Mattius Helvius Aquilius

The second son of Tullus Duronius Aquilius, Mattius was never quite expected to take the reins of the Aquilius. A scrawny and sickly child, not much was ever expected of him, and being raised in the shadow of both his father and brother, Decius, was fine with him. More interested in intellectual pursuits than martial feats, Mattius had hopes that one day, when his brother held their father's title, he could simply become a scholar and will his time away inside the confines of Barford Manor. But, his father would disappear in 474 while answering Count Roderick's muster, and 4 years later, Decius would be fell by Saxon axes. And so, Mattius had to reluctantly step out of the shadow, much to his own disappointment.

Tall and thin, Mattius makes for an odd squire, and should he be knighted, will make for an odd knight. His natural strength and constitution are both near none existent, which has often brought ridicule and laughter at him. Not particularly sturdy on horseback or skilled with a spear, the young squire has had to develop his own particular fighting style, which uses his agility and speed over raw strength.

Extremely well-read, Mattius is a skeptic, which most seem to find strange considering his Christian Faith. He usually carries a journal with him which he fills with a cramped and minuscule Latin script, and would much prefer to read a dusty tome in the basement of an abbey rather than hunt in the forest.

Kind, gentle, and maybe even shy, he is incredibly modest and years of being ridiculed for his physique mean he is almost incapable of being insulted, by anything.

Estate: Barford Manor
Current Glory: 270

***

Family History

Year 439
Throughout the year, pirates harass shipping lanes along the coast, landing by night to raid coastal settlements. Finally, a large band lands at the mouth of the River Thames. King Constantin is busy elsewhere and cannot combat them as they pillage the area right up to the walls of London. Portions of the countryside are properly defended.

Serving garrison duty inside London's walls, Lucius Aquilius watches as the pirates pillage the land around the city. Under the Garrison Commander's order, Lucius keeps the local Militiamen within the walls as a deterrent . He watches helplessly as the surrounding settlements are ransacked.

Year 440
During this year, King Constantin is murdered by his own guards. The entire kingdom is thrown into disorder. Along the coast, raiders continue harassing shipping in frequency.

Lucius Aquilius serves garrison duty in London. He sees little combat and finds himself rather unaffected by King Constantin's death. As the city is independently wealthy, the death of the King does not bring much change.

Year 441
Dux Vortigern travels to London . Once there, he summons Prince Constans, Constantine’s eldest son, from the monastery. They discuss the situation and Constans reluctantly agrees to the demand that he take the crown and is elected as the King of Logres. The Supreme Collegium receives a summons to convene to select a new High King, but due to the intertribal raiding and feuding, they are not able to gather this year.

Pirates and raiders become bolder in their attacks on the east coast. The Trinovantes muster their forces and catch the raiders attacking them in a series of skirmishes as they force the raiders back to their ships.

The City Council sends its troops in the surrounding lands to skirmish with the pirates. Lucius Aquilius leads a small band of militia in a few encounters.

Year 442
The Supreme Collegium meets. At the urging of Dux Vortigern, the Supreme Collegium chooses Constans as the High King. Constans is a young, bookish man, however, so he relies on his uncle, Dux Vortigern, for advice.

As King Constans is crowned in London, Lucius Aquilius is part of the soldiers guarding the event.

Year 443
Young King Constans is murdered by his Pictish bodyguards. Vortigern executes the murderers immediately. The Supreme Collegium cannot be mustered this year, but the nobles of Logres, after much debate, select Dux Vortigern to be the next King of Logres. He splits his own Cambrian kingdom between his two eldest sons: Kingdom of the Silures to Vortimer and Kingdom of the Ordovices to Katigern. He also appoints Eldol to be the new Dux of Glevum.

The younger brothers of King Constans are brought to London where they disappear from view. Some say they were taken away to Brittany in secret.

Lucius Aquilius and his men are kept busy through the year, constantly fighting local raiders encroaching into the lands surrounding the city. Lucius is wounded in the leg in one of those numerous skirmishes. Healing poorly, the  wound will give him a distinctive limp he will carry until his death.

Year 444
The Picts and Brigantes stage a massive invasion,with their armies occupying much of Coritani lands, and bands of raiders penetrating all the way to Glevum. The Iceni send troops north while the rest of the tribes dig in and fortify. Lucius Aquilius is sent along with a small detachment of soldiers to provide help in Glevum.

Year 445
The Pictish raids deeper into Logres increase in intensity, and the Coritani continue to suffer under the Brigantes yoke. King Vortigern orders his armies to muster, but most do not answer the call, staying at home to defend their families against the raiders, or at least that is their excuse. King Vortigern scolds the nobles of Logres to no avail. He also summons the Supreme Council, which sends replies that they are unavailable as the country is so dangerous. Needing more troops to fight the Picts, King Vortigern sends emissaries to the continent to try to hire mercenaries.

London finds himself under constant threat from raiders. Lucius Aquilius serves in the garrison force, defending the city.

Year 446
King Vortigern scolds many of the lords of Logres for not mustering. He also summons the Supreme Collegium, which replies that they are unavailable as the country is so dangerous.

Vortigern sends messengers to the eastern tribes to muster as an army in London, promising to meet them there. Iceni take the lead, gathering the other tribes as they march to London. They are met by the Cantii and Saxon mercenaries led by chieftains Hengest and Horsa, who landed in Cantium (Kent) a few weeks before. Vortigern arrives a few days later, with his army of Glevum reinforced by the southern tribes.

Thus reinforced, the British and Saxon army marches north against the Picts and Brigantes. Battle is met near the city of Lincoln, and it is a great victory for Vortigern as his forces drive the enemy across the Humber.

Although present in London as the armies gather, Lucius Aquilius remains behind in the city, his leg keeping him from the fight to come.

Year 447
As a result of the impressive victory in the preceding year, the Supreme Collegium meets and elects Vortigern as High King. Vortigern gives the Saxons the Isle of Thanet as their own property, as foederati. Also this year, a prelate from the pope, the saintly Germanus, comes to Britain to condemn and combat British Christianity, but travels mostly in the western part of Britain.

Year 448
During this time, King Vortigern spares his own army, using the Saxons to defeat the Brigantes in their own land, and drive the Picts back to the north. The King of the Brigantes rides south and surrenders to Vortigern, swearing loyalty.

Vortigern tells Hengest to summon more Saxons from the continent, and many more arrive, including families and Hengest’s daughter, Rowena. Beautiful and charming, she swiftly becomes a favorite at Vortigern’s court, staying long after others leave.

Vortigern settles a group of Saxons, led by Beorhtric, Hengest’s cousin, on the marshlands of Sorestan, which had been depopulated by pirate raids and the recent invasion. Cymric nobles notice this; some feel Vortigern is favoring his new subjects over his loyal ones and they join the Dissidents.

Year 449
The Saxons do indeed keep the lands safe around Cantii and Coritani. However, news from the continent is persistent in saying that a new foe, the Huns, is defeating the German tribes right and left. These savages are thought to be half demon, half horse.

Many are afraid of this new threat. Vortigern belays their fears saying horses cannot swim to Britain. The real threat are those who can raid us every year and the Saxons will be a good defense against the more persistent raiders of the Irish, continental pirates and Picts. Vortigern insists that it is a small price to pay. Hengest gets more Saxons to join his force and becomes more and more a trusted advisor, to the detriment of loyal Cymric advisors. And where Hengest is, his daughter is not far behind. In all councils, she attends personally to Vortigern. The concerns that Vortigern is unduly influenced by the Saxons’ advice starts to gather more listeners and the number of Dissidents are slowly growing.

As more and more lands in the South are given to the Saxons, Lucius Aquilius believes Vortigern is becoming more and more of a threat to his own people. Like many citizens of London, the Aquilius begin voicing their dissidence, complaining about the influence of Saxons at court.

Year 450
Vortigern, impressed by the private talents of Rowena, the daughter of the Saxon chief Hengest, marries her in a lavish celebration. Hengest receives half of the entire lands of Cantii as her bride price. Its name is corrupted to Kent in Saxon language, and its main fortress of Canterbury is the new center of Hengest’s power. The people of those lands are told to obey the Saxon king. The leader of the Cantii protests that half of his tribe’s land has been given to foreigners. High King Vortigern has him arrested and swiftly executed for High Treason. This tyrannical action causes grave concerns among the other noble British: could they be the next? The numbers of the Dissidents grow dramatically, and practically the whole Cantii tribe joins them.

Although he attends the wedding of Vortigern and Rowena out of duty, Lucius Aquilius sees nothing but horror in the arrest and execution of the Leader of the Cantii. His opinion of the situation begins spreading to his own troop.

Year 451
The Huns led by their king, Attila, invade Gaul for pillage and plunder, scouring the land of its wealth, slaughtering as they go.The commander in Gaul, Aetius, sends for help from all who will send it. High King Vortigern, seeing a way to settle some scores, sends a contingent consisting of those who have been complaining about his policies. Alongside many armies from across Europe, the allied army meets the Huns in the bloody Battle of Chalons. Lucius Aquilius is among those sent to Europe. He fights bravely, leading his troops to victory against the Huns. He serves under General Aetius, his Roman blood and name often favouring him. The Huns are defeated for the first time in their existence, and they retreat from Europe. A son, named Cerdic, is born to Vortigern and Rowena. He returns to Britain with great Glory. Vortigern welcomes the returning survivors with honeyed words, but fools only a few.

Year 452
Pilgrims returning from Rome report that Attila and his Huns invaded Italy, reaching the walls of Rome itself but were unable to storm or besiege it. Some say the Huns were stopped because they lacked siege engines, others that they failed because of the piety of the Pope.

Word comes from the north that the Coritani and the Sorestan Saxons continue getting along well; there is even intermarrying going on between the two tribes. The Midlands are peaceful. Now, if only Vortigern could convince Hengest to do the same

Year 453
The Irish are expanding their holdings in Cambria. Vortigern sends some warriors to help the Ordovices against the Irish in Gomeret.

Year 454
Again hoping to silence those who have spoken against him, Vortigern sends warriors to fight the Irish in Cambria. Lucius Aquilius is again amongst those warriors. Despite this, the Irish expansion continues. More needs to be done. Nobles in the southeast start conspiring against Vortigern after seeing the Cantii being sent across the sea to fight because they protested his policies; they approach his sons, Vortimer and Katigern. Further north, the leader of the Parisi dies without an heir. High King Vortigern reclaims the land for himself.

Year 455
News arrives that the Imperial City of Rome, the center of the civilized world, has fallen! A tribe of Germans called the Vandals has done the impossible and brought Rome low. The Western Empire is finished. Lucius Aquilius spirits are crushed by this news.

High King Vortigern moves some tribes around far to the west, giving them lands as he did with the Saxons, if they will expel the Irish. However, he pays no heed to the complaints of the Dissident Britons about the increasing numbers of Saxons in Kent, nor offers compensation to the displaced Cantii despite their requests. What’s worse, King Vortigern establishes even more Saxons, creating new kingdoms called Nohaut and Deira in the former Parisi lands. Shiploads of Continental Saxons continue to flock to the new lands, displacing the native British.

Year 456
The eastern Britons finally rebel, protesting the policies of High King Vortigern, anxious that their lands may also be given to Saxons. Vortimer (King of Escavalon) and Katigern (King of Powys) are concerned that Vortigern, their father, is failing in his duty to his loyal subjects, the Cymri. Lucius Aquilius joins the rebellion, bringing with him numerous men from London's garrison. They lead the rebellion and battle with the Saxons in Kent. Lucius Aquilius fights bravely in the Battle of River Darent  and Aylesford (240 and 90 Glory) alongside Vortimer and Katigern. The two battles are victories for the rebels. However, in the second battle, Lucius Aquilius finds himself fighting along Katigern, witnessing his duel with Horsa. He is unable to help the man and blames himself for his death.

Year 457
High King Vortigern summons his army, drawing from western tribes, with the Saxons, and marches against the Rebels. A great battle ensues at Crecganford in Kent. The Rebels are crushed, and in the fighting, doing his best to protect Vortimer's retreat, Lucius Aquilius is slain in combat. Vortigern forgives his son, Vortimer, but assumes the regency of Powys since Katigern’s son, Cadell, is too young to rule. Vortigern gives the rest of the Cantii tribe’s landsto his loyal Saxons. As a tribe, the Cantii are finished.

Year 458
Vortigern starts reorganizing lands. Instead of tribes which can be spread far and wide, he splits the tribes up into smaller parcels, called counties. He starts in the east with the Rebel tribes. Many Dissident and Rebel Britons depart the island, moving with their families and possessions to Brittany. Even with Lucius Aquilius dead, the family decides to remain in London to serve the city they are bound to. The City Council has already hinted on countless occasions they plan to reward Lucius Aquilius personal sacrifice with an Urban Title for their eldest son, Tullus Duronius Aquilius.

Secretly, Vortimer starts building ships and a larger Rebel coalition, seeing the need for a massive uprising to oust all the Saxons. Thus, Vortimer also contacts the northern tribes, especially the Parisi exiles now living with other tribes.

Year 459
Vortigern continues reorganizing tribal lands in southern Logres. The exodus to Brittany continues. Now 21 years old, Tullus Duronius Aquilius is appointed Garrison Commander of London by the City Council, both as a reward for his own father's service and out of necessity for the troublesome times to surely come. Tullus finds himself taking command of the same men who fought alongside his father. The Aquilius now find themselves in direct service of London's City Council.

Year 460
Vortigern finishes reorganizing the tribes into counties, the Midlands being the last to be done. Vortimer starts sending out messages for his co-conspirators to prepare themselves for the uprising next year. Much like his own father before him, Tullus is extremely wary of Vortigern. Whispers of a new rebellion do reach his ears, and although he voices a wish of seeking out Vortimer, he decides his duty lays with the city first. He remains on Garrison duty. That same year, he marries Accia, the daughter of a rich and prosperous Roman merchant family from London.

Year 461
Vortimer re-energizes the British against the Saxons. With a new Rebel army forming, Tullus and soldiers from the garrison who were loyal to his father leave the city, secretly, to join Vortimer. In a series of brilliant maneuvers, Vortimer forces the Saxons back. Saxons are brought to battle at Stonar where they flee in their ships, but Vortimer is ready with ships of his own (gain 60 Glory) . The Saxons retreat to Thanet. Further north, the Brigantes, the Parisi and the Northern Britons join Vortimer in his rebellion and attack Nohaut and Deira. Vortimer is crowned King of Logres by the Rebels, replacing Vortigern, and makes his seat in Cambridge. Tullus, having heard tales of Vortimer from his own father, is impressed by how the man treats those under him. He sees in him someone who could truly be the king the Britons deserve. And maybe more.  That same year, Tullus' first son and heir, Decius is born.

Year 462
Struck by illness, Tullus finds himself too weak to muster alongside the Rebel's army. Vortimer attacks to force the remaining southern Saxons off Thanet resulting in a siege/battle known as Ebbsfleet. He is victorious, but is mortally wounded in the fighting. As he hears of Vortimer's death, Tullus curses his poor constitution and, much like his father before him, blames himself for Vortimer's death, convinced that his presence might have saved the King. He swears to never again falter in his duty.

Year 463
With the death of King Vortimer, the Rebels are without a clear leader. Vortigern sends lavish presents to the Rebel tribes and invites them to a meeting at the Giant's Dance on Mount Ambrius in Salisbury to negotiate peace, promising to address their justified complaints. Seeking reconciliation, almost all British lords attend. After eating, when the ale flows freely, the Saxons prove their worth. They draw hidden weapons and kill the majority of the nobles of Britain; some three hundred are slain.

Hengest takes Vortigern prisoner and makes demands for more land, which he gives them. When released, Vortigern flees to his homeland in Gomeret. Rowena and Cerdic stay with Hengest. Saxon forces occupy the main cities of Britain, including London,

Colchester, and Norwich. As the Saxon breech the walls of London, Tullus decides to gather soldiers of the garrison and their families and flees the city (Gain 15 Glory). Now an Exile, Tullus becomes, in effect, a Mercenary Knight . Having fled the city is a part of the surviving garrison,  Tullus now feels that his duty rests  in caring for the men under his command and their families. He begins hiring his small force of soldiers as mercenaries to guard settlements and cities across Logres. That year, Mattius Helvius Aquilius, Tullus' second son is born. Unlike his older brother, Tullus is a sickly child and almost perishes before the end of the year.

Year 464
Vortigern, after retreating to Gomeret, starts building the impregnable tower of Ganarew. The Saxons pillage the countryside especially those who do not pay tribute. With the tribal leadership killed last year and tribal capitals occupied, many turn to the county administration for help and leadership. Tullus' Legion, as his mercenary group is now known, serves a guards for various settlements, protecting them from Saxon raiders.

Year 465
The youthful Merlin makes his appearance and begins his career. The Saxons continue to march back and forth across Britain, extracting tribute and plunder, ravaging the neighboring countryside. Tullus' Legion has a few minor clashes with Saxon Raiders as they escort Cymric noble family off to the coast, so they can flee to Brittany.

Year 466
Aurelius Ambrosius, son of the former King Constantin and brother of Constans, lands in Totnes with an army from Brittany. He carries the great Pendragon banner, with a red dragon on it. Some ten thousand people, horses, and their equipment arrive, although only three thousand of them are knights. From his ship, Aurelius unfurls a great banner with a red dragon on it. A Saxon army led by Prince Æsc of Kent tries to block his way to Logres at Exeter, but the Saxons are defeated and flee back to Kent. With the news of Aurelius’ landing and subsequent victory sweeping all across the land, Tullus makes haste towards the Pendargon's army, hoping to join him. Tullus and his men take a solemn vow to throw down the usurper, Vortigern. (Gain 25 Glory in the fighting)

Aurelius then marches across Cornwall and Southwestern Logres, gathering supporters to his banner and subduing Vortigern Loyalists in minor battles. Eldol of Glevum, the Hero of the Night of Long Knives, pledges his allegiance to Aurelius and joins in subduing Cirencester, which had stayed loyal to Vortigern. Gorlois excels in these battles providing inspiration to those around him.

Year 467
Aurelius Ambrosius and his army pursue Vortigern and besiege him in his new castle on Mount Snowdon, where his remaining Loyalists gather. Others call this the Battle of Ganarew. Regardless of what it is called, a battle ensues. The besiegers use fire against the fortifications. Once the fire takes hold, it goes on blazing until it burns up the tower and Vortigern with it. His army scatters.

Year 468
Those Cymri still loyal to Vortigern’s line follow Paschent, Vortigern’s third son, into exile among the Continental Saxons. They intermarry with the Saxons and become the Gewisse tribe.

Aurelius Ambrosius summons the Supreme Council, and they elect him High King. Having climbed the ranks of Aurelius' army, Tullus is prsent at the coronation  He takes the title of Pendragon (“high dragon” or “head dragon”), derived from his great battle banner. He then reorganizes the Cornovii and Dumnonii into the Kingdoms of Lyonesse (Lyonesse), under King Meliodas the Elder, and Cornwall (Totnes, Tintagel and Ascalon), under King Riothamus. The King of Cornwall also has the allegiance of Lyonesse and the Cymric Kingdoms in Brittany. The remaining Pictish tribe in Jagent is given that land as their own. Aurelius orders and compels the cessation of hostilities between those who wish his governance.

After this decree, Aurelius introduces a new concept, “vassalage” as his favorites are given great lands for their loyalty and ability, chief among them Eldol and Gorlois, who are granted the title of a Duke.

Year 469
Hengest gathers his Saxons and marches from Kent towards Cumbria to join with Octa and Eosa in Eburacum. Aurelius marches with his army and catches up with Hengest. Two major battles occur. In the first battle at Maisbeli, Tullus cuts a bloody path towards one of Hengest champion. Althought injured in the fight, Tullus falls a Saxon berserker. Having barely healed from his injuries, Tullus reluctantly commands a reserve detachement during the Battle of Conisbrough.

With this final battle and with Hengest’s death, the threat of the Saxons diminishes. Aurelius thanks his foreign allies and British and Cymric subjects for their loyalty and willingness to see the tyrant, Vortigern, defeated and the rightful king — himself — crowned. He disbands the army back to their homes, rewarding those who deserve it. Tullus is one of those men. Having caught Aurelius’ eye, he is not only publicly praised by the King (Gains 50 Glory), but also given two gifts:  a silver belt bearing the crest of the Pendragon along with a lordless estate in Salisbury; Barford Manor. Although a small and modest estate on the northern bank of the Naddar River, it is a great honor, making Tullus the first Landed man in the Aquillius' lineage and elevating him to the status of a Vassal Knight. With Aurelius' march now over, Tullus helps the men from his mercenary band settle their families around Barford Manor.

Year 470
Prince Uther, Aurelius’ younger brother, and Merlin invade Ireland. The Britons are met by an Irish army led by King Gillomanius, but the Irish break and flee quickly as the knights charge them. After the Cymric army fails to dismantle the ring, Merlin does it himself. The huge stones are stored on board the ships and brought to Britain. The stones are reerected at the Giant’s Dance as a memorial for those killed in the “Long Knives” treachery.

Aurelius reorganizes the tribal nobility into landholding barons with widely scattered landholdings, and appoints six dukes to oversee the regional defense of parts of the realm (called dukedoms). He introduces vassalage, where a vassal swears homage to a liege in order for the barons to have the loyalty of knights who belong to a different tribe. Thus, the knight’s loyalty is to his liege, not to his old tribe, and the old tribal affiliations and loyalties largely fade away as the result.

One of the first vassals to so swear is Roderick of Salisbury, whom Aurelius knights and, due his extensive holdings and followers, elevates to Count. King Riothamus of Cornwall answers a call for help from the continent. He asks for veterans to join him. Many graybeards and veterans answer the call as Aurelius has brought peace to the land for the moment.

Tullus swears fealty to the newly minted Count of Salisbury, Roderick. He spends most of the year riding out with him to skirmish against the Kent Saxons.

Year 471
Saxons continue to come over from the Continent. Raids continue on both sides, but no major conflict occurs for now. Prince Uther makes a name for himself as a great warrior leading the Cymri, especially on daring counter-raids. The Berroc Saxons are active in taking the fight to the ‘Oath-Breakers’. Count Roderick of Salisbury, now an adult, leads his men enthusiastically against the hated foe.

Year 472
The raids and counter-raids with the Saxons continue. Prince Uther seems to always be where the fighting is thickest, with Baron Ulfius at his side. The Berroc Saxons continue proving their worth against the Kent Saxons. Count Roderick of Salisbury is proven to have an uncommon aptitude against the Saxons, starting to build his reputation as a warrior and a leader. Tullus, like his father before him, does his best to protect the land that is now his. He fights in numerous encounters with the Saxons.

Year 473
Æsc of Kent, reinforced by continental Saxons and confident of victory, marches his army into the Thames Valley. High King Aurelius Ambrosius raises an army to resist. Called by name at the muster, Tullus joins Aurelius Ambrosius' defence. The Battle of Windsor reveals itself to be a major Saxon victory. A growing disdan and hatered of the Saxon builds in Tullus.

Prince Uther vents his frustration over the loss by blaming ‘faithless vassals’ who did not arrive to the battle, naming Duke Gorlois as the chief culprit. Gorlois counters he did send troops, the Jagent Picts and that he would be ill serving the High King by leaving an enemy open to invade if he sent most of his forces.

Year 474
The Saxons of Kent roam and pillage the land. Only fortified places are safe, and the peasants suffer greatly. Prince Uther, Baron Ulfius and Count Roderick work tirelessly to lead the defenders, trying to blunt the Saxon raids. Prince Uther receives the title of “Duke of the Vale.” King Aurelius hopes to instill a sense of cooperation and making Uther a Duke forces him into equality with the other Dukes. Leaving Barford manor one morning to join Count Roderick in a patrol of Salisbury, Tullus never arrives to Sarum. Neither his squire or horse are ever found.

Year 478
Four years later, Tullus' heir, Decius, is killed while serving as a squire during a battle between Uther and Aelle's Saxon raiders. With Tullus still missing and Decius now slain, the heir to the Aquillius lands is now the young Mattius Helvius Aquilius. Only 15 years old, many do not believe Mattius will be able to carry his family's tradition for martial feats. Already tall and lanky, Mattius is known to be a sickly child more interested in books and stories rather than war. Taking much after his mother, he is a bright and cunning young man, but of rather weak build. Most now believe that the Aquillius warrior tradition has died.