia would be returned to the light of Roman civilization, and the trials of the century shall be forever vanquished. But during his speech, something went wrong. First, the occassional cough, then, the Emperor who restored Rome, collapsed, coughing and wheezing, unable to stand on his own.

The flu had struck Nepos down, the long marches, little sleep, and little care he took for his body in his quest to reclaim Italy catching up. He was left bedridden to the point where his good friend Titus, the commander of the first Legion and loyal companion since the exile to Dalmatia, was appointed his regent.

His condition worsened rapidly, but on his seeming deathbed, struggling to stay alive, he would receive one final piece of good news, his wife was once more pregnant. It is said when he received that news, he smiled for the first time since his illness began.

As Nepos began slipping into the next world, his last words were said to be that “I die, so Rome may live.”. In his place, his two year old son was left as his heir. The people of Rome were distraught, such a situation in years past would have almost certainly lead to a usurper and possible civil war later on. But Comes Titus kept to his loyalties and would rule as the Imperatus Regens for the young Nepotianus, never moving to usurp the throne, at least not yet.

That did not mean Titus was an inactive regent, for he immediately began implementing what he knew Nepos had planned for once he secured Rome. His first act on behest of the old and new Emperor was that of moving the capital to Rome from Ravenna to secure the traditionalism Nepos sought to reinforce. His second act was the execute the usurper Odoacer in a grand public spectacle, modeled after the Triumph of Caesar, but with a painting of Nepos attending in his stead. After a grand military parade, a mass public crucifixion(on poles instead of crosses to avoid insulting the church authorities) was head of every major member of Odoacer’s army, finally ending with the hanging of Odoacer himself. The message was clear, rebellion would not be tolerated, and that the old traditions of Rome would be brought back in full.

The Situation of Rome, 25 January, 485 AD

Author's note: Sorry for the relatively short chapter, between Nepos' death and what comes after, I felt it best to send this on its own.
​

 

[Idhrendur]

A great victory, but with a regent it could all fall apart.

 

[stnylan]

Nepos struck down almost at the moment of his triumph. Will Rome survive the regency?

 

[Jokerang]

And thus Julius Nepos passes into history just three years later than he did in OTL, but having accomplished so much more. But with an infant successor, it may well be for naught...

EDIT: years, not weeks obviously.

 

[brovahkiin]

I love this, subbed so hard
I remember my first run when WTWSMS first came out was a nepos run
I don't know if its still true but when I played it julius started as rivals to odoacer so i challenged him to a duel with the war focus, won via RNG killed him and then fought the weakened remains of his kingdom
you certainly did it in a much less luck focused way, my hat is off you truly an impressive display.
first italia soon the rest of the west

 

[Tiberionus]

Chapter 5; Out of the Gothic Pan…

“To Rome and the World! Do not believe those foul rumors that our beloved emperor Nepolus is nothing more than a puppet for the great Imperial Regens Titus! It is nothing more than foul lies and slander, for the glorious Regens is educating our pure-hearted Emperor on all of the necessities of being a ruler, as the past three years have shown, Regens Titus has only ours and our Emperor’s best interests at heart!”


The three years following the death of Julius Nepos were, quite surprisingly, quiet for the Western Empire. Titus proved a capable regent who respected his emperor, despite his...youthful age, showing the same loyalty to him as Titus had done to his father. All the while, the spoils of war taken from Odoacer’s forces and the reorganized tax system flowed into beginning the slow rebuilding of Italy now that the Romans had a moment to breathe, and their armies for once did not even have to march out to face any rebellion or barbaric incursion in that time.

However, at the age of five, Nepotianus, nicknamed Nepolus (Little Nepos), began to feel ill. Titus would immediately move to ensure the boy emperor’s illness remained unknown, for a such rumors could spread, and one ambitious for the throne could take advantage. Titus called for the court physician and Patrician of Rome, Marcellinus, masquerading the visit as simply private prayer for the boy.

But, as a priest, the man did not understand the medical practices recommended for healing such things, however he would guess between the boy’s symptoms and the minor outbreak going through the city, he believed it was Slow Fever and had Nepotianus join him in prayer, hoping God would listen and have mercy on the boy. Nepolus for his part, believed that it worked and would tell Marcellinus that he felt better! “Now can I go play?” “No.”

Despite the temporary respite, the boy emperor’s condition would worsen over the next month until he came down with a fever. From there in the back of his mind, he started to doubt if Marcellinus actually knew what he was doing…

Marcellinus for his part, came to believe that, as the young boy was feeling cold, what he needed was warm meals, both in temperature and in spiciness. While the spice did certainly help clear his nose, the doubt Nepolus had for Marcellinus’ ‘treatments’ made him unsure it did anything...

After the boy’s 6th birthday, Titus would bring in an old friend, the winner of the first tournament held by Julis Nepos, Decimus, to teach the boy what he could not in what little spare time he had running the empire in the boy’s stead, especially in Nepotianus’ condition. Decimus would agree, feeling a great deal of debt to the boy’s father after Nepos made Decimus governor of Illyria after his grand victory.

On the 27th of September, it was all but certain, the boy emperor had slow fever. His inner council would swallow in worry, for they knew if the boy died, internal strife would once again rack the Western Empire, leaving it once more open for barbaric invasion, and this time, survival was doubtful...

Marcellinus took it upon himself to go see the boy. He was going to take a proactive approach, but found many of the proscribed treatments of the day...distasteful, and all together too uncivilized for a priestly man such as himself.

So instead he roasted a cat for the boy, and expounded upon how it was a ‘healing cat’, blessed by his hard work over catching and cooking it! It seemed to...actually work as the boy would report feeling stronger and more fit after eating it. Huh.

After two more months of illness that ebbed and flowed, slow fever living up to its name, the boy would go completely sneeze and fever free for several days. It seemed the young Nepolus had managed to survive the fever, none the worse for wear no less. With that, the council breathed a sigh of relief, a succession crisis successfully avoided!

Nepotanius, having had quite a happy life so far besides the fever and having a father he would never know, grew quite content, a feeling reforced by the months of laying around being dotted over by concerned adults.

The boy would also become increasingly kinder, between the care he had recieved, the lack of moves against his person by anyone, and with the childhood Decimus and Titus had given him, he saw no reason why he should suspect most people not having a good heart deep down...

In fact, he wanted to prove he was getting old enough to think on his own and show how wonderful life was to all those under him! So he decided to organize a feast, oh how grand! He could show how much he loved his vassals and how much they loved him!

So inthralled by this idea of a grand feast, he would spend lavishly on everything, even if a bit to Titus’ chagrin who would have rather had the money for rebuilding Rome. But, he went along with it, seeing no harm in trying to win over some more of the less...reputable vassals and landowners to ensure their loyalty.

And so the invitations were sent, and the feast held on the 13th of December. No one refused, to which the young Nepotanius was overjoyed to see.

When a priest refused to drink when all others were, however, Nepotianus took it personally. Clearly, since all the other adults were drinking, it must have been meant as a sly insult and snub! How dare he, indeed. But Titus being a kind soul, hid his secret anger at the priest and refused to insult him in turn.

The feast ended soon after, and all praised Nepolus and Titus for having such a wonderful event. Nepotianus was happy that it went off so well, and Titus was glad that the vassals seemed reassured that the boy emperor was growing up well, and would be a great ruler one day.

Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, and in his mind, rightful king of Italy, would declare war on the Western Empire in March of 490, seeing it as his chance before the boy emperor got any older now that his armies had been rebuilt from that accursed Nepos’ invasion.

Titus would march out to face this threat, but soon realized the Ostrogoths had put together a far larger army than anticipated. Faced with an equally strong force who could dictate the place of battle, Titus would employ the old Fabian strategy to try to whittle down the Ostrogoths enough for a not-so-fair fight could be fought.

After Titus left, Nepolus would find himself trying to act as daring as the man who, in his mind, was his real father, Titus. Climbing trees, daring to grab and collect snakes, getting into mock sword fights with his friends, it was all so exhilarating to be brave like Titus!

It worked, with 3,000 of the Ostrogothic force dying in sieges and lack of supply. Seeing his chance, Titus would engage the Ostrothic king outside the city of Pelva. Faced with superior numbers, Theodoric would strengthen his flanks at the cost of his center as Titus followed a more traditional line, with a slight center concentration in the center. The badly outnumbered Ostrogoths soon found their center breaking, and the leaderless left flank smashed utterly.

Only the right flank, lead by Theodoric, would disengage in any good order, and what Theodoric hoped would be the new Carrhae turned into a slaughter as he lost nearly half his army and was forced to retreat. This would end that year’s campaign for the Ostrogoth’s, and Titus would turn towards mopping up the occupying forces for the remainder of the year.

Nepolus, upon hearing of Titus’ great victory, would celebrate with cake! ...and more cake, and yet more biscuits as well, until finally the chef had enough and chased him from the kitchen for eating a good portion of the food he had been preparing, but the damage had been done, and Nepolus realized that food was preeetty great.

Once Titus had fully pushed the Ostrogoths out of Roman territory, the broken king Theodoric, now being not-so-lovingly being called the “not-so-Great” by his men, would surrender himself to the Roman general. Titus, in his authority as regent, would order the Ostrogoths to subject themselves as fedorati of Rome should the need arise, but they were not to ever enter Roman borders again. With a heavy heart, Theodoric would agree to the terms, and Rome would live on, if a bit longer...

Situation of Rome, 3 October, 492. Nepotianus Nepos, age 9, 7 more years of Regency left.​

 

[stnylan]

Excellent to see off the invasion, and the Slow Fever.

But a Gluttonus Emperor who enjoys parties? Rome has never ever had the slightest trouble with someone like that